All Branches
SS.7.CG.3.3
SS.7.CG.3.3
How many branches of government are created by the U.S. Constitution?
3
Which two groups make up Congress?
The House of Representatives and the Senate.
Who is the head of the Executive Branch?
The President
What is the highest court in the United States?
The Supreme Court
What must citizens do before voting?
Register to vote.
What is the main purpose of splitting government into three branches?
To divide power so no part of government becomes too powerful.
What is the main function of the Legislative Branch?
To make laws.
Name one power the President has with laws passed by Congress.
The President can veto laws
What is the main job of the Judicial Branch?
To interpret laws and decide if they are constitutional.
What level of government holds elections for mayors and city councils?
Local Government
Which branch has the power to approve or reject presidential appointments, and why does this matter?
The legislative, because the Senate confirms or rejects presidential appointments to stop the president from choosing unfair or unqualified officials.
What happens after a bill passes both houses of Congress and is approved?
After both houses approve a bill, it goes to the president to sign or veto.
How does the President use the Cabinet to enforce federal laws?
The President gives instructions to executive agencies, which carry out and enforce laws in real life.
Why do Supreme Court justices serve for life?
So they stay independent and are not influenced by elections or politics.
BLANK elections are run by BLANK governments, voters choose governors and legislators. Fill in the blank.
State
How do the three branches use checks and balances to prevent one branch from gaining too much power?
Each branch can check the others, like vetoes, judicial review, and Congress overriding vetoes, which stops one branch from dominating.
What power does Congress have over the President’s veto, and why is it important?
Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds vote, which stops the president from blocking laws too easily.
What is the President’s role as Commander in Chief, and why is military power limited by Congress?
The President leads the military, but Congress controls declaring war and funding, limiting presidential power.
Explain how the Supreme Court uses judicial review to limit the other branches.
The Court uses judicial review to take down laws or actions from the other branches if they violate the Constitution.
BLANK elections are run by states but follow federal rules, voters choose Congress and the President. Fill in the blank.
National
Explain how separation of powers and checks and balances work together to stop the government from gaining too much power
Separation of powers divides government into three branches with different jobs, and checks and balances lets each branch limit the others.
Describe the complete process of how Congress passes a bill, and explain why this process protects citizen rights.
Congress writes bills, debates them in committees, amends them, votes in both houses, and then sends them to the president. This process protects rights by preventing unfair laws.
Explain how executive agencies and the President work together to enforce federal laws, and describe how the other branches can limit this power.
The President directs executive agencies to enforce laws, but Congress can block funding, make new laws, and the courts can stop actions that are unconstitutional.
Describe the steps a case goes through to reach the Supreme Court, and explain why only certain cases are accepted.
A case starts in lower courts, can be appealed through state or federal courts, and the Supreme Court chooses only important cases that deal with constitutional questions or national issues.
True or False: In all three levels of government, officials are elected by citizens through voting
TRUE