3.2: Three branches of government

Senate

a part of Congress, in the legislative branch; has equal representation (each state gets to votes)

House of Representatives

a part of Congress, in the legislative branch; has proportional representation (number of votes based on population)

Vice President

a part of the executive branch

Cabinet

a part of the executive branch; includes experts in different areas who give the President advice

Federal Courts

a part of the judicial branch

Supreme Court

a part of the judicial branch; decisions made here are final and apply to all other courts in the country

law

a rule made by the government

Branch

a small part of a larger system

bill

a written draft of a new law; has to be approved by Congress and the President first

powers of executive branch

can enforce laws; veto laws; make treaties with other countries; lead the military; appoint some government officials

limits of legislative branch

can't ban slave trade before 1808; can't create royalty; can't convict someone as guilty without a trial; can't pass laws about things that already happened

executive branch

enforces laws; made up of President, Vice President and Cabinet

3 branches of government

legislative branch, executive branch and judicial branch

powers of legislative branch

makes laws; can create TAXES; borrow money; declares war; can override a President's veto

legislative branch

makes laws; made up of Congress, which is made up of the House of Representatives and Senate

limits of executive branch

most of its powers are SHARED with Congress; Senate has to approve of treaties and appointments; Congress has to approve of war and money for it; Congress can override a President's veto with 2/3 vote.

limits of judicial branch

only Congress has to create lower courts; only the President can pick Supreme Court Justices and then Congress has to approve of it

judicial branch

protects the Constitution; made up of the Supreme Court and federal courts and judges

powers of judicial branch

solve disagreements about national law, federal government and between states; has judicial review = power to decide if laws and actions of 2 other branches go against the Constitution

President

the leader of the executive branch

Congress

what makes the legislative branch; includes the House of Representatives and Senate

checks and balances

when one part of a system can control other parts of a system; to prevent one part from becoming too powerful

balance of power

why the founders created three branches of government; to split up power in the central government so that power would not be in one place