How We Choose Our Leaders

Abstract

1. U.S. voters directly elect members of which branch of the federal government?____________________ 2. This branch of government has two houses, or chambers, called the _________________ and ______________________________. 3. The Framers of the U.S. Constitution created a two-step process for electing the leaders of which branch of government? ______________________ 4. Which two officials head that branch of government? __________ and _____________ 5. When voters cast ballots in November for those leaders, they will actually be electing a group of representatives called ______________________. 6. What do these representatives do? ____________________________________________ 7. Top officials of which branch of government are appointed? ________________________________ 8. Who appoints the top officials of that branch? ______________________________________________ 9. Which government body has the power to approve or reject those appointments? ______________________________________________ 10. Why do you think the Founding Fathers gave that body the power to approve or reject those appointments? ______________________________ The United States is a democracy, in which the people choose their leaders. But when the Founding Fathers wrote the U.S. Constitution, they specified different ways for choosing the leaders of our three branches of the federal government. The people directly elect the members of one branch of government. But voters indirectly choose the leaders of the second branch of government. Members of the third branch are not elected at all, but are appointed. Study the diagram to see how our most important leaders are chosen.