During the first portion of the session, we completed a study of the executive branch by reviewing Olivia's study guide answers identifying the role of the 15 executive departments. We examined in a practical context the role of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of the Treasury. I emphasized that the enforcement agencies we are all familiar with such as the FBI, ICE, and the IRS are all agencies operating within an executive department thereby giving the president great power notwithstanding the more limited explicit powers enumerated in Art II. We then began our examination of the judicial system by learning some basic legal vocabulary such as common law, civil law , and criminal law. I discussed the difference between common law and statutory law as well as the role of Blackstone and Holmes in creating common law. We further reviewed the difference between a civil and criminal matter , and the role of the courts in preserving a civil society where disputes can be resolved by a neutral party, a judge or jury, without resorting to violence . For homework , I assigned reading pages 394-396 and 400-401.