US Government: 3 Branches
The Legislative branch, the Executive branch and the Judicial branch are the 3 branches of US government that are illustrated in the clickable graphic above. Each branch is also described in detail at the USA.gov website. See a section online called Branches of the U.S. Government.
Official US Government Information
- About the United States: Official US government information hub at USA.govUSA.gov shows how the U.S. Government is organized, has a complete list of all Federal agencies with contact information, has links to state and local government, and links to contact Federal, state, and local officials.
- GovInfo: Information portal of the US Government Publishing OfficeGovInfo is a service of the United States Government Publishing Office (GPO), which is a Federal agency in the legislative branch.
Educational Links
Student Educational Resources: US Government
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American Presidency from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History has activities, resources, and teaching materials on the lives of the U.S. Presidents.
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Legislative Resources for Teachers from the Library of Congress has classroom activities, lesson plans, primary sources, and additional educational resources on Congress and legislation.
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Smithsonian Education has lesson plans on government and law, American history, and other areas. Search on standards by state, grade, and state Standards of Learning categories.
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Tools for Educators from the National Archives has links to a Teacher Sourcebook, teachable documents, and tips on integrating historical Government documents into the curriculum.
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The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center site includes student programs, lesson plans on U.S. Government and history topics, and educational resources to implement in the classroom as well as to prepare for visiting the Capitol Building and Visitor Center in Washington, DC.
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U.S. Census Bureau has lesson plans and teaching resources that utilize national, state and local population and geographical data.
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U.S. Courts Educational Resources has information on the Federal courts, learning tools on debating and deliberation, and civic engagement exercises on legal and constitutional topics.
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Library of Congress - Home | Library of Congress (loc.gov)
Film Series on American Government and Public Policy
- US Government: How It Works (film series)This six-part film series introduces and explores key aspects of U.S. government and public policy. The series is found in the Films On Demand database.
General News and Political Reporting
More Recommended Websites
Library of Congress - Home | Library of Congress (loc.gov)
C-SPAN - C-SPAN.org | National Politics | History | Nonfiction Books
Finding your members of Congress - Who Are Your Elected Officials? (arcgis.com)
Tracking Congressional Legislation - https://www.govtrack.us/
Where political leaders and candidates get their campaign money from - https://www.opensecrets.org/
Information about members of Congress - https://justfacts.votesmart.org/