The Three Branches of the U - Weebly
Edward R. Murrow High School Ms. Albu & Ms.Sarno
Allen Barge, Principal American Studies
AIM: Does our system of checks and balances make our government better?
Objective Questions:
Why would the framers of the Constitution set up this system?
How can checks and balances be viewed as a curse?
Key Words: Legislative, Executive, Judicial, Veto, Checks and Balances, Three Branches, Unconstitutional, Separation of Powers
The 3 Branches of Government & Checks and Balances
A. Background
The Constitution divides the power to govern among the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches within the national government. This division ensures that no one branch can dominate the government.
PART I: Separation of Powers
|Senate and House of Representatives |President and Vice President |Supreme Court and Federal Courts |
|Make Laws |Enforces Laws and Treaties |Explains and Interprets Laws |
|Overrides presidential vetoes |Can veto laws | |
|Approves presidential appointments |Appoints high officials |Settles legal disputes between states |
|Approves treaties |Conducts foreign policy |Settles State and federal disputes |
|Taxes to provide services |Enforces laws and treaties |Settles disputes between States and foreign |
|Provides for defense, declares war |Commander in chief of the military |countries |
|Regulates money and trade |Recommends bills to Congress |Hears cases with ambassadors of foreign |
|Impeaches officials |Reports the state of Union to Congress |governments |
| |Grants pardons |Settles disputes between individuals and Federal |
| | |Government |
The President can veto, or reject, a bill. But Congress can override, or cancel, a Presidential veto. If two-thirds of all Congress members vote for the bill, it can still become a law.
Match the titles:
Executive Branch Congress
Legislative Branch Supreme Court
Judicial Branch President
Which job would you rather have? Why not the other 2? Write at least 4 sentences.
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Part II: The Checks and Balances System
Explain why this is called a system of “checks and balances”?
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2. The Three Branches of Government
You choose
ACTIVITY 1 or ACTIVITY 2
In activity 1: Put the above chart in your own words on this chart.
In activity 2: Fill in the chart.
PART III
|Power |Which Branch has the Power? |Which Branch’s Power is Being Checked? |
|Create and pass legislation (laws). | | |
| | | |
|Veto bills (says NO to the ideas for | | |
|laws) | | |
|Ratify treaties | | |
|(laws about issues with other | | |
|countries) | | |
|Appoint Federal judges to the supreme | | |
|court. | | |
|Impeachment of federal officials. | | |
| | | |
|Declare laws unconstitutional. | | |
|Judges are appointed for life. | | |
|Controls where money goes | | |
|Power |Branch |Branch Being Checked |
| 1) Create and pass legislation. | Legislative Branch |Executive Branch |
| | | |
|2) Veto bills. | Executive Branch | Legislative Branch |
| | | |
|3) Ratify treaties. |Legislative Branch | Executive Branch |
| | | |
|4) Appoint Federal judges. | Executive Branch | Judicial Branch |
| | | |
|5) Impeachment of federal | Legislative Branch | |
|officials. | |Executive Branch, |
| | | |
|6) Confirm presidential appointments. | Legislative Branch | Judicial Branch, |
| | |Executive Branch |
|7) Declare laws unconstitutional. | Judicial Branch | Legislative Branch, |
| | |Executive Branch |
|8) Override Presidential Vetoes. | Legislative Branch | Executive Branch |
| | | |
|9) Judges are appointed for life. | Judicial Branch | Executive Branch, |
| | |Legislative Branch |
|10) Controls appropriations of | Legislative Branch |Executive Branch |
|Money. | | |
Overhead with story of where Parent, Teacher and Principal are having a meeting about what to do in reaction to the fact that you (the student) have been cutting class. Your mother thinks you should only have to come to school when you want to, the Teacher thinks you only have to come enough to pass the class the class, and the Principals thinks you have to come every day. Who do you think would “win” in this meeting? Why? Is this a fair way to judge your attendance? Explain.
Extra, Extra!!
Read all about it!
While President Bush was leaving office, there was a law passed that said it is illegal to print any critical cartoon images of the President of the United States in newspapers, magazines or the internet.
Anyone caught creating; printing or reproducing such images will be thrown in jail and be forced to pay a $100,000 fine to the U.S. Government.
Explain your reaction to this law.
Can this law be passed?
How does our government prevent something like this law from passing?
11SI09-Checks and Balances
Motivation: Cartoon with G. Bush, new law passed.
Explain your reaction to this new law.
Can this law be passed?
How does our government prevent laws such as this one from being passed?
Aim: Does our system of checks and balances provide us with an effective government?
Key Words:
Checks and Balances
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
Legislative Branch
Read A
Identify the three branches of government.
Why do you think this system was developed?
Read B
Explain why this is called a system of checks and balances.
Do you believe this makes our country better or worse?
Make some observations from the chart.
Read C
How does this separation make America stronger? Or weaker?
Why do you think the writers of the Constitution gave Congress this power?
What might happen if the government’s power were in the hands of just one person or group?
Group Work D
In pairs read each of these scenarios and identify the checks and balances to each of the situations.
Wrap-Up: Answer Aim.
|The Legislative Branch |The Congress must write a bill that restricts the content of what can be put on|
|Tasks: |the World Wide Web. It must be a proposed law that makes it a crime to publish |
|As a group decide on a bill |on the Internet any criticism of the president or his advisors. Please list |
|Write a Bill |examples of the types of language that would be made illegal if the material |
|Present the bill in front of the class |were available on the World Wide Web. Students in this group must write the |
|Submit the bill formally to the President |bill, be ready to debate the bill in class, and vote on it. The final results |
|Everyone in this group on the worksheet has to list all of the examples of|of the bill must be that is passes and is sent to the President for If the |
|checks and balances in this role playing simulation. |president vetoes the bill, the Congress will make amendments to the bill and |
|(Remember other groups can’t know what your tasks are!) |resubmit the changed bill to the President’s approval. |
|The Executive Branch |Congress is going to submit a bill to you (the Executive Branch) that will make|
|Tasks: |it illegal to place any criticism of the President on the Internet's World Wide|
|Consider and decide on the bill that was presented |Web. You will have to decide if the bill should be approved by the President or|
|Each group member has to make recommendations |vetoed. Each of the president's advisors must write a "memo" to the president |
|Hold a press conference to announce decision |stating his or her position on the bill with a recommendation to the president |
|The President and Attorney General answers questions |weather or not it should be vetoed. Students should be ready to share their |
|Your group MUST approval the bill in the end. |views with the class in the form of a press conference. If the president vetoes|
|Everyone in this group on the worksheet has to list all of the examples of|the bill, the Congress will make amendments to the bill and resubmit the |
|checks and balances in this role playing simulation. |changed bill to the President. |
| |The bill should ultimately be approved by the President. |
|(Remember other groups can’t know what your tasks are!) | |
|The Judicial Branch |The Congress is considering a bill that will make criticism of the President on|
|Tasks: |the Internet's World Wide Web illegal. If the bill is approved by Congress and |
|Ask questions- Press, Congress and President |approved by the President, the Supreme Court must be ready to hear arguments in|
|Discuss as a group whether or not it is constitutional |favor and against the bill. The Supreme Court must be ready to ask the Congress|
|Chief Justice presents the majority opinion |questions about the bill in order to learn facts that will lead to a decision |
|Everyone in this group on the worksheet has to list all of the examples of|in a lawsuit brought by the Press against the bill. The Supreme Court must |
|checks and balances in this role playing simulation. |develop five to seven questions it can ask lawyers on both sides. The Supreme |
| |Court will also have to vote on the constitutionality of the bill. Those in |
|(Remember other groups can’t know what your tasks are!) |favor (there must be a minority of students taking this position even if they |
| |disagree with it) and those opposed to the bill must write a "majority" and |
| |"minority" opinion in the case. |
|The Media |The Congress is considering a bill that would make criticism of the President |
|Tasks: |on the Internet's world Wide Web illegal. The President will no doubt agree |
|Ask the President questions about the Bill |with such a bill since it would improve his image. The press is using the |
|Announce a lawsuit against Congress at the Press Conference |Internet more and more to place their articles on line for their customers who |
|if the Bill is approved |cannot receive their print version. If the bill becomes law, the Media (TV, |
|Defend why the Bill is unconstitutional |Radio, Newspapers, and Magazines) must be ready to sue the federal government |
|Everyone in this group on the worksheet has to list all of the examples of|on the basis of the First Amendment Freedoms of press and Speech. The Press |
|checks and balances in this role playing simulation. |will learn of the President's decision at a press conference. They must have |
|(Remember other groups can’t know what your tasks are!) |questions ready for the President no matter which way he decides: for or |
| |against the bill. Members of the media must write one or more editorials |
| |opposing (and supporting, even though this position would be in the minority) |
| |the bill. Members of the Press must be ready to answer questions from the |
| |Supreme Court as to why the bill should be ruled unconstitutional (or not ruled|
| |as such). |
1. President Nixon is involved in something illegal. There is a good chance he will be impeached. Instead, he quits his job as president and Vice President Ford becomes President of the United States. The first thing he does is pardon former President Nixon.
President Ford uses his power to grant pardons as the Executive Branch.
Congress uses their power to impeach presidents.
2. Congress attempts to pass a law. This law is sent to President Clinton for his signature. He vetoes the bill and it is sent back to Congress where it becomes law anyway.
President Clinton uses his executive power to veto laws.
Congress uses their legislative power to override presidential vetoes.
3. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, President Bush sent the US PATRIOT Act to congress for approval into law. It passes but then had to be altered after The Supreme Court reviewed the Act.
President Bush used his executive power to recommend laws.
Supreme Court used their judiciary power to declare laws unconstitutional.
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