Congress works inside the U.S. Capitol.

Congress works inside the U.S. Capitol.

Three Branches of Government

The Constitution organized the U.S. government into three parts, or branches. The three branches are the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch.

The Legislative Branch

This branch of government makes the laws. It is also called Congress. In 1787, Congress had fewer than 100 members. In 2007 it had 535! One part of Congress is the Senate. The other part of Congress is the House of Representatives.

In Other Words

  • members people in the group

Before You Move On

  • 1. Summarize Why did the United States need a government?

  • 2. Make Comparisons How much bigger has Congress grown since 1787?