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How Does the U.S. Government Work?
Have you ever wondered how a bill becomes a law? It doesn't just happen overnight. Do you know what checks and balances are? Before we had a constitution and a democracy, we had the Articles of Confederation. It gave almost all the power to the states and almost none to the country. Each state could make its own laws and money, and could choose which taxes they wanted to enforce and which ones they did not. Without a change, the country would fall apart. So, in 1787, delegates from 13/14 states met to discuss the new constitution. They came up with a plan called the Virginia Plan that is pretty much like the goverment we have today. It said that we should have a Legislature with a House of Representatives and a Senate, and an Executive and Judicial branch. It also said that we should have a certain number of votes based on the number of people living in our state. The legislature makes the laws. When they have an idea for a law, they write it down and send it to the House of Representatives and the Senate. There they meet and talk about the bill. If they like the bill, then they will debate it, and if they still like it then they send it to the governor who signs it and makes it a law. The Executive branch carries out the laws. That means they explain the laws and figure out what they mean. This branch is made up of the President, Vice President, and the Cabinet. The president is also commander in chief of the military.
