Chapter 7 Section 1: The President and Vice-President

Vocabulary: • Electoral College – the group of people selected by

each state to select the president and vice president

• Electors - a person elected to vote in presidential elections for the major candidate

• Succession – inheriting a position or office, order the presidency moves in in case the president cannot finish their term

• Term of Office – length of time a president is elected for

1. What branch of government is the president in charge?

• Executive Branch

2. What are the 3 criteria listed in the Constitution for someone to be able to

become president? • Must be at least 35 years of age

• Native born American Citizen

• Have lived in the United States for at least 14 years

3. How often is a new president elected?

• Every Four Years

• Next election 2016

4. Describe how the Electoral College works.

• Each state has a set amount of “winner take all” electors

• Voters vote for the set of electors that they want to represent them at the Electoral College

• Which ever candidate wins the popular vote in a state, the group of electors that have pledged to vote for that candidate vote at the Electoral College in December

• Which ever candidate wins the most Electoral Votes wins the election

Electoral College Facts

• There are 538 Electoral Votes available to candidates

• A candidate needs 270 to win the election

• Pennsylvania has 20 Electoral Votes

• California has the most with 55

5. How many electors must a candidate gain to become president or

vice president?

•270 • 2000 Election

6. How long of a term does the President of the United States serve?

•Four years

7. How many back to back terms can a president serve? How many years total if the person takes over in the

middle of a term? • 2 Terms back to back

• 10 years maximum if they take over for a president in the middle of the term

8. Which Constitutional Amendment limits the amount of back to back

terms a president can serve?

• 22nd Amendment

• Ratified in 1951

• Written because of Franklin D. Roosevelt after he was elected for 4 terms

9. How much is the salary of the President of the United States?

• $400,000 Income

• $50,000 Expense Account for necessary expenses relating to the job

• $100,000 Travel Account

10. What are some benefits that the President of the United States receives,

other than a salary?

• During there tenure in office they live in the White House

– Movie Theater, gym, bowling alley, heated pool

– Access to domestic staff of 80 employees to care for the house and the President’s family

• Secret Service Protection, for at least 10 years after presidential term

• Access to transportation such as special cars, helicopters, and Air Force 1

• Access to vacation home “Camp David” • Retirement plan of $196,700

Current President

• 44th President Barack Obama

11. What part of government is the Vice-President of the United States in

charge of? • The Senate

– Their job is to preside over the Senate and vote in case of a tie

12. Who becomes president if the President of the United States cannot

fulfill their term? • The Vice-President

– Currently Joe Biden

• There is a line of succession that is to be followed if something happens to both, page 168 of textbook

• This has occurred 9 times through out history

13. What does the 25th Amendment to the Constitution decide?

• This amendment states that the Vice-President should become President if the President should die or become unable to preform their duties

• It also states that the President then is given the power to chose a new Vice-President with the approval of Congress

• The Vice-President also has the power to determine if the President is unable to fulfill their duties

25th Amendment Continued • Used 3 times

– Richard Nixon replaced Spiro Agnew with Gerald Ford when Agnew resigned

– When Nixon resigned Ford chose Nelson A. Rockefeller as his Vice-President

– Ronald Regan had to undergo surgery and George H.W. Bush took over as President while Regan was under anesthesia