Lesson #3: The Executive Branch

Activity 3.1: What is the Executive Branch, Anyway?

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This picture shows President Obama with his first cabinet in 2009.

The president is the head of the executive branch, but he could not do his job alone. This webquest will introduce the basic organization of this branch by outlining the different parties that make up the executive branch. Succeeding activities in this unit will look at these (and other) issues related to the executive branch in greater depth.

Social Studies Benchmark:

9.1.4.6.3: Explain the purposes, organization, functions and processes of the executive branch as enumerated in Article II of the United States Constitution.

Reading Benchmarks:

9.12.1.1: Cite specific textual visual or physical evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

9.12.4.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, geographic, historical, or economic aspects of history/social studies.

Learning Target:

I can explain how the Executive branch works and describe the roles of the President.

• I can explain the structure of the executive branch of the U.S. federal government.
• I can assess problems with the Electoral College system.

Essential Question:

What is the role of the Executive branch, and what are the duties of the U.S. President?

• How is the executive branch structured?
• What are some problems with the Electoral College system?

To complete Activity 3.1 please follow the steps below:

Complete the tasks listed below and submit your responses by uploading a file to the “Add Submission” box. Make a copy of the questions below and respond to the critical thinking questions you go through the websites. Please submit your responses to each question using the text submission box located at the bottom of this moodle page. Please answer with proper response construction and make sure to include your name properly on the assignment. Name, Course, Grade, Date.

SECTION 1: The President & Vice President

1. Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution grants the president the power to run the executive branch, describes the requirements for becoming president, explains how the president and vice president are elected, and explains who will replace the president if he or she should be unable to complete their term in office. Study the text to answer the following questions. (HINT: If you are having trouble, scroll down to “The Meaning” for a simpler explanation!)

1. The sixth paragraph explains who is eligible to become president. The person must be...

1. a _________ _______ citizen,
2. at least _____ years old, and
3. have lived in the United States for at least _____ years.

2. Once elected, how long is a president’s term in office? (Paragraph 1)
3. Are the president and vice president elected together or separately? (Paragraph 1)
4. If the president is not able to fulfill his or her term due to “death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office”^[2] who becomes president? (Paragraph 7) Note: The Twenty-fifth Amendment provides more details regarding this.
5. Paragraph 7 also explains that if neither the president nor vice president can serve, Congress is in charge of determining who is next in line. Currently that law exists as 3 USC 19, a section of the U.S. Code. This law was established as part of the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.

1. According to 3 USC 19, who would become president if neither the president nor vice could serve? (Section a1)
2. Who would be next after that? (Section b)

6. Section 1 of the Twenty-second Amendment defines the limitations of presidential terms. How many times may someone be elected to the office of President?

2. The constitution also contains information about the job of the vice president.

1. The last sentence in the 2nd paragraph of the Twelfth Amendment states that “no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice President.” What does this mean in terms of age, citizenship, and residency requirements for the vice president?
2. According to Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution, for which body of congress does the vice president have the title of president? (Paragraph 4)

1. Explain when he or she would and would not get to cast a vote on legislation.

3. The president and vice president are elected using a system called the Electoral College. Read The Presidential Election Process and answer the following questions.

1. Why were some framers of the constitution afraid to let the people elect the president directly?
2. What is the only job the Electoral College has?
3. How many Electors does each state get? How did this decision represent a compromise between the big states and little states?
4. Explain how the Electoral College favors states with fewer residents (small states). (Why is the vote of one Wyomingite worth that of 2.99 Californians?)
5. Explain how the winner-take-all system of awarding electoral votes (used by all states except Maine and Nebraska) has caused a few presidents to be elected even though they lost the popular vote.

4. Go to the official website of the White House. Read the biographies of the president and vice president and answer the following:

1. President’s name:

1. Birthday & Birth Place:
2. Level of Education:
3. Political Experience:
4. Family:

2. Vice President’s name:

1. Birthday & Birth Place:
2. Level of Education:
3. Political Experience:
4. Family:

SECTION 2: The Cabinet

Running the country is a huge job and the president could not do it alone. Thankfully the framers of the Constitution provided the president with some help (in Article II Section 2)!

1. Refer to Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids: The President’s Cabinet to answer the following questions.

1. What is the purpose of the Cabinet?
2. The Cabinet is made up of the vice president and the heads of _____ executive departments. (Fill in the blank)
3. How does one become a member of the Cabinet?

2. Watch The President’s Cabinet-Rhythm Rhyme Results. Select 3 of the departments in the song and provide a brief description of what each is in charge of.
3. Refer back to Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids: The President’s Cabinet and scroll down to the detailed list of departments.

1. What agency would you like to be the head of? Give two reasons why.
2. Click on the name of the department and navigate to its website. Describe one issue or law that the department is working on.

4. Watch Inside the White House: The Cabinet.

1. How often does the full cabinet meet?
2. List two (of the five) positions that have cabinet-rank in the Obama presidency.
3. How many members were in the first Cabinet in 1793? How many people attend Cabinet meetings now?
4. Can Cabinet members sit wherever they want during meetings? How are the seats arranged?
5. Cabinet meetings are one of the few times the Secret Service allows the full Cabinet to be together in the same place at the same time. Why do you think that is?
6. When does the press get to come into the meeting?
7. Even though we live in an era of instantaneous communication, why does Hillary Clinton believe that face-to-face Cabinet meetings are more important than ever?

SECTION 3: The Executive Office of the President

Refer to the official website of the White House to learn about the Executive Office of the President (EOP) and answer the following questions.

1. Which president created the EOP in 1939?
2. What is the purpose/role of the EOP?
3. Who oversees the EOP?
4. List 3 of the many entities that exist within the EOP.
5. Who is the current Chief of Staff?

SECTION 4: Other Advisory Boards

The president has many other advisory boards that provide him or her with advice and independent information.

1. List 2 of the other advisory boards that are currently active.

Upload your responses to the “Add Submission” box!

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