Reading Comprehension · U.S. Civics
Branches of Government
A civics reading lesson about the three branches of the United States government — executive, legislative, and judicial — and how the system of checks and balances keeps any one branch from becoming too powerful.
Subject
Reading Comprehension
Grade Level
Grades 4–7
Format
Lesson + Printable PDF
Access
Full Member
Three Branches, One Government
The United States Constitution divides the federal government into three separate branches: the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. Each branch has its own job and its own powers. This three-branch structure was designed by the writers of the Constitution to make sure that no single person or small group could ever take over the government. The three branches are sometimes called “co-equal,” meaning that no branch is more important than the others.
The executive branch enforces the laws. It is headed by the President of the United States. The Executive Branch makes sure that people in the U.S. obey the laws and policies of our country. The President is elected by the people of the United States and serves a four-year term. Because of the 22nd Amendment, the president can serve only eight years total — that is, two terms. The Vice President helps the president and is second in command. The Cabinet is a group of about fifteen people who advise the President about different government departments such as defense, education, and the treasury.
The legislative branch makes the laws. The legislative branch is called Congress, and Congress has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate has 100 senators — two from each state — and each senator serves a six-year term. The House of Representatives has 435 members. The number of representatives a state gets is based on its population — more populated states have more representatives. Representatives serve two-year terms. Both senators and representatives are elected by the people of their state.
Judicial Branch and Checks and Balances
The judicial branch interprets the laws. It is headed by the Supreme Court of the United States, which has nine justices. Supreme Court justices are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Once confirmed, justices serve for life or until they choose to retire. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country. When the justices decide a case, their decision is final — no other court can overturn it. The court’s most important job is to make sure that all laws follow the U.S. Constitution.
The U.S. Constitution is the document that contains the basic principles of the American government. It was written in 1787 by our founding fathers and was passed in 1791, after the Bill of Rights (the first 10 Amendments) was added. The Constitution carefully describes what each branch of government can and cannot do, and it gives each branch ways to limit the power of the other two branches. This system is called checks and balances.
Here are some examples of checks and balances. The President can veto (refuse to sign) a law passed by Congress — but Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds vote of both the Senate and the House. The Supreme Court can declare a law unconstitutional — but the President nominates the justices, and the Senate must confirm them. Congress can impeach (remove from office) a President or a federal judge for serious wrongdoing. Each branch keeps the other two in check. The result is a government in which power is shared, decisions take time, and no single branch can act alone.
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