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Have you ever wondered
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who has the authority to make laws
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or punish people who break them?
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When we think of power in the United States,
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we usually think of the President,
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but he does not act alone.
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In fact, he is only one piece of the power puzzle
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and for very good reason.
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When the American Revolution ended in 1783,
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the United States government was in a state of change.
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The founding fathers knew
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that they did not want to establish another country
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that was ruled by a king,
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so the discussions were centered on
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having a strong and fair national government
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that protected individual freedoms
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and did not abuse its power.
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When the new constitution was adopted in 1787,
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the structure of the infant government of the United States
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called for three separate branches,
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each with their own powers,
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and a system of checks and balances.
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This would ensure that no one branch
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would ever become too powerful
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because the other branches would always be able
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to check the power of the other two.
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These branches work together to run the country
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and set guidelines for us all to live by.
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The legislative branch is described in Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution.
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Many people feel that the founding fathers
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put this branch in the document first
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because they thought it was the most important.
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The legislative branch is comprised of
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100 U.S. Senators
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and 435 members in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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This is better known as the U.S. Congress.
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Making laws is the primary function of the legislative branch,
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but it is also responsible for
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approving federal judges and justices,
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passing the national budget,
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and declaring war.
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Each state gets two Senators
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and some number of Representatives,
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depending on how many people live in that state.
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The executive branch is described in Article 2 of the Constitution.
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The leaders of this branch of government
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are the President and Vice President,
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who are responsible for enforcing the laws
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that Congress sets forth.
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The President works closely with a group of advisors,
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