Introduction to the Political Environment Unit V

Overview of the United States Political System

The US is the oldest continuous democracy in the world. It was established in
1789, although not all features of the system were as democratic as they are
now.
Key Facts

The US is a Federal system. This means that power is divided between

a central/national government and the States. The national
government is referred to as the Federal Government.

There are 50 States.

The Federal Government has three branches/arms:

Legislative Branch

Executive Branch

Judicial Branch

The Legislative Branch consists of:

o

House of Representatives

Senate

The Executive Branch consists of:

o

The President

The Cabinet

The Federal Departments and Agencies

The Judicial Branch consists of:

o

The Supreme Court

BSc. Business Studies

Year IV

Page 1

Introduction to the Political Environment Unit V

Other Federal Courts

BSc. Business Studies

Year IV

Page 2