Branches of U.S. Government and Constitutional Framework

Vocabulary flashcards covering the three branches of the U.S. government, qualifications for federal offices, checks and balances, the Great Compromise, and the legislative process.

Executive Branch

The branch of government that enforces the law, comprising the President, Vice President, and the Cabinet.

Legislative Branch

The branch of government responsible for making laws, divided into the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Judicial Branch

The branch of government that reviews and interprets the law, consisting of the Supreme Court, Federal District Courts, and Court of Appeals.

Balance of Power

The division of government into three separate branches with specific powers so that no single person or branch can become too powerful.

Checks and Balances

A system established by the founding fathers allowing each branch of government to monitor the other branches to ensure they act responsibly.

President's Cabinet

A group of 15 positions within the executive branch, chosen by the president and confirmed by the Senate, who run the country and report directly to the president.

Senate

The upper house of Congress, consisting of 100 members with 2 members representing each state, who serve 6-year terms.

House of Representatives

The lower house of Congress, made up of 435 members serving 2-year terms, where the number of representatives is based on each state's population.

Supreme Court

The highest court in the judicial branch that deals exclusively with Constitutional issues.

Senator (Qualifications)

A member of the upper house of Congress who must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen, a resident of their state, and have lived in the country for 9 or more years; serves 6-year terms with no term limit.

Representative (Qualifications)

A member of the lower house of Congress who must be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen, a resident of their state, and have lived in the country for 7 or more years; serves 2-year terms with no term limit.

President (Qualifications)

The head of the executive branch who must be at least 35 years old, a U.S. citizen born in the U.S. or its territories, and a resident of the country for 14 or more years; serves 4-year terms and is limited to two terms (8 years).

The Great Compromise

An agreement establishing a bicameral legislature that gave two senators to each state while adding the House of Representatives to base representation on state population.

Single-Representative States

Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Delaware, which each receive only one representative due to their population size.

Presidential Veto

An executive check on the legislative branch where the president refuses to sign a bill passed by Congress, preventing it from becoming a law.

Lawmaking Process

An intentionally slow process requiring a majority vote of approval in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, followed by the president's signature for a bill to become law.