American Political Structures

Definition

American political structures refer to the various institutions, systems, and processes that shape governance in the United States. This includes branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial), federalism (division between national and state governments), checks and balances, elections, political parties, etc.

Related terms

Separation of Powers: The division of governmental power into three branches (legislative, executive, judicial) to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Federalism: A system where power is divided between a central/national government and regional/state governments.

Checks and Balances: Mechanisms in place to ensure no single branch or level of government becomes too dominant by allowing each branch to limit the powers of others.