Recap: Governmental Structure

As we learned last lesson, the government of the United States is divided into three branches: the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial. 

Last lesson, we learned in detail about the Executive Branch.  This is the branch that executes, or carries out, laws. The Executive Branch is headed by the President, and also contains the Vice President, the Cabinet, and Federal Agencies.  Remember:

• The Vice President acts as an advisor to the President, can cast tie-breaking votes in Senate, and can take over for the President if need be
• The Cabinet is an advisory body.  Each cabinet member is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.  The Cabinet includes the heads of 15 executive departments — such as the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense and Education.
• Federal Agencies, like the FBI or the EPA, serve both legislative and judicial roles.  They often have specialized expertise, and they can create regulations, hold court hearings regarding disputes, and enforce regulations. 

Here’s another chart to remind us of the overall structure of the U.S. Government.  Take a look, and let’s dive back in!