The United States Government

1
The United States Government

• A crash course in American civics by way of
  history

2
What made US revolt?

• Taxation without representation
• Freedom of religion, speech, and press
• The Madness of King George III (Rex lex, the king
  was the law)

3
The Signing of the Declaration of Independence 4
July 1776
4
The Revolutionary War
5
Signing of the US Constitution 1789
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Is the United States a democracy or a republic?

• Democracy (Greek demos the people, and kratos
  authority) the ultimate political authority is
  vested in the people.
• Republic operates through representatives who
  are elected by the people.
• Representative Democracy A government that
  operates through elected representatives of the
  people .

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Branches of Government

• Legislative (House of Representatives Senate
  Congress) these people make are the law making
  branch of government
• Executive (President, cabinet and staff) this is
  the branch that enforces the law
• Judicial (Supreme court, and lower courts) this
  branch interpret the law.

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Legislators

• House of Reps
• Members are chosen from districts
• Two-year terms
• Size 435
• May impeach federal officials
• Speaker of the House
• Originates revenues bills
• Local / narrow leadership

• Senate
• Members chosen from entire state
• Six-year terms
• Size 100 (2 per state)
• Convicts impeached officials
• Vice President of US
• Approve presidential appointments
• National Leadership

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How a Bill Becomes a Law
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The Executive Branch

• Chief Executive
• Commander in Chief
• Chief Legislator

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Important Presidents
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The Judicial Branch
13
Landmark Supreme Court Decisions

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)
• Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
• Plessy v. Fergusson (1896)
• Brown v. Board of Education Topeka (1954)
• Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
• Roe v. Wade (1973)
• Presently there is the affirmative action cases
  at U of M

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The Supreme Court, today
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A Balance of Power

• This is an order of checks and balances.
• Constitutional ideal that limits the power of
  each branch of government.
• Making sure that no one branch has supreme power.
• Examples would be the Presidents veto power, and
  the congresses impeachment power.

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In Conclusion

• Good reasons to leave the UK
• This led to the Revolution War (which we won)
• We set up a constitution

• Our Representative Democracy
• Three branches of government
• Three distinct purposes.
• A balance of power