Unit 7 Assessment Part 2

Learn about the 3 US government branches and how taxes fund public services. Perfect for civics lessons!

Separation of Powers Scenarios(5.C.CP.2, 5.C.CP.3 5.C.CV.1) Match the Separation of Powers Scenarios to the correct Branch of Government(s). You are legislators discussing how you believe a federal judge should be removed. Legislative Branch You are a judge who is hearing a case that has been appealed from the North Carolina Supreme Court. Judicial Branch You are the President of the United States, and are thinking about vetoing a bill. Executive Branch Providing Public Goods and Services (Newsela)(5.E.MA.1 5.E.MA.2) Providing Public Goods And ServicesThere are several goods and services that the national economy is either unable or unwilling to provide effectively. National defense, sewer systems, national parks, emergency warning systems, and basic television and radio services are examples. It's the federal government's job to provide such public goods and services in the national interest.The U.S. government takes care of such necessities using tax money. Its authority and scope allow the government to use resources from all over the country to do so. Such goods and services are equally available to all citizens and are not diminished for one person by their use by others.A common problem with public goods and services is called thefree rider problem. Free riders are people who take advantage of goods and services without contributing funds to their provision. This places the burden of cost onto others. For instance, a person who does not pay their taxes can still listen to public radio. That person is still protected from enemy foreign militaries by the U.S. military. It is very hard to correct for the free rider problem other than to ensure that all people pay their taxes. What is the MAIN reason the author includes the section "Providing Public Goods And Services"? to introduce the idea that some people benefit unfairly from the tax system to argue that public goods are the most equitable way the U.S. government spends money to highlight the positive ways tax dollars provide services for all citizens to create a contrast between lawful taxpayers and people who simply want to benefit from services Excise And Property Taxes (Newsela)(5.E.MA.1 5.E.MA.2) State governments depend on both income and sales taxes, which usually get paid on such things as cars, household items and movie tickets. The tax rate and the list of taxable goods vary from state to state. There are also taxes on some "luxury" goods, called excise taxes.Excise taxes can pay for specific things. For example, a tax on gasoline is used to build and maintain highways and bridges. Only people who purchase gasoline – who use the highways – pay the tax. Some items get taxed to discourage their use. This applies to taxes on alcohol, tobacco and gambling — and sometimes unhealthy food, such as soda or candy.Property tax, which is usually paid quarterly, is local government's main source of revenue. Most localities tax private homes, land and business property based on the property's value.Some state and local governments also impose taxes on the value of certain types of "personal" property, including cars, boats, recreational vehicles and livestock.Other taxes imposed on wealth include inheritances and taxes on large gifts individuals make to other people. Read the paragraph from the section "Excise And Property Taxes.Property tax, which is usually paid quarterly, is local government's main source of revenue. Most localities tax private homes, land and business property based on the property's value.Which of the following can be inferred from the paragraph? Everyone who owns a private home pays the same amount of property tax Local governments benefit from high property taxes. Owners of private homes pay more property taxes than owners of business property. Local governments increase property taxes every quarter. The Three Branches of Government(5.C.CP.2, 5.C.CP.3) The Constitution of the United States established three separate branches for our nation’s federal government. This separation was intended to ensure that no one part of the government would ever become too strong. These three branches divide the work of creating, interpreting, and enforcing the laws of the United States. What role does each branch play?Legislative BranchThe legislative branch is Congress. This branchmakesthe laws. Congress is made up of twochambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Every state elects officials to both chambers. Each state elects two members of the Senate, called senators. However, the number of representatives that a state sends to Congress is based on that state’s population. For example, Wyoming has a small population and only has one representative. New York, which has a larger population, has 27 representatives. Senators serve six-year terms, and representatives serve two-year terms.Executive BranchThe second branch of government is the executive branch. The executive in charge of this branch is the president. Unlike kings and emperors whoinherittheir right to run a country from their family, the president is elected by the people of the states. The president cannot make laws. The president’s job is toenforcethe laws made by the legislative branch. To do that, the president has the help of executive departments and agencies. They handle the daily work of administeringfederallaws and programs. The President is also commanderin chiefof the army. The president is elected to servea four-year term. The 22ndAmendment limits a president to two terms, so a president cannot be elected more than twice.Judicial BranchThe judicial branch is the third branch of government. The judicial branchinterpretsthe laws made by Congress. It is made up of a system of federal courts and judges. The highest court in the nation is the Supreme Court of the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court’s most important role is to judge whether a law is unconstitutional. If a law is unconstitutional, the Court has the power to overturn it. The president appointsjusticesto the U.S. Supreme Court, but they have to be confirmed by the Senate. They can serve from the time they are approved until they die or retire. Federal judges make important decisions that affect everyone, so it is important that they are trustworthy and dependable.The United States government is based in Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital. Congress meets in the Capitol Building, and the president lives in the White House. The United States Supreme Court justices meet in the Supreme Court Building. These buildings have come to symbolize, or stand for, the government. Using details from the text above, explain how the 3 Branches of Governments use a checks and balance system to ensure that neither one of them have more power over the other.