Executive and Judicial Branches

The Executive Branch: The President

The president is the leader of the executive branch and is responsible for upholding and enforcing the laws of the country. The president has many other responsibilities, too, such as setting national policies, proposing laws to Congress, and choosing high-level officials and members of the Supreme Court. The president also is the leader of the U.S. military and may be called the Commander in Chief.

People vote in elections for the president and vice president every four years. The president can only serve in office for two four-year terms. The vice president becomes president if the president becomes disabled or dies.

The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court

The Constitution created the Supreme Court, the highest court in the United States. There are nine judges on the Supreme Court. They are called "justices". The president chooses the members of the Supreme Court, and they serve as long as they are able. The Supreme Court can overrule both state and federal laws if they conflict with the Constitution.There are other federal courts, such as the U.S. District Courts and the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals.