Article Two: The Executive

Branch

The Executive Branch

The executive Branch is headed by the President of the United States. Can you name them?

To be President, you must…

Be at least 35-years-old

Have been born in the United States

Have been a resident for 14 years

The term for a President is four years, and unlike Congressman, Presidents have term limits, as they can only serve two terms.

They don’t have to be two terms in a row, however. Grover Cleveland is the only President to serve non-consecutive terms.

Terms and years

Two term PresidentsOnly Twelve Presidents have completed two

terms.Assuming President Obama completes his

second term in 2016, he will be the thirteenth.

Some notable Presidents…

Youngest: Teddy Roosevelt, 42-years-old

Oldest: Ronald Reagan, 77-years-old

Longest serving: Franklin Roosevelt,12 years

Shortest serving: William Henry Harrison,32 days

Largest President: WilliamHoward Taft, 320 lbs

Smallest President: James Madison, about 100 lbs

Only President to resign from office…

Nixon, 1974

ImpeachmentImpeachment is the name of the process

by which Congress attempts to remove a President from office. Presidents are only supposed to be impeached for “high crimes and misdemeanors”, not just political unpopularity.

Impeachment requires a majority

(more than half) of the House

+ two-thirds of the Senate to vote to remove the President from office

The only two Presidents to be impeached were…

Andrew Johnson 1868

Bill Clinton 1998

If something happens to the President, here is the order of succession:

The Vice President

Speaker of the House

President pro tempore of the Senate1

Secretary of State

Secretary of the Treasury

Secretary of Defense

Attorney General

Secretary of the Interior

Secretary of Agriculture

Secretary of CommerceSecretary of Labor

Secretary of Health and Human Services

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Secretary of TransportationSecretary of Energy

Secretary of EducationSecretary of Veterans

AffairsSecretary of Homeland

Security

The job of the President is to enforce the laws. In other words, they are to make sure that the laws passed by Congress and the rulings of the courts are carried through.

National Guard sent by

President Kennedy to enforce the

Supreme Court’s ruling.

Alabama Governor George Wallace who had

been defying it.

Example: 1963Alabama Governor George Wallace was defying the Supreme Court’s order to integrate the University of Alabama and let

African-American students enroll, so…

The President also has a military title:

Commander-in-ChiefThe President gets the final say on decisions in times of war: who to attack, when to attack them, where to deploy troops, when to bring troops home and so forth. He relies upon his Secretary of Defense and Chiefs of Staff for advice. Congress, however, declares war and determines funding.

Chiefs of Staff

Presidents also sign treaties and agreements with other countries. Here, President Reagan is shown in 1987 with

Soviet Premier Gorbachev signing the first ever agreement to reduce the amount of nuclear weapons each country had.

II. Notes on Executive Branch1. The Executive Branch refers to the President

and Vice-President2. The executive branch enforces the laws3. To be President, you must be born in the

United States and be 35 years-old4. You can only serve for two terms5. Congress has the power to impeach (remove)

a President before his/her term is done