US Government Structure and Constitution

Characteristics of the United States Government

• The United States Government is a federal system, comprising of three branches: the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.
• It is a representative democracy, where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.
• The government is based on the principles of federalism, meaning power is divided between the national government and the states.

Concept of Division of Powers

• The concept of division of powers is a system of checks and balances, where power is distributed among the three branches of government.
• The Executive branch, led by the President, is responsible for enforcing laws.
• The Legislative branch, comprising of Congress, is responsible for making laws.
• The Judicial branch, comprising of the Supreme Court and other federal courts, is responsible for interpreting laws.

Main Purposes of the United States Constitution

• The main purpose of the United States Constitution is to establish the framework and structure of the federal government.
• It outlines the powers and limitations of the government, as well as the rights and protections of citizens.
• The Constitution also provides for the separation of powers and checks and balances to prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful.

Reasons for Choosing Republicanism

• The founding fathers chose republicanism for their national government because they wanted to avoid the problems of monarchies and direct democracies.
• Republicanism allows for representation of citizens through elected representatives, rather than direct participation in government.
• This system also provides a system of checks and balances, which helps to prevent abuse of power and protect individual rights.