Government Made Simple

Mark Ablonczy

The Government is made up of a group

of people that control the country

together. It is set up in Washington

D.C.

In the government there are many

important people including the

president, vice president, senators,

and judges.

The government is made up of three parts that work together. Those three parts are the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. In a way they are like branches of a tree.

Each of these has a specific job

which they must perform in order for

the government to function.

The executive branch is the part in which the President and vice president work. Their job is to pass laws after they are created, and to make sure everyone in America follows the rules. Also, the executive branch is responsible for the military.

The executive branch is mostly set up in the white house. You probably have heard it, so you must know that the President and their family live there.

The Legislative branch is a more complicated branch than the others. In this branch members elected from states participate in meetings and they create laws, and decide actions to take about the country. This branch is mainly responsible for taxes and other things having to do with money.

In Washington D.C. there is a building called the Capitol. It is located on Capitol Hill and is the meeting place of the Legislature. During the War of 1812, (which was a war between the US and the British); the Capitol was burned down but luckily rebuilt by 1819.

The Judicial Branch of the governmen t is the branch in which all of the judges are. They make sure that the people understand the law, and they decide the punishment for breaking the law.

If a court case becomes big enough, and too unsolvable for the smaller courts, then the case might get sent to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has eight judges who are employed for life unless they choose to retire. The Supreme Court has ultimate power, and whatever they say, goes.

There is also a US Constitution. It was written more than 200 years ago by many famous including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams. In it is said the basic rules that must be followed. Right now it is kept in the National archives where you may go to take a look at it.

Political parties are also a very important part of the government. Not the kind of party like a birthday party, but the kind that involves a group of people who have their own views about how the government should work. Some examples are the Democratic Party, and the Republican Party. These are the two major ones in the US.

You probably know about an election right? Every four years citizens of the US get together to vote for a new leader for our country. Our first President was George Washington who was elected right after the revolutionary war. Another one you might know is President Lincoln who was President during the Civil War.

Right now our Country is a Democracy, our president is a man named Barrack Obama, and our vice president is a man named Joe Biden.

Now that you have learned so much about the government you are the master and you can go and teach your friends because you are the new generation.