2. Chapter Introduction
Section 1: The President and
Vice President
Section 2: The President’s
Job
Section 3: Making Foreign
Policy
Section 4: Presidential
Advisers and
Executive Agencies
Visual Summary

3. Guide to Reading
Big Idea
The Constitution gives the executive
branch the power to execute, or
implement, the law.

4. The Office of the President
As the head of the executive branch of
our federal government, the president
holds one of the most powerful and
important elective offices in the world.

5. The Office of the President (cont.)
• The president of the United States leads
the executive branch of the United States’
government.

6. The Office of the President (cont.)
• Qualifications listed in the Constitution
– At least 35 years old
– Native-born American citizen
– Resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years

7. The Office of the President (cont.)
• Electoral College
– Electors cast votes to select the
president
– Number of votes based on number of
Congressional seats
– Most states use a “winner-take-all”
system for winner of popular
vote
Presidential Succession

8. The Office of the President (cont.)
• Four-year presidential term; limit of two
terms
• Salary and benefits:
– Annual salary of $400,000
– White House and Camp David
– Air Force One for travel

9. The Office of the President (cont.)
• Vice president:
– Elected with the president
– Becomes president if the president
resigns or dies in office

10. Presidential Succession
The office of the president has an
established order of succession.

11. Presidential Succession (cont.)
• The Constitution sets up a line of
succession in case the president dies or is
forced to leave office.

12. Presidential Succession (cont.)
• Twenty-fifth Amendment:
– Vice president takes over as president
– Names all the positions in line for the
presidency

13. Guide to Reading
Big Idea
The Constitution gives the executive
branch the power to execute, or
implement, the law.

14. Constitutional Powers
The source for the president’s authority
is Article II of the Constitution.

15. Constitutional Powers (cont.)
• The powers of the president are outlined in
Article II of the Constitution.
• Only federal office elected by entire nation

16. Constitutional Powers (cont.)
• Presidential powers outlined in Constitution:
– Veto legislation
– Call Congress into special session
– Commander in chief of the armed forces
– Receive foreign leaders
– Make treaties

17. Constitutional Powers (cont.)
– Appoint heads of agencies, judges,
ambassadors, and other officials
– Pardon or reduce federal sentences
• Consults with and gives information to
Congress

18. Roles of the President
The president fills many roles that are
important to the functioning of the
United States government.

19. Roles of the President (cont.)
• The president serves several major
functions including the chief executive, the
head of the armed forces, and legislative
leader.

20. Roles of the President (cont.)
• Chief executive:
– Carries out the nation’s laws using
cabinet and millions of federal
employees
– Executive order
– Appoints Supreme Court justices and
other federal judges

21. Roles of the President (cont.)
• Grants pardons, reprieves, and amnesty
• Directs foreign policy

22. Roles of the President (cont.)
• Commander in chief:
– Official commander of all branches of
the armed forces
– Shares power to declare war with
Congress

23. Roles of the President (cont.)
• Legislative leader:
– President pushes legislation that furthers
the president’s goals

24. Roles of the President (cont.)
• Other roles:
– Head of state
– Economic leader
– Party leader

25. Guide to Reading
Big Idea
Under our federal system, the
executive, legislative, and judicial
branches share the responsibility of
governing the nation.

26. The President and Foreign Policy
As commander in chief and chief
diplomat, the president leads the
nation’s armed forces and directs U.S.
foreign policy.

27. The President and Foreign Policy (cont.)
• The president’s job includes establishing
foreign policy, which can involve the use
of diplomacy, military power, or both.
• Often centered on national security
• Makes Treaties and executive
agreements based on economics or
mutual defense

28. The President and Foreign Policy (cont.)
• Appointing ambassadors as
representatives to other countries
• Facilitating or blocking international trade
through trade sanctions or embargos

29. Guide to Reading
Big Idea
The Constitution gives the executive
branch the power to execute, or
implement, the law.

30. Organization of the Federal Branch
The executive branch is made up of the
top advisers and assistants who help
the president carry out major duties.

31. Organization of the Federal Branch (cont.)
• The president appoints many advisers and
assistants to help carry out the duties of
the executive branch.

32. Organization of the Federal Branch (cont.)
• Executive office
– Headed by White House Chief of Staff
– Contains powerful advisers

33. Organization of the Federal Branch (cont.)
• Office of Management and Budget
prepares the federal budget
• National Security Council helps with military
and foreign policy
• Office of Administration performs
administrative tasks
• Council of Economic Advisers addresses
employment, tax policy, inflation, and foreign
trade

34. The Cabinet
The cabinet is an advisory group
chosen by the president to help
accomplish the work of the executive
branch.

35. The Cabinet (cont.)
• The president’s main advisers belong to
the cabinet, which is made up of the
people who head the major areas of the
executive branch.
The Executive Office of the President

36. The Cabinet (cont.)
• Cabinet comprises of the heads of 14
departments:
– Meets as president needs
– Some presidents rely heavily on
Cabinet, others less so
The President’s Cabinet

37. The Cabinet (cont.)
• Increased roles of vice presidents and
First Ladies
– Recent presidents have given more
responsibility to vice presidents
– First Ladies often promote specific social
issues

38. The Federal Bureaucracy
The federal bureaucracy has grown
over the years and assumes an
important role in making public policy.

39. The Federal Bureaucracy (cont.)
• The agencies that make up the federal
bureaucracy are responsible for the
operation of the federal government.
• Implements new laws and decide how they
apply to daily life
• Administers the day-to-day operations of
the federal government

40. The Federal Bureaucracy (cont.)
• Regulates the activities of businesses and
individuals
• Includes hundreds of independent
agencies
– Executive agencies work with
specialized areas
– Government corporations
– Regulatory boards and commissions

41. The Federal Bureaucracy (cont.)
• Political appointees
• Civil service system based on merit
system

42. The Presidency
• The president is head of the executive branch of
the federal government and is our nation’s top
political leader.
• The source for the president’s
authority is Article II of the
Constitution, which says
that “the executive power
shall be vested in the
president of the United
States of America.”

43. Electing the President
• Presidents are elected through an indirect method
called the Electoral College.

44. Responsibilities
• According to the Constitution,
the president’s main job is to
carry out the laws passed by
Congress.
• As head of the executive
branch of government,
the president must make
decisions that affect the
lives of all Americans.

45. Roles of the President
In carrying out the responsibilities of the office, the
president must play a number of different roles.
These roles are:
• Chief executive
• Chief diplomat
• Commander in chief
• Legislative leader
• Head of state
• Economic leader
• Party leader

46. Tools of Foreign Policy
The president and Congress use many tools to carry
out American foreign policy. These tools include:
• Treaties and executive agreements
• Appointing ambassadors
• Foreign aid
• International
trade
• Military force

47. Organization of the Federal
Government
• President
• Vice President
• Executive Office of
the President
• Executive departments
• Federal bureaucracy

56. Electoral College
a group of people named by each
state legislature to select the
president and vice president

57. elector
person appointed to vote in
presidential elections for the major
candidates

58. display
to put in plain view

59. outcome
the result of an action or event

60. executive order
a rule or command that has the force
of law

61. pardon
a declaration of forgiveness and
freedom from punishment

62. reprieve
an order to delay a person’s
punishment until a higher court can
hear the case

63. amnesty
a pardon to a group of people

64. require
to have a need for or to order

65. impact
to influence or effect

66. policy
a guiding course of action

67. foreign policy
a nation’s overall plan for dealing with
other nations

68. national security
the ability to keep the country safe
from attack or harm

69. treaty
a formal agreement between the
governments of two or more countries

70. executive agreement
an agreement between the president
and the leader of another country

71. ambassador
an official representative of a
country’s government

72. trade sanction
an effort to punish another nation by
imposing trade barriers

73. embargo
an agreement among a group of
nations that prohibits them all from
trading with a target nation

74. method
a procedure or process of doing
something

75. target
a goal or aim

76. cabinet
a group of advisers to the president
that includes the heads of 14 top-level
executive departments

77. federal bureaucracy
the collective agencies and
employees of the executive branch

78. independent agency
federal board or commission that is
not part of any cabinet department

79. government corporation
a business owned and operated by
the federal government

80. political appointee
a person appointed to a federal
position by the president

81. civil service worker
person hired into a federal position

82. civil service system
the practice of hiring government
workers on the basis of open,
competitive examinations and merit

83. spoils system
rewarding people with government
jobs on the basis of their political
support

84. merit system
hiring people into government jobs on
the basis of their qualifications

85. monitor
to watch or observe

86. role
the function of a person or thing

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