Basics of the Presidency
Name 3 of the last 4 vice-presidents (including current VP.)
JD Vance, Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Joe Biden
The president oversees a massive federal bureaucracy; what does this term mean?
Bureaucracy = complex system of offices/agencies/etc. that carries out the duties of the government.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff assist the secretary of what major executive department?
BONUS (200 pts): Who is currently the head of this department?
Department of War (Defense)
Pete Hegseth
T/F: The candidate with the most votes automatically wins a presidential election.
False
What are two duties of the vice-president?
Can potentially take the place of the president, serves as leader of the Senate, represents the president in meetings with other leaders
What is the Presidential Cabinet, and who is a part of it?
Group that advises the president on policy decisions, generally composed of VP, department secretaries, military leaders, etc.
The FBI is a part of this department, which oversees the nation's legal affairs.
BONUS (100 pts): What is the title of the head of this department?
Department of Justice
Attorney General
How do political parties choose their candidate in a presidential election?
Both parties hold a Primary Election made up of candidates from within their party
How many people have been president?
BONUS (100 pts): How many VPs have gone on to become president?
45
15
What is the War Powers Act, and why is it considered generally weak?
President can only wage war for 90 days without congressional approval... most presidents just ignore it.
Which department handles U.S. foreign policy and runs embassies around the world?
BONUS (100 pts): Who is the current head of this department?
Department of State
Marco Rubio
1. What is a National Convention (in presidential elections)? (150 pts)
2. The chosen candidates for each political party are know as that party's...? (150 pts)
1. Event held to officially choose the party's nominees for president and VP
2. Ticket (ex. Trump/Vance 2024, Harris/Walz 2024, Obama/Biden 2008)
What are the three main requirements to be president?
35, natural-born citizen, has lived in U.S. for at least 14 years
What are two ways in which the president can influence legislation passed by Congress?
Can sign or veto laws, call special sessions, suggest laws at SOTU, creates federal budget
What are four executive agencies that we discussed in class? (NOT departments)
NASA, EPA, CIA, FBI, IRS, FEMA, CDC, FCC, SEC, FDA
How is a states total number of electoral college votes determined?
BONUS (100 pts.): How many total electoral college votes are there?
# of representatives + # of senators (always 2)
538
What are the first four positions in the line of presidential succession?
VP -> Speaker of the House -> President Pro Tempore of the Senate -> Secretary of State
What are two judicial powers of the president?
Can appoint judges to the Supreme Court (and all federal courts), can grant pardons, commutations, and amnesty
What are five executive departments (not mentioned yet in this game) that make up the U.S. government?
Dept. of.... State, Treasury, Justice, War, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, HHS, HUD, Transportation, Energy, Education, VA, HS
Give one argument for and one argument against the electoral college system.
Pro = gives smaller states a voice in electing the president, not decided solely by cities
Con = sometimes the candidate with the most popular votes loses the election