How Our Government Works
The structure the Framers built to protect liberty: separation of powers, federalism, how a bill becomes law, checks and balances, and the role of the courts.
Federal5 lessons
Sign in to track your progress.
Start the course- Separation of Powers: Three Branches, Three JobsWhy the Framers divided legislative, executive and judicial power.
- Federalism: The Nation and the StatesTwo levels of government, each sovereign in its own sphere.
- How a Bill Becomes LawFrom introduction to signature in Congress, Tennessee and Colorado, and where citizens can weigh in.
- Checks and BalancesHow each branch can restrain the others, and why ambition must counteract ambition.
- The Courts and Judicial ReviewThe least dangerous branch, Marbury v. Madison, and reading the Constitution as written.