The Political System in the United StatesUnit 4

小组成员 张 丹 张鸿佳 李 蓉 谭 琳万琳琳 刘美玉 郑思娟 杨雨熙

美国国花

The Articles of Confederation The making of the US Constitution The three branches of the federalgovernment Checks and balances The Bill of Rights

Capital: Washington, D.C. Largest city: New York City National language : English President: Barack Obama Vice President: Joe Biden Independence from the Kingdom ofGreat Britain Declared :July 4, 1776

Articles of Confederation(邦联条款) When the War ofIndependence was over, the Unites States was not one unified nation as it is today. Each new state had its own government and was organized very much like an independent nation, although during the war, there was a plan of cooperation was called the Article of Confederation.

The Article of Confederation failed because

the states did not cooperate with the Congress or with each other. The Congress asked each state to send delegates to a convention in Philadelphia to discuss the changes which would be necessary to strengthen the Articles of Confederation. (except Rhode Island, 12 states participated)

Constitution of United States Constitution of United States:the constitution set up a federal system with a strong central government. A federal system is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constituent(构 成的) parts, with some rights reserved to each. The Constitution also called for the election of a national leader, or president. It provided that the federal laws would be made only by a Congress made up of representatives elected by people. It also provide for a national court system headed by a Supreme Court.

Fear 1: one person or group, including themajority, might become to powerful or be able to seize control of the country and create a tyranny(专制、暴政).Three branches

The executive the legislative and the judicial Each branch has powers that the others do not have Each branch has a way of counteracting(抵消、中和) and limiting any wrongful action by another branch

Fear 2: the new central government might

weaken or take away the power of the state governments to run their own affairs.

The Constitution specified exactly what power the central government had, and which power was reserved for the states. The states were allowed to run their own government as they wished, Provided (以……为条件) that their governments were republican.

The three branches of federal government

Federal government

Legislative Branch

Executive Branch

Judicial Branch

Legislative Branch(立法机构): Congress Passes legislation and appropriates money(拨款)

The legislative branch is made

up of elected representatives from all of the states and is the only branch that can make federal laws, levy(征收)federal taxes, declare war or put foreign t

reaties into effect. The House of Representatives(众 议院) The Senate(参议院)

Executive Branch The president(4-year term, only 2 terms)1) propose legislation to Congress 2)can veto(否决) any bill passed by Congress (the veto can be overridden(被推翻 )by 2/3 vote in the two house) 3)easily influence public opinion 4)has broad power to issue regulation and directives 5)commander in chief of the armed forces

13 departments State 国务院 Treasury 财政部 Defense 国防部 Justice 司法部 Interior 内政部 Agriculture农业部 Commerce商业部 Labor 劳工部 Education 教育部 Transportation 交通部 Energy 能源部 Health and Human Service 卫生与公共服务事业部 Housing and Urban Development 住房与城市发展部