A Review

1. What is a “policy?”The stated principles or ideas about a

particular issue that guides government actions.

2. What are the qualifications to be President?A candidate must be a natural born citizen

and must be at least 35 years old.

3. What is the purpose of primary elections?To choose the candidates of each political

party.

4. What is the purpose of a nominating convention?To officially nominate or name a party’s

candidate for President and Vice-President and to endorse a party platform.

5. What is a party platform?A declaration of how a party stands on the

issues.

6. When is election day?The first Tuesday in November, except never

November 1st.

7. Is the president elected directly by the people?No

8. Who chooses the President?The Electoral College

9. How many Electors are there?538

10. How many electoral votes are needed to be President?270 or more

11. What determines the number of electoral votes of each state?The population of each state.The greater the population, the greater the

number of electoral votes.

12. When you vote for president what are you really voting for?The states electorsThe party that gets the majority of votes in a

state gets all of the electors.

13. If no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, how is the president chosen?The House of Representatives chooses from

among the top 3 vote getting candidates.

14. What is the date that the newly elected President takes office?January 20th.

15. What is the White House?Where the President lives and worksThe symbol of the Executive Branch.

16. Name 4 powers of the PresidentCommand the armed forcesMake treaties with other countriesAppoint ambassadors, judges, and other

officialsMeet with ambassadors from other countries.

17. What powers of Congress balance these 4 powers?The power to declare warThe power to approve treaties with other

countriesThe power to approve appointments of

ambassadors, judges, and other officials.

18. What are the President’s responsibilities to Congress?To inform congress on a regular basis of the

state of the union (the country).

19. What is the State of the Union Address?The address made to congress every January

by the president about how the country is doing. In it he outlines what he hope to accomplish and proposes legislation.

20. Why is the President called the “Chief Executive?”His job is to execute or carry out the laws

passed by Congress.

21. How many departments were there when Washington was president?4

22. What is a Cabinet meeting?A meeting of the heads of departments with

the president to advise him.The department heads are appointed by the

president.

23. How many members of the Cabinet are there today?15

24. What is the responsibility of the Department of Defense?Protecting the security of the country

25. What is the Pentagon?The headquarters for the Department of

Defense.

26. Why is the building called “The Pentagon?”Because of it’s shape. It has 5 sides. It is

pentagonal.

27. What is the responsibility of the State Department?Handling our relations with other countries

28. What is the responsibility of the Treasury Department?Collecting taxesAdvising the President about policies that

affect the economy.

29. What is the responsibility of the Department of the Interior?Managing over 500,000,000 acres of Federal

land, including all the national parks.

30. What is the responsibility of the Department of Education?Promoting good education for all students

31. What is the responsibility of the Department of Transportation?Oversees the Interstate Highway system, as

well as air, railroad, and maritime (sea) and other transportation administration.

32. What is the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security?To coordinate the nations efforts to fight

terrorism.

33. Why does the power of the executive grow in times of emergency?Because in an emergency it is often

necessary to take quick and decisive action.

34. What does the War Powers Act say?The President cannot send troops overseas

without approval of congress and Congress can order the President to remove troops from a foreign country.

35. How does the Senate exert its power over the Presidency?Rejecting Presidential appointmentsRejecting TreatiesImpeachment

36. Why are the President’s Supreme Court nominations so important?Supreme Court appointments are for life.They enable the President to influence court

decisions for years after he has been in office.

37. How does the press and the internet limit the power of the President?By constantly analyzing the President’s

actions, they influence the opinions of people about the President.