CHAPTER 5: THE U.

S POLITICAL SYSTEM
S.02 Forms of government:
1. Who rules Form of Govt. of the US = representative democracy
2. Ho poer is distri!uted "he Government system of the US= Federalism #federal government$
S.03 % systems of government
- Unitary System & strong central government' local governments only have poers given to them !y central
government'
p!er "#!s $!n from center to units' the most common form
()amples: Great *ritain+ Seden+ ,apan+ (gypt+ -srael+ the .hilippines
- Cn"e$era# System & a league of independent states+ each having essentially sovereign poer' p!er
"#!s %p from the units to the center' uncommon
()amples: US under /rticles of 0onfederation #111231144$+ (uropean Union
- &e$era# System & poer is divided !eteen central government and states' each has its on sphere of
influence'
p!er "#!s 't( ays from central government to units and vice versa' less common
()amples: U.S.+ /ustralia+ *ra5il+ 0anada+ Germany+ -ndia
S.0) 6egislative !ranch: poer to ma7e las 8 ()ecutive !ranch: poer to carry out las 8 ,udicial !ranch: poer
to interpret las
.urpose ="his separation of poers ma7es sure there9s no concentration of poer in the hands of a fe or
government poer ill not !e usurped !y any individual or any group of individuals.
S.0* + ,i-e Presi$ent: .resident of the Senate and !ecomes .resident if the .resident can no longer do the :o!.
- .epartments: ;epartment heads advise the .resident on issues and help carry out policies.
Cabinet Departments: State+ "reasury+ ;efense+ -nterior+ /griculture+ ,ustice+ 0ommerce+
6a!or+ "ransportation+ Heallth and Human Services+ Housing and Ur!an ;evelopment+ (ducation+ (nergy+
<eterans
Independent agencies: United States .ostal Service+ the =ational /eronautics and Space /dministration #=/S/$+
the 0entral -ntelligence /gency #0-/$+ the (nvironmental .rotection /gency+ and the United States /gency for
-nternational ;evelopment>
+ In$epen$ent A/en-ies: Help carry out policy or provide special services.
3 Can$i$ate "r presi$en-y: ?= %@ years old+ citi5en of the US.+ resident of the US for at least 1A years.
T(e ))t( presi$ent " t(e Unite$ States: O'ama
S.00 B parliament systems #in most estern democracies$+ the national leader & prime minister & is chosen !y the
parliament
S.10 an important function = to determine hether las of 0ongress or actions of the .resident violate the
0onstitution.
Structure = federal courts system+ state courts system+ localCdistrict courts system
S.12 ()ample: 1.0ongress ma7es las+ the president can veto them 8 2."he Supreme court can overturn las
passed !y 0ongress and signed !y the .resident 8 %."he .resident appoints :udges+ the Senate revies candidates
and has the poer to re:ect
S.15 "he Rep%'#i-ans emerged as a ma:or party in 142D ith the election of /!raham 6incoln.
"he .em-rati- Party formed under /ndre ,ac7son tenty years earlier.
=either party has ever completely dominated /merican politics' the !alance has shifted !ac7 and forth.
S.21 3 -t is difficult for third parties candidates to raise enough money to compete ith the ma:or parties.
3 Enly one candidate can in in a given district. Usually the inner is either ;emocratic or Fepu!lican.
- "hird3party candidates must sho they have support !y getting voter si/nat%res to even !e placed on the
!allot for national office.
- =e!ras7a and Gaine are the only to states in the United States hich distri!ute their electoral votes for
president !ased on presidential candidatesH performance in their respective congressional districts in
addition to their stateide performance. "he stateide popular vote inner for president receives to
electoral votes+ and the inner of each of =e!ras7aHs congressional districtsIthere are currently three such
districtsIreceives an electoral vote from the respective district. #Wi7ipedia$
/ congressional district is an electoral constituency that elects a single mem!er of a congress.

S.23 "ypes of interest groups: (conomic+ Social+ Feligious+ -deological+ Single3-ssue+ .u!lic -nterest
S.2) -nterest groups and lo!!yists: significant role: important source of info for legislature 8 7eep a atchful eye on
the rules+ regulations and actions of the government.