The 3 Branches of Government
By: Braxton Lewis & Emily Farmer
How It All Got Started
In 1787 the Founding Fathers gathered to make a government for America. They wanted to make a strong and fair government, and they thought they could do that by making the 3 branches executive, legislative, and judicial.
Legislative
Congress
Executive
President & Vice President
Judicial
The Supreme Court and all other federal courts
Executive Branch
The Executive Branch is in charge making sure our laws are obeyed. The head of the Executive Branch is the President, which is in charge of the military. Also the President gets help from the Vice President and department heads [also called Cabinet members].
Legislative Branch
The Legislative Branch is the branch includes the congress, it's made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. It also writes and votes on the laws. Other powers that the Congress has is declaring war, confiming Pesidental appointments, and investigating powers.
Judicial Branch
The Judicial Branch is made up of all the Supreme Court and all the other federal courts. Their job is to decide whether the laws are constitutional. There are 9 justices in the Supreme Court one of them is called the Chief Justice. This is the highest court in the land they meet in Washington D.C.
Checks & Balances
Checks & Balances were made to make sure the government never gets too strong in one branch. For example; the Congress can send out a bill. Next the President can veto that bill. Then if 2 thirds of the Congress votes they should un-veto that bill they will, which is a check. Here's another example; Congress can't make laws without the Presidents review, and the President needs Congress to make the laws he wants, this is a balance.