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LESSON 6 (part 1) BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

The Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land.

The Constitution tells us how the government works. The Constitution sets up the government, defines the government, and protects the basic rights of Americans.

The Constitution says that the government is divided into three (3) branches or parts:

The Legislative Branch

• Makes the Laws of the United States

• Has Senators and Representatives in Congress

• They work in the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

The Executive Branch

• Enforce the Laws of the United States

• Has the President, Vice-President, and the Cabinet

• They work in the White House in Washington, D.C.

The Judicial Branch

• Explains the Laws of the United States

• Has the Supreme Court Justices

• They work in the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

Name one branch or part of the government:

Answer: _________________________________________

Having three (3) branches of government keeps the powers separated. This way, if one branch wants to use its power in a way that is bad for the people then the other branches can stop it. This is called Separation of Powers or Checks and Balances.

Separation of Powers or Checks and Balances stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful.

What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

Answer: ___________________________________________

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

The Executive branch is the President, the Vice-President, and the Cabinet.

The President is in charge of the Executive Branch.

He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Military.

Powers of the President

• The President can sign treaties (make agreements) with other countries.

• The President chooses the top leaders of the federal departments and of the Cabinet.

The Senate has the power to veto (say no) or approve (say yes) to the President’s choices. This is Checks and Balances.

JUDICIAL BRANCH

Lesson 6 – Branches of Government – Interview Questions

1. Name one branch or part of the government.

2. What stops one branch of the government from becoming too powerful?

3. What does the Judicial Branch do?

4. What is the highest court in the United States?

5. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

6. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

7. What does the President’s Cabinet do?

8. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

9. What does the Constitution do?

10. What is the Supreme Law of the Land?

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1. Legislative Branch (Congress)

2. Executive Branch (President)

3. Judicial Branch (the Courts)

Joe Biden

Barack Obama

THE PRESIDENT’S CABINET

The President chooses people to help him and give him advice about everything happening in the United States. These people are called secretaries of the President’s Cabinet.

Question: What does the President’s Cabinet do?

Answer: The Cabinet advises the President

Each person in the Cabinet is called a Secretary. Each Secretary is in charge of knowing about one thing.

For example: The Secretary of Education knows all about education in the U. S. and advises the president about what is good or bad in education. Then the President decides how to make education better.

Some of the Cabinet –level positions are:

Secretary of State Secretary of Energy Secretary of Agriculture

Secretary of Education Secretary of Health Secretary of Defense

What are two Cabinet-level positions?

Answer: ________________________ ___________________________

There are many courts in the United States.

The lower courts are all over the country.

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States.

The courts explain the laws that protect the rights and liberties of the people which are written in the Constitution.

The courts do not make the laws. The job of the Judicial Branch and its courts is to:

• Explain and review laws

• Resolve disputes

• Decide if a law is against the constitution.

If a person does not like what a lower court says then they can go to the highest court in the United States: THE SUPREME COURT

Lower courts only have one judge. The Supreme Court has 9 Supreme Court Justices.

John G. Roberts

Chief Justice

of the United States now

EXAMPLE: You and your neighbor disagree. Because you cannot resolve your problem together, you both go to ask the courts of the judicial branch to decide what is best.

At the court, you and your neighbor tell the judge your story. The judge will listen to both sides of the problem. The judge will then review the constitution’s laws. The judge will decide if the laws say you are right or if your neighbor is right. The judge will explain what the constitutional laws mean for your disagreement.

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Chief Justice

John G. Roberts

What does the Judicial Branch do?

Answer: __________________________________________________________

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