US Civics: Helping the President

Review: Congress + The President

• What does congress do in this video?
• What does the president do in this video?
• Do you think it is fast to make laws, or slow?

Can you answer these questions? What questions (and answers) are connected to this video?

1. What are the two parts of Congress?
2. Where is the Statue of Liberty?
3. Who makes federal laws?
4. Who is in charge of the executive branch?
5. In what month do we vote for President?*
6. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
7. Who signs bills to become laws?
8. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
9. Who vetoes bills?
10. We elect a President for how many years?

Reading + Civics

The job of president is really difficult. However, the president has a lot of help and support. One person who works with the president is the Vice President.

• 

• 

The Vice President is also from the same political party as the President. Sometimes the President can no longer serve. That means the president may retire, get sick, or even die.

If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? –> The Vice President

The constitution has a plan for a lot of different situations. It is really important to have a president, because they are the commander in chief.

So, if the both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, the Speaker of the House will become the new president.

If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? –> The Speaker of the House

The President is in charge of the Executive branch, so they have many people who work with them. The most important helpers are the Cabinet.

The Cabinet is a group of 16 people who help the President. The President chooses the Cabinet members. The Senate can say “yes” or “no” to the President’s choices.

What does the President’s Cabinet do? –> Helps the president

Each person in the Cabinet is in charge of one department or part of the executive branch. The Vice President is also a member of the Cabinet.

Other Cabinet-level positions include:

Secretary of Agriculture ▪ Secretary of Commerce ▪ Secretary of Defense ▪ Secretary of Education ▪ Secretary of Energy ▪ Secretary of Health and Human Services ▪ Secretary of Homeland Security ▪ Secretary of Housing and Urban Development ▪ Secretary of the Interior ▪ Secretary of Labor ▪ Secretary of State ▪ Secretary of Transportation ▪ Secretary of the Treasury ▪ Secretary of Veterans Affairs ▪ Attorney General

What are two Cabinet-level positions? –> Secretary of State and Vice President

1. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
2. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
3. What does the President’s Cabinet do?
4. What are two Cabinet-level positions?