1. 3 Branches of Government
Separation of Powers
3 Branches of Government

2. Table of Contents Vocabulary Questions
Congress- The Legislative Branch
The Executive Branch
The Judicial Branch
Summary

3. Vocabulary
Veto
Expressed Powers
Elastic Clause
Jurisdiction
Appeal

4. Questions What powers does the legislative branch have?
What powers does the executive branch have?
What is the main duty of the judicial branch?

5. The Legislative Branch
Congress has two houses.
The House of Representatives is based on population.
Every state has the same amount of Senators in the Senate.

6. The Legislative Branch
The Congress has expressed powers that are clearly stated in The Constitution.
Their main duty is to write laws.
Levy Taxes.
Coin Money.
Declare War.
The elastic clause is the most controversial of all of Congress’ powers. It states that the Congress can make laws that are necessary and proper to exercise their duties. This allows them to increase and decrease their power as they see fit.

7. The Executive Branch The Executive Branch is headed by the president.
It also has 15 departments.
33 independent agencies.
12 offices.

8. The Executive Branch
The executive branch’s main duty is to enforce laws.
The president is commander and chief of the military.
May pardon any person convicted of a crime.
May veto or reject laws from the Congress.
Negotiates treaties.
The powers of the president are somewhat broad and vague. This allows the president to increase and decrease their duties as they see fit.

9. The Judicial Branch The judicial branch has 2 separate systems.
One is the courts of the 50 states.
The other is the federal courts headed by The Supreme Court.

10. The Judicial Branch
The main duty of the judicial branch is to interpret the laws. This allows for interpretation of laws to change over time.
Jurisdiction is the area of law that the federal court may hear cases about.
Most cases involve challenges to laws in the Constitution.
Their most important power is judicial review.

11. Summary
The framers who wrote the Constitution were aware of time and change. They knew that government would have to be able to adapt to changes over time.
For each branch of government describe how the framers gave them the ability to adapt.
Why is the ability to adapt so important?