Photo: US Capitol Building at Dusk, Washington DC, home of the legislative branch, photo by Martin Falbisoner, Wikimedia Commons
CIVICS 101
The three branches of the United States federal government are the legislative, executive, and judicial branches:
• Legislative branch
Makes laws, and is also known as Congress. Congress is made up of two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
• Executive branch
Enforces laws, and is led by the President. The President also nominates heads of federal agencies.
• Judicial branch
Interprets laws, and includes the Supreme Court and other federal courts. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country, and its justices are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
The U.S. Constitution establishes these three branches as separate but equal, with each branch having its own powers and responsibilities. This system of “checks and balances” ensures that no one branch has too much power, and that the balance of power in the government remains steady.
