U.S. Government

The 3 Branches of U.S. Government

​Congress makes laws
Leaders of Congress.
Vice President
Speaker of the House
Lt. Governor (state)

​​Legislative Branch

​Checks that laws are fair
9 Supreme Court Justices
U.S. judges (picked by president)
State judges (elected by citizens)

​​Judicial Branch

​​Executive Branch

​Enforces laws
Leaders of the E.B.
U.S. President
Governor (state)
Mayor (city or town)

The Judicial Branch can throw out a law that it sees as unconstitutional.

Veto:
To refuse to sign a bill into a law

The Executive Branch can veto a bill and send it back to the Legislative Branch.

A Balance of Power

Each branch has equal power over the other branches.

United States Citizen

​A citizen

A person who lives in a city, state, or town and has legal rights & responsibilities. Citizens have the right to vote for their government leaders and representatives.

As a citizen, it is your responsibility to vote for your government.

Multiple Choice

The three branches hold equal power in making, enforcing, and checking laws.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

A citizen has legal

• rights

  & responsibilities.

• rights.

• responsibilities.

Multiple Choice

The Executive Branch can _____ a bill.

• write

• veto

• hold

A form of government in which representatives get their authority from the people, serve a set time, and have sworn to uphold the U.S. Constitution

​Constitutional Republic

Multiple Choice

In a constitutional republic, citizens _____ their government leaders.

• elect

• guess

Petition

Petition- An official request to the government signed by many citizens


As a citizen, you can voice your opinion and ask people to join you in your claim. You would present a petition and ask people to sign the document. This is how you request a person or organization to do or change something in your community.

"They collected 2,000 signatures on a petition demanding that the old schoolhouse not be torn down and replaced with a Starbucks. "

After your petition is signed, you will present it to your town's municipal government.

Municipality -a village, town, or city that's usually governed by a mayor and council.

​

​Municipal

Multiple Choice

To call for a change in your community, you can present a ______ for people to sign.

• law

• petition

• bill

Multiple Choice

After your petition is signed by enough citizens, your petition will be reviewed by your city's _______ government.

• municipal

• state

• federal