Leaders and Laws: Local, State and National Government

You follow rules at home, at school, and during games. A rule tells people what to do in a place or group. A law is a rule made by a government.

Who made it?

Your family might say, “Put away your toys before dinner.” Your teacher might say, “Raise your hand before speaking.” Those rules belong to a home or class.

A government makes laws for the place it governs. A traffic law applies to drivers there, including visitors. To tell a rule from a law, ask who made it. A rule does not become a law just because it matters.

What problem does it solve?

Rules and laws help keep people safe and protect their things. They also help people share places fairly.

Imagine a town law: “Keep dogs on leashes in the park.” Follow the reason step by step:

1. A loose dog could frighten a child or run into traffic.
2. A leash helps its owner keep the dog close.
3. People and dogs can share the park more safely.

Some laws protect children in cars. Every state requires car seats or booster seats for young children. The exact rules depend on the state. Some places also require bike helmets for children.

When someone breaks a law

A consequence is something that happens because of an action. A driver who speeds may get a ticket and pay a fine. A fine is money paid as a consequence. Serious crimes can lead to jail after a court case.

Police officers help people follow laws and investigate when laws are broken. Courts listen to cases and decide what the law means. In many trials, a jury decides what happened. A judge makes sure the trial is fair and decides the sentence when someone is found guilty. Lawmakers make the laws these workers use.

When a law needs changing

Laws can change. People can tell lawmakers that a law is unfair or no longer helps. Lawmakers can vote to change it or end it. Following a law and asking leaders to improve it can go together.

A government is a group with the power to make and carry out laws. It also settles disagreements and protects rights. Government includes many workers, as well as the leaders you hear about.

Help people live together

Firefighters, public school teachers, mail carriers, and park rangers do government work. Governments keep order, protect people, and provide services. A service is work done to meet people's needs.

Think through a school day. A traffic light helps you cross a road. Teachers teach at your public school. You borrow a book from the library after class. At night, firefighters are ready to help. Governments run or pay for these services.

Courts provide another kind of help. When people disagree about the law, a court can hear both sides. Having a fair way to settle problems helps people live together.

Share the cost

Most government services are paid for with taxes. People and businesses must pay this money to government. It helps pay teachers, repair roads, and buy fire trucks.

Why share a fire department? First, trucks and trained firefighters cost a lot. Next, each family needs them only once in a while. Sharing the cost helps keep a team ready for the whole town. You can use a public service even when you could not buy it by yourself.

The people choose representatives

In a democracy, power belongs to the people. The United States is a representative democracy, also called a republic. Voters choose representatives to make laws and other decisions for them. With more than 330 million people, the country cannot have everyone gather to vote on every law.

The idea that government gets its power from the people is called consent of the governed. The people choose leaders to work for them. The President is one leader in this much larger system.

Countries can have different plans

Mexico also has an elected president. Canada and the United Kingdom have a prime minister who leads the government. They also have a king. In some countries, people cannot choose their leaders. The way leaders get power matters, as well as the names of their jobs.

Your home has more than one government. The United States has three main levels: local, state, and national. A level tells you the area a government serves.

Places inside places

Local government serves a town, city, or county. State government serves one of the 50 states. National government serves the whole country. Another name for national government is federal government.

Imagine boxes inside boxes. A town sits inside a state. The state sits inside the United States. You live under these governments at the same time. If you live outside a town or city, your county is usually your main local government.

Ella lives in Dayton, Ohio. Follow her places outward:

1. Her city is Dayton, in Montgomery County. Both have local governments.
2. Her state is Ohio. Its government is based in Columbus.
3. Her nation is the United States. Its capital is Washington, D.C.

Leaders and meeting places

A town often has a mayor. Some cities also have a city manager who runs daily services. A governor leads a state, and the President leads the nation. Most states have counties; Louisiana uses parishes, and Alaska has boroughs and other county-like areas.

Local leaders may meet in city hall or town hall. State lawmakers meet in a state capitol building. A capital is a city where government is based. A capitol is a building for lawmakers. The “o” in capitol can remind you of a round dome.

Congress meets in the U.S. Capitol. The President works in the White House. The Supreme Court has its own building. All three are in Washington, D.C. That city is the District of Columbia, outside any state. It is different from Washington state.

Tribal governments

More than 570 American Indian and Alaska Native tribes have governments recognized by the United States. Tribal governments can make laws for their people and lands. They can run schools, police, and courts. The Navajo Nation has a president, a council, and courts. Tribal members are also U.S. citizens.

Shared work, different powers

The President is not the governor's boss. The governor is not the mayor's boss. Each has jobs of their own. All must follow the U.S. Constitution. When laws clash, a national law that follows the Constitution comes first.

A broken town swing and a lost passport need different kinds of help. To find the right government, think about the area and who runs the service.

Compare the jobs

Public schools are usually run by local school districts. State rules guide what children learn. Local laws are often called ordinances. An ordinance might set the hours for a town park.

Use the clues

Try these steps when you meet a new problem:

1. Find the place. Is it one town, a whole state, or the nation?
2. Name the service. Who runs it?
3. Choose the government that can help. Some work is shared.

A pothole on Elm Street is on a town street. Street repair there is local work. A family needs a fishing license for their state. Licenses like that come from state government. A letter is lost in the mail. The national government's Postal Service handles mail.

Size is a useful clue, but it is not the only clue. A national park can be inside one state. It is still run by the national government. Look at the name and the service, too.

When governments share a job

Schools get money from local, state, and national governments. Towns repair their streets, states build highways, and national money helps pay for major highways. There are also local police, state police, and federal agencies such as the FBI. Seeing several governments help does not mean they all do the same task.

Mia wants a crosswalk on a street owned by her town. First, she finds who owns the street. Next, she writes to the mayor or city council. Those local leaders can act on town streets. The President does not choose where that town paints a crosswalk.

States also make some different laws. Driving ages and bike helmet rules can differ across states. National laws apply across the country.

A branch is a part of government with its own job. The nation and every state have three branches. Sharing the work keeps one person or group from doing everything.

Three jobs

Legislative starts with L, like laws. Executive starts with E, like enforce. To enforce a law means to help make sure people follow it. Judicial starts with J, like judges.

Lawmakers discuss a bill, an idea for a law, and vote on it. One way a national bill becomes law is for both parts of Congress to pass it and the President to sign it.

Follow one law

Imagine a state wants to help children avoid bike injuries.

1. State lawmakers discuss a bill requiring helmets for riders under 16. They vote to pass it. This is legislative work.
2. The governor signs the bill. State workers explain the new law and help put it into action. This is executive work.
3. Later, a family questions how the law was used. A court listens to the case and applies the law. This is judicial work.

Branches can check each other

Checks and balances let one branch stop another from going too far. The President can veto a bill, which means refuse to approve it. Congress can still pass it over the veto. That takes a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.

Courts can also decide whether a law goes against the Constitution. So passing a bill does not let lawmakers ignore the country's highest law. The President can also suggest ideas for laws.

“State” and “executive” tell you different things about a job. A level tells you where the government works. A branch tells you which kind of work it does.

Use two questions

First ask, “Which level?” Next ask, “Which job?” A governor works for a state and carries out laws. That makes the governor part of the state executive branch.

A state legislature is the group of state lawmakers. Like Congress, most state legislatures have two parts. Nebraska's has one. Some states call their legislature the General Assembly.

Try the chart

Who makes laws for a state?

1. Pick the state row.
2. Find the job “makes laws.”
3. Read across: the state legislature.

Who judges a case in a state court? Stay in the state row, but move to the court job. You get state judges, not the governor. Sharing a level does not mean sharing a branch.

Towns have different plans

Many towns have a council that makes local laws. A mayor may lead daily work, or the council may hire a city manager. Some small New England towns hold town meetings. Residents vote on local laws themselves.

Local government does not always divide jobs into three separate branches. In some places, one group has both lawmaking and daily-work jobs. Learn how your own local government is set up.

People and buildings

Congress is the people who make national laws. The U.S. Capitol is their meeting building. A building cannot vote on a bill. When you name a branch, name the people or group doing the work.

Your mayor, governor, and President work in different places. Their jobs are connected, but each has work of their own.

Three leaders

In some cities, the mayor leads daily services and helps plan the budget. A budget is a plan for spending money. In Dayton, Ohio, a hired city manager runs daily services. The mayor leads meetings and speaks for the city.

A governor helps plan state spending and leads the state's National Guard. The President is commander in chief, the leader of the armed forces. The President also chooses advisers called the Cabinet. The Vice President helps the President and takes over if the President dies, resigns, or is removed.

Follow a storm

A storm knocks trees onto town streets. The mayor or city manager can send town workers. If a wildfire spreads across counties, the governor can send state help. When a hurricane damages several states, the President can send national help. Governments can work together during the same emergency.

How long do leaders serve?

A term is a set time in a job. Voters choose governors, usually for four years. Governors in New Hampshire and Vermont serve two-year terms. Mayor terms depend on the town.

Presidential elections happen every four years. A President can be elected at most twice. To become President, a person must be at least 35, be a U.S. citizen from birth, and have lived in the country for at least 14 years.

Find the leaders serving now

Visit an official town or state website with a grown-up. A teacher or librarian can also help you find current names. Check that the information is up to date. An election may have changed who holds the job.

Every leader must follow the Constitution and the law. Holding a powerful job does not let someone do anything they want.

Lawmakers and judges have different jobs. Lawmakers decide on laws. Judges lead courts and apply laws to cases.

Two parts of Congress

Every state has two senators, big or small. House seats depend on population, which means how many people live there. Every state has at least one voting representative. After the 2020 census, California had 52, Texas had 38, Ohio had 15, and Wyoming had 1.

A district is an area whose voters choose a representative. If you live in a state, two U.S. senators and one House member represent your home. Your House member serves your district. Your senators serve your whole state.

Members of Congress write bills, vote, and decide on national spending. They also listen to people they represent. State lawmakers do similar work for a state.

Inside a court

A judge listens to a case and decides what laws mean. In many trials, a jury listens to the facts and decides what happened. The judge helps keep the trial fair. When a person is found guilty, a judge decides the sentence under the law.

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. Its nine judges are called justices. One is the Chief Justice. Other courts must follow its decisions about what the U.S. Constitution means.

How judges are chosen

The President chooses Supreme Court justices and other federal judges. The Senate must approve those choices. Supreme Court justices and most other federal judges can serve for life. State judges may be elected or appointed, depending on state rules.

A federal judge decides cases independently. The judge can rule against the President who chose them. A lifetime job helps judges decide without having to win the next election.

An election chooses leaders by voting. A candidate wants the job. A voter makes a choice on a ballot, which can be paper or a screen.

From ideas to votes

1. Candidates announce that they want to run.
2. They campaign by sharing ideas in speeches, debates, and visits.
3. Voters learn about the candidates and their plans.
4. Each voter marks a ballot in private.
5. The votes are counted.
6. The winner takes office for a term.

A secret ballot protects your choice. You do not have to tell anyone how you voted. In most U.S. elections, the candidate with the most votes wins.

For example, Ana Lopez gets 2,346 votes for mayor. Ben Carter gets 1,987. Ana wins by 359 votes. Together, they receive 4,333 votes.

Who can vote, and when?

To vote in the general election for President, Congress, or governor, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18. Voters must also meet their state's rules. Most states require voters to register, or sign up, before voting. Many allow early voting or mail voting.

National Election Day is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Presidential elections are four years apart, such as 2024 and 2028. In 2028, Election Day is November 7. House elections happen every two years.

The President and the Electoral College

The Electoral College is the system used to choose the President. Voters in each state choose electors. Each state has as many electors as its two senators plus its House members. Washington, D.C., has three.

There are 538 electors altogether. Winning the Electoral College takes at least 270 electoral votes, more than half. In most states, the candidate with the most votes there wins all that state's electoral votes. The national popular vote and electoral vote are different counts.

Some leaders are appointed

To appoint someone means to choose them for a job. The President chooses Cabinet members and federal judges, with Senate approval. A mayor or council may appoint a police chief or fire chief. Voters do not choose every government worker.

You can practice with a class election. It helps you learn to listen and choose. Its ballots do not count in a government election.

The Constitution is the written plan for the U.S. government. It sets up the branches, explains how leaders are chosen, and limits government power. Every other law must follow it. That is why it is called the supreme law of the land.

A new plan

After the American Revolution, the first plan was the Articles of Confederation. The national government was too weak to do important work. For example, it could not collect taxes.

Leaders met in Philadelphia in 1787 to make a new plan. George Washington led the meeting. James Madison helped plan so much that he is called the “Father of the Constitution.” They signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787. The new government began in 1789, with Washington as President.

Constitution Day is September 17 each year. The original document is kept at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Courts still use the Constitution to decide cases today.

What “We the People” means

The opening is called the Preamble. It begins, “We the People of the United States.” These words show that government power comes from the people.

The Preamble gives the government's goals: bring the states together, treat people fairly, keep peace at home, protect the country, help people live well, and protect freedom for future generations.

Two documents, different jobs

The Declaration spoke about people's rights. The Constitution gave the country a plan for governing.

Changing the plan

An amendment is a change or addition to the Constitution. There are 27 amendments. The first ten became the Bill of Rights in 1791.

The usual path starts with a two-thirds vote in both parts of Congress. Then three-fourths of the states must approve the amendment. With 50 states, that means at least 38. Changing the plan takes wide agreement.

Amendments have expanded voting rights. The 19th Amendment, in 1920, protected women's right to vote. The 26th Amendment, in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18.

The Constitution shares power in two ways. It divides work between the nation and states. It also divides national work among three branches.

Power across levels

The federal system shares power between the national and state governments.

The Tenth Amendment keeps powers for the states or people when the Constitution neither gives them to the nation nor forbids them to states. Both parts of that rule matter. States must still follow the U.S. Constitution.

Power across branches

Separation of powers means splitting work among the branches. Article I describes Congress. Article II describes the President. Article III describes the courts.

Checks and balances give branches ways to limit each other. The President can veto a bill from Congress. The President chooses Supreme Court justices, but the Senate must approve them. Courts can decide that a law violates the Constitution. That law then cannot be enforced.

Follow the choice of a justice. First, the President names a person. Next, the Senate decides whether to approve that choice. The President cannot make that choice final alone. After approval, the justice decides cases independently.

Leaders must follow the law

The rule of law means everyone must follow the law, including leaders. The Bill of Rights limits what government can do to people. Winning an election does not let a leader take away protected freedoms.

Plans for states and cities

Every state has its own state constitution. Like the national plan, it sets up three branches and protects rights. It is for one state, is often longer, and is usually changed more often. It cannot take away rights protected by the U.S. Constitution. Many tribal nations have constitutions, too.

Local governments receive power from their states. Many cities have a charter, a written plan for city government. That plan must follow the state's rules. So a city plan, a state plan, and the national Constitution work together.

A right is a freedom or protection that government must respect. You have rights as a child. Many rights protect everyone in the United States, including people who are not citizens.

Five First Amendment freedoms

The First Amendment protects these freedoms:

• Religion: follow a religion, or follow none.
• Speech: share ideas, including ideas leaders dislike.
• Press: report news and opinions about leaders and events.
• Assembly: gather peacefully with others.
• Petition: ask government to act or change something.

A newspaper can report that a mayor made a mistake. That is freedom of the press. Neighbors can gather peacefully to ask for a playground. That is assembly. A signed request sent to their council is a petition. People can use several freedoms while working on one problem.

Fair treatment

The Bill of Rights also protects people accused of crimes. They have a right to a fair trial, often with a jury. Police usually need a judge's permission, called a warrant, to search a home. These protections help keep government from treating people unfairly.

Children also have protection from harm. Every state provides free public schools for children.

Citizens and voting

A citizen is an official member of a country. Some people are citizens from birth. Others become citizens through naturalization. Many adults doing this study government and history and take a test.

Some rights, such as voting for President and serving on a jury, belong to citizens. Voting rights have grown over time. The 15th Amendment, in 1870, banned denying a citizen the vote because of race. The 19th Amendment, in 1920, protected women's voting rights. The 26th Amendment, in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18. These rules did not remove every unfair barrier at once.

Freedoms have limits

Freedom of speech protects many ideas that other people dislike. It does not protect serious threats to hurt someone. The right to assemble protects peaceful gatherings.

Schools can have rules for learning, such as taking turns during a lesson. You can share your ideas while letting others speak. Having a right to speak does not mean having every turn.

A responsibility is something you are expected to do. Rights and responsibilities work together. You can speak, and you should give other people a turn. You can use a park, and you should care for it.

Duties and choices

Adults must obey laws and pay taxes they owe. Citizens called for jury duty must attend unless the court excuses them. Jurors listen carefully to the facts so people can have fair trials.

Voting, learning about issues, and respecting others' rights are important civic responsibilities. Voting is a choice in the United States. There is no law making everyone vote.

Start with what you can do

You can be honest even when a mistake is hard to admit. You can treat people fairly and include others in a game. Returning library books on time lets someone else borrow them. Picking up your litter keeps shared places pleasant for everyone.

Imagine you borrow the last book about turtles. Someone else is waiting for it. You enjoy the book, then bring it back on time. You used a service and helped the next reader use it, too.

People who helped others

Sojourner Truth spoke against slavery and for women's rights. Clara Barton cared for wounded soldiers and founded the American Red Cross in 1881. Navajo Code Talkers used their language to send secret U.S. military messages during World War II. In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges bravely attended a formerly all-white school in New Orleans.

Their actions differed, but each involved helping others or standing up for fair treatment. Age does not stop you from acting fairly and bravely.

A right or a responsibility?

Speaking at a council meeting uses your rights to speech and petition. Listening and waiting your turn show responsibility. Voting can be both a right and a way to take responsibility for your community.

Taking part is called participation. You can learn about problems, share ideas, volunteer, and practice voting. You already have ways to help.

Find out, then choose who can act

Read news for kids or talk with a grown-up. You can visit an official government website together or watch a council meeting. Find out what the problem is before choosing a solution.

Match your message to the job. A town problem goes to town leaders. Outside a town, county leaders may be the right people. A state law goes to state lawmakers or the governor. A national law goes to members of Congress.

Write a useful letter

Suppose a swing is broken in a town park. Your letter can follow this plan:

1. Greet the leader and say who you are.
2. Explain the problem: the broken swing could hurt someone.
3. Suggest a solution: ask the city to repair it.
4. Give your reason and thank the reader.

For example: “Dear Mayor Brooks, My name is Jayden. I am in third grade. The swings at Oak Park are broken. Could the city fix them before summer? Kids could get hurt. Thank you for reading my letter. Sincerely, Jayden.”

A petition is another way to ask government to act. One person or many people can sign it. Town council meetings often give residents time to speak, too.

Give your time

To volunteer means to help without being paid. You could join a park cleanup, a food drive, or a library reading program. A grown-up can help you find a suitable activity.

Practice a fair vote

A class of 25 chooses a name for its fish. Bubbles gets 11 votes, Nemo gets 8, and Finn gets 6. Bubbles wins because 11 is the most votes.

A majority is more than half. More than half of 25 means at least 13. Bubbles has the most votes but does not have a majority. Those are different ideas.

Listen to other people's reasons. Accept the result of a fair vote, even when your choice loses. You can keep sharing ideas politely and ask leaders to remember their promises.