Tuesday February 4, 2014• OBJ: SWBAT understand the roles of the

President and how they set up their inner circle.

• Drill: What are the requirements to become President? Why do you think the founding fathers chose those requirements?

• Homework: Hail to the Chief worksheet.

Answer

• At least 35 years old• Native born citizen• Resident of the United States for 14

consecutive years.

How Long Can A President Serve• Amendment 22 Presidential Term Limits‐• No person shall be elected to the office of the

President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three fourths of the several States ‐within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.

Line of Succession • What do you think the line of succession is?• With your partner come up with a list of who

you think should take over for the President (in order) and explain why you think so.

What does a President Really Do?We will use photographs to find out…

How this will work?• We will look at a series of photographs• Each photograph represents a presidential

responsibility• After each picture, you will try to figure out what

each photograph represents• We will go over all photos and the actual

responsibility at the end of the presentation• On a sheet of paper make 6 lines, one for each

photograph that will represent each role of the President.

Example:

• Imagine we are trying to describe the responsibilities of a student…

• I might show you a photo like this:• What did it look like the students were doing?• Studying? Homework? Tutoring?• This is how we will explore the President’s

responsibilities.

1

State of the Union Address

2

3

2000 Democratic National Convention4

5

6

Photo #1• Commander in Chief

of the United States Military

• Makes decisions about defending our country

• Has final say in most major military decisions

Photo #2• Chief Legislator• Proposes legislation

(new laws)• Gives an outline of

what Congress should do each year

• Has to approve all bills to make them laws

Photo #3• Chief Diplomat• In charge of foreign

relations• Handles international

affairs• Develops foreign

treaties and alliances

Presidential Superpowers

• You are to create a Presidential Superhero that represents all of the different roles that the President plays in our government. You have 2 different options:

1) Create a superhero and powers that reflect the different roles of the President

2) Create a story by making a comic strip that tells a story of the Presidential superhero using all of his powers.

Photo #4• Chief of Party• Leader of their Political

Party• Supports candidates and

campaigns for them• Bush supported Steele

and Ehrlich when they were running for office

Photo #5

• Chief Administrator• The “boss” of the

federal government• Responsible for

everyone who works in the Executive branch

Photo #6

• Chief of State• The “face of America”• Speaks for the Executive

Branch• Symbol of the people and

the nation• Example: Queen of

England

• Those powers not explicitly written in the Constitution

• Similar to “necessary and proper” powers of Congress

• In the modern era (since 1933), the President’s informal powers may be significantly more powerful than his formal powers

Informal Powers

Executive Orders• Orders issued by the

President that carry the force of law

• Clinton’s “Don’t ask don’t tell” gays in the military policy

• FDR’s internment of Japanese Americans

• GWB trying suspected terrorists in military tribunals

Notice for Japanese “relocation,” 1942

Executive Agreements• International agreements, usually related to trade, made

by a president that has the force of a treaty; does NOT need Senate approval

• Jefferson’s purchase of Louisiana in 1803 • GWB announced cuts in

the nuclear arsenal, but not in a treaty; usually trade agreements between

US and other nations

Executive Privilege

• Claim by a president that he has the right to decide that the national interest will be better served if certain information is withheld from the public, including the Courts and Congress

• United States v. Nixon (1973) – presidents do NOT have unqualified executive privilege (Nixon Watergate tapes)

Power of Persuasion

• The ability of the President to persuade lawmakers and the public to follow a policy course of action he feels passionate about.

• Example JFK and the Civil Rights Movement

What factors influence public opinion?

Wrap Up

• What role of the President do you think is the most powerful? Explain your answer.