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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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known as the Cabinet.
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These appointed helpers assist the President
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in making important decisions within their area of expertise,
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such as defense,
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the treasury,
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and homeland security.
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The executive branch also appoints government officials,
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commands the armed forces,
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and meets with leaders of other nations.
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All that combined is a lot of work for a lot of people.
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In fact, the executive branch employs
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over 4 million people to get everything done.
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The third brand of the U.S. government is the judicial branch
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and is detailed in Article 3.
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This branch is comprised of all the courts in the land,
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from the federal district courts
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to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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These courts interpret our nation's laws
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and punish those who break them.
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The highest court, the Supreme Court,
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settles disputes among states,
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hears appeals from state and federal courts,
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and determines if federal laws are constitutional.
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There are nine justices on the Supreme Court,
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and, unlike any other job in our government,
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Supreme Court justices are appointed for life,
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or for as long as they want to stay.
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Our democracy depends on an informed citizenry,
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so it is our duty to know how it works
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and what authority each branch of government has
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over its citizens.
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Besides voting,
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chances are that some time in your life
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you'll be called upon to participate in your government,
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whether it is to serve on a jury,
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testify in court,
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or petition your Congress person
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to pass or defeat an idea for a law.
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By knowning the branches,
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who runs them,
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and how they work together,
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you can be involved,
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informed,
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and intelligent.