Articles 1-3 OverviewLegislative Branch

Article 1Main Job: to make laws

Executive Branch

Article 2Main Job: to enforce laws

Judicial Branch•Article 3•Main Job: •To interpret laws

Article 1: The Legislative BranchPowers:

1. Passes legislationMake lawsCollect taxesCoin $

2. Approves treaties3. Confirms

nominationsJudicial nominees

(judges)Executive nominees

(director of FBI, EPA, etc.)

4. Impeach Federal officials• Throw exec.

Branch out• Power over

exec.!

Article 1: The Legislative BranchBicameral Congress

SenateEqual

Representation100 Senators

(members)2 Represent each

stateMust be 30 yrs. OldServe 6 yr. termNo term limits!Richard Burr (R)Kay Hagen (D)

House of RepresentativesProportional

Representation435 RepresentativesRepresent district

District size determined by population

Must be 25 yrs. OldServe 2 yr. termDavid Price (District

4) (D)

Article 2: Executive

Branch

Powers:Nominate federal judges

Veto laws passed by Congress

Commander in Chief of military

Pardons prisoners

Recommends Legislation

Article 2: Executive BranchPresident

(Obama-D)Vice President

(Biden-D)Cabinet

Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Education, etc.

Serves 4 year termLimited to 2 terms

(as of 1951)Must be:

Natural born citizen

35 yrs oldResident for 14

yrs

Article 3: Judicial Branch

Interprets the U.S. Constitution

Interprets the laws.

Deals with cases involving the Constitution federal laws,

treaties anddisputes

between states• District courts• Appeals courts• Supreme Court• Judicial Review

Article 3: Major Court Cases

Marbury V. Madison (1803): first time that the Supreme Court declared an act of Congress to be unconstitutional

Brown v. Board of Education (1954): The Court held that separate schools for black and white children could never be “equal.”

Roe v. Wade (1973): the right to privacy included the abortion decision, and that states could not ban the procedure in the first trimester.

Based on your notes, what powers do each of the branches have over other branches. Use your notes to complete the back of the page.

Checks and Balances