3 Branches of Government What does a tree and the United States government have in common? If you said they both have branches, you are right. Today, we are going to learn about the three branches of the United States government and how they work. When you look at a tree, you see branches.
that attach to its trunk. Without its branches, the tree looks pretty silly. The branches of a tree make it a healthy plant, and all the branches are important. Like a tree, the government has branches.
Three, to be exact. These three branches work together to equally contribute to the well-being of its citizens. The three branches of government include the executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial.
Each branch has a special, unique role established by the United States Constitution to separate government powers. This separation is called a system of checks and balances. What does that mean? Well, it means that the government's power is shared by each branch, and each branch has some power to check or stop actions by the other branches. The goal is to balance each branch, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful or controlling.
Pretty neat, right? Let's talk more about each branch of government and what they do. First up is the executive branch. This branch includes the President of the United States, the Vice President, and the Cabinet. which is a group of people who give advice to the president.
The president is the leader of the country. They are elected by the entire country to a four-year term and can only serve two terms, or eight years total. The president also approves and carries out laws passed by the legislative branch and can also veto or refuse certain laws.
They also negotiate treaties. or agreements with other countries and act as a commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The vice president is the second highest executive office of the U.S. government and is the chief deputy to the president of the United States. Here is an interesting fact. The vice president is also the president of the Senate.
The cabinet is a group of chosen experts that advise the president. Here is a list of all cabinet positions. There are a lot of positions on the cabinet to keep the government running in many different areas.
Now, let's move on to the legislative branch. The legislative branch is made up of two houses of Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives. This is where laws are written, discussed, and voted on.
The Senate is made up of 100 senators, two from each state, who are elected by the citizens of the state. Senators each serve for six-year terms, with no limit to how many terms they can serve. As we mentioned before, the Vice President is the head of the Senate. The Senate approves presidential nominations to the Cabinet, meaning that they have a say in who the President picks for certain jobs. jobs.
The House of Representatives is the other part of Congress. It is made up of 435 representatives. This number is based on a state's population. For instance, the state of California has 53 representatives, while the states of Delaware and Vermont only have one each. That is because the population of California is more than 50. is much bigger than the population of Delaware and Vermont.
Members of the House are elected by its citizens and serve two-year terms. Like the Senate, there's no term limit for representatives. A Speaker of the House is elected by the members of the House of Representatives to serve as its leader. The Senate and the House of Representatives must both vote for and ratify a bill for it to become law. They may also override presidential vetoes.
if they have a large enough majority. Remember checks and balances? This is one way that the legislative branch can balance the executive branch, if needed.
The third branch of government is the judicial branch. The nine members of the Supreme Court of the United States oversee the U.S. court system. The Supreme Court is made up of eight judges or justices, plus one chief justice. All members are nominated by the President of the United States and approved by the Senate.
Look at those checks and balances working. Positions on the Supreme Court are for life, meaning there are no term limits. The court explains the meaning of the Constitution and laws. It determines whether something is constitutional or unconstitutional. The Supreme Court also decides which court cases to review, and often decides new ways of interpreting the law.
It also settles court cases between two or more states. It is pretty neat to see how all three of these equally important branches work together to create a fully functioning, power-regulated government. Now that you know more about the three branches of government, let's review. All you have to do. is guess which branch of government matches up with which job.
Ready? Let's go! President of the United States Executive Branch The Supreme Court of the United States Judicial Branch The Cabinet Executive Branch The House of Representatives Legislative branch, the federal court, judicial branch.
Great job, government geniuses! The United States government has three branches to ensure that power is shared equally among them, and that the rights of its people are upheld. Maybe one day, you will be a part of the executive, legislative, or judicial branches. and help to maintain this balance and affect positive change.
Hope you had fun learning with us. Visit us at LearnBright.org for thousands of free resources and turnkey solutions for teachers and homeschoolers.