This activity is part of Module 6: Separation of Powers and Federalism from the Constitution 101 Curriculum.
Separation of powers refers to the Constitution’s system of distributing political power between three branches of government: a legislative branch (Congress), an executive branch (led by a single president), and a judicial branch (headed by a single Supreme Court). In this activity, you will explore each branch in more detail.
Work with your group to build a dossier on your assigned branch and present your findings to the class.
Examples of what goes into the dossier:
- Title: What is the name of the branch?
- Role: What is the primary role and/or responsibility of the branch in our constitutional system?
- Structure: How is the branch structured? Where do we find the branch’s structure set out in the Constitution?
- Power: What part of the Constitution defines the powers of the branch?
- Background: Write a short paragraph on the historical origins of the branch. What did the Founding generation have in mind?
- Key moments: List the major turning points and/or Supreme Court cases about the branch.
- Other information: Share any other vital information about the branch and how it works.
