Name: ______Date: ______
Unit 9: Structure and Levels of Government SOL - CE. 6, 7, 8
I. What is “the government” in the United States?
A. A government in the United States is a body of elected and appointed (selected) officials who make, enforce, and interpret laws and policies that affect citizens.
B. In the United States, each level of government is representative, meaning citizens elect officeholders.
II. What is the structure of governments in the United States and what does each branch do?
A. Each government in the United States is divided into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
B. Legislative Branch:
a. Writes/makes the law
b. Approves a budget
c. Creates taxes
d. Approves actions of the executive branch.
C. Executive Branch:
a. Executes/enforces/carryout the law
b. Proposes (suggests) a budget
c. Appoints officeholders to help run the government
D. Judicial Branch:
a. Interprets (determines) the meaning of the law
b. Manages the courts to hear civil and criminal cases to interpret whether someone broke the law or infringed (went against) the rights of others
III. How do the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances protect against an abuse of power by any one branch?
A. Each branch has its own job, which creates a separation of powers.
B. Since the branches are separate, no one branch is all-powerful, meaning they are equal to one another.
C. Term to Know- “Checks and Balances”: Each branch can “check” another branch’s power, which keeps their powers “balanced”
(Example: The President can veto a law Congress passes.)
IV. What are the levels of government in the United States?
A. The United States has a federal system of government, meaning there are three levels of government.
B. The three levels are national/federal, state, and local.
C. In the federal system of government, the national government is the most powerful; the state and local governments must follow the decisions of the national government.
D. In the federal system of government, the local government has the most responsibilities, followed by the state and then the national government.
V. What are the responsibilities of each level of government in the United States?
A. National/Federal Government
a. Highest level of government that serves the entire United States
b. Responsibilities:
i. Regulate commerce (interstate and international trade)
ii. National/Common Defense: (military)
iii. Conducts foreign policy: (relationships (war or peace) with other countries)
B. State Government
a. The middle level of government that serves an individual state (Virginia for us)
b. Responsibilities:
i. Promotes public health: (VA Department of Health)
ii. Promotes public safety: (VA State Police, criminal laws)
iii. Promotes public welfare: (roads, schools, state parks ex) Fairystone State Park)
C. Local Government:
a. The lowest but busiest level of government for an individual locality (Henry County for us)
b. Responsibilities:
i. Enforce state and local laws
ii. Promote public health
iii. Protect public safety
iv. Educate children
v. Protect the environment
vi. Regulate land use
vii. Levy and collect taxes