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Branches of
Government
Constructed Response Question:
Branches of Government
Americans first tried to set up a national government in a
document called the Articles of Confederation. But this
government had very limited powers, and it was too weak to
keep order. So, in 1787, the states called a meeting to
improve the Articles. Instead of revising them, they decided
to describe a new government in a document called the
Constitution. The Constitution created a strong national
government. It also divided the U.S. government into three
parts, or branches, each with its own powers and
responsibilities. To keep any one branch from becoming too
powerful, the Constitution included a system of checks and
balances. Under this system, each branch limited the power
of the others.
1. Why do some say that the Articles of Confederation were
as weak as a one-legged stool?
2. How did the Constitution improve the Articles of
Confederation?
Document-Based Question:
Branches of Government
Document 1
Branches of
Government
The founders of the United States wanted to make sure that
no one leader ever had too much power. So they created a
government with three branches and gave each branch checks
on the power of the other two. The legislative branch - the
two houses of Congress - meets at the Capitol and makes the
laws that govern the country. The executive branch - headed
by the president who lives in the White House - is charged
with enforcing national laws. The judicial branch - the
Supreme Court - makes sure that the laws passed by Congress
and the actions taken by the president are legal according
to the Constitution, the supreme law of the land.
1. Name the three branches of the government.
2. Why does the United States need three separate branches
of the government?
Document 2
The United States Government
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Congress
Senate
House of Respresentatives
- Makes laws
- Approves or disapproves of the
president's appointments
- Declares war
- Approves or disapproves
treaties
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
President
- Sees that laws are
obeyed
- Commander-in-chief of the armed
forces
- Vetoes laws
- Appoints government
leaders
JUDICIAL BRANCH
Supreme Court
Other Federal Courts
- Explains the meaning of
laws
- Decides if a law or a government
action agrees with the Constituion
1. Which branch of government decides if a law is
constitutional?
2. If the president appoints, or selects, someone to be a
Supreme Court judge, which branch of government can approve
or disapprove of his/her choice?
Document 3
James Madison
"All the powers of the legislative, executive,
and judicial branches in the same hands may be
seen as the very definition of tyranny1 ."
-James Madison,
4th President of the United States
1 tyranny: cruel or unfair use of
power
1. Does James Madison agree or disagree that one person
should control all three branches of the government?
2. Why would he agree or disagree?
Document 4
How A Bill Becomes A Law
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A
bill1 is written based on an idea from a
member of Congress or Senate.
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The bill is
introduced to House of Representatives and Senate
for debate and vote.
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The
bill is sent to the president for approval or
veto2 .
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The branches of the government need to
work together in order to get a bill to become a law.
1 bill: a written proposal
for a law
2 veto: the
right of the president to reject, or say no to, a bill
1. What is the first step in the
process of a bill becoming a law?
2. What is the role of the president in the law making
process?
Document 5
Government Cartoon
1. Why does Congress have the right to say "no" to the
president?
2. Why did the writers of the Constitution include this
right in 1787?
Essay
Directions:
- Use complete sentences.
- Use the documents to help you
answer the question, but do not simply rewrite the
document.
- If you have background knowledge
on the three branches of government you may incorporate
that information into your essay.
Task
Using the information from these documents and your
knowledge about government, write a composition explaining
how the three branches of government work together.
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