1. A Three Legged Country Are Three Legs better than one?

2. Why does making a stool with three legs better than using just one? It is stronger It is balanced It will stand longer

3. What would happen if the legs of the stool were not the same length? One leg would do all the work One leg would never touch the ground to help support the top One leg would have to work only part of the time

4. Let’s compare our Government to the 3 legged stool Government Our government has 3 branches Each branch has equal power and authority The 3 branches provide strength for our country Stool The stool has 3 legs Each leg holds the same amount of weight evenly 3 legs provide strength

5. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION The original idea for our government was called the ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION The Articles of Confederation were weak. It had no court or president and laws were difficult to make Another big problem was that the “A of C” had a government that couldn’t collect taxes. So soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War couldn’t get paid….and this is what happened….

6. A former soldier shakes up the constitutional convention… Shays' Rebellion: America's First Civil War, the animated documentary - Actual Reality Pictures

7. Shay’s Rebellion This showed the “framers” that our federal government needed the power to… Collect taxes to pay debt Settle disputes between states Maintain order

8. The Constitutional Convention 55 delegates met in Philadelphia

9. Compromises at the Convention Franklin kept the arguments calm Washington kept everyone respectful Madison brought his ideas of a strong central government Morris wrote the final draft of the Constitution

10. They decided to use 3 branches of government… Legislative Executive Judicial

11. Legislative Branch Main Responsibility: Making Laws Members: Senators and members of the House of Representatives This is called CONGRESS

12. Our local members of the Legislative Branch Senators Jim Bunning and Mitch McConnell

13. Powers of the Legislative Branch Key Powers: Read pages 144-145 to find the powers of the legislative branch. 1.5. 2.6. 3.7. 4.8.

14. Executive Branch Main Responsibility: Carrying out the laws Members: The President His Cabinet

15. Our Executive Leader

16. Executive Branch Powers Read pages 146 to find the powers of the executive branch. 1.5. 2.6. 3.7. 4.8.

17. Judicial Branch Main Responsibility: Interpreting the Laws (letting us know if the law is fair) Members: Supreme Court Justices

18. The Justices

19. Judicial Branch Powers Key Powers: Read page 147 to find the powers of the Judicial branch. 1. 2. 3. 4.

20. Your Assignment…… On your desk, you will find a white envelope. Remove the situation paper from the envelope. Work on one situation at a time! Match the correct POWER CARD with the situation. Hint: the number of cards needed will be listed next to the sentence. Have Mr. Owens check off on each of your answers before you move on to the next situation GOOD LUCK! * If you finish early, write your own situations on the back of the paper based on what you read in the POWER CARDS