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If you take a dim view of our political parties, you’re in sterling company. So did George Washington.

In his famous Farewell Address, he warned us against “the baneful effects of the spirit of political party.”
We live in a very different country than he founded, though, For well over 165 years, they have played a key role in our representative government. They are the best stage I know for broad economic, political, and social change. Our two great parties, for the most part, have excelled: they accommodate different interests, opinions, and views. Strong political parties can unite groups with different interests.
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.2307/2131169?journalCode=jop

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Interrelationship of the Three Branches. 

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Interrelationship of the Three Branches. 

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https://constitutionminute.hillsdale.edu/constitution-minute-episode-7

Some think the judiciary sits atop the other two branches—the legislative and the executive. Others think the president sits above Congress and the courts. In fact, all three branches are equally accountable to the Constitution, and therefore to the people who made the Constitution.

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Executive-  With its power centralized in the office of the president, who serves as the head of state and commander-in-chief, this branch is responsible for both the general and daily implementation of these laws.

Judicial- The judicial branch is a system of federal courts that at the lowest level begins at the 94 district courts. Above these local district courts are the 13 courts of appeal. When hearing existing cases or when interpreting laws passed by the legislative branch. This ensures that their decisions are not motivated by politics because they need to win an election.

Legislative- The legislative branch is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Committees review the bill and decide if it is to be added onto to a current bill, kept as an individual bill, or be postponed so it may be considered at a later date. When it is approved by both the House and Senate, the bill is reviewed by the president, who either signs it into law or vetoes it.

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The George Washington University Online Degrees

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Adopted on Sept. 17, 1787, the U.S. Constitution laid out the framework for our nation. As declared in its opening statement, the goal of the Constitution was to "establish a more perfect union" and to encourage peace, liberty, and security for the country. Adamant that the United States not be run under the absolute authority of a single monarch, the founding fathers created a system of government consisting of three parts: the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. The rights and responsibilities of each branch were explicitly outlined within the Constitution, and a clear system of checks and balances were put in place to ensure that no branch held a monopoly on political power.

The Executive Branch

In many political forums, a lot of attention is focused on the office of president of the United States. However, the person holding this important office is merely one component of the executive branch. Consisting of the president, vice president, and members of the Cabinet, this branch of the government is responsible for enforcing legislation that has been created by the legislative branch. With its power centralized in the office of the president, who serves as the head of state and commander-in-chief, this branch is responsible for both the general and daily implementation of these laws.

The President and Vice President

The president can appoint members of the Cabinet, nominate Supreme Court justices, and appoint the directors of federally controlled agencies such as the DEA and FBI. However, these appointments must be confirmed by the legislative branch in order for them to take effect. The president is also responsible for vetoing or signing bills into law and may only distribute executive orders for the purpose of interpreting existing legislation or as a means of directing the members of the Cabinet. As the commander-in-chief, the president issues orders to the various branches of the military, and they have the power to negotiate treaties and appoint ambassadors. The vice president's primary role is to assume the duties of the presidency should the president become temporarily or permanently unable to do the job. The vice president also presides over the Senate and can vote when there is a tie.

The Cabinet

The members of the president's Cabinet serve as heads of their respective departments. They implement the laws set forth by Congress and aid their departments in administering them. There are 15 departments in all, and these are responsible for enforcing regulations on everything from commerce to the nation's natural resources. They ensure that all regulations for their departments are being followed.

The Judicial Branch

With the job of interpreting the meaning and constitutionality of pieces of legislation, the judicial branch is a system of federal courts that at the lowest level begins at the 94 district courts. Above these local district courts are the 13 courts of appeal. Lastly, at the highest level, the Supreme Court and its nine appointed justices serve as the highest court in the land. As the arbiters determining the legality of pieces of legislation, the Supreme Court justices look to the Constitution, which is the highest law in the land, when hearing existing cases or when interpreting laws passed by the legislative branch. Both Supreme Court justices and judges of the courts of appeals and district courts serve for life and do not leave their posts unless they retire, die, or are impeached. This ensures that their decisions are not motivated by politics because they need to win an election.

The Legislative Branch

The legislative branch is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together, these two bodies form Congress. Congress is the only branch of the federal government that can enact laws, raise and appropriate funds, declare war, and impeach officials such as the president. Both chambers of Congress are directly elected by the people. While the population of each state determines its number of representatives, each state only gets two senators. Furthermore, while senators vote according to the wishes of all of the people in their state, representatives vote according to will of the people in their districts. Representatives serve two-year terms, while senators serve six-year terms.

In order for bills to be enacted, they must first be introduced to the House or Senate, where they start by being considered by committees. Anyone can draft pieces of legislation, but they must be brought before Congress by either a senator or a representative. Committees and subcommittees review the bill and decide if it is to be added onto to a current bill, kept as an individual bill, or be postponed so it may be considered at a later date. When it is approved by both the House and Senate, the bill is reviewed by the president, who either signs it into law or vetoes it. If the bill is vetoed, the bill returns to Congress, where it can then still become law after a two-thirds majority approves it.

Government Agency Sites for Students

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The Three Branches of Government | GW Pol Mgt Online Degree

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The U.S. Constitution laid out the framework for our nation and outlined the rights and responsibilities of the three branches of government, which consist of the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. Read on to gain more insights about each level of government.

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Interrelationships of the three branches.

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Interrelationships of the three branches.

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Judicial
- Interprets laws passed by the Legislative Branch
- The Congress can declare laws unconstitutional
- Each branch can check the others
Executive
- Congress has the power to create laws, the President has the power to veto them.
- Each branch can check the others
Legislative
- Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Reps. and can override a Presidential veto with a 2/3 vote in both houses
- Congress can impeach and convict the president for high crimes
- The House of Reps. has the power to bring impeachment charges against the president
- Senate has the power to convict and remove the President from office
- Supreme Court candidates are appointed by the President and are confirmed by the Senate
- Judges can be removed from office by impeachment in the House of Reps. and conviction in the Senate
- Each branch can check the others
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/separation_of_powers_0

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Legislative:
The legislative branch of U.S. government is comprised of elected representatives who set public policy by enacting statutes.

Executive:
The executive branch of U.S. government is responsible for executing or implementing the statutes and programs enacted by the legislative branch.

Judicial:
The judicial branch of U.S. government resolves legal disputes as well as interprets the law.
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/foodlaw/overview/organizationUSgovernment

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Process of election of the Legislative branch and the Executive branch

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Process of election of the Legislative branch and the Executive branch

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Senators are chosen by the state legislatures while the vice president and the president are elected by the people. Political candidates are chosen by a Convention\petition, the Candidates that receives the most votes is elected. the elections to the house of representatives can be direct or popular. Political Candidates are chosen by delegate convention, but a majority is not required in U.S but only for electoral vote casts.

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In colonial America the election of church and public officials dates almost from the founding of the Plymouth Colony, and the paper ballot was instituted in elections to the Massachusetts governorship in 1634. Under the U.S. Constitution the right to hold elections is specified, but the method and place are left to the states, with Congress having the power to alter their regulations. The Constitution specified that elections to the House of Representatives be direct, or popular, and that the election of the Senate and of the president and vice president be indirect, Senators being chosen by the state legislatures and the president and vice president by electors selected by the people (see electoral college). The Seventeenth Amendment (1913) provided for popular election of senators.

Political candidates are usually chosen by delegate convention, direct primary, nonpartisan primaries, or petition. The candidate who receives the most votes is usually elected, but an absolute majority may be required; a majority has not been required in the U.S. federal elections since 1850 except in the electoral vote cast for the president and vice president. (In presidential nominating conventions an absolute majority is required; the Democrats required a two-thirds vote of the delegates from 1832 to 1936.)

Since 1824, when John Quincy Adams was elected president by the House of Representatives when no candidate had a majority in the electoral college (Adams' leading opponent, Andrew Jackson, had greater popular and electoral vote totals), the electoral-college system has many times permitted a president to be chosen without a majority of the popular vote (1844, 1848, 1856, 1860, 1876, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1892, 1912, 1916, 1948, 1960, 1968, 1992, 1996, and 2000); in 1876, 1888, and 2000 candidates without even a plurality succeeded in winning office.

Voting frauds and disorder at the polls were common after the rise of political machines, and the enactment of registration laws after 1865 did little to ameliorate conditions. Corrupt practices acts, poll watching, the institution of primary elections, and the introduction of voting machines after 1892 have been more effective in ensuring honest elections.

All states have some residency requirements as a condition for suffrage. Originally the vote was typically restricted to white men who met certain property qualifications; such restrictions were later liberalized and removed. The Fourteenth Amendment (1868) and Fifteenth Amendment (1870) were designed to forbid the disenfranchisement of African-American men after the Civil War, and the Nineteenth (1920) conferred the vote on women. The Twenty-third Amendment (1961) permitted residents of the District of Columbia to vote in the presidential elections, while the Twenty-fourth Amendment (1964) outlawed payment of poll or other taxes as a condition for voting. The Twenty-sixth Amendment (1971) lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. The so-called motor voter law (National Voter Registration Act, 1993) was designed to reverse declining voter registrations by permitting registration at motor vehicle departments and other agencies. Certain classes of felons and some others are deprived of the vote.

From CREDO election in The Columbia Encyclopedia

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LibGuides: Elections & Political Process: Home

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In colonial America the election of church and public officials dates almost from the founding of the Plymouth Colony, and the paper ballot was instituted in elections to the Massachusetts governorship in 1634. Under the U.S. Constitution the right to hold elections is specified, but the method and place are left to the states, with Congress having the power to alter their regulations.

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the legislative branches job is to make the laws. the judicial branches job is to interpret the laws. the executive branches job is to enforce the laws.

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Before the Constitution

1775 Fighting began between the colonies and Great Britain

1776 The Declaration of Independence was written

1777 The Articles of Confederation were written (fully ratified in 1781)

1783 The American Revolutionary War officially ended

1789 The U.S. Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation created a confederation, a government of loosely organized independent states. The national government under the Articles of Confederation consisted of a single legislative body, called the Congress of the United States. The national government had limited powers under the Articles of Confederation. For example, the central government could not levy taxes or regulate commerce. Additionally, there was not an executive or judicial branch of government under the Articles.

Because the government under the Articles of Confederation did not have enough power, problems began to emerge.

States were printing their own money in violation of national law.

States were conducting foreign trade negotiations in violation of national law.

States were organizing their own armed forces.

These events led to a meeting in Philadelphia in 1787. This meeting has come to be known as the Constitutional Convention.

The Constitutional Convention

hese events led to a meeting in Philadelphia in 1787. This meeting has come to be known as the Constitutional Convention. Twelve of the thirteen states sent delegates to the convention (all but Rhode Island).

The original intent of the Constitutional Convention was to discuss the emerging problems in the new nation, and make changes to the Articles of Confederation to address those problems. Very quickly however, the delegates determined to set the Articles of Confederation aside and start fresh. The result of their work was the Constitution of the United States.

The Constitution created the 3 branches of government:

1. The Legislative Branch to make the laws. Congress is made up of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

2. The Executive Branch to enforce the laws.

3. The Judicial Branch to interpret the laws.

The Constitution embodies these principles:

Limited Government - The principle that the power of the government is limited by the Constitution; a system of government in which the government is given only the powers specifically listed in written documents.

Separation of Powers - There are three branches of government, each with its own powers and duties.

Checks and Balances - Each branch checks the powers of the other two branches.

Federalism - Power is divided between the federal government and the state governments.

Visit the National Archives website to find the full text of the U.S. Constitution.

Article I

Outlines the powers and limits of the Legislative Branch

The legislature, called Congress, is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives

The basic function of the legislature is to make the laws of our nation

Article II

Outlines the powers and limits of the Executive Branch

The executive power of the nation is held by the President of the United States and the various executive departments and agencies under his or her direct control

A major function of the executive branch is to enforce the laws of the nation

Article III

Outlines the powers of the Judicial Branch

Article III establishes one Supreme Court of the United States

Article III explains the jurisdiction of the federal courts, listing the kinds of cases they will hear

Article III also provides a method for Congress to create new courts, under the Supreme Court, as needed.

Article IV

Outlines the relationship between the national government and the state governments, and of the states to other states.

Article V

Outlines the amendment process. This describes how to change the Constitution if need be.

Article VI

Affirms the supremacy of the Constitution and national laws.

Article VII

Explains the process which must be taken to ratify the Constitution.

Amendments 1-10

Called The Bill of Rights.

Added in 1791

Detail what are commonly referred to as our basic civil liberties

Learn More About the Great Compromise

It took four long months of debate for the framers to create the Constitution. As the framers worked, different plans and suggestions were made.

The states with smaller populations supported the New Jersey Plan which sought equal representation among all states, and which added an executive and judicial branch, while giving the government power to tax and regulate trade. The larger states sought to have representation in the new government based on population. They created the Virginia Plan, which did this, and which not only created three branches of government, but also gave the government much more power than under the Articles.

The result of all this debate was the Great Compromise, which resulted in the Constitution we know today. It solved the representation squabble by creating a bicameral legislature, called Congress, in which the lower house (called the House of Representatives) had representation based on population, and an upper house (called the Senate) had equal representation by states (2 Senators representing each state).

An executive branch was created, headed by a President to be elected by the people (and an electoral college).

A judicial branch was also added, with one Supreme Court, whose members were to be chosen by the chief executive and confirmed by the Senate.

The new government was given the right to tax, to regulate trade and make national laws. It was much more powerful than the national government had been under the Articles of Confederation. The framers finished their work on the Constitution in September of 1787.

The Constitution

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Directions: Click START to begin the Student Challenge. Determine which part of the U.S. Constitution is the correct answer. Use the ARROW to move through the questions. Check your RESULTS at the end.

Your answers are highlighted below.

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What are the Three Branches of Government? | The Judicial Learning Center

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1775 Fighting began between the colonies and Great Britain 1776 The Declaration of Independence was written 1777 The Articles of Confederation were written (fully ratified in 1781) 1783 The American Revolutionary War officially ended 1789 The U.S. Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation created a confederation, a government of loosely organized independent states.

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Process of elections in all the Branches. 

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Process of elections in all the Branches. 

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Step 1
Candidates from each political party campaign throughout the country to win the favor of their party members.

Step 2: National Conventions

Each party holds a national convention to finalize the selection of one presidential nominee. At each convention, the presidential candidate chooses a running-mate. This is the vice presidential candidate.

Step 3: General Election

The presidential candidates campaign throughout the country in an attempt to win the support of the general population.

Step 4: Electoral College

In the Electoral College system, each state gets a certain number of electors based on its total number of representatives in Congress.
https://www.usa.gov/election

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The legislative branch drafts proposed laws, confirms or rejects presidential nominations for heads of federal agencies, federal judges, and the Supreme Court, it also has the authority to declare war. The executive branch carries out and enforces laws. It includes The president, VP, the Cabinet, executive departments, independent agencies, and other boards, commissions, and committees. The judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws, applies laws to individual cases, and decides if laws violate the Constitution.

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Learn about the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. government.

The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. This ensures that no individual or group will have too much power.

How each branch of government provides checks and balances

The ability of each branch to respond to the actions of the other branches is the system of checks and balances.

Each branch of government can change acts of the other branches:

The president can veto legislation created by Congress. He or she also nominates heads of federal agencies and high court appointees.

Congress confirms or rejects the president's nominees. It can also remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.

The Justices of the Supreme Court, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, can overturn unconstitutional laws.

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Branches of the U.S. government | USAGov

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Learn about the 3 branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. Understand how each branch of U.S. government provides checks and balances.

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The legislative branch drafts proposed laws, confirms or rejects presidential nominations for heads of federal agencies, federal judges, and the Supreme Court, and has the authority to declare war. This branch includes Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives) and special agencies and offices that provide support services to Congress.

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Learn about the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. government.

The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. This ensures that no individual or group will have too much power.

How each branch of government provides checks and balances

The ability of each branch to respond to the actions of the other branches is the system of checks and balances.

Each branch of government can change acts of the other branches:

The president can veto legislation created by Congress. He or she also nominates heads of federal agencies and high court appointees.

Congress confirms or rejects the president's nominees. It can also remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.

The Justices of the Supreme Court, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, can overturn unconstitutional laws.

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Branches of the U.S. government | USAGov

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Learn about the 3 branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. Understand how each branch of U.S. government provides checks and balances.

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The executive branch carries out and enforces laws. It includes the president, vice president, the Cabinet, executive departments, independent agencies, and other boards, commissions, and committees.
Much of the work in the executive branch is done by federal agencies, departments, committees, and other groups.

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Learn about the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. government.

The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. This ensures that no individual or group will have too much power.

How each branch of government provides checks and balances

The ability of each branch to respond to the actions of the other branches is the system of checks and balances.

Each branch of government can change acts of the other branches:

The president can veto legislation created by Congress. He or she also nominates heads of federal agencies and high court appointees.

Congress confirms or rejects the president's nominees. It can also remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.

The Justices of the Supreme Court, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, can overturn unconstitutional laws.

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Branches of the U.S. government | USAGov

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Learn about the 3 branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. Understand how each branch of U.S. government provides checks and balances.

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This is a bundle of 3 highly animated, power point presentations on Establishing the US Government - The Three Branches of Government. All three presentations together number 78 slides. Each of the presentation slides are editable so you can change it to fit your individual needs.

The Executive Branch of the US government presentation offers a review of the Presidency, many slides on the powers and limitations of the office, the Cabinet with a listing of each cabinet's department website, other support agencies, and the "official" order of Succession for the office of president.

Power point presentation #1 is titled, Establishing the US Government - The Executive Branch contains 34 slides and covers the following:

Administrative Chart

Executive Branch

Qualifications for Office

Term Limits

Executive Powers

Powers & Limitations (2)

Executive Orders

Power to Appoint

Power to Remove

Diplomatic Powers

Make Treaties

Executive Agreements

Military Powers

Legislative Powers

Veto Powers

Judicial Powers

Executive Advisors

National Security Council

Office of Management & Budget

Office of National Drug Control Policy

Council of Economic Advisors

President's Cabinet (2)

President's Cabinet Websites (2)

Cabinet Level Positions

Independent Agencies

Duties of the Vice President

Presidential Succession

End of Presentation

The Legislative Branch of the US government presentation addresses the makeup and function of Congress, how are laws made, the Elastic Clause, the Filibuster and its overall power.

Power point presentation #2 is titled, Establishing the US Government - The Legislative Branch contains 18 slides and covers the following:

Three Branches of Government

Legislative Branch

Powers of Congress

Houses of Congress

Powers of Each House

Officers of Congress

Congressional Committees (2)

"The Elastic Clause" (2)

How are Laws Made

How Does a Bill

Become a Law (2)

The Filibuster

End of Presentation

This is an animated, 26 slide power point presentation on the The Judicial Branch of government. Each slide is editable so you can customize the presentation to fit your needs.

The presentation features information on the structure of the legal system, how the Supreme Court operates, a look at the daily operation, a vocabulary of Judicial terms and a list of all previous Chief Justices.

Power point presentation #3 is titled, Establishing the US Government - The Judicial Branch contains 26 slides and covers the following:

The Judicial Branch

Federal Court System

Court System Chart

The Court Does Not

The Supreme Court

Current Justices

of the Supreme Court

Term of the Court

Daily Court Proceedings (3)

Writ of Certiorari

Oral Arguments

Before the Court

Restraint vs. Activism

Opinions of the Court

In the Event of a Tie

Judicial Vocabulary (4)

Judicial Definitions

Types of Laws (2)

Former Chief Justices

This is one of many bundled power point presentations I offer in my store under the heading....Establishing the US Government.

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Bundle of 3 - Establishing the US Government - The Three Branches of Government

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This is a bundle of 3 highly animated, power point presentations on Establishing the US Government - The Three Branches of Government. All three presentations together number 78 slides. Each of the presentation slides are editable so you can change it to fit your individual needs.The Executive Branc...

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The judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws, applies laws to individual cases, and decides if laws violate the Constitution. It is comprised of the Supreme Court and other federal courts.

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Learn about the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. government.

The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. This ensures that no individual or group will have too much power.

How each branch of government provides checks and balances

The ability of each branch to respond to the actions of the other branches is the system of checks and balances.

Each branch of government can change acts of the other branches:

The president can veto legislation created by Congress. He or she also nominates heads of federal agencies and high court appointees.

Congress confirms or rejects the president's nominees. It can also remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.

The Justices of the Supreme Court, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, can overturn unconstitutional laws.

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Branches of the U.S. government | USAGov

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Learn about the 3 branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. Understand how each branch of U.S. government provides checks and balances.

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- Political parties bring together people with the same political ideas.
- Parties want to get as many of their members as possible into a representative body
- Try to hold as many posts as possible in the government
- Promote a political agenda to influence government policy and action
-

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This branch enforces laws and includes the higher ranks of people in the government. These people include the president and vice president. There are also departments that each have a leader. The President is the leader of the country with the help of the Vice President. (Liberty Themebook).

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"political parties organized on a national basis to accomplish the transfer of executive power from one faction to another via an election. The development and expansion of political parties that followed was closely linked to the broadening of voting rights. "

https://uk.usembassy.gov/role-political-parties/

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Congress, the main body of the legislative branch, is made up of two different parts. The first is the House of Representatives, which consists of 435 people elected to represent the people who live in their district. The number of representatives that a state has depends on its population. The other part of Congress is the Senate. Each state has two senators who represent the state and its citizens’ best interests.

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After having been subjects of the king of England, colonial Americans were looking for a new type of government that wouldn't allow a king to make all of the decisions. They wanted their voices to be heard, and they didn't want one person or even one part of the government to have too much power. When it came time to write the Constitution, three branches of government were created, each with their own responsibility to the American people and each with some amount of power over the others, so that no branch is more powerful than the rest. Many times, the branches of government need to work together in order to get things done. While this process isn't always easy, it does ensure that the citizens of the United States get a say in what happens in their country. All states have a similar type of government modeled after the three branches of the federal government.

The Legislative Branch

The job of the legislative branch is to make laws. Congress, the main body of the legislative branch, is made up of two different parts. The first is the House of Representatives, which consists of 435 people elected to represent the people who live in their district. The number of representatives that a state has depends on its population. The other part of Congress is the Senate. Each state has two senators who represent the state and its citizens' best interests. Each part of Congress must work together to come up with laws that will apply to all citizens of the United States. In order to balance out the power of Congress, the president can veto a law that has been passed, and the judicial branch can overturn a law that is unconstitutional.

The Executive Branch

The president of the United States is the head of the executive branch, followed by the vice president. The people get to vote on who will be president, but the Electoral College actually determines which candidate is the winner. This means that even if more Americans vote for one person, if the Electoral College votes a different way, the other candidate wins. This has happened twice: in 2000, when Al Gore won by around a half-million votes but George W. Bush won the Electoral College vote, and in 2016, when Donald Trump got more electoral votes even though Hillary Clinton got nearly 3 million more votes at the polls.

The executive branch has the job of enforcing the laws that Congress creates. This branch also includes the president's Cabinet, made up of representatives from each of the federal agencies. While the executive branch can appoint justices to the Supreme Court, the Senate, part of the legislative branch, must approve those nominations. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court can check the executive branch by ruling that the president's actions are unconstitutional.

The Judicial Branch

The judicial branch doesn't have an easy job: Their job is to interpret the laws that are made and make sure that they follow the Constitution. The head of this branch is the Supreme Court, and it is led by a chief justice. The justices decide which cases they are going to hear and then make their decision. From there, justices will write opinions that explain why they made their decision. If a justice doesn't agree with the court's ruling, they can write their own opinion, explaining why they didn't agree. The judicial branch also includes multiple federal courts that deal with criminal cases and even some civil cases, depending on the circumstances.

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A Guide to the US Government Branches | Maryville Online

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After having been subjects of the king of England, colonial Americans were looking for a new type of government that wouldn't allow a king to make all of the decisions. They wanted their voices to be heard, and they didn't want one person or even one part of the government to have too much power.

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✰The system of checks and balances is an important part of the Constitution. With checks and balances, each of the three branches of government can limit the powers of the others. This way, no one branch becomes too powerful. Each branch “checks” the power of the other branches to make sure that the power is balanced between them✰First, the legislative branch introduces and votes on a bill. The bill then goes to the executive branch, where the President decides whether he thinks the bill is good for the country. If so, he signs the bill, and it becomes a law. ✰If the President does not believe the bill is good for the country, he does not sign it. This is called a veto. But the legislative branch gets another chance. With enough votes, the legislative branch can override the executive branch's veto, and the bill becomes a law.✰Once a law is in place, the people of the country can test it through the court system, which is under the control of the judicial branch. If someone believes a law is unfair, a lawsuit can be filed.✰If the legislative branch does not agree with the way in which the judicial branch has interpreted the law, they can introduce a new piece of legislation, and the process starts all over again.

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✰The system of checks and balances is an important part of the Constitution. With checks and balances, each of the three branches of government can limit the powers of the others. This way, no one branch becomes too powerful. Each branch “checks” the power of the other branches to make sure that the power is balanced between them✰First, the legislative branch introduces and votes on a bill. The bill then goes to the executive branch, where the President decides whether he thinks the bill is good for the country. If so, he signs the bill, and it becomes a law. ✰If the President does not believe the bill is good for the country, he does not sign it. This is called a veto. But the legislative branch gets another chance. With enough votes, the legislative branch can override the executive branch's veto, and the bill becomes a law.✰Once a law is in place, the people of the country can test it through the court system, which is under the control of the judicial branch. If someone believes a law is unfair, a lawsuit can be filed.✰If the legislative branch does not agree with the way in which the judicial branch has interpreted the law, they can introduce a new piece of legislation, and the process starts all over again.

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✰Executive Branch:               -this branch of the government is responsible for enforcing legislation that has been created by the legislative branch                 ✰Legislative Branch:             -Is Made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate-those two bodies form congress-In charge of making laws-Regulates interstate .                ✰Judicial Branch:-Encompasses the Supreme Court and the lower federal courts- The Judicial Branch is sometimes referred to as the federal judiciary, Meaning the system of US, or federal, courts that have the right and power to decide whether a law or act is constitutional         

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✰Executive Branch:               -this branch of the government is responsible for enforcing legislation that has been created by the legislative branch                 ✰Legislative Branch:             -Is Made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate-those two bodies form congress-In charge of making laws-Regulates interstate .                ✰Judicial Branch:-Encompasses the Supreme Court and the lower federal courts- The Judicial Branch is sometimes referred to as the federal judiciary, Meaning the system of US, or federal, courts that have the right and power to decide whether a law or act is constitutional         

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http://www.theusaonline.com/government/political-parties.htm

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/article-1-the-legislative-branch-elections-powers-legislative-process-secti

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The Judicial Branch consists of the courts like The Supreme Court. This branch interprets and evaluates the laws. (Liberty Themebook).

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http://www.theusaonline.com/government/political-parties.htm

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/article-1-the-legislative-branch-elections-powers-legislative-process-secti

✰The executive election process goes: in every four years republic and democratic groups pick one person to run for president. Then that same person has a person of their choice to run alongside them. The winner is decided by who gets the most votes of the electoral college.

The judicial election process goes: every state receives a number of  senators based on their population these senators then run for office in the general election.

The judicial election process: their judges are appointed by the president and they are approved by the senate.

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The people get to vote on who will be president, but the Electoral College actually determines which candidate is the winner. This means that even if more Americans vote for one person, if the Electoral College votes a different way, the other candidate wins.

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After having been subjects of the king of England, colonial Americans were looking for a new type of government that wouldn't allow a king to make all of the decisions. They wanted their voices to be heard, and they didn't want one person or even one part of the government to have too much power. When it came time to write the Constitution, three branches of government were created, each with their own responsibility to the American people and each with some amount of power over the others, so that no branch is more powerful than the rest. Many times, the branches of government need to work together in order to get things done. While this process isn't always easy, it does ensure that the citizens of the United States get a say in what happens in their country. All states have a similar type of government modeled after the three branches of the federal government.

The Legislative Branch

The job of the legislative branch is to make laws. Congress, the main body of the legislative branch, is made up of two different parts. The first is the House of Representatives, which consists of 435 people elected to represent the people who live in their district. The number of representatives that a state has depends on its population. The other part of Congress is the Senate. Each state has two senators who represent the state and its citizens' best interests. Each part of Congress must work together to come up with laws that will apply to all citizens of the United States. In order to balance out the power of Congress, the president can veto a law that has been passed, and the judicial branch can overturn a law that is unconstitutional.

The Executive Branch

The president of the United States is the head of the executive branch, followed by the vice president. The people get to vote on who will be president, but the Electoral College actually determines which candidate is the winner. This means that even if more Americans vote for one person, if the Electoral College votes a different way, the other candidate wins. This has happened twice: in 2000, when Al Gore won by around a half-million votes but George W. Bush won the Electoral College vote, and in 2016, when Donald Trump got more electoral votes even though Hillary Clinton got nearly 3 million more votes at the polls.

The executive branch has the job of enforcing the laws that Congress creates. This branch also includes the president's Cabinet, made up of representatives from each of the federal agencies. While the executive branch can appoint justices to the Supreme Court, the Senate, part of the legislative branch, must approve those nominations. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court can check the executive branch by ruling that the president's actions are unconstitutional.

The Judicial Branch

The judicial branch doesn't have an easy job: Their job is to interpret the laws that are made and make sure that they follow the Constitution. The head of this branch is the Supreme Court, and it is led by a chief justice. The justices decide which cases they are going to hear and then make their decision. From there, justices will write opinions that explain why they made their decision. If a justice doesn't agree with the court's ruling, they can write their own opinion, explaining why they didn't agree. The judicial branch also includes multiple federal courts that deal with criminal cases and even some civil cases, depending on the circumstances.

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A Guide to the US Government Branches | Maryville Online

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After having been subjects of the king of England, colonial Americans were looking for a new type of government that wouldn't allow a king to make all of the decisions. They wanted their voices to be heard, and they didn't want one person or even one part of the government to have too much power.

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The three branches of the U.S. government are the legislative, executive and judicial branches. According to the doctrine of separation of powers, the U.S. Constitution distributed the power of the federal government among these three branches, and built a system of checks and balances to ensure that no one branch could become too powerful.

Separation of Powers

The Enlightenment philosopher Montesquieu coined the phrase "trias politica," or separation of powers, in his influential 18th-century work "Spirit of the Laws." His concept of a government divided into legislative, executive and judicial branches acting independently of each other inspired the framers of the U.S. Constitution, who vehemently opposed concentrating too much power in any one body of government.

In the Federalist Papers, James Madison wrote of the necessity of the separation of powers to the new nation's democratic government: "The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elected, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny."

Legislative Branch

According to Article I of the Constitution, the legislative branch (the U.S. Congress) has the primary power to make the country's laws. This legislative power is divided further into the two chambers, or houses, of Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Members of Congress are elected by the people of the United States. While each state gets the same number of senators (two) to represent it, the number of representatives for each state is based on the state's population.

Therefore, while there are 100 senators, there are 435 elected members of the House, plus an additional six non-voting delegates who represent the District of Columbia as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories.

In order to pass an act of legislation, both houses must pass the same version of a bill by majority vote. Once that happens, the bill goes to the president, who can either sign it into law or reject it using the veto power assigned in the Constitution.

In the case of a regular veto, Congress can override the veto by a two-thirds vote of both houses. Both the veto power and Congress' ability to override a veto are examples of the system of checks and balances intended by the Constitution to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power.

Executive Branch

Article II of the Constitution states that the executive branch, with the president as its head, has the power to enforce or carry out the laws of the nation.

In addition to the president, who is the commander in chief of the armed forces and head of state, the executive branch includes the vice president and the Cabinet; the State Department, Defense Department and 13 other executive departments; and various other federal agencies, commissions and committees.

Unlike members of Congress, the president and vice president are not elected directly by the people every four years, but through the electoral college system. People vote to select a slate of electors, and each elector pledges to cast his or her vote for the candidate who gets the most votes from the people they represent.

In addition to signing (or vetoing) legislation, the president can influence the country's laws through various executive actions, including executive orders, presidential memoranda and proclamations. The executive branch is also responsible for carrying out the nation's foreign policy and conducting diplomacy with other countries, though the Senate must ratify any treaties with foreign nations.

Judicial Branch

Article III decreed that the nation's judicial power, to apply and interpret the laws, should be vested in "one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish."

The Constitution didn't specify the powers of the Supreme Court or explain how the judicial branch should be organized, and for a time the judiciary took a back seat to the other branches of government.

But that all changed with Marbury v. Madison, an 1803 milestone case that established the Supreme Court's power of judicial review, by which it determines the constitutionality of executive and legislative acts. Judicial review is another key example of the checks and balances system in action.

Members of the federal judiciary-which includes the Supreme Court, 13 U.S. Courts of Appeals and 94 federal judicial district courts-are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Federal judges hold their seats until they resign, die or are removed from office through impeachment by Congress.

Implied Powers of the Three Branches of Government

In addition to the specific powers of each branch that are enumerated in the Constitution, each branch has claimed certain implied powers, many of which can overlap at times. For example, presidents have claimed exclusive right to make foreign policy, without consultation with Congress.

In turn, Congress has enacted legislation that specifically defines how the law should be administered by the executive branch, while federal courts have interpreted laws in ways that Congress did not intend, drawing accusations of "legislating from the bench."

The powers granted to Congress by the Constitution expanded greatly after the Supreme Court ruled in the 1819 case McCulloch v. Maryland that the Constitution fails to spell out every power granted to Congress.

Since then, the legislative branch has often assumed additional implied powers under the "necessary and proper clause" or "elastic clause" included in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution.

Checks and Balances

"In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty is this: You must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself," James Madison wrote in the Federalist Papers. To ensure that all three branches of government remain in balance, each branch has powers that can be checked by the other two branches. Here are ways that the executive, judiciary, and legislative branches keep one another in line:

· The president (head of the executive branch) serves as commander in chief of the military forces, but Congress (legislative branch) appropriates funds for the military and votes to declare war. In addition, the Senate must ratify any peace treaties.

· Congress has the power of the purse, as it controls the money used to fund any executive actions.

· The president nominates federal officials, but the Senate confirms those nominations.

· Within the legislative branch, each house of Congress serves as a check on possible abuses of power by the other. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have to pass a bill in the same form for it to become law.

· Once Congress has passed a bill, the president has the power to veto that bill. In turn, Congress can override a regular presidential veto by a two-thirds vote of both houses.

· The Supreme Court and other federal courts (judicial branch) can declare laws or presidential actions unconstitutional, in a process known as judicial review.

· In turn, the president checks the judiciary through the power of appointment, which can be used to change the direction of the federal courts

· By passing amendments to the Constitution, Congress can effectively check the decisions of the Supreme Court.

· Congress can impeach both members of the executive and judicial branches.

Sources

Separation of Powers, The Oxford Guide to the United States Government.
Branches of Government, USA.gov.
Separation of Powers: An Overview, National Conference of State Legislatures.

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The three branches of the U.S. government are the legislative, executive and judicial branches. According to the doctrine of separation of powers, the U.S. Constitution distributed the power of the federal government among these three branches, and built a system of checks and balances to ensure that no one branch could become too powerful.

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Their job is to interpret the laws that are made and make sure that they follow the Constitution. The head of this branch is the Supreme Court, and it is led by a chief justice. The justices decide which cases they are going to hear and then make their decision. From there, justices will write opinions that explain why they made their decision. If a justice doesn’t agree with the court’s ruling, they can write their own opinion, explaining why they didn’t agree. The judicial branch also includes multiple federal courts that deal with criminal cases and even some civil cases, depending on the circumstances.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
After having been subjects of the king of England, colonial Americans were looking for a new type of government that wouldn't allow a king to make all of the decisions. They wanted their voices to be heard, and they didn't want one person or even one part of the government to have too much power. When it came time to write the Constitution, three branches of government were created, each with their own responsibility to the American people and each with some amount of power over the others, so that no branch is more powerful than the rest. Many times, the branches of government need to work together in order to get things done. While this process isn't always easy, it does ensure that the citizens of the United States get a say in what happens in their country. All states have a similar type of government modeled after the three branches of the federal government.

The Legislative Branch

The job of the legislative branch is to make laws. Congress, the main body of the legislative branch, is made up of two different parts. The first is the House of Representatives, which consists of 435 people elected to represent the people who live in their district. The number of representatives that a state has depends on its population. The other part of Congress is the Senate. Each state has two senators who represent the state and its citizens' best interests. Each part of Congress must work together to come up with laws that will apply to all citizens of the United States. In order to balance out the power of Congress, the president can veto a law that has been passed, and the judicial branch can overturn a law that is unconstitutional.

The Executive Branch

The president of the United States is the head of the executive branch, followed by the vice president. The people get to vote on who will be president, but the Electoral College actually determines which candidate is the winner. This means that even if more Americans vote for one person, if the Electoral College votes a different way, the other candidate wins. This has happened twice: in 2000, when Al Gore won by around a half-million votes but George W. Bush won the Electoral College vote, and in 2016, when Donald Trump got more electoral votes even though Hillary Clinton got nearly 3 million more votes at the polls.

The executive branch has the job of enforcing the laws that Congress creates. This branch also includes the president's Cabinet, made up of representatives from each of the federal agencies. While the executive branch can appoint justices to the Supreme Court, the Senate, part of the legislative branch, must approve those nominations. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court can check the executive branch by ruling that the president's actions are unconstitutional.

The Judicial Branch

The judicial branch doesn't have an easy job: Their job is to interpret the laws that are made and make sure that they follow the Constitution. The head of this branch is the Supreme Court, and it is led by a chief justice. The justices decide which cases they are going to hear and then make their decision. From there, justices will write opinions that explain why they made their decision. If a justice doesn't agree with the court's ruling, they can write their own opinion, explaining why they didn't agree. The judicial branch also includes multiple federal courts that deal with criminal cases and even some civil cases, depending on the circumstances.

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A Guide to the US Government Branches | Maryville Online

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After having been subjects of the king of England, colonial Americans were looking for a new type of government that wouldn't allow a king to make all of the decisions. They wanted their voices to be heard, and they didn't want one person or even one part of the government to have too much power.

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Voting frauds and disorder at the polls were common after the rise of political machines, and the enactment of registration laws after 1865 did little to ameliorate conditions.

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In colonial America the election of church and public officials dates almost from the founding of the Plymouth Colony, and the paper ballot was instituted in elections to the Massachusetts governorship in 1634. Under the U.S. Constitution the right to hold elections is specified, but the method and place are left to the states, with Congress having the power to alter their regulations. The Constitution specified that elections to the House of Representatives be direct, or popular, and that the election of the Senate and of the president and vice president be indirect, Senators being chosen by the state legislatures and the president and vice president by electors selected by the people (see electoral college). The Seventeenth Amendment (1913) provided for popular election of senators.

Political candidates are usually chosen by delegate convention, direct primary, nonpartisan primaries, or petition. The candidate who receives the most votes is usually elected, but an absolute majority may be required; a majority has not been required in the U.S. federal elections since 1850 except in the electoral vote cast for the president and vice president. (In presidential nominating conventions an absolute majority is required; the Democrats required a two-thirds vote of the delegates from 1832 to 1936.)

Since 1824, when John Quincy Adams was elected president by the House of Representatives when no candidate had a majority in the electoral college (Adams' leading opponent, Andrew Jackson, had greater popular and electoral vote totals), the electoral-college system has many times permitted a president to be chosen without a majority of the popular vote (1844, 1848, 1856, 1860, 1876, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1892, 1912, 1916, 1948, 1960, 1968, 1992, 1996, and 2000); in 1876, 1888, and 2000 candidates without even a plurality succeeded in winning office.

Voting frauds and disorder at the polls were common after the rise of political machines, and the enactment of registration laws after 1865 did little to ameliorate conditions. Corrupt practices acts, poll watching, the institution of primary elections, and the introduction of voting machines after 1892 have been more effective in ensuring honest elections.

All states have some residency requirements as a condition for suffrage. Originally the vote was typically restricted to white men who met certain property qualifications; such restrictions were later liberalized and removed. The Fourteenth Amendment (1868) and Fifteenth Amendment (1870) were designed to forbid the disenfranchisement of African-American men after the Civil War, and the Nineteenth (1920) conferred the vote on women. The Twenty-third Amendment (1961) permitted residents of the District of Columbia to vote in the presidential elections, while the Twenty-fourth Amendment (1964) outlawed payment of poll or other taxes as a condition for voting. The Twenty-sixth Amendment (1971) lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. The so-called motor voter law (National Voter Registration Act, 1993) was designed to reverse declining voter registrations by permitting registration at motor vehicle departments and other agencies. Certain classes of felons and some others are deprived of the vote.

From CREDO election in The Columbia Encyclopedia

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LibGuides: Elections & Political Process: Home

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In colonial America the election of church and public officials dates almost from the founding of the Plymouth Colony, and the paper ballot was instituted in elections to the Massachusetts governorship in 1634. Under the U.S. Constitution the right to hold elections is specified, but the method and place are left to the states, with Congress having the power to alter their regulations.

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✰The system of checks and balances is an important part of the Constitution. With checks and balances, each of the three branches of government can limit the powers of the others. This way, no one branch becomes too powerful. Each branch “checks” the power of the other branches to make sure that the power is balanced between them

✰First, the legislative branch introduces and votes on a bill. The bill then goes to the executive branch, where the President decides whether he thinks the bill is good for the country. If so, he signs the bill, and it becomes a law.

✰If the President does not believe the bill is good for the country, he does not sign it. This is called a veto. But the legislative branch gets another chance. With enough votes, the legislative branch can override the executive branch's veto, and the bill becomes a law.

✰Once a law is in place, the people of the country can test it through the court system, which is under the control of the judicial branch. If someone believes a law is unfair, a lawsuit can be filed.

✰If the legislative branch does not agree with the way in which the judicial branch has interpreted the law, they can introduce a new piece of legislation, and the process starts all over again.