Prerogative facts for kids

A prerogative is a special power or privilege that an important person in a government or state has because of their job. It's like a unique right that only they can use.

What is a Prerogative?

A prerogative is an exclusive power or special right. It belongs to an official, like a president or a king, because of the position they hold. These powers are often used to help manage the country or solve big problems.

Prerogatives in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the monarch (the King or Queen) has special powers called Royal prerogatives. These powers are very old and have never been fully written down in one place. Even though the monarch officially holds these powers, in real life, government ministers usually use them on behalf of the monarch.

Prerogatives in the United States

In the United States, the Constitution is set up to allow the President to have certain special powers. These are called executive prerogatives. Presidents use these powers to handle big problems or to settle disagreements.

Early Examples of Presidential Power

Many early American presidents used these special powers:

• In the 1790s, President George Washington used his executive power to declare that the United States would stay neutral in a fight between Great Britain and France. The Constitution didn't specifically say he could do this, but he did it to protect the country.
• President Thomas Jefferson used his executive power to make the Louisiana Purchase. This was a huge deal that doubled the size of the United States.
• President Abraham Lincoln used many executive powers during the American Civil War to help keep the country together.