The Executive Branch: Article II of the Constitution establishes the executive branch of the national government, headed by a single President. Article II outlines the method for electing the President, the scope of the President’s powers and duties, and the process of removing one from office. The President’s primary responsibility is to carry out the executive branch’s core function—namely, enforcing the nation’s laws. From the debates over how to structure the Presidency at the Constitutional Convention to modern debates over executive orders, this module will explore the important role of the President in our constitutional system.
Module 8: The Presidency and Executive Power
Michael Ramsey of the University of San Diego and Christopher Schroeder of Duke University discuss how Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump understand the powers of the office they seek.
Akhil Reed Amar of Yale University, Edward Larson of Pepperdine University, and Douglas Bradburn of Washington’s Mount Vernon explore the constitutional legacy of our nation’s first President.
How do Presidents deal with sensitive information requests from Congress? Sometimes they just say No, citing a right of executive privilege that doesn’t technically exist in the Constitution.
One of the first “orders” of business for President Donald Trump was signing an executive order to weaken Obamacare, while Republicans figure out how to replace it. So what powers do executive orders have?
National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen joins MSNBC’s Ali Velshi to break down President Biden’s executive actions and how presidential power has evolved throughout our nation’s history.
Experts discuss the presidents, why we rank presidents, and the significance of the executive office.
Explore key historical documents that inspired the Framers of the Constitution and each amendment during the drafting process, the early drafts and major proposals behind each provision, and discover how the drafters deliberated, agreed and disagreed, on the path to compromise and the final text.
Explore our new 15-unit core curriculum with educational videos, primary texts, and more.
Search and browse videos, podcasts, and blog posts on constitutional topics.
Discover primary texts and historical documents that span American history and have shaped the American constitutional tradition.