Systems of Government
across the world
The 3 Branches of Government
3 Branches of Government
United States of America
Legislative: Executive Judicial
Congress: President of USA Supreme Court
Senate Court System
House of Reps
The Executive Branch
• 1: Commander In Chief
• 2: Pardons/Reprieves for Offenses against the United States
• 3: Make treaties w/ Advice of Senate
• 4: Appoints w/ Senate Consent Ambassadors & Fed Court Judges
• 5: Appoints Head of Executive Depts.
• 6: Deliver annual state of Union
• 7: Calls Congress into session
• 8: Meet w/ Heads of Staff
• 9: Commission all military officers
• 10: Ensure that all laws that pass are “faithfully executed”
The Legislative Branch
House
of Senate
Representatives
The U.S. Congress is made up of two parts, the House of
Representatives and the Senate. Congress meets at the U.S.
Capitol in Washington, D.C. Its primary duty is to write, debate,
and pass bills, which are then passed on to the President for
approval to become laws.
Lesson 2
The House of Representatives
In the House, representation is based on the number of
people living in each state.
Therefore, states with larger populations have more
representation than states with smaller populations.
Each state has at least one representative in the House.
Pennsylvania 19 Delaware 1
Lesson 2
House of Representatives
Each representative serves a term of 2 years. When the term is over,
people from that state may choose to elect a new representative or
keep the same one.
Thinking of running for Representative from your state? You must:
• Be at least 25 years old
• Be a U.S. citizen for the past 7 years
• Live in the state you represent
Lesson 2
The Senate
Each of the 50 states sends 2 people to the Senate, so there are a total
of 100 senators. This means that each state has equal representation in
the Senate.
Pennsylvania 2 Delaware 2
Lesson 2
The Senate
• Each senator serves a term of 6 years.
When their 6-year term is over, the people
from that state may choose to elect a new
senator or keep the same one.
Thinking about running for Senate?
You must:
• Be at least 30 years old
• Be a U.S. citizen for the past 9 years
• Live in the state you represent
Lesson 2
Special Duties of the Legislature
In addition to making laws, the House and the Senate each have some
special duties:
Senate can:
• Vote on any treaties the President makes
• Review and approve Presidential appointees, such as Cabinet
Secretaries and Supreme Court justices
• Hold a trial for a government official who does something wrong
House of Representatives can:
• Recommend tax bills to become law
• Decide if a government official should be put on trial before the
Senate if s/he commits a crime against the country
Lesson 2
Judicial Branch
• The most brief of the three branches of government
• The judiciary has two different systems of courts:
• Federal Courts powers derive from the Constitution and federal laws
• State Courts powers derive from state constitutions and laws
• Every court has the authority to hear only certain kinds of cases. This
authority is known as the juridiction of the court.
• 2 factors determine jurisdiction:
• The crime (details of the crime)
• Who is involved
The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court hears cases that have made their way
through the lower court system.
• There are more than 7,500 cases sent to the Supreme
Court each year.
• Only about 80 to 100 cases are actually accepted.
• There are nine Supreme Court Justices, one of the nine
being the Chief Justice.
• The Justices of the Supreme Court are
appointed by the President, approved
by the Senate, and can serve for life.