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Three Branches of Government

How the United States government is structured and organized.

What is the United States government?

Federal Government

The U.S. is a federal state

Union of self-governing states or regions united by a central government

Division of power between component states and the central government

Constitutional Republic

Republican form of government – a form of public matter where officials are elected or appointed

Government established under a constitution

Seeks the rights of individuals and groups within the republic

The Constitution

Created by our Founding Fathers (Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, etc.)

Grew out of problems with the Articles of Confederation

Created from the Constitutional Convention

Consists of the Bill of Rights (first 10 Amendments) and other Amendments

Democratic Nation

The U.S. is also a democratic nation in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives

Promotes voting rights and equal say for the government

Encompasses social, economic and cultural conditions

Voting & Election Process

Voting rights given to the people from the U.S. Constitution & the form of government

Every citizen allowed to vote in their respective county and state

Citizens can vote on electing officials and representatives and referendums

Federal elections occur every two years on the first Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November

Votes for new President every four years

Electoral College dictates Presidential Candidate

Checks & Balances

Originated from the writings of Montesquieu in “The Spirit of the Laws”

Separated into three powers by the U.S. Constitution: Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches

System created to have an equal government where each branch does not have more power than the other

Legislative Branch

Comprised of Congress: House of Representatives and Senate

Sole power to legislate and enact laws

Powers include:-Writes and enacts laws-Declares war-May start investigations-Creates Presidential appoint.-Senate ratifies treaties-House of Representatives may impeach

Executive Branch

Executive Branch consists of the U.S. President and his cabinet

President becomes Commander in Chief

Powers include:-May veto laws-Wages war at the direction of Congress-Makes decrees or declarations-Appoints judges and executive department heads

Judiciary Branch

Power to decide cases and controversies

Consists of the U.S. Supreme Court

Consists of 9 judges that are appointed by the President

Determines…-Which laws Congress intended to apply to any given case-Whether a law is unconstitutional-How Congress meant the law to apply to disputes-Polices its own members

How Checks & Balances Work

Central & State Government

Under the 10th Amendment, all powers are not granted to the federal government are reserved for the states and the people

All state governments are modeled after the federal government

Also consists of three branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial

Constitution mandates that all states uphold a republican form of government

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