Branches Of Government Essay

3 Branches of Government Essay, Research Paper
Americans first tried to set up a national government in a document called the Articles of Confederation. But this government had very limited powers, and it was too weak to keep order. So, in 1787, the states called a meeting to improve the Articles. Instead of revising them, they decided to describe a new government in a document called the Constitution. The Constitution created a strong national government. It also divided the U.S. government into three parts, or branches, each with its own powers and responsibilities. To keep any one branch from becoming too powerful, the Constitution included a system of checks and balances. Under this system, each branch limited the power of the others.
There are three branches of the federal government, the executive, the judicial, and the legislative. The executive branch consists of such people as the president, the cabinet, and the executive offices of the president. The executive branch is known for enforcing laws created by the legislative branch. The judicial branch entails the United States Supreme Court and the Federal Judiciary. The judicial branch must review the laws the executive branch is to enforce. There is also the legislative branch. This branch contains the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, and the Library of Congress. Laws are created through the legislative branch.
The basic idea between the creations of the three branches is based upon “checks and balances.” No branch should become so powerful that it over-takes either of the other branches. This also brings out the point that neither one of these branches, nor any person holding office in one of them, can exercise power belonging to either of the others. The legislative branch creates the laws, the judicial branch reviews the law, and then the executive branch enforces the laws. All three branches are interrelated, each branch overlaps but serves separate purposes.
The...