ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Politics of the United States

Politics is when people decide who gets to make rules and decisions that affect everyone. In the United States, we have different people who try to become leaders, like the president, senators, and representatives. These people have different beliefs about how things should be run and want to make changes to make things better.

One big part of politics is the two main groups we call political parties. They are called the Democrats and the Republicans. They each have their own ideas about how things should be done, and when people vote for their leaders, they usually vote based on which party they agree with the most.

The government is divided into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch is Congress, which includes the Senate and the House of Representatives. They make laws and decide how to spend money. The executive branch includes the president, who enforces the laws; the vice president; and the departments that help the president, like the Department of Education or the Department of Agriculture. Finally, the judicial branch includes judges and courts that interpret and enforce the laws.

The big decisions made by politicians can affect everyone in the United States, so it’s important to pay attention to politics and vote for the people who will make the best choices for everyone.