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The U.S. Constitution - 3 Branches of Government

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Create a Venn Diagram comparing the differences between the three branches and their similarities.

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The U.S. Constitution establishes three distinct branches of government

The United States federal government is composed of three equal branches: the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. The drafters of the U.S. Constitution created a central government in which the ability to create, implement and enforce laws are not consolidated in the hands of one authority, a separation of powers intended to ensure no individual or group could gain a disproportionate amount of influence. Each branch of power is balanced by powers of the other two: The president can veto the laws of Congress; Congress can approve or reject presidential appointments, and can remove the president from office in special circumstances; and the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court can overturn laws it deems unconstitutional.

Legislative Branch

The powers of Congress, which consists of the House and Senate, are outlined in Article I of the Constitution. Congress has the sole authority to enact legislation, establish a budget for the federal government, and declare war on behalf of the United States. The Senate maintains the power to ratify treaties by a two-thirds majority vote and confirm presidential appointments by a majority vote.

Executive Branch

The President of the United States leads the executive branch; the president acts as the head of state and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. Article II of the Constitution states the president is responsible for executing and enforcing the laws approved by Congress. The President also has the power to appoint the heads of 15 executive departments - who make up the president's Cabinet - as well as the heads of more than 50 independent federal commissions. Upon receiving legislation from Congress, the president can either sign it into law or veto it. Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch of the federal government, outlined by Article III of the Constitution, includes the Supreme Court of the United States and federal district courts created by Congress. Members of the judicial branch are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Supreme Court, the highest court in the nation, has the power to interpret laws according to the Constitution. Article III grants Congress the authority to establish courts inferior to the Supreme Court, which try most federal cases

Separation of Powers

The term "separation of powers" is credited to Charles-Louis de Secondat, an 18th century French political philosopher whose writing influenced the Constitution. However, examples of such a system can be found far before the 1700s. The Ancient Athenians, who created the world's first known direct democracy, briefly established a democratic government consisting of three branches: the Assembly, the Council of 500 and the courts. The government during the Roman Republic, consisting of the Roman Senate, Consuls and Assemblies, is another early example of separation of powers.

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The Differences Between the Three Branches of the Government | Synonym

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The U.S. Constitution establishes three distinct branches of government The United States federal government is composed of three equal branches: the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. The drafters of the U.S.

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Listen to the podcast and answer the listening comprehension questions afterwards.

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Listenwise: Constitutional Powers of the President

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Listenwise - Lesson Plan: Constitutional Powers of the President

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The U.S. Constitution creates three separate branches in which the federal government is to be divided up into, the legislative, executive and judicial branches. Each branch has specific enumerated powers and contrary to popular belief are not co-equal branches. This video examines the Constitution and the Federalist Papers for answers.

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Listenwise: Judges and Presidents and the Balance of Power

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Read the article and write a summary of each branch's purpose

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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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Image depicts the differing branches and what makes up each branch.