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Three Branches

The document discusses the three branches of government established by the US Constitution: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. It uses an example from President Truman's time in office to illustrate how the branches check each other's powers. Specifically, it discusses Truman's veto of the Taft-Hartley Act that was later overridden by Congress, and Truman's seizure of steel mills that was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, showing how the branches balance each other.

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29 views

Three Branches

The document discusses the three branches of government established by the US Constitution: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. It uses an example from President Truman's time in office to illustrate how the branches check each other's powers. Specifically, it discusses Truman's veto of the Taft-Hartley Act that was later overridden by Congress, and Truman's seizure of steel mills that was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, showing how the branches balance each other.

Uploaded by

dorcasekwem
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Three Branches of Government

Who does the U.S. Constitution give the most power to?

Background:

As a lifelong student of history and civics, Truman believed it was essential


Americans understand how their government works. He was especially committed
to educate young people about their rights and responsibilities, a mission for his
presidential library.

In order to understand democracy we must look at the Constitution of the United


States. It is the supreme law of the land. After our nation became free a small group
from 13 colonies met to decide if or how to govern as one nation. Rather than a king
making decisions they wanted a government that would give the power to the people.
They wanted to find a way to make a stronger nation where all the colonies could
come together. It was a difficult summer making decisions to bring the nation together
but the U.S. Constitution was written and signed on September 17, 1787. They never
expected this document to last over 10 years much less over 200 years. The U.S.
Constitution is a living document that still continues today.

They framed a U.S. federal government into three different branches. Each branch has
equal powers because they have different jobs and each checks on the other. That’s
why we say our government is based on checks and balances. They are the Executive
Branch, Legislative Branch and Judicial Branch.

President Truman was in the ​Executive Branch​ and one of his jobs was Commander in
Chief of the Armed Forces. One of the jobs of the Legislative Branch is to make laws. In
1947, Congress in the ​Legislative Branch​ passed the Taft Hartley Act. It prevented
workers from stopping work to strike for more money and stopped presidents from
taking over the company. President Truman vetoed the bill concerned that it would be
unfair for workers against their employers. Congress voted to override his veto and
passed the law anyway.

Later in 1952, the U.S. troops were fighting in Korea when the steel workers stopped
work and demanded more money. The steel company wouldn’t give it to them so no
steel would be produced if there was a strike. President Truman was concerned the
soldiers would not be able to get the supplies they needed. After other solutions failed
he signed an Executive Order to take over the steel corporations. They sued the
president saying he did not have the power to take over their corporation. So who
decides? ​The Judicial Branch​, they used the U.S. Constitution and the Taft Hartley Act to
decide the president does not have the power to take over private property. President
Truman was not very happy with this decision but knew this was the way our
democracy works. The U.S. Constitution allows a balance of power from each branch
through checks and balances.
Standard:

1.B.4: Explain the major purposes of the U.S. Constitution. With assistance, research and
analyze the text of the U.S. Constitution to determine important principles such as limited
government, rule of law, majority rules, minority rights, separation of powers, checks and
balances and popular sovereignty.

2.D.4. Identify and explain the functions of the three branches of government in the federal
government.

Materials Needed:

Print/copy Political Cartoon Analysis Worksheet


https://www.archives.gov/files/education/lessons/worksheets/cartoon_analysis_worksheet_
novice.pdf
Print/copy political cartoon
Copy U.S. Constitution preamble and worksheet

Vocabulary:

1. 3 branches of government - division of government power into 3 branches


2. Legislative Branch - Congress has the power to make laws
3. Judicial Branch - Supreme Court has the power to interpret and applies laws
4. Executive Branch - President and others with the power to enforce the laws
5. Veto - ​the power of one branch to cancel or postpone the decisions of another branch
6. Override - the power to ​reject a decision of another branch
7. Interpret - ​to describe the ​meaning​ of something and make sense of it in order to
explain it
8. U. S. Constitution - ​A document with laws and principles by which the ​United States​ is
governed. The law of the land.
9. Executive Order - ​a rule or order issued by the president
10. Commander in Chief - supreme commander of armed forces

Procedures:

Activity 1: Read background information


Activity 2: Discuss vocabulary
Activity 3: Rock-Paper-Scissors and 3 Branches of Gov’t Activity - flow charts
Activity 4: Analyze political cartoon
Activity 5: Rewrite preamble of U.S. Constitution
Assessment:​ ​ In groups, students will be instructed their group has crash landed on a deserted
island with 100 native islanders and no chance of being rescued. They must decide how they
are going to live together. Think about the kind of place they want to live in and what it would
look like? Would it be a community? Would it be a safe, peaceful and happy place or not?
What could go wrong and how would they handle it? Each group should create a constitution
including a preamble to address their purpose and rules for their new home. The
plan/government should answer the following questions..

● How will they get food? What kind of food is available? Will everyone share or be on
their own? What if others don’t have food?
● Where will people live? What kind of shelter?
● Will there be rules? What kind of rules? How would you enforce those rules?
● Will you need a community area for meetings, celebrations or planning?

Each group should name and present their island. As a class, discuss, compare and contrast to
the U.S. Constitution.

Activity 1: ​Discuss and play ​Rock-Paper-Scissors


● Which is the best?
● Which is the most powerful?
● Which is the strongest?

Draw and label flowchart together on the board:

Discuss and compare to 3 branches of government:


● Which is the best?
● Which is the most powerful?
● Which is the strongest?
Ultimately one is not more powerful than the other because they have different duties and
powers. The U.S. Constitution is designed for a balance of power through checks and
balances.

In partners, students will draw and label a ​flowchart using ​all​ 10 vocabulary words. Separate
into 3 branches of government and match each word with its specific branch using the
background information.
Activity 2:​ Presidents and Power, is there a limit?

. Ask students to observe the cartoon by asking three visual thinking questions.

● What do they notice in the cartoon?


● What else do they notice?
● What makes them say that?

As a class, groups or individually students will analyze the political cartoon and complete
the worksheet.
Activity 3:​ The framers stated their purpose and 5 goals in the preamble of the U.S.
Constitution. Students should rewrite this paragraph and replace the underlined phrases
with their own words.

(Preamble)

We the People​ of the United States,

in ​Order to form a more perfect Union​, ​establish Justice​,​ insure domestic


Tranquility​, ​provide for the common defence​, ​promote the general Welfare​,
and ​secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity​, do
ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

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