Introduction

After winning the Revolutionary War, the Founding Fathers were faced with an amazing opportunity. They had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to create a brand new government. Their first attempt, called the Articles of Confederation, was a complete failure. So, in 1787, 55 delegates from the 13 states met at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Their goal was to fix the Articles of Confederation. Instead, they decided to write an entirely new Constitution. This new Constitution created a democratic government that contains three branches. Each branch has specific powers and responsibilities. The government that was created by the Constitution still exists today. In fact, our government is the longest running democracy in the entire world! Just how does this government work? Well, today you will find out!

Objectives

In this online module, you will learn how our government works.  At the conclusion, you will be able to name each branch of government and describe what each branch does.  When you understand the branches, you will also be able to describe how a law is created. To check your understanding, you will answer questions along the way.  At the end, you will take a 20 question multiple choice test.  Pay careful attention, because you need to score at least 80% on the final test.

Instructions

Click on each link below to learn about that branch of government. It is recommended that you begin with the Legislative Branch (on the left) and continue to the Executive Branch (center), and end with the Judicial Branch. At any point during the lesson, you can click on the Summary Button which can be found at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. The summary will provide a concise review of the powers and responsibilities of each branch of government. It is highly recommended that you read over the summary before you take the final exam. Do not simply jump straight to the summary though, because you first need some background information which can be found by clicking on the links below. To return to this page, click on the American flag which can be found on the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.