Day 22...HAIL TO THE CHIEF!!!

Learning Targets:

• Explain how presidents have interpreted and justified their use of formal and informal powers.
• Explain how the president can implement a policy agenda. 

Opener:  

• IF the writers of the Constitution intended for the Legislative Branch (Congress) to be the most powerful, why do we spend so much of our time and attention on the Executive Branch (President)?  
• What words come to mind when you think of the office of President?  List 3.

Activity #1 - "1 Pagers"

Today's focus is to introduce the Executive/Presidency

In order to create something useful for both review and introduction for each of the three branches, you should turn to the three pages BEFORE your N-50 and create a one page graphic for each of the branches in your notebooks. Here is what your one pager should include...

• A title and subtitle across the middle
• A border that includes the powers granted to that branch in the US Constitution
• A Picture in one quadrant
• Relevant checks in another quadrant
• The qualifications for the office
• A quadrant that has three questions you have about that branch

Activity #2 - Source analysis: ASAP, TIP-C, OSAM

Federalist Papers: No. 70, 1788, by Alexander Hamilton

The Executive Department Further Considered

To the People of the State of New York:

THERE is an idea, which is not without its advocates, that a vigorous Executive is inconsistent with the genius of republican government. The enlightened well-wishers to this species of government must at least hope that the supposition is destitute of foundation; since they can never admit its truth, without at the same time admitting the condemnation of their own principles. Energy in the Executive is a leading character in the definition of good government. It is essential to the protection of the community against foreign attacks; it is not less essential to the steady administration of the laws; to the protection of property against those irregular and high-handed combinations which sometimes interrupt the ordinary course of justice; to the security of liberty against the enterprises and assaults of ambition, of faction, and of anarchy. Every man the least conversant in Roman story, knows how often that republic was obliged to take refuge in the absolute power of a single man, under the formidable title of Dictator, as well against the intrigues of ambitious individuals who aspired to the tyranny, and the seditions of whole classes of the community whose conduct threatened the existence of all government, as against the invasions of external enemies who menaced the conquest and destruction of Rome.

Close:  From your collective analysis above, how would you describe the executive branch, or specifically the presidency, in 2-3 sentences that anyone could easily understand.