GED Social Studies Structure of U.S. Government Summary

Article I of the Constitution gives the power to make federal laws to Congress, the legislative branch. Congress has two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Wrong choices

• The Federal Reserve: The Federal Reserve is the nation's central bank. It manages money and interest rates, not laws.
• The judicial branch (the courts): The judicial branch interprets laws and decides cases.
• The executive branch (the President): The executive branch carries out and enforces laws. It does not pass them.

The executive branch is led by the President, along with the Vice President and the Cabinet. It carries out laws through federal departments and agencies, such as the Department of Defense and the Department of Education.

Wrong choices

• The legislative branch: The legislative branch (Congress) makes the laws.
• The judicial branch: The judicial branch interprets laws and decides cases.
• The Senate: The Senate is one part of Congress, which is the legislative branch.

Congress has two chambers (it is bicameral). The Senate has 100 members, two from each state. The House of Representatives has 435 voting members, divided among the states by population.

Wrong choices

• The Senate and the Supreme Court: The Supreme Court is part of the judicial branch, not Congress.
• The House of Representatives and the Cabinet: The Cabinet advises the President and is part of the executive branch.
• The President and the Vice President: The President and Vice President lead the executive branch.

Every state has two senators, no matter how many people live there. With 50 states, the Senate has 100 members. Senators serve 6-year terms.

Wrong choices

• It depends on the state's population: Population decides the number of seats in the House, not the Senate.
• Four: No state has four senators.
• One: Every state has more than one senator.

A veto is the President's check on Congress. Congress can check the President back by overriding the veto. This takes a two-thirds vote in the House and a two-thirds vote in the Senate. Then the bill becomes law without the President's signature.

Wrong choices

• Have three-fourths of the states sign the bill: State approval is part of amending the Constitution, not passing an ordinary law.
• Pass the bill again with a simple majority in both chambers: A simple majority is not enough. The Constitution requires two-thirds of both chambers to override a veto.
• Ask the Supreme Court to approve the bill: The Supreme Court does not approve bills. It decides cases about laws that already exist.

The power of courts to strike down laws that break the Constitution is called judicial review. The Supreme Court established it in Marbury v. Madison (1803). It lets the judicial branch check both Congress and the President.

Wrong choices

• Congress impeaches a federal official: Impeachment is the legislative branch checking officials in the other branches.
• The President vetoes a bill: A veto is the executive branch checking the legislative branch.
• The Senate approves a new federal judge: The Senate approving a judge is the legislative branch checking the President's choice for the courts.

Article V of the Constitution makes amending hard on purpose. The usual way: two-thirds of the House and two-thirds of the Senate vote to propose an amendment, and then three-fourths of the states (38 of 50) must ratify it. There have been 27 amendments.

Wrong choices

• Three-fourths of the states propose it, and two-thirds of Congress approves it: This reverses the numbers. Congress proposes with two-thirds, and the states ratify with three-fourths.
• A simple majority of Congress proposes it, and a majority of voters approve it nationwide: Congress needs two-thirds, not a simple majority, and there is no national vote of the people.
• The President proposes it, and the Supreme Court approves it: The President and the Supreme Court have no formal role in the amendment process.

Seats in the House of Representatives are divided among the states by population. States with more people have more representatives. The count is updated after the census every 10 years.

Wrong choices

• Every state has the same number: Equal numbers for every state is how the Senate works, not the House.
• By the President: The President does not decide House seats. They are divided after each census.
• By the state's land area: Land area does not matter. A large state with few people, such as Alaska, has only one representative.

The President nominates federal judges, Cabinet secretaries, and ambassadors, but the Senate must confirm (approve) them. This is a check by the legislative branch on the executive branch. Federal judges then serve during good behavior, which in practice usually means for life.

Wrong choices

• The voters in a national election: Federal judges are not elected by voters. They are nominated and confirmed.
• The House of Representatives: The House does not vote on nominations. The Constitution gives this "advice and consent" role to the Senate.
• The other Supreme Court justices: Justices do not choose new members of the Court.

Impeachment is how Congress can remove officials such as a President or federal judge. The House votes to impeach (formally charge) by a simple majority. The Senate then holds a trial, and a two-thirds vote of senators present is needed to convict and remove the official.

Wrong choices

• The Supreme Court brings the charges and holds the trial: The Supreme Court does not impeach officials. The Chief Justice presides only when a President is tried in the Senate.
• The Senate brings the charges, and the House holds the trial: This reverses the roles. The House impeaches (charges), and the Senate tries the case.
• The President brings the charges, and Congress holds the trial: The President has no role in bringing impeachment charges.