Unit Vocabulary Activity
Three Branches Of the U.S. Government
“Checks and Balances”
By:
Fay Osborn
Legislative Branch
lej – is – lae - tiv
www.senate.gov/
•Having the function
of making laws
•Article I – Section.1.
All legislative Powers
herein granted shall be
vested in a Congress
of the United States,
which shall consist of a
Senate and House of
Representatives.
Legislative Branch
Congress ( kong – gris )
The national legislative body of the
United States consisting of the
Senate ( sen – it ),or upper house,
and the House of Representatives
( rep – ree – zen – tah – tiv ).
Executive Branch
(ig – zek – you – tiv)
www.whitehouse.gov/
Article II – Section. 1.
“The Executive Power shall
be vested in a President of
the United States of
America. He shall hold his
Office during a Term of
four years, and together
with the Vice President,
chosen for the same term,
be elected, as follows…”
Judicial Branch
( joo – dish – ul )
Article III – Section.1.
“The judicial Power of the
www.supremecourtus.gov
United States shall be
vested in one Supreme
Court, and in such inferior
Courts as the Congress
may from time to time
ordain and establish…”
Separation of Powers
( sep – a – rae – shun )
A way of dividing power among three
branches of government in which
members of the House of Representatives,
members of the Senate, the President, and
The Federal Courts are selected by and
responsible for distinct functions.
Checks and Balances
The constitutional doctrine in which each
branches of government shares some of the
powers of the other branches in order to limit
their actions.
Example: Congress passes a law –
President vetoes it – Congress overrides veto with
2/3 majority vote - Supreme Court rules
on Constitutionality of law.
Enumerated Powers
(ee – noo – mer – ae – ted)
Seventeen specific powers granted to
Congress under Article I – Section. 8. , of the
U.S. Constitution; these powers include but are not
limited to taxation, coinage of money, regulation of
commerce, and the authority to provide for
national defense.
Congressional Powers
Implied Powers
Inherent Powers
Those powers not
specifically listed in the
Constitution that can be
inferred from the
enumerated powers.
Those powers that belong
to the government of a
sovereign state and do
not have to be granted by
the Constitution.
Ex: Power to draft
people into the army
Ex: conducting foreign
affairs
Elastic Clause
A name given to the “necessary and proper
clause” found in the final paragraph of
Article I – Section. 8., of the U.S. Constitution.
It gives Congress the authority to pass all
laws “necessary and proper” to carry out the
enumerated powers specified in the
Constitution.
Example: environmental protection laws
Executive Privilege
The doctrine that the President does not
have to share certain information with
Congress or the Judiciary Branch.
 Executive Privilege, in general, does not
outweigh the demand for evidence in a
criminal trial, if national security issues are
not involved.

Veto
The formal constitutional authority of
the President to reject bills passed by
both houses of Congress thus
preventing their becoming law without
future Congressional action.
Judicial Review
The authority of a court to review the
acts of the legislature, the executive, or
states to determine the constitutionality.
Unconstitutional
A law or action that is unauthorized by
or inconsistent with the Constitution of
the United States of America.
References
Monk, Linda R. The Words We Live By:
Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution.
New York: Hyperion, 2003.
O’Connor, Karen and Sabato, Larry J, eds.
American Government: Continuity and Change.
New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc., 2000.