The Branches of Government The purpose of having

The Branches of Government The purpose of having three branches of government was to limit the powers of government The purpose of government is to establish justice, freedom and peace and promote the common good of all citizens

The Legislative Branch The “lawmaking” branch of government Powers include raising an army, declaring war, printing money and making laws on commerce and trade. Congress includes two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate

House of Representatives The number of a states representatives depends on a states population- the more people in a state, the more representatives The total number of representatives in the nation is 435 Representatives serve in 2 -year terms

The Senate Each state elects two senators. Senators serve in 6 -year terms

The Executive Branch Article II of the Constitution gives the executive branch the power to enforce laws The President: Elected for 4 -year terms President can veto bills passed by Congress Commander in chief of the military

The Judicial Branch The court system Decides if laws are working fairly The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States Supreme Court Judges: 9 justices, have a life-time term The Supreme Court can strike down laws that they decide are unfair The rule of law: the government must apply laws equally to each person