Civics_Ch5_homework-1

=**Civics Chapter 5 Homework #1**= Answer the following questions on notebook paper.

1. Who can become president? The Constitution sets forth only three qualifications that the president of the United States must meet. The president must be a native-born U.S. citizen, be at least 35 years old, and have been a resident of the United States (that means lived in the U.S.) for at least 14 years. The president is elected to a term of four years and since the 22nd amendment in 1951, the president is limited to two terms in office. **What qualifications does the Constitution require of the president?**

2. In the first three presidential elections, vice presidents had little responsibility, outside of breaking votes in the Senate. As Thomas Jefferson described the position, "a more tranquil and unoffending station could not have been found." In the last 100 years, as the job of the president has become more complex, the relationship between the president and vice president has changed. Vice presidents now attend cabinet meetings regularly, serve on the National Security Council, and take a visible role in domestic and foreign policy by helping with the agenda of the president. **In the world today, what are three ways a vice president can help a president?**

3. If the president dies or resigns and is succeeded by the vice president, the 21st amendment provides that the new president nominates a new vice president. That nomination must be approved by a majority vote of both houses of Congress. If both the president and vice president die or leave office, the 21st amendment gives Congress the power to set the order of presidential succession. The Speaker of the House is first in line for the office, followed by the president pro tempore of the Senate and then members of the president's cabinet in the order in which their departments were created. What is the order of presidential succession?

4. Abraham Lincoln is one of the great symbols of American democracy. Lincoln did not have a formal education, but he taught himself at home. He became a lawyer and settled in Springfield, Illinois, where he began his political career. Lincoln was elected president in 1860. He once said "a house divided against itself cannot stand." Therefore, he led the nation through the Civil War to end slavery and preserve the Union. In 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which was the first step in freeing the slaves. He supported and pushed for the 13th amendment, which made the abolishing of slavery permanent. **Why might Lincoln be considered one of the great symbols of American democracy?**

5. What do you want to be when you get older? Have you thought about becoming a teacher, a movie star, or the chief of police? Maybe you'd like to become president. In the United States, you do not have to be born into a wealthy, famous, or powerful family to become president. Article 2 Section 1 of the Constitution lists only three requirements - must be age 35, a native-born U.S. citizen, and have lived in the U.S. for 14 years. Past presidents have had very varied backgrounds. Lincoln split fence posts and worked in a store before he became a lawyer and held office. Harry Truman was a farmer and store owner. Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer. Ronald Reagan was an actor. Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower were generals. **Do you think that being a native-born U.S. citizen should still be a requirement to be president? Why or why not?**

6. The president plays several important roles. The president heads the executive branch in charge of enforcing the laws, but can also influence the legislative branch. The president is often called the Chief Legislator since it's the president who must sign a bill for it to go into law. As you know, the president could also reject, or veto a bill. The president often pushes for legislation and urges the Congress to send certain bills to his desk. The president gives the yearly State of the Union Address in which the president pushes for certain legislation. The president is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces, which puts the president in the powerful position of controlling the U.S. military bases that exist all around the world. Only the Congress can declare war, but the president can send troops anywhere in the world for national interests. The president can commit troops into combat as long as Congress is told about the action and gives its approval according to the War Powers Act. The president is also the leader in foreign policy. The president is in charge of the State Department, which sends ambassadors to nations around the world to represent the U.S. The president is also the leader in making treaties with foreign nations. **How does the president influence legislation? How about the military? How about foreign policy?**

7. In terms of enforcing laws, the president is the Chief Executive. The president can also impact those who are accused of committing a federal crime. The president has the power to grant a pardon, or eliminate punishment. The president can grant a reprieve, which postpones the carrying out of a punishment. The president can also grant commutation, or the reducing of a person's sentence. **What is the difference between a pardon and commutation?**

8. Look at the chart below. **What departments make up the cabinet?**

9. Two of the more important departments are the State and Defense Departments. The State Department is headed by the Secretary of State and is the chief foreign policy advisor. The Secretary of State is responsible for ambassadors, who are the highest ranking U.S. representatives in foreign countries. Each ambassador is at an embassy, which is the official residence and office of the ambassador. The State Department issues passports for Americans to travel overseas and issues visas for people to come to the U.S. The Defense Department is headed by the Secretary of Defense and is the chief military and national security advisor and heads the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which are the heads of the branches of the armed forces. The Defense Department works out of the Pentagon. **What is the main job of the State Department and the Defense Department?**

10. The most recent cabinet position came in 2002 in response to the terror attacks on 9/11. The Department of Homeland Security was set up to combat terrorism. This department is also in charge of the president's Secret Service, contains the Coast Guard, aids in natural disasters, and also deals with illegal immigration. Other departments include the Justice Department headed by the Attorney General and is the president's chief legal advisor. The Treasury Department headed by the Secretary of the Treasury advises on taxing and economic policy. **Why was the Department of Homeland Security formed?**

11. Independent agencies have been formed within the Executive Branch to perform a specialized job. They're called independent agencies because they aren't part of any cabinet department, but are still within the Executive Branch. For example, NASA is in charge of the space program. Several agencies assist the work of the entire government. For example, the Office of Personnel Management gives tests to people who want to apply for jobs in with the federal government. The General Services Administration buys supplies for the federal government. **Why are independent agencies important?**

12. A regulatory commission is a type of independent agency that has the power to make rules and bring violators to court. These rules made by these agencies have the force of a law, which in reality goes against the Constitution, because Article 1 Section 1 says Congress has the power to make laws. However, over the decades, the Congress has allowed these agencies to make regulations and the American people don't realize it's a violation of the Constitution and so go along with it. One example is the EPA, or Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates the environment and puts environmental regulations on businesses. Regulatory commissions are usually established because of the belief that there is a need. After an election law in the 1970s, the Federal Election Commission was set up to enforce it. The Consumer Product Safety Commission was set up to keep the safety of things we buy. The National Labor Relations Board enforces laws involving America's workers. The Securities and Exchange Commission regulates the stock market. The Federal Communications Commission regulates TV and radio. **What makes a regulatory commission different than other independent agencies?**

13. All of the employees of these agencies, as well as those of the executive departments, make up the federal bureaucracy. Millions of people work in the bureaucracy. They include administrators, lawyers, scientists, doctors, engineers, secretaries, and clerks. They work in Washington D.C., in other cities throughout the nation, and in foreign countries. As you can see, the federal bureaucracy is quite large and is involved in many areas of daily life. It makes many rules and regulations to carry out its activities, but often results in delays. Some people complain that the regulations are confusing, and often several departments may be involved in regulating the same area. This is a major reason for our nation's debt problems as well as burdensome for businesses who want to grow and hire. Sometimes people dealing with government agencies must fill out several forms or stand in long lines to see a government representative. And the government is not always efficient in working with the public. However, other people argue that the complexity of modern life requires many layers of oversight and management. **What does bureaucracy use to carry out activities, and what is often the result?**

14. Look at the political cartoon below dealing with government regulations over businesses. Businesses are constantly being given different and more rules by federal government bureaus and agencies and many regulations cost the businesses more money. The more regulations and compliances there are, the more the business has to pay to the government. **What is the message the cartoon below is trying to send?**

15. Look at the graph below. **What has been the trend in terms of the number of government employees?**

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