Common Assessment The Executive Branch

People who dodged the draft by fleeing to Canada during the Vietnam War were pardoned by President Jimmy Carter. President Carter was acting under his authority as _______. (Notes #14)

• Chief Diplomat

• Individual empowered to negotiate treaties

• Chief Executive

• Leader of the free world

President Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Before she could take her seat on the Supreme Court, her appointment had to be... (Notes #14)

• approved by the US Senate.

• accepted by a majority of members of the Supreme Court.

• receive a majority vote for the President’s Cabinet.

• obtain a two-thirds vote in the US House of Representatives.

To win a Presidential election, a candidate must win a... (Notes #15)

• 2/3 vote of the state legislatures

• 2/3 vote in Congress

• majority of the popular vote

• majority of the Electoral College vote

“The nation deserves and I will select a Supreme Court justice that Americans can be proud of… I will choose a nominee in a timely manner so that the hearing and the vote can be completed before the new Supreme Court term begins…” -President George W. Bush, 2005

Under Article II of the US Constitution, which power does this statement by President Bush suggest? (Notes #14)

• Power to veto bills

• Power to nominate justices to the Supreme Court

• power of pardons and reprieves

• President's power to issue Executive Orders

Which action would most likely result in the greatest increase in the power of the executive branch? (Notes #14)

• abolishing the Electoral College.

• submitting a budget for Congressional approval.

• broadening the President’s wartime authority

• lowering the age at which a person could be elected President

Which statement illustrates the system of checks & balances? (Must involve at least TWO BRANCHES, Notes #14)

• The Electoral College cast 435 votes for President

• The President fires a military commander

• The Senate rejects the President's nominee for Supreme Court justice

• A Congressional committee revises the language of a bill

Identify the appropriate branch of the national government that is being described.

The President has nominated for approval by the Senate a new Director of the FBI.

(Notes #14)

• Legislative

• Executive

• Judicial

Choose the name of the branch next to each action or responsibility they would carry out.

Has the power to carry out or execute laws that have been enacted.

(Notes #14)

• Legislative

• Executive

• Judicial

In 1944, FDR was elected to a 4th term as President. Which action was taken to prevent future Presidents from breaking the two-term tradition? (Notes #15)

• Both major political parties agreed to nominate a new candidate for President after an incumbent's second term

• A constitutional amendment was adopted, placing term limits on the Presidency

• The Supreme Court ruled that a President could serve for only 8 years

• An unwritten agreement was made by Presidential candidates that they would serve for no more than two terms

A major reason the 20th amendment was added to the US Constitution was to... (Notes #15)

• limit the power of state governments

• provide for equal treatment of all people

• shorten the time a President served as "lame duck", moved INAUGURATION day to January 20th

• protect individual liberties from an abusive President