This site from Ben's Guide to U.S. Government provides a brief overview of the judicial branch of the federal government. Discusses the origin of the judicial branch, the concept of judicial review, and functions of the judicial branch....

Describes the job and duties of the President of the United States as head of the executive branch. Also discusses how the President is elected and the length of terms of office.

Summarizes the role of the President as the Head of the Executive Branch and the powers and duties assigned to him by the Constitution. Provides links to further information.

When John Marshall was appointed chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1801, the nation's highest court occupied a lowly position. There was no Supreme Court Building in the newly completed capital, Washington, D.C., so the six...

An easy-to-understand discussion on the actual legislative powers of the president and the veto. Includes related links.

The 18th-century statesmen who met in Philadelphia were adherents of Montesquieu's concept of the balance of power in politics. This principle was supported by colonial experience and strengthened by the writings of John Locke, with...

Why did the founding fathers create two separate chambers in Congress - the House of Representatives and Senate? Find out the reasons for the dual chamber and the responsibilities of each one. Included is a glossary and printable puzzles...

Read about the change of plans when delegates to the Philadelphia convention decided to write a new constitution to replace the Articles of Convention. See the ideas delegates had to address concerns of large and small states.

Learning Adventures from Bensguide summarizes the process of lawmaking outlined in the U.S. Constitution and provides links to a glossary of legislative terms and Congressional Resolution from 2003.

Young scholars will use C-SPAN to observe short film clips of a Congressional conference committee in action. Students will hear the rules under which the committee functions and hear debate regarding aspects of the bill. Finally, young...

Information about the qualifications and duties of the United States Senate.

This site from the United States Senate provides a current list of the Senators of the 108th Congress. You can sort by state, name or party, view biographical and contact information and much more.

Link directly to the journals for each of the Congresses containing the minutes of the sessions.

A comprehensive site that provides three lesson plans which explain what takes place in the U.S. Capitol Building. This thorough site describes the function of the Capitol Building and includes many photos of both the building itself and...

Transcript of a congressional hearing, held in 1994, to discuss whether Congress had given too much power to the Supreme Court, against the express intent of the Founding Fathers. This transcript is lengthy but informative, containing...

Here you can learn all about the U.S. Government! Find information on our nation, how our government works, your own neighborhood, and the main government symbols. Games and other activities are also included!

Six activities teach students about the U.S. Constitution. Learn about checks and balances, the Bill of Rights, some of the history of the document, and how each of the states became a state. The site also provides teacher resources,...

Save the federal government from Oppressor Sam, and learn about the US Constitution to restore the three branches of government.

Learners will analyze primary sources related to Congress to learn the specific powers of the Legislative Branch. Included is a chart to download and print, worksheets, materials, and an answer key. Primary sources to be examined are...

The Oregon Blue Book, the official state directory and fact book, provides a wealth of information about Oregon. "FACTS," contains almanac references, economy information, scenic images, capital city information, and state buildings;...

Article provides an overview and interesting facts about the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government.

Cartoon Ben Franklin guides students through the U.S. government by providing short descriptions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Learn about the working relationship between the legislative and executive branches of government through Ford's address to Congress in 1976 addressing the need for improvements to programs for the elderly.

Fourth graders will complete a government simulation where they learn about the different responsibilities of each branch of government by becoming the different branches.