Branches of Government

Branches of Government

After the Constitution was ratified, the basis for the government was set. The power within the federal government had to be divided in order to prevent a dictatorship. The government was divided into three branches. These branches include: the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. This paper will discuss the reasons America's forefathers divided the government into these three branches. It also will discuss obstacles the division of power present to enactment of important legislation, as well as the conflict between supporters of a strong federal government and champions of states' rights characterization then as opposed to now.

The forefathers believed that people were all equal and that the government should only exist to serve the people. They came up with the doctrine of separation of powers because the government that was currently in place, proved to be weak. The Forefathers compromised and created a two Chamber Congress, which consisted of the House of Representatives, and the Senate, it is known as the Legislative branch, the other two branches of government they put into place were the Executive and Judiciary branches. (The American Democracy, chap.1, para.1) They came up with this separation of powers so that the government would run more smoothly and keep everything in order for the people. Each branch would perform unique and identifiable functions appropriate to each other. This system of divided government required separate but overlapping powers. They wanted to make sure that not one branch could exercise power decisively without the support of the other branches. It was a system provided by the Constitution to control the power of the government. (The American Democracy, 2013) The Forefathers thought at that time, that the doctrine of separation of powers was a good idea, and it has proven to work, but many changes have been made since the Constitution was first written.

The separating of powers benefited the three branches by providing that all power would be exercised through representative institutions. The House of Representatives was the only institution that would be based on direct popular election, they would serve for two years and were voted in by the people. United States Senators were to be appointed by the legislatures of the state's they represented. Every two years, a third of the Senators would be appointed to a six-year term. The President was selected by the votes of electors. Each state had to have the same number of voters as it had members in Congress and were allowed to choose their own electors. (The American Democracy, 2013) The President could serve a four term with an option to run for another four year term. The Federal Judges and Justices would be appointed; they were nominated by the President and had to be approved by the Senate. (The American Democracy, 2013) The Federal Judges and Justices could hold their office for life, unless they committed a crime. The Judiciary's responsibility was to uphold the rule of law and serve as a check on the elected branches of government. The way that people were elected or appointed into the government benefited the government because; it actually kept most of the electing and appointing powers in the government's hands. Later on, the way government officials were put into office changed dramatically; it eventually gives the people of the United States the right to vote most of the members of government, including the President, into office.

The Constitution set the basis for the government once it was ratified. Powers were divided between the federal government and the states. The states can only control things

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