Head of State v Head of Government

AP US Government and Politics

Is the US head of state also the head of government?

1. How accurate was your prediction?

2. What is a head of state?

3. What is a head of government?

4. Who is both the head of state and the head of government in the US of A?

5. How rare is it for a country to have one person who is both head of state and head of government?

6. How different is the US system from other countries?

7. Explain whether you would advise the US to have a separate head of state and head of government?

8. What is one political consequence of one person being both head of state and head of government?

9. What provision makes the head of state the same as the head of government?

10. Why do you think the framers did this?

11. Is the head of government directly elected in most countries?

12. Is the head of government directly elected in the US?

13. Why do you think that is?

14. What is one possible consequence of this?

15. Is this a good thing?

Learning Extension

Read the entire Pew report on government leadership.

Action Extension

Create or sign a petition on Change.org supporting a constitutional amendment decoupling the head of state from the head of government! Share your results with your member of congress, then share your results in class or online.

Bonus Chart