ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Federal government of the United States

The federal government of the United States is like a big team of people who work together to make important decisions for the whole country. Imagine you and your friends want to play a game, but you can't agree on what game to play. Instead of fighting or giving up, you decide to pick a leader who will help make the decision. The federal government is like that leader. There are three main parts to the federal government: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

The legislative branch is like the group of friends discussing what game to play. They are in charge of making laws for the whole country. The legislative branch is made up of two groups: the House of Representatives and the Senate. They work together to come up with laws that they think will benefit everyone. This is a very important job, because laws help keep people safe and make sure everyone is treated fairly.

The executive branch is like the person who actually gets to pick the game you all play. The executive branch is led by the President of the United States, who is like the leader of the country. The President has a lot of important responsibilities, such as being the commander-in-chief of the military and making sure the laws passed by the legislative branch are carried out.

The judicial branch is like the person who makes sure everyone is playing the game fair and square. They are in charge of interpreting the laws and making sure they are being followed. The judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Court, which is made up of nine judges who are selected by the President and approved by the legislative branch.

So, in summary, the federal government of the United States is a big team of people who work together to make important decisions for the whole country. The legislative branch makes laws, the executive branch carries out the laws, and the judicial branch makes sure everyone is following the rules.