What are the 4 branches of government

It took four long months of debate for the framers to create the Constitution. As the framers worked, different plans and suggestions were made.

The states with smaller populations supported the New Jersey Plan which sought equal representation among all states, and which added an executive and judicial branch, while giving the government power to tax and regulate trade. The larger states sought to have representation in the new government based on population. They created the Virginia Plan, which did this, and which not only created three branches of government, but also gave the government much more power than under the Articles.

The result of all this debate was the Great Compromise, which resulted in the Constitution we know today. It solved the representation squabble by creating a bicameral legislature, called Congress, in which the lower house (called the House of Representatives) had representation based on population, and an upper house (called the Senate) had equal representation by states (2 Senators representing each state).

An executive branch was created, headed by a President to be elected by the people (and an electoral college).

A judicial branch was also added, with one Supreme Court, whose members were to be chosen by the chief executive and confirmed by the Senate.

The new government was given the right to tax, to regulate trade and make national laws. It was much more powerful than the national government had been under the Articles of Confederation. The framers finished their work on the Constitution in September of 1787.

Four Branches of Government in Our Founding Fathers’ Words Paperback – October 14, 2015

Four Branches of Government The words that describe and name our branches of government in the Constitution’s Articles I, II and III are the following in order of appearance: Congress, Senate, House of Representatives, Representative, Representatives, Senators, Senator, Vice President, the President of the United States, each House, either House, neither House, two Houses, that House, the other House, both Houses, a President of the United States of America, said House, the President, one supreme Court and those are all the words. Having four branches being the President, House of Representatives, Senate, and supreme Court, each branch now has 25 percent of the power if disbursed evenly. How many branches of government can shut down government? The answer is three branches, the President (25 percent of power), the House of Representatives (25 percent of power), and the Senate (25 percent of power), this being done while the supreme Court (25 percent of power) can only watch because it has no legislative or executive powers. During the last government shutdown, who shut down the government, the legislative branch or the House of Representatives? If you answer the legislative branch, then which one? That in itself is an admittance of two branches of government that come together using their shared powers to legislate our laws. Now as you should be able to see the proper descriptive phrase too describe our government (NOT the Actual Bodies or Branches but the Powers of the branches) is executive branch, legislative branches (meaning two or more and both branches, House of Representatives and the Senate, convene to form Congress to legislate laws under the powers of the Constitution given to both branches) and judicial branch.

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QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

Words nearby branches of government

bran, Branagh, branch, branch cut, branched chain, branches of government, branchi-, branchia, branchial, branchial arch, branchial cleft

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

MORE ABOUT BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

What are the branches of government?

The branches of government are the three divisions that make up the federal government and the state governments in the United States.

In the United States, the Constitution specifically separates the federal government into three distinct divisions, or branches. This is to ensure that all of the power would not belong to a single person or group. Instead it is divided among the different branches. The three branches of government are the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch.

The legislative branch is responsible for creating laws. Federally, the legislative branch is  Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The executive branch is responsible for enforcing the laws. Federally, the executive branch is led by the president. Other members of the executive branch include the vice president, the Cabinet, and all of the employees of federal departments that are part of the executive branch, such as the CIA, the FBI, and the post office. The United States military is also considered part of the executive branch.

The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the laws. Federally, the judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court and the other federal courts.

While the Constitution only establishes branches of government at the national level, all 50 states have also divided their state governments into the same three branches of government through their state constitutions. At the state level, the executive branches are led by governors, the legislative branches are made of elected state legislatures, and the judicial branches take the form of state supreme courts and other state courts.

Why are branches of government important?

The three branches of government are outlined and assigned their duties in the first three articles of the Constitution. Article I established the legislative branch, Article II established the executive branch, and Article III established the judicial branch.

When establishing the three branches of government, the Constitution also gave each branch certain powers that would keep the power of the other two in check. This idea is known as separation of powers. For example, only Congress has the power to pass laws, but the president has the power to veto them and the Supreme Court has the power to declare them unconstitutional.

Unlike the federal and state government, local (municipal) governments aren’t divided into branches. Most cities and counties are run by mayors, city councils, or county commissioners who must obey state law.

Did you know ... ?

Although the branches of government seem simple enough, they often have a large number of responsibilities. The executive branch alone employs millions of people!

What are real-life examples of branches of government?

This infographic shows the three branches of government that make up the federal government of the United States.

What are the 4 branches of government

USA.gov

Most Americans are familiar with the branches of government and what their general duties are.

SCOTUS considers saving Trump from the fact that his own lawyers went to court to block the tax return subpoenas. If the “political question” doctrine applies — because this is a fight between branches of government — the courts won’t enforce the subpoenas.

— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) April 27, 2020

Kids shouldn’t leave high school with out understanding the importance of voting, our three branches of government, and the impact of local government.

— Aarika Rhodes 🍎🦉🧢 (@AarikaRhodes) November 2, 2020

Quiz yourself!

Which of the following is NOT one of the branches of government in the United States?

A. judicial
B. executive
C. administrative
D. legislative

How to use branches of government in a sentence

  • A few years back, designer John Galliano was fined by the government for sharing just such anti-semitic sentiments in public.

  • Not actual CIA agents, but U.S. government personnel who have worked very closely with the CIA, and who are fans of the show.

  • I think the response of the French government so far has been pretty appropriate in that regard.

  • The United States government might not release that information for years, if ever.

  • But most likely it was linked to the way priests identify with the poor in the face of government and criminal abuses.

  • To Harrison and his wife there was no distinction between the executive and judicial branches of the law.

  • With the dispersal of the spores the cone shrivels up, and then the stems starts to send out green branches.

  • Sometimes in the case of large plants, cones have been known to occur on the tips of the branches of the Marsh Horsetail.

  • Dockier, a prominent leader of the Levelers, in the times of the English commonwealth, was shot by order of the government.

  • Sometimes the stems are quite bare; on other occasions they are partly branched; in any case the branches are short.

Are there 3 or 4 branches of government?

To ensure a separation of powers, the U.S. Federal Government is made up of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. To ensure the government is effective and citizens' rights are protected, each branch has its own powers and responsibilities, including working with the other branches.

What is the fourth branch of government called?

In the United States, the media are sometimes called the “Fourth Estate” or the fourth branch of government.

What are the five government branches?

Branches of the U.S. Government.
How the U.S. Government Is Organized..
Legislative Branch of the U.S. Government..
Executive Branch of the U.S. Government..
Judicial Branch of the U.S. Government..
Infographic: How the Supreme Court Works..

What is the 4th branch of government and why?

The concept of the news media or press as a fourth branch stems from a belief that the media's responsibility to inform the populace is essential to the healthy functioning of democracy.