Branches of Government

Branches of Government

By Leah Walts

The new Constitution begins with a one-sentence preamble that explains the purp​ose of the Constitution.

The Government is meant to serve its people.

https://youtu.be/RtGc69HQY4k ​

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The New Goverment

• Before the Revolution, Great Britain had too much power and the colonies too little.

• In the Articles of Confederation, the states had too much power and the national government had too little.

• The Framers of the Constitution wanted to get the balance just right. ​

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Outside of Independence State Hall

​The New Government

• Make laws and collect taxes

• Three Branches

• Each branch has its own powers and no branch can do the job of another.

National Government

• Make laws and collect taxes

• ​Marriage and driving age

• What is taught in schools

• Police and fire protection, libraries, public transportation​

State Government

The New Government

Multiple Choice

How many branches of government are there?

• Two

• Three

• Four

• Five

Multiple Select

Select the Three Branches of Government

• Legislative

• Judicial

• Presidential

• Executive

Legislative Branch

Executive Branch

Judicial ​Branch

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​Each branch has powers and weaknesses compared with other branches. This system of checks and balances ensures that no individual or group becomes too powerful.

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Branches of Government

Three Branches of Government

Legislative Branch

• In charge of making the laws

• Congress

• Two Houses​

• The number is based on the population

• Two-year terms.

• Have to be re-elected​.

• Must be at least 25 years old, a US citzen for at least 7 years and live in the state they represent.

​​House of Representatives

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• Two senators for each state

• Six-year terms.

• Must be re-elected ​

• ​Must be at least 30 years old, a US citizen for at least 9 years, and live in the state they represent.

Senate

​Legislative Branch

• Congress writes bills.

• A bill must be approved by both houses to be passed. The bills passed by Congress must be approved by the executive branch to become a law.

• If a bill is not approved by the executive branch, it can still become a law if the majority of congress approves it.

• Laws can be ruled unconstitutional by the judicial branch.

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Legislative Branch

​https://youtu.be/Otbml6WIQPo

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Multiple Choice

The Legislative Branch includes _______.

• The President

• The Supreme Court

• Congress

• Vice President

Multiple Choice

Which job is Congress responsible for?

• Removes laws that are unfair

• Decides if laws are unconstitutional =

• Carries out the laws

• Writes bills that become law

Fill in the Blank

Each state has ____ senators.

Fill in the Blank

There are _____ "Houses" or parts of the Legislative Branch.

Multiple Select

Select the members of the Legislative Branch.

• President

• House of Representatives

• Congress

• Senate

Multiple Choice

Prevents any one branch of government from becoming too powerful. Allows each branch of government to limit powers of the other two branches.

• Checks and Balances

• Separation of Powers

• Federalism

• National Rights

Multiple Choice

Which part of the Legislative Branch is based on population?

• Senate

• Supreme Court

• Cabinet

• House of Representatives

• ​Carries out the law

• President

• Vice President

• Cabinet​

Executive Branch

Executive Branch

President

• Elected to a four-year term. Two-term limit.

• Must be at least 35 years old, born in the US or have parents who are US citizens and has lived in the US for at least 14 years.

• Delegates decided that citizens would vote for electors, who would in turn, vote for the president. This is called the electoral college.

Power of the President

• The president can veto, or reject, bills that are passed by Congress.

• Represents ​the nation when dealing with other countries.

• ​Commander in Chief of the military

• Signs treaties

• Choose ​justices for the Supreme Court

​* If the president fails to do the job properly, the legislative branch can impeach him or her. The Judicial Branch can rule the president's actions unconstitutional

• The Executive Branch also includes the Vice President and the Cabinet, which includes leaders of various government departments.

• Department of State, Department of Defense, Department of Justice.

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Executive Branch

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Multiple Select

What are TWO things that the President can do?

• Make new laws

• Veto Bills

• Meet with world leaders

• Break the law

Fill in the Blank

How many years can a president serve for?

Multiple Choice

The president has the power to _____ a bill before it becomes a law.

• complain about

• rewrite

• veto

• compliment

Multiple Choice

Who is in charge of the executive branch?

• The President

• The Vice President

• The Supreme Court

• The Cabinet

Fill in the Blank

If the president fails to do the job properly, the legislative branch can ____ him or her.

• Highest Court in the United States

• Interpret Laws

• Can rule whether actions or laws passed are constitutional​.

• ​Decide if laws are fair and how they should be applied.

Judicial Branch

• President nominates Supreme Court Justices, or judges.

• Senate must approve ​the nomination.

• There are nine Justices.​

• They remain in office for life.​

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The current Supreme Court.

Judicial Branch

Multiple Choice

Who chooses Supreme Court Justices?

• House of Representatives

• The Cabinet

• Congress

• The President

Open Ended

How long do Supreme Court Justices serve?

Multiple Choice

How many Justices serve in the Supreme Court?

• 5

• 2

• 9

• 6

Multiple Choice

The U.S. Supreme Court must make all decisions based on  ________.

• The Constitution

• The Declaration of Independence

• The Articles of Confederation

• What the president tells them to do