The Executive Branch

The Executive Branch

Introduction Every day for more than 225 years, an American president has been on the job. Every day of every year, that job is important. The president is the most powerful person in the United States. The president is the executive branch at work.

What Is the Executive Branch? In 1788, American leaders set up a system of laws called the Constitution to help rule the young country. That system is still used today. It splits the U. S. government into three branches, or parts. The executive branch is led by the president. The legislative branch makes laws and is the voice of the American people. The judicial branch watches over the U. S. justice system through its system of courts.

Sometimes the branches work together. At other times, they work against each other. The U. S. system gives the president many powers. However, the president is not a king. People vote for him or her. Every four years, there is a new election. A person can be president two times, but no more than that.

The president must be thirty-five or older. He or she must have been born in the United States. He or she must have also lived in the United States for fourteen years or more.

What the Executive Branch Does The president has many powers. For example, the president can send U. S. troops anywhere in the world. The president also meets with other leaders to work on all sorts of problems. Some are leaders from other parts of the world. Some are U. S. leaders. Many are members of the president's cabinet.