Objective: To examine the separation of powers in the American political system.

Separation of Powers in a Nutshell (1:05)Separation of Powers in a Nutshell (1:05)

Judicial

ExecutiveLegislative

Separation of Powers:3 Branches ofGovernment

Executive(carries out

laws)

Legislative(makes laws)

Judicial(evaluate

s laws)

President

Congress

SupremeCourt

House ofRepresentatives

CircuitCourts

DistrictCourts

Vice President Cabinet

Senate

House of Representatives Senate

Congress

Legislative Branch:

Determined by populationof each state

Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.

2 Senators per state

Tennessee has 9 representatives in the House of Representatives.

makes laws

House ofRepresentatives

Congress

Legislative Branch: makes laws

Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.

Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee’s 9th Congressional district

(left) Sen. Lamar Alexander (right) Sen. Bob Corker

Senate

Tennessee’s Nine Congressional Districts

Representative Steve Cohen of Memphis’ Ninth Congressional District

President Barack Obama Vice-President Joe Biden

Executive Branch: carries out laws

President Obama’s CabinetExecutive Branch: carries out laws

The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments — the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General.

The following positions have the status of Cabinet-rank: White House Chief of Staff, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Management & Budget, United States Trade Representative, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Council of Economic Advisers

(top row, left to right) Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito and Elena Kagan (bottom row, left to right) Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, Chief Justice John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy and Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Judicial Branch: evaluate laws

United States Supreme Court

Terms ofService

President

Supreme Court

Congress: House of Representatives

Congress: Senate

Maximum oftwo four-year

terms

Unlimitedtwo-year

termsUnlimitedsix-yearterms

LifetimeappointmentsLegislative

Legislative

Judi

cialExecutive