What does the executive branch do, and what powers does the president hold?
Describe the structure and powers of the executive branch, including the roles of the president, the Electoral College, and the Cabinet, as set out in Article II (LA Civics, Structure and Powers of Government strand).
A Louisiana Civics answer on the executive branch: the roles and powers of the president under Article II, the Electoral College, the Cabinet and federal agencies, and how the Louisiana governor compares, with worked LEAP Civics style questions.
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What this topic is asking
This standard asks you to describe the executive branch, the part of government that enforces (carries out) the laws. You need to know the roles and powers of the president under Article II, how the president is chosen through the Electoral College, and the role of the Cabinet and federal agencies. You should also be able to compare the president with the Louisiana governor. On the LEAP Civics test, expect a source describing a presidential action, with a question about which role or power it shows.
The enforcing branch
While Congress writes the laws, the executive branch puts them into action. This division is the heart of separation of powers (see separation of powers and checks and balances).
The roles of the president
The test often gives a scenario and asks which presidential role it shows. Learn the main roles.
How the president is chosen: the Electoral College
Because the count is by state, a candidate can win the most electoral votes while another wins more individual votes nationwide. This is why a president can be elected even after losing the national popular vote, a point the test likes to probe.
Term limits and the Cabinet
The president serves a four-year term and, under the Twenty-second Amendment, may be elected to no more than two terms. To run the executive branch, the president relies on the Cabinet, the heads of the major departments (such as State, Defense, and the Treasury), and on the wider federal bureaucracy of agencies that carry out the laws (see the federal bureaucracy).
The Louisiana governor
Louisiana has its own executive branch led by the governor, who enforces state laws, commands the state National Guard, proposes the state budget, and can veto bills passed by the Louisiana Legislature. Louisiana also elects several other statewide executives separately, such as the lieutenant governor and the attorney general, which differs from the national model where only the president and vice president are elected (see Louisiana state government).
Try this
Q1. Name three roles of the president. [3]
- Cue. Any three of: chief executive, commander in chief, chief diplomat, head of state, legislative role (recommend and veto).
Q2. Explain how the Electoral College chooses the president. [2]
- Cue. Each state has electoral votes equal to its members of Congress; a candidate needs a majority (270 of 538) to win; most states award all their votes to the state winner.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of LDOE exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
LA Civics (style)1 marksThe president signs treaties, commands the armed forces, and enforces the laws passed by Congress. These duties show that the president leads which branch?Show worked answer →
A single-select item assessing the role of the executive branch (Structure and Powers of Government).
Correct answer: the executive branch.
Credit is given for recognizing that enforcing laws, commanding the military, and conducting foreign affairs are executive duties, and that the president heads the executive branch. A distractor of "the legislative branch" is wrong, because that branch makes laws rather than enforcing them.
LA Civics (style)2 marksUsing the source, explain how a president can be elected even after losing the national popular vote. What feature of the system allows this?Show worked answer →
A short constructed-response item assessing the Electoral College with evidence (content plus the 9-12.SP1 skills dimension).
A complete answer explains the Electoral College. Sample: "The president is not chosen directly by the national popular vote but by the Electoral College, in which each state has electoral votes equal to its members of Congress. A candidate wins by gaining a majority of the 538 electoral votes, usually by winning enough states. Because electoral votes are awarded mostly state by state, a candidate can win the most electoral votes while another candidate wins more individual votes nationwide, so a president can be elected after losing the popular vote." Credit is given for naming the Electoral College and explaining how state-based electoral votes can differ from the popular vote.
Related dot points
- Describe the structure and powers of the legislative branch, including the bicameral Congress, the differences between the House and the Senate, and the powers granted in Article I (LA Civics, Structure and Powers of Government strand).
A Louisiana Civics answer on the legislative branch: the bicameral Congress, the differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate, the powers of Congress in Article I, and how the Louisiana Legislature compares, with worked LEAP Civics style questions.
- Describe the structure and role of the judicial branch, including the federal court system, the Supreme Court, jurisdiction, and how the Louisiana court system compares (LA Civics, Structure and Powers of Government strand).
A Louisiana Civics answer on the judicial branch: the three levels of federal courts (district, appeals, Supreme Court), the role and structure of the Supreme Court, jurisdiction, and how the Louisiana court system compares, with worked LEAP Civics style questions.
- Explain the role of the federal bureaucracy, including Cabinet departments, agencies, and regulations, and how the three branches check the bureaucracy (LA Civics, Structure and Powers of Government strand).
A Louisiana Civics answer on the federal bureaucracy: the Cabinet departments and agencies that carry out the laws, how they make regulations, and how Congress, the president, and the courts check the bureaucracy, with worked LEAP Civics style questions.
- Explain the lawmaking process by which a bill becomes a federal law, including committees, votes in both chambers, the president's options, and a veto override (LA Civics, Structure and Powers of Government strand).
A Louisiana Civics answer on how a bill becomes a federal law: introduction, committee review, votes in both chambers, conference to reconcile differences, the president's options (sign, veto, or do nothing), and the two-thirds veto override, with worked LEAP Civics style questions.
- Explain how the Constitution limits government through separation of powers and checks and balances, and give examples of how each branch checks the others (LA Civics, Structure and Powers of Government strand).
A Louisiana Civics answer on separation of powers and checks and balances: how the Constitution divides power among three branches and lets each check the others (veto, override, judicial review, confirmation, impeachment), with worked LEAP Civics style questions.
- Describe the structure of Louisiana state government, including the bicameral Legislature, the governor and separately elected statewide officials, and the state court system, and compare it with the federal government (LA Civics, Structure and Powers of Government strand).
A Louisiana Civics answer on Louisiana state government: the bicameral Legislature, the governor and the separately elected statewide officials (lieutenant governor, attorney general, and others), the Louisiana Supreme Court, and how the state mirrors and differs from the federal government, with worked LEAP Civics style questions.
Sources & how we know this
- K-12 Louisiana Student Standards for Social Studies — Louisiana Department of Education (2022)
- The Constitution of the United States (Transcript) — US National Archives (1787)