Answer Key

The Legislative Branch

This branch is called Congress and is
made up of the House of
Members
Representatives and the Senate.
Requirements

Term

Powers

Limits on
Powers

To be a member of the House of Representatives you must be at

least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for the past 7 years, and you must
live in the state you want to represent. To be a member of the
Senate you must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for the past
9 years, and you must live in the state you want to represent.

A member of the House of

Representatives serves for two years. A
member of the Senate serves for 6 years.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

To make laws
To tax the people
To declare war
To coin money
To regulate trade between states and between the
U.S. and other countries
6. To impeach government officials for wrong-doing
7. Senate: approves treaties and people appointed to
jobs by the President

1. Cannot make unfair laws such as

those that would limit a persons right
to freedom of speech or religion
2. The Supreme Court can declare a law
unconstitutional
3. The President can veto a law

Answer Key

The Executive Branch

Members

This branch is made up of the President, the VicePresident, members of the Presidents Cabinet such as the
Secretary of Defense, and officials of independent agencies
that help carry out policy such as the CIA.

To be the President you must be at least 35

years old, a natural-born citizen of the United
Requirements States, and you must have lived in the U.S. for
at least 14 years.

Term

Powers

Limits on
Powers

The President serves a term of four

years and may only serve a total of
two terms.
1. To serve as Head of State when meeting with
leaders of other countries
2. To act as the Commander in Chief of the armed
forces
3. To make treaties with other countries
4. To appoint judges to the Supreme Court
5. To conduct a war
6. To recommend legislation to Congress
7. To sign or veto a bill from Congress
1. The President can conduct a war, but only
Congress can declare war
2. The President controls the armed forces, but
Congress controls the money needed to
support the armed forces
3. The Senate must approve the people the
President appoints to certain jobs
4. The President can be impeached by Congress
for wrong-doing

Answer Key

The Judicial Branch

This branch is made up of the Supreme
Court ,which has 9 Justices, and the lower
Members federal courts and their judges.
There are no requirements but to this date all
Supreme Court Justices have been trained in the
Requirements law. Many have served as members of Congress,
governors, or members of a Presidents Cabinet.

Term

Supreme Court Justices serve for life unless

they resign, retire or are impeached by the
House of Representatives and convicted by the
Senate.

Powers

1. To declare a law made by Congress

unconstitutional
2. To declare an action of the President
unconstitutional
3. To declare a state law unconstitutional
if it conflicts with the laws made by
Congress or with the Constitution

Limits on
Powers

1. Congress has the power to impeach,

try and remove Supreme Court
Justices and federal judges from office.
2. Courts do not have the power to
enforce their decisions. The President
is responsible for this.

This branch is called Congress and is

made up of the House of
Representatives and the Senate.
There are no requirements but to this date all
Supreme Court Justices have been trained in the
law. Many have served as members of Congress,
governors, or members of a Presidents Cabinet.
1. To serve as Head of State when meeting with
leaders of other countries
2. To act as the Commander in Chief of the armed
forces
3. To make treaties with other countries
4. To appoint judges to the Supreme Court
5. To conduct a war
6. To recommend legislation to Congress
7. To sign or veto a bill from Congress

1. Cannot make unfair laws such as

those that would limit a persons right
to freedom of speech or religion
2. The Supreme Court can declare a law
unconstitutional
3. The President can veto a law
1. Congress has the power to impeach,
try and remove Supreme Court
Justices and federal judges from office.
2. Courts do not have the power to
enforce their decisions. The President
is responsible for this.

The President serves a term of four

years and may only serve a total of
two terms.

Puzzle
Pieces

This branch is made up of the President, the VicePresident, members of the Presidents Cabinet such as the
Secretary of Defense, and officials of independent agencies
that help carry out policy such as the CIA.

1. To declare a law made by Congress

unconstitutional
2. To declare an action of the President
unconstitutional
3. To declare a state law unconstitutional
if it conflicts with the laws made by
Congress or with the Constitution
To be a member of the House of Representatives you must be at
least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for the past 7 years, and you must
live in the state you want to represent. To be a member of the
Senate you must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for the past
9 years, and you must live in the state you want to represent.

A member of the House of

Representatives serves for two years. A
member of the Senate serves for 6 years.
This branch is made up of the Supreme
Court ,which has 9 Justices, and the lower
federal courts and their judges.
Supreme Court Justices serve for life unless
they resign, retire or are impeached by the
House of Representatives and convicted by the
Senate.
To be the President you must be at least 35
years old, a natural-born citizen of the United
States, and you must have lived in the U.S. for
at least 14 years.

Puzzle
Pieces

Puzzle
Pieces
1.
2.

3.
4.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The President can conduct a war, but only

Congress can declare war
The President controls the armed forces, but
Congress controls the money needed to
support the armed forces
The Senate must approve the people the
President appoints to certain jobs
The President can be impeached by Congress
for wrong-doing

To make laws
To tax the people
To declare war
To coin money
To regulate trade between states and between the
U.S. and other countries
6. To impeach government officials for wrong-doing
7. Senate: approves treaties and people appointed to
jobs by the President

The Legislative Branch

Members

Requirements

Term

Powers

Limits on
Powers

The Executive Branch

Members

Requirements

Term

Powers

Limits on
Powers

The Judicial Branch

Members

Requirements

Term

Powers

Limits on
Powers

Directions
1. Have students cut out the graphic organizer
puzzle pieces.
2. Students find where the puzzle pieces belong on
the blank graphic organizers.
3. Discuss answers as a class or display answer key
and have students glue correct puzzle pieces in
place.