This document provides information about the various departments within the President's Cabinet in the U.S. Government. It discusses 15 executive departments, including their roles and responsibilities. The departments cover a wide range of issues such as defense, foreign policy, healthcare, education, transportation, housing, agriculture, commerce, labor, interior resources, treasury and veterans affairs. The document also notes that some departments were created after World War II to help manage the country's changing needs.

1. Chapter 6
U.S. Government
The President’s Cabinet

2. Dept. of
Agriculture
Dept. of
Commerce
Dept. of
Defense
Dept. of
Education
Dept. of
Energy
Dept. of
Health &
Human
Services
Dept. of
Homeland
Security
Dept. of
Housing and
Urban
Development
Department
of the Interior
Department
of Justice
Department
of Labor
Department
of
State
Department of
Transportation
Department
of Treasury
Department
of Veterans
Affairs

3. The Departments of State, Treasury, and Justice make
policies and advise the president on important areas of our
national life. This includes foreign policy, the economy, and
legal matters. Foreign policy is the plan a country follows in
dealing with other countries.
The plan a country follows.
The plan a country follows in
dealing with other countries.

4. What the State
Departments Do
Secretary of State
John Kerry
• Creates foreign policy
• Maintains good relationships with other
countries
• Heads a large staff of officials
• Sends people all over the world to represent the
U.S.
• Ambassadors work for the State Dept. in a
foreign country. They have assistants called
ministers.
• Consul is a representative sent to help U.S.
citizens in foreign countries. Their office is a
consulate. They build foreign trade and
commerce. They protect American citizens who
travel, work, or own property in foreign
countries.
• In charge of passports.

5. The Department of
Treasury
• Collects taxes, borrows money, pay money back
• Supervises making of paper money, coins, &
postage stamps.
• Manages government accounts and informing the
president about financial standing of U.S.
• Supervises national banks.
• Ensures government money is spent as Congress
has decided it should be spent.

6. The Bureau
of
Engraving
and Printing
Internal
Revenue
Service
The Secret
Service
Department
of Treasury

7. • Enforces federal
laws.
• The head is the
attorney general.
• Handles lawsuits in
the Supreme Court
that involve the U.S.
government.
FBI: carries out investigations when a
federal law is broken. The FBI can arrest
anyone who is accused of committing a
crime against the federal government.
The Environment and Natural Resources
Division: protects public lands and natural
resources such as water, land, and air
from waste materials. Protects safety of
drinking water. Helps cleanup of toxic
water, land, or air.
Bureau of Prisons: runs all federal prisons
and other places that house federal
prisoners.
The United States Marshals Service:
oldest law enforcement agency in nation.
U.S. marshals protect the federal courts

8. Review
On a sheet of paper, write the name of the department that does each of these
activities.
1. Prints money and postage stamps
2. Enforces federal laws
3. Is concerned with how the United States deals with other countries
4. Advises the president about the financial standing of the country
5. Helps protect Americans overseas
What do you think?
1. Why do you think the Departments of State and Treasury were two of the
first departments Congress created?
2. Do you think the United States should send ambassadors to other
countries? Explain your answer.
3. Why do you think Americans need passports when they travel to foreign
countries?

9. What are the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, the Interior, and Labor?
These departments deal with land and business issues in the United States.
Sometimes the departments develop laws or regulations to protect the land or to
help farmers. They may also develop laws or regulations that protect workers or
trade.

10. Farmers have the important job of producing food for the nation. The
government helps by:
1. buying surplus food and assisting farmers in selling crops to foreign
countries
2. helps farmers organize into cooperative groups, or co-ops, to sell crops.
Co-ops help farmers buy supplies and equipment at lower prices.
3. help farmers plan and manage crops by using the best farming methods
4. inform farmers about the market for livestock and crops.
5. help farmers get money they need to do their work
6. Two agencies lend money to farmers: Natural Resources Conservation
Service and Rural Development.

11. Oversees business and
trade in the U.S. and foreign
countries. There are four
main agencies under the
Department of Commerce:
1. the Census Bureau, 2.
the Patent and
Trademark Office, 3. the
National Weather
Service, and 4. the
National Institute of
Standards and
Technology.
Census Bureau
gathers
information about
population, econo
my
employment, and
housing.4
Patent and
Trademark Office
patents, trademark
s
National Weather
Service Bureau
gathers
information about
storms, frosts, floo
ds, and
earthquakes.
Informs
farmers, pilots, an
d others.
National Institute
of Standards and
Technology
Sets standards for
the quality of
manufactured
goods.
an interchange of goods or
commodities, especially on a large scale between different countries.
Latin root: to trade together.

12. The Department of Interior was created in
1849. They make sure that the country’s
natural resources are used wisely. They
oversee the care of land, water, and
minerals, as well as fish and wildlife.
As the main conservation agency, the Interior
Department has many agencies: 1. National
Park Service, 2. the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, 3. the Bureau of Land
Management, 4. Minerals Management
Service, and 5. the Fish and Wildlife Service.

13. Offers services to American workers. In 1991
the minimum wage was $4.25 per hour. A new
minimum wage became effective in 1997.
Congress raised the minimum wage to $5.15.
The Department of Labor has many agencies or
divisions: OSHA (Occupational Safety and
Health Administration) and The Employment
and Training Administration. The Employment
Standards Administration makes sure rules
about minimum wages are followed by
businesses. It also enforces fair hiring practices
that protect minorities, women, veterans, and
disabled people from discrimination.
Oversees federal laws concerning labor such as
the minimum wage and child labor laws. Child
labor laws protect children under 16 from working
during school hours, or from working in
dangerous jobs.

14. Review
On a sheet of paper, write the word from the Word Bank that best completes each
sentence.
1. The Department of ___________provides states with funds for the school lunch
program.
2. The Department of Commerce is concerned with international___________.
3. The National ____________Service gathers information about storms and
earthquakes.
4. The Department of the __________looks after national
Parks and dams.
5. The Employment and Training Administration
manages __________insurance for people who have
Agriculture
lost their jobs.
Interior
What do you think?
trade
1. What do you think would cause a business to be
unemployment
closed down by the Occupational Safety and Health
Weather
Administration?

15. Some executive departments have been created after
World War II. Some of the newer departments were
changed or combined with other departments. All
these departments have helped manage the country’s
changing needs and provide services for citizens.

16. The Defense Department is
responsible for military
academies, or schools that
train officers for military
service. One such place is the
Naval Academy at
Annapolis, Maryland.
Created in 1946. Congress decided to
combine the Departments of War and
Navy. All of the country’s armed forces
are under the control of this
department.
The secretary of defense is a civilian
and not in the armed forces. Each
branch of the armed forces has a
secretary who is also a civilian.
One branch of the department called
the Army Corps of Engineers, helps to
see that rivers and harbors are
maintained and improved to help
control floods.

17. Also known as HUD, created in 1965 to help cities. HUD provides
homes, repairs buildings, and protects consumers. It deals with
many types of problems, including aid in financing
housing, teaching water conservation, protecting cities from air
pollution, and developing communities.

18. •
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•
•
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•
Helps nation transport goods and services
safe traveling conditions
economical and efficient travels
safety standards for motorized vehicles.
publishes safety for other vehicles including bicycles
Other offices include the Federal Highway Administration, the
Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration

19. Energy: 1977, protect sources of energy. Regulates sale of fuel and
electricity. Finds new ways to produce energy
HHS: 1979, protects health of all Americans. Protects from
disease, financial aid to low income families, and Head Start program
for preschool children. The Food and Drug Administration searches
for cures to diseases. Makes sure laws concerning food, drugs, and
cosmetics are followed.

20. •
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•
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Created in 1979.
oversees educational system
provides financial aid
ensures those with special needs are served
gathers statistics about schools
encourages program improvement

21. Department of Veterans
Affairs
• Created in 1930
• provides services to ex-military people and
their families
• provides health care and did provide
educational assistance
• operates 160 veterans’ hospitals and 120 of
nations cemeteries.

22. •
•
•
•
•
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Protects American homeland and its citizens from terrorists.
protect the infrastructure
provide safeguards from terrorist weapons
make borders and ports secure
prepare citizens for possible emergencies
study intelligence, or information about an enemy, information
from all government agencies.

23. Review
1. The Department of ______________ is concerned with the military.
2. The Food and Drug Administration is one of the ________ within the
Department of Health and Human Services.
3. Housing and Urban Development deals with problems of _____________.
4. The Department of ____________sets the standards for vehicle safety.
5. The Department of Education provides _____________help for all levels and
all types of education.
What do you think?
1. Do you think the Department of Transportation should
make more or fewer safety standards for vehicles? Explain.
2. What could the government do to improve the quality of
agencies
education in the United States?
cities
Defense
financial
Transportation