Federal government of the United States

The national government of the United States, whose powers are divided among legislative, executive, and judicial branches under the Constitution.

United States Constitution: The supreme law of the United States, establishing the federal government and limiting its powers. It creates the branches and supplies the legal basis for their authority.
United States Congress: The federal legislature, consisting of the Senate and House of Representatives. It exercises the legislative power, including lawmaking and control of federal spending.
Articles of Confederation: The first governing charter of the United States, in force from 1781 to 1789. Its weak central authority prompted demands for a stronger national government.
Confederal system: A political arrangement in which constituent states retain primary authority and delegate limited powers to a common body. The Articles’ confederal design had less central authority than the current government.
Federalism in the United States: A system dividing governmental authority between the United States and state governments. It marks the boundary between national powers and state responsibilities.
President of the United States: The elected head of the United States executive branch and commander in chief. The president leads the branch responsible for executing federal law.
Constitutional Convention (United States): The 1787 convention in Philadelphia that drafted the United States Constitution. Delegates designed the federal structure that replaced the Confederation.
Unitary state: A state in which the central government holds ultimate authority over subnational governments. It contrasts with the constitutional division of authority between federal and state governments.
Separation of powers: A constitutional principle that divides government authority among distinct branches. It structures federal authority across the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
Supreme Court of the United States: The highest court in the United States federal judiciary. It gives final judicial resolution to cases within its jurisdiction.

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Federal Government of GermanyCompared with: Its separately elected executive contrasts with Germany’s chancellor, who depends on Bundestag support.