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
