Virginia State Government

Page 23

What do you call basketball in Hawaii?

Hula hoops!

Standard CE.7a

Essential Understandings: The form of government of the Commonwealth of Virginia is established by the Virginia Constitution. Legislative, executive, and judicial powers are separated at the state level of government.

Essential Questions: What is the structure of Virginia’s state government> What are some of the powers of the three branches of state government?

Vocabulary: General Assembly, House of Delegates, Virginia Senate, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, Virginia Supreme Court, Virginia Court of Appeals, Virginia Circuit Court, Virginia District Courts, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts

Candy Questions

Which fundamental principle means that no one, not even government officials, are above the law?

Which early document

guarantees equality

under the law with majority

rules, but minority

rights are protected?

Where do we find the six purposes of government?

Who ratifies amendments to the Virginia State Constitution?

Which branch of government approves the annual budget?

Which hat is President

Obama wearing in this photo?

What is the first step of a

bill becoming a law?

What is it called when

the President refuses to sign

a bill that Congress has

passed?

When the President refuses to sign a bill, what check

can Congress

implement?

What term describes our two house

legislature?

Executive Branch Roles

Video

Which hat is President

Obama wearing here?

Over the weekend, President authorized two strikes in Syria against suspected

terrorists.

President Obama attends

funeral of victim of mass

shooting

President Obama suggests bills to Congress during the annual State

of the Union Address

President Obama greets

Queen Elizabeth

President Obama

meets with Russian

President Putin

President Obama

campaigns for a

Democratic candidate

President Obama

meets with his Cabinet

The form of government of the Commonwealth of Virginia is established by the Virginia

Constitution. Legislative, executive, and judicial powers are separated at the state level of

government.

Legislative Branch

• The legislative branch is the General Assembly – a bicameral (two chambers) legislature:

* House of Delegates Jeff Campbell (R – 6th District)

* Virginia Senate Ralph Smith (R – 19th District or Bill Carrico (R – 40th District)

These chambers meet annually for a fixed number of days.

Executive Branch

• The executive power is exercised by the Governor who is elected for a four-year term of office. The governor appoints members of his cabinet, who oversee specific functions of government.

Virginia is the only state in which the governor cannot run and serve

two consecutive terms.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D)

Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General

• The Lieutenant Governor and the Attorney General are executive branch officers who are elected for a four-year term of office.

Ralph NorthamLt. Governor (D)

Mark HerringAttorney General (D)

Judicial Branch

• The judicial power is exercised by a court system that consists of four levels of courts:

Judicial Branch

• The judicial power is exercised by a court system that consists of four levels of courts:

• Supreme Court

Judicial Branch

• The judicial power is exercised by a court system that consists of four levels of courts:

• Supreme Court• Court of Appeals

Judicial Branch

• The judicial power is exercised by a court system that consists of four levels of courts:

• Supreme Court• Court of Appeals• Circuit courts

Judicial Branch

• The judicial power is exercised by a court system that consists of four levels of courts:

• Supreme Court• Court of Appeals• Circuit courts• District courts and juvenile and

domestic relations courts.

Judicial Branch

• The judicial power is exercised by a court system that consists of four levels of courts:

• Supreme Court• Court of Appeals• Circuit courts• District courts and juvenile and

domestic relations courts. • There is also a small claims court.

Left Side Coloring Sheet

Three Branches of Government

United States Federal Government Virginia State Government

Legislative

Executive

Judicial

Legislative

Executive

Judicial