The Executive Branch

This topic introduced you to the executive branch of the U.S. government. You learned about the three parts of the executive branch, which include the President, the Vice President, and the federal bureaucracy. The federal bureaucracy refers to the President's Cabinet, the federal departments, and other government agencies.

The Presidential election is a huge event that occurs every four years, beginning with the nominees announcing their candidacy and ending with the winner's inauguration. To run for the highest office, individuals must meet certain formal and informal requirements. In addition to being a natural born citizen, who is at least 35 years old and who has been living in the U.S. for at least 14 years, a candidate must also be charming, charismatic, and popular to stand any chance of winning the presidency.

Vice Presidential candidates are subject to the same formal and informal requirements. Although these days, a potential Vice President runs on the same ticket as the presidential candidate, this was not always the case. In the early American government, the runner up in the presidential election was elected to the office of Vice President. There were flaws with this method, however, and the rules were changed with the passing of the 12th Amendment.

The President is also assisted by the Cabinet, which consists of the chairs of the 15 federal departments. These Secretaries are appointed by the President and, pending approval by the Senate, are responsible for advising the President and leading their departments.