Worksheet 4A - Article II, Section 1

Lesson Four-A Worksheet, Temecula Constitution Study June 23, 2011

Terms:

Executive Branch:

Electoral College:

Democracy:

Republic:

Leveling:

Key Questions:

1. The powers of the President are ____________________ by the States.

2. The Election of the President and Vice President is accomplished by

_____________________ election.

3. The Electoral College protects the United States from the excesses of ________________.

4. U.S. Senators were initially appointed by the _________________ __________________.

5. A Natural Born Citizen is a person in which _______________ parents were citizens at the time of the child’s birth.

6. Many of the requirements regarding the executive branch in terms of eligibility were

designed to guard against divided ____________________________.

Key Concepts:

1. The President was expected to be a strong leader, while understanding the limitation of the authorities granted to the federal government.

2. The election of the President and Vice President through the Electoral College is an example of indirect election, which was designed to protect the United States from the excesses of democracy. The founders viewed democracies as temporary governments doomed to collapse.

3. The redistribution of wealth was a concept understood by the founders. They called it “leveling.” The Founding Fathers saw leveling as dangerous, because it would ultimately lead to democracy with the politicians granting entitlements in exchange for votes, and then to tyranny where liberty would be lost.

4. Natural Born Citizen is a concept different from that of “Citizen.” The aim of requiring the President to be a Natural Born Citizen was primarily in regards to guarding against divided loyalties, or dual allegiances.

5. The compensation for the President is not allowed to be increased or decreased in order to eliminate the opportunity for corruption.

6. This nation was founded on Christian principles, but the Founding Fathers understood that when it comes to the freedom of religion, that meant understanding that not all Americans would be Christian, or have a faith identical to that of early America. Therefore, they ensured religious freedom even in the oath or affirmation of office, by giving newly elected officials the opportunity to affirm rather that swear an oath to God.