Understanding the Three Branches of U.S. Government

The Three Branches

Working Together

The United States (U.S.) government has three main parts, or branches. They are the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Executive Branch

The executive branch includes the President, Vice President, and many government agencies. Departments such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Social Security Administration are in this branch. Together, all federal agencies, plus the U.S. Armed Forces, provide jobs to over four million people.

Legislative Branch

The legislative branch is called Congress, and it includes the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congress makes the laws that govern all 50 states in the union. There are 100 senators—two from each state. The House of Representatives has 435 representatives, and the number from each state is set by its population. Some states have just two representatives; others have as many as 40. Together, senators and representatives in Congress discuss ideas. They decide whether bills should become laws. Both senators and representatives are elected by voters in their states.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and all the small courts under it. The nine Supreme Court judges are called justices, and their job is to interpret laws according to the Constitution. The Supreme Court is the highest court in our country. All three branches of the U.S. federal government have their main headquarters in the city of Washington, D.C.

Three of the headings included in this selection name the —

• three branches of government

• location of important government buildings

• most important agencies in the government

• best ways to seek help from the government

The Three Branches

Working Together

The United States (U.S.) government has three main parts, or branches. They are the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Executive Branch

The executive branch includes the President, Vice President, and many government agencies. Departments such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Social Security Administration are in this branch. Together, all federal agencies, plus the U.S. Armed Forces, provide jobs to over four million people.

Legislative Branch

The legislative branch is called Congress, and it includes the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congress makes the laws that govern all 50 states in the union. There are 100 senators—two from each state. The House of Representatives has 435 representatives, and the number from each state is set by its population. Some states have just two representatives; others have as many as 40. Together, senators and representatives in Congress discuss ideas. They decide whether bills should become laws. Both senators and representatives are elected by voters in their states.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and all the small courts under it. The nine Supreme Court judges are called justices, and their job is to interpret laws according to the Constitution. The Supreme Court is the highest court in our country. All three branches of the U.S. federal government have their main headquarters in the city of Washington, D.C.

Which section includes information about how laws are interpreted according to the Constitution?

• Working Together

• Executive

• Legislative

• Judicial

The Three Branches

Working Together

The United States (U.S.) government has three main parts, or branches. They are the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Executive Branch

The executive branch includes the President, Vice President, and many government agencies. Departments such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Social Security Administration are in this branch. Together, all federal agencies, plus the U.S. Armed Forces, provide jobs to over four million people.

Legislative Branch

The legislative branch is called Congress, and it includes the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congress makes the laws that govern all 50 states in the union. There are 100 senators—two from each state. The House of Representatives has 435 representatives, and the number from each state is set by its population. Some states have just two representatives; others have as many as 40. Together, senators and representatives in Congress discuss ideas. They decide whether bills should become laws. Both senators and representatives are elected by voters in their states.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and all the small courts under it. The nine Supreme Court judges are called justices, and their job is to interpret laws according to the Constitution. The Supreme Court is the highest court in our country. All three branches of the U.S. federal government have their main headquarters in the city of Washington, D.C.

Which branch does the U.S. President serve?

• Federal

• Judicial

• Executive

• Legislative

The headings in this selection help the reader —

• locate information in the selection quickly

• ignore the information they do not find interesting

• find out where they can read more about the government

• learn more about how the government branches work together

How does the information in the sidebar relate to the details in the main text?