1. The Duties of Each Branch
U.S. Government
The Duties of Each Branch

3. The Legislative Branch
House of Representatives
Duties:
the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an electoral college tie
Structure:
435 elected members, divided among the 50 states in proportion to their total population
6 non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and five territories of the United States
Speaker of the House elected by the Representatives to lead meetings
3rd in the line of succession to Presidency
Criteria for Office:
Elected every 2 years and must be 25 years of age, U.S. citizen for at least 7 years, a resident of the state (but not necessarily the district) they represent
Senate
Duties:
sole power to confirm President's appointments that require consent, and to ratify treaties, tries impeachment cases for federal officials referred to it by the House.
Structure:
100 Senators, 2 for each state
The Vice President= President of the Senate and may cast the decisive vote in the event of a tie in the Senate
Criteria for Office
Elected every 6 years, must be 30 years of age, U.S. citizen for at least 9 years, and resident of state they represent

5. The Executive Branch President’s Responsibilities Head of State
Head of Government
Implementing/enforcing laws written by Congress
Appoints the heads of the federal agencies, including the Cabinet
The Vice President is also part of the Executive Branch
ready to assume the Presidency should the need arise.

6. The Judicial Branch Duties: Structure: Criteria
Federal courts: sole power to interpret the law, determine the constitutionality of the law, and apply it to individual cases.
can compel the production of evidence and testimony through the use of a subpoena.
Once the Supreme Court interprets a law, inferior courts must apply the Supreme Court's interpretation to the facts of a particular case.
Structure:
Judges and justices serve no fixed term — they serve until their death, retirement, or conviction by the Senate.
Allows them to apply the law with only justice in mind, and not electoral or political concerns
Criteria
Selected by President
Federal judges can only be removed through impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction in the Senate.

9. System of Checks and Balances
U.S. Constitution wanted to protect against a strong national government
Separated the government’s powers into three branches: the executive, legislative and judicial
System of “checks and balances.” Each branch has certain powers to “check”, the other branches and make sure that power is balanced among them.

11. Summary Legislative- Executive- Judicial – Writes laws
Power to veto legislation Power to declare laws unconstitutional
Executive-
Enforces laws
Can override Executive’s veto Can reject judicial nominations
Power to declare acts of the Executive unconstitutional
Judicial –
Upholds and protect constitutional laws/strikes down unconstitutional laws
Nominates federal judges Confirms or rejects federal judicial nominations

12. Helpful Websites http://library.thinkquest.org/5873/the.htm

13. Bibliography http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/Images/ChksBalnces.gif
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