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What Are The Key Features of The US Political System?

The United States has a written constitution that defines its federal system of government and divides power between the federal/central government and state governments, with a President who is elected every 4 years along with the main political parties of Republicans and Democrats. Key features of the US system include amendments to the constitution, checks on presidential power through Congress and the Supreme Court, and presidential elections held every 4 years in November.

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Yuvraj Saini
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180 views11 pages

What Are The Key Features of The US Political System?

The United States has a written constitution that defines its federal system of government and divides power between the federal/central government and state governments, with a President who is elected every 4 years along with the main political parties of Republicans and Democrats. Key features of the US system include amendments to the constitution, checks on presidential power through Congress and the Supreme Court, and presidential elections held every 4 years in November.

Uploaded by

Yuvraj Saini
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What are the key features of the US

political system?
Learning objective – to be able to identify
the key features of the US political
system.

I can describe the I can explain the I can compare and


main features of the relationship between contrast the US political
US political system different features of system with the British
using some relevant the US political system.
vocabulary. system. Grade A
Grade D Grade B
Starter – in pairs write in a mind map all you
know about the American political system.
The key
features of the
American
political
system.
What is a constitution?
A constitution is a list of rules for
which governments have to abide
by when governing a country.

There are two types of constitution


– written and unwritten. America
has a written constitution.

The constitution defines the


system of government of a
country.

Any changes to the American


constitution are called
amendments.
What is a federal state?
A federal state, like America,
divides power between two
governments.

The federal [or central]


government deals with issues that
affect the whole country, such as
foreign affairs.

State government operates in


individual states and deals with
laws that would apply to that state
only, such as law and order.
What are the powers of a
President?
The President of the United States is elected
to lead the federal government.

However, in order to stop a dictatorship,


power is shared between the President,
Congress [national parliament] and the
Supreme Court.

Presidents can propose laws but they need


the support of the Congress if it is to be
passed.

Similarly, a President can sign an


international treaty, but this needs to be
agreed by the Senate if it is to become law.
Even so, the law can be blocked by the
Supreme Court if they feel it is
unconstitutional.
When are Presidential Elections
held?
Presidential elections are held
every four years on the first
Tuesday of November.

Each state votes separately. To win


in each state, the candidate must
win the majority of state electoral
college votes. This was based on
the number of representatives the
state had in Congress.

When a candidate won an election,


they would have to wait until
March to form the government.
From 1933, this was brought
forward to mid January.
Who were the main political
parties?
The Republican Party The Democrat Party

• Liked to preserve traditions – • Liked to challenge and change


seen as more conservative. things – seen as more liberal.

• Aimed to stay out of people’s • Preferred to intervene in


lives – a policy called laissez people’s lives if needed,
faire.
• Favoured helping those in
• Did not believe in high taxes. need.

• Main support in the north, • Main support in the south,


where there was more where there was greater
industry, more jobs and more poverty.
wealth.
Main task
Stick the US political system diagram into your exercise
book and use this to help you construct a hexagon pattern
with the hexagons given to you on your worksheet.

Once you are happy with your pattern, stick the hexagons in
the pattern into your exercise books and write the link
down where each hexagon touches.

Make sure that you have as many hexagons touching as


possible in your pattern.
Plenary – list as many similarities and differences
between the US and the British political systems.

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