The Three Branches of

Government
The Constitution
Separation of
government’s
powers
 Afraid of one man
ruling
Created 3 branches of
government
 Legislative
 Executive
 Judicial
Checks and balances
Legislative Branch
Congress
 Makes laws
 Collects taxes
 Makes money
 Declares war
 Makes and pays for
armies
 Divided into 2
houses

Legislative Branch: Congress
House of Senate
Representatives  2 per state
 Number of voting  6 year terms
districts in the  Gives advice to
state president
 2 year terms  OK’s president’s
 Makes bills pick for certain
 Impeaches officials positions
 OK’s treaties
 Runs impeachment
trails
Executive Branch
President 

 4 year term Vice President

 Born in United  President of Senate
States Tie breaker vote
 Leader of party  Become president
 Runs nation if the president
 Carries out laws dies

Executive Branch: The
President
 Can
 Sign or VETO law
 Picks judges and other
officials
 Gives pardons
 Make treaties and talk
with other countries
 Call out troops for war
 Can’t:
 Declare war
 Make laws
 Decide how to spend
taxes
 Interpret laws
 Appoint Congress
members

Judicial Branch
9 Judges
 Serve for life
 Picked by President
 OK’d by Senate
Top court
Decide meaning of
laws
Decide whether laws
are constitutional
Checks and Balances
Executive: President Legislative: Congress
 Can Veto bills from  Can override Veto
congress by 2/3 vote
 Picks judges  Can impeach
 Writes budget President and
judges
 Judicial: Supreme  Must OK
Court President’s pick
 Decides meaning of for judges
laws and how to  Oks budget
use them
 Can decide a law is
unconstitutional
Activity
 Select President and
Vice President
 Have President pick 9
Judges
 Rest of class is Congress
 Make a classroom
decision following the
rules of checks and
balances
 President can
suggest stuff
 Congress must come
up with idea-pass
with 2/3 vote
 President must sign
or veto
 Congress can over
turn veto with
2/3 vote
 Supreme court
can declare
Fill in responsibilities of each
branch

Makes Laws
Go Online…
How many
representatives does
your state have?
Who is a judge on the
Supreme court right
now?
What political party
does our President
belong to and what
are 3 causes he
supports?
