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39-552: George Wolf (August 12, 1777 – March 11, 1840) was the seventh governor of Pennsylvania from 1829 to 1835. On June 29, 1888, he was recognized as the "father of the public-school system" in Pennsylvania by the erection of a memorial gateway at Easton . Wolf was born in East Allen Township, Pennsylvania , in present-day Northampton County, Pennsylvania , to George and Mary Wolf, who immigrated to
78-464: A cabinet , a group of ministers or secretaries who lead executive departments. In diplomacy , "head of government" is differentiated from " head of state ". The authority of a head of government, such as a president, chancellor, or prime minister, and the relationship between that position and other state institutions, such as the relation between the head of state and of the legislature, varies greatly among sovereign states, depending largely on
117-467: A figurehead who may take the role of chief executive on limited occasions, either when receiving constitutional advice from the head of government or under specific provisions in a constitution. In presidential republics or in absolute monarchies , the head of state is also usually the head of government. The relationship between that leader and the government, however, can vary greatly, ranging from separation of powers to autocracy , according to
156-477: A 'day to day' role in parliament, answering questions and defending the government on the 'floor of the House', while in semi-presidential systems they may not be required to play as much of a role in the functioning of parliament. In many countries, the head of government is commissioned by the head of state to form a government, on the basis of the strength of party support in the lower house; in some other states,
195-674: A parliamentary dissolution, in contrast to other countries where this is a cabinet decision, with the Prime Minister just one member voting on the suggestion. In Israel , while the Government is nominally a collegiate body with a primus inter pares role for the Prime Minister , the Israeli Prime Minister is the dominant figure in the executive branch in practice. The Prime Minister of Sweden , under
234-758: Is alleged that the increased personalisation of leadership in a number of states has led to heads of government becoming themselves "semi-presidential" figures, due in part to media coverage of politics that focuses on the leader and his or her mandate, rather than on parliament; and to the increasing centralisation of power in the hands of the head of government. Such allegations have been made against three former British Prime ministers: Margaret Thatcher , Tony Blair , and Boris Johnson . They were also made against Italian prime ministers Silvio Berlusconi and Matteo Renzi , Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau and Federal Chancellor of West Germany (later all of Germany), Helmut Kohl , when in power. The head of government
273-460: Is considered the principal minister under an otherwise styled head of state , as minister — Latin for servants or subordinates—is a common title for members of a government (but many other titles are in use, e.g. chancellor and secretary of state). Formally the head of state can also be the head of government as well ( ex officio or by ad hoc cumulation, such as a ruling monarch exercising all powers himself) but otherwise has formal precedence over
312-407: Is currently employed is Switzerland but other countries such as Uruguay have employed it in the past . This system is described as the directorial system . See Head of state for further explanation of these cases. In parliamentary systems, government functions along the following lines: All of these requirements directly impact the head of government's role. Consequently, they often play
351-466: Is often provided with an official residence , often in the same fashion as heads of state often are. The name of the residence is often used as a metonym or alternative title for 'the government' when the office is politically the highest, e.g. in the UK "Downing Street announced today…" Well-known official residences of heads of government include: Similarly, heads of government of federal entities below
390-564: The 1974 Instrument of Government , is a constitutional office with all key executive powers either directly at his or her disposal or indirectly through the collegial Government , whose members are all appointed and dismissed at the Prime Minister's sole discretion. Under the unwritten British constitution , the prime minister 's role has evolved, based often on the individual's personal appeal and strength of character, as contrasted between, for example, Winston Churchill as against Clement Attlee , Margaret Thatcher as against John Major . It
429-710: The General Secretary of the Communist Party is the supreme leader, serving as de facto head of state and government. In China , the de jure head of government is the Premier . The Chinese president is legally a ceremonial office , but the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party ( top leader in a one-party system) has always held this office since 1993 except for the months of transition . In directorial systems ,
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#1732787081481468-410: The de facto political leader. A skilled head of government like 19th-century German statesman Otto von Bismarck , Minister President of Prussia and later Chancellor of Germany under Emperor / King Wilhelm I , serves as an example showing that possession of formal powers does not equal political influence. In some cases, the head of state is a figurehead whilst the head of the government leads
507-404: The lieutenant governor becomes governor for the remainder of the term; if the office is only temporarily vacant due to disability of the governor, the lieutenant governor only acts out the duties of governor. Should both offices be vacant, the president pro tempore of the state senate becomes governor. The position of a lieutenant governor was created in the 1874 constitution; prior to then,
546-534: The prime minister , who is the head of government. However, the president must choose someone who can act effectively as an executive, but who also enjoys the support of France's legislature, the National Assembly , to be able to pass legislation. In some cases, the head of state may represent one political party but the majority in the National Assembly is of a different party. Given that
585-608: The protectionist side in debates on the tariff . during his second term he chaired the Committee on Revolutionary Claims. As member of the Jacksonian Democratic Party , Wolf defeated Joseph Ritner in both 1829 and 1832 to become the Governor of Pennsylvania . A large crowd attended his inaugural ceremonies on December 15, 1829. Wolf was in office during the 1834 Philadelphia race riot . He lost
624-520: The District of Philadelphia in a job swap with James Nelson Barker . He held this office until his death. Wolf married Mary Erb (1781–1833) of Lancaster, Pennsylvania , on June 5, 1798. The couple had eight sons and one daughter. Buildings, schools, and streets named for Wolf include: Governor of Pennsylvania The governor of Pennsylvania is the head of government of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania , as well as commander-in-chief of
663-624: The United States from Alsace , then part of France, in 1751. Wolf was educated at a classical school, taught for some time, and then studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1799 and commenced practice in Easton, Pennsylvania . Wolf became a member of the Democratic Republican Party at the beginning of Thomas Jefferson 's administration, and was appointed postmaster of Easton, where he served n 1802 and 1803. He
702-475: The constitution (or other basic laws) of the particular state. In semi-presidential systems , the head of government may answer to both the head of state and the legislature with the specifics provided by each country's constitution. A modern example is the present French government, which originated as the French Fifth Republic in 1958. In France, the president , the head of state, appoints
741-570: The council and replaced the president with a governor, and established a three-year term for governor commencing on the third Tuesday of the December following the election, with governors not allowed to serve more than nine out of any twelve years. The 1838 constitution moved the start of the term to the third Tuesday of the January following the election, and allowed governors to only serve six out of any nine years. The 1874 constitution lengthened
780-411: The democratic model, where there is an elected legislative body checking the head of government, include the following. Some of these titles relate to governments below the national level (e.g. states or provinces). In a broader sense, a head of government can be used loosely when referring to various comparable positions under a dominant head of state (especially is the case of ancient or feudal eras, so
819-512: The executive responsibilities of the head of government are spread among a group of people. A prominent example is the Swiss Federal Council , where each member of the council heads a department and also votes on proposals relating to all departments. The most common title for a head of government is Prime Minister . This is used as a formal title in many states, but may also be an informal generic term to refer to whichever office
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#1732787081481858-614: The governor's seat to the Anti-Mason candidate Ritner in 1835 , owing to the defection of a part of the Democrats, who voted for Henry A. Muhlenberg . As governor, Wolf persuaded the legislature to construct canals and impose new taxes for the liquidation of debts that had already been incurred on account of internal improvements. Wolf advocated the establishment of a general system of common schools, and by strenuous efforts accomplished this reform where former governors had failed. In
897-465: The head of government and other ministers, whether he is their actual political superior (ruling monarch, executive president) or rather theoretical or ceremonial in character (constitutional monarch, non-executive president). Various constitutions use different titles, and even the same title can have various multiple meanings, depending on the constitutional order and political system of the state in question. In addition to prime minister, titles used for
936-543: The head of government is directly elected by parliament. Many parliamentary systems require ministers to serve in parliament, while others ban ministers from sitting in parliament (they must resign on becoming ministers). Heads of government are typically removed from power in a parliamentary system by Constitutions differ in the range and scope of powers granted to the head of government. Some older constitutions; for example, Australia's 1900 text , and Belgium's 1830 text ; do not mention their prime ministerial offices at all,
975-426: The level of the sovereign state (often without an actual head of state, at least under international law) may also be given an official residence, sometimes used as an opportunity to display aspirations of statehood: Usually, the residence of the heads of government is not as prestigious and grand as that of the head of state, even if the head of state only performs ceremonial duties. Even the formal representative of
1014-424: The majority party has greater control over state funding and primary legislation , the president is in effect forced to choose a prime minister from the opposition party to ensure an effective, functioning legislature. In this case, known as cohabitation , the prime minister, along with the cabinet, controls domestic policy, with the president's influence largely restricted to foreign affairs. In communist states ,
1053-466: The offices became a de facto political reality without a formal constitutional status. Some constitutions make a Prime Minister primus inter pares ( first among equals ) and that remains the practical reality for the Prime Minister of Belgium and the Prime Minister of Finland . Other states however, make their head of government a central and dominant figure within the cabinet system; Ireland's Taoiseach , for example, alone can decide when to seek
1092-575: The original Thirteen Colonies and was admitted as a state on December 12, 1787. Before it declared its independence, Pennsylvania was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain . The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 created the Supreme Executive Council as the state's executive branch, with a president as its head. The president was chosen annually by the council, though with no specific term dates. The constitution created
1131-408: The particular system of the government that has been chosen, won, or evolved over time. In most parliamentary systems , including constitutional monarchies , the head of government is the de facto political leader of the government, and is answerable to at least one chamber of the legislature. Although there is often a formal reporting relationship to a head of state , the latter usually acts as
1170-475: The position of "vice-president", though no provision was made if the office of the president became vacant, which occurred four times later. Contemporary sources continue to label the chief executive in such times as the vice-president, without any notion of succeeding in the presidency. One acting president, George Bryan , was subsequently recognized later as a full-fledged governor, due to his acting as president for over six months. The 1790 constitution abolished
1209-445: The ruling party. In some cases a head of government may even pass on the title in hereditary fashion. Such titles include the following: In some models the head of state and head of government are one and the same. These include: An alternative formula is a single chief political body (e.g., presidium ) which collectively leads the government and provides (e.g. by turns) the ceremonial Head of state. The only state in which this system
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1248-411: The speaker of the senate would act as governor in cases of vacancy. Originally, the lieutenant governor could only act as governor; it was not until the 1968 constitution that the lieutenant governor could actually become the sitting governor in that fashion. The office of governor has been vacant for an extended period once before, a 17-day gap in 1848 between the resignation of the previous governor and
1287-679: The state's national guard . The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to approve or veto bills passed by the Pennsylvania General Assembly , as well as to convene the legislature. The governor may grant pardons except in cases of impeachment , but only when recommended by the Board of Pardons. There have been seven presidents and 48 governors of Pennsylvania, with two governors ( Robert E. Pattison and Gifford Pinchot ) serving non-consecutive terms, totaling 55 terms in both offices. The longest term
1326-407: The swearing in of his acting successor. Governors and lieutenant governors are elected on the same political party ticket . Head of government In the executive branch, the head of government is the highest or the second-highest official of a sovereign state , a federated state , or a self-governing colony , autonomous region , or other government who often presides over
1365-409: The term "head of government", in this case, could be considered a contradiction in terms). In this case, the prime minister serves at the pleasure of the monarch and holds no more power than the monarch allows. Some such titles are diwan, mahamantri , pradhan , wasir or vizier . However, just because the head of state is the de jure dominant position does not mean that he/she will not always be
1404-467: The term to four years, and prohibited governors from succeeding themselves. The current constitution of 1968 changed this to allow governors to serve two consecutive terms, with no lifetime limit. Under the 1968 constitution, Milton Shapp was the first governor to serve two terms, and Tom Corbett was the first incumbent governor to lose a re-election bid. If the office of governor becomes vacant through death, resignation, or conviction on impeachment,
1443-535: The wake of the hanging of Charles Getter in Easton , which was viewed by up to 20,000 people, Wolf signed a law on April 10, 1834, banning public executions. From 1827 to 1840, Wolf was a trustee of Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania . In 1836, Andrew Jackson appointed him as First Comptroller of the Treasury . Two years later, President Martin Van Buren appointed him as Collector of Customs for
1482-711: Was a clerk of the orphans' court of Northampton County, Pennsylvania , from 1803 to 1809, and a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1814. Wolf was elected without opposition to the United States House of Representatives in 1824 to the Eighteenth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas J. Rogers . He was reelected to the Nineteenth , Twentieth , and Twenty-first Congresses. He took
1521-479: Was that of the first governor, Thomas Mifflin , who served three full terms as governor in addition to two years as President of the Continental Congress . The shortest term belonged to John C. Bell Jr. , who served only 19 days as acting governor after his predecessor, Edward Martin , resigned. The current governor is Josh Shapiro , who took office on January 17, 2023. Pennsylvania was one of
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