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Government
An excellent general overview of the United States
government is Outline
of U.S. Government the State Department's
U.S. Info page.
The U.S. Government is composed of 3 branches,
the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial.
(More
about the 3 Branches of government).
Each branch is represented on different levels,
from local government to state, and finally the
federal government.
(Links
to various levels of government).
Duties and powers are divided between the various
branches and levels, so that no single person
or group can determine policies across the board.
This separation
of powers is a key characteristic
of American government.
Another good place to begin to get an understanding
of the U.S. government is Ben's
Guide to U.S. Government, a website
designed for students from kindergarten up through
high school as well as educators. The site provides
not only an excellent and clear overview of the
U.S. government, but also many interesting links.
Democracy would not be possible
without the participation of the American public.
It is a right of every U.S. citizen over 18 years
of age to vote, regardless of race or gender.
To learn more about the presedential election
process, click
here to view a powerpoint presentation designed
to introduce Belgian audiences to the basics of
U.S. government, the system of elections, and
a few of the specifics from the 2004 presidential
election. For a similar, up-to-date version of a powerpoint presentation detailing specifics of the 2008 elections click here.
Project
Vote Smart A site that provides information
to keep U.S. citizens informed about the issues,
the candidates, and how representatives are carrying
out their duties after being elected. Basically,
it helps citizens to find the information they
need to be well-informed voters.
Rock
The Vote An organization geared towards
youth, whose aim is to get American young people
interested and actively involved in the political
process and policy decisions that will affect
their future!
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