The U.S. government is split into three main parts called branches:
the Legislative branch, the Executive branch, and the Judicial branch.
Each branch has different powers. They are supposed to check and balance
each other so that no single person or group can control everything.
Show a Branch
🧾 Legislative Branch
Main job: Makes laws.
Made up of Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Writes, debates, and votes on bills.
Congress passes spending bills that decide how federal money can be used. The President can sign or veto those bills.
Can declare war.
The Senate approves treaties and many presidential appointments.
Can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.
✍️ Executive Branch
Main job: Carries out and enforces laws.
Led by the President and Vice President.
Includes federal departments and agencies like Defense, Education, and the EPA.
Signs bills into law or vetoes them.
Runs day-to-day federal government programs.
The President is commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
⚖️ Judicial Branch
Main job: Interprets laws and the Constitution.
Includes the Supreme Court and lower federal courts.
Decides if laws and government actions follow the Constitution.
Can strike down laws or actions that are unconstitutional.
Hears cases about rights, federal laws, disputes between states, and more.
The President nominates federal judges, and the Senate votes on whether to confirm them. Federal judges are part of the judicial branch, not the executive branch.
Why This System Exists
The branches were designed to divide power. Instead of giving one person
or one group complete control, the Constitution gives different jobs to
different parts of government.
This is called checks and balances. Each branch can limit
or respond to the others in certain situations.
Checks and balances in action
A bill and a veto: Congress passes a bill, but the President can veto it. Congress can still make it law by overriding the veto with a two-thirds vote in each chamber.
Judges: The President nominates federal judges, but the Senate must confirm them.
Constitutional review: In a case before a federal court, judges can rule that a law or government action violates the Constitution.
Sources
U.S. Constitution, Articles I–III
National Archives Constitution portal
U.S. Courts educational materials about the federal courts