SOCIAL STUDIES
The Executive Branch of government makes sure
that the laws of the United States are obeyed.
The President of the United States is the head of
the Executive Branch of government. This branch
is very large so the President gets help from the
Vice President, department heads (Cabinet
members), and heads of independent agencies.
The Judicial Branch of government is made up of
the court system. The Supreme Court is the highest
court in the land. Article III of the Constitution
established this Court. All other Federal courts
were created by Congress. Courts decide
arguments about the meaning of laws, how they
are applied, and whether they break the rules of
the Constitution.
•
President:
Leader of the country and commander of the military.
•
Vice President:
President of the Senate. Becomes President if the President
can no longer do the job.
•
Departments:
Department heads advise the President on issues and help
carry out policies.
•
Independent Agencies:
Help carry out policy or provide special services.
The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. The Supreme Court
hears cases that have made their way through the court system, but of the more
than 7,500 cases that are sent to the Supreme Court each year, only about 80
to 100 cases are actually accepted. Once the Supreme Court makes a decision,
it can only be changed by another Supreme Court decision or by amending
(changing) the Constitution. This is a very important power that can affect the
lives of a lot of people. Also, since the main power of the Supreme Court is to
decide cases that challenge the Constitution, the Court must decide if the case
they receive really challenges the Constitution.
The Supreme Court is made up of nine Justices, one of whom is the Chief
Justice. They are appointed by the President and must be approved by
the Senate. Justices have their jobs for life, unless they resign, retire, or are
impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate (the removal process
as described by the Constitution).
There are no requirements in order to be appointed a Justice, but all have
been trained in the law. Many Justices served as members of Congress,
governors, or members of the President’s Cabinet. One president, William
Howard Taft, was later appointed Chief Justice.
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
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