| A | B |
|---|
| US Constitution | Balances power of government |
| legislative branch | makes nation's laws |
| executive branch | enforces laws |
| judicial branch | determines if laws are constitutional |
| federal system | divides ppower between states and federal government |
| separation of power | keeps any part of government from getting to strong |
| 2 arms of legislative branch | House of Representatives & Senate |
| House of Representatives has ___members | 435 |
| All states have ___ Senators | 2 senators per state |
| U.S. Vice President also serves as | president of the Senate |
| Speaker of House of Representatives | elected by House member from majority party |
| House of representatives | member must be 25 years old, citizen for 7 years |
| Senate | member must be 30 years old, citizen for 9 years |
| Head of the Executive Branch | the President |
| President and Vice President | elected evrery 4 years |
| Vice President becomes president | if the president dies, resigns or is removed from office |
| Who can impeach the president | House of Representatives |
| Who charges the president with serious crimes? | House of Representatives |
| Who tries impeachment cases | The Senate |
| The President has power to | veto laws, issue executive orders, grant pardons, commands armed forces |
| Executive deparments | do most of the work in executive branch |
| Secrataries | Executive Department heads who make up the cabinet |
| Judicial Branch | system of federal courts |
| U.S. Supreme Court | head of Judicial branch |
| Federal court judges are appointed by | appointed by the president for life |
| Supreme Court is led by | 9 justices, led by chief justice |
| Thurgood Marshall | first African American justice, 1967 |
| Sandra Day O'Conner | first female justice, 1981 |
