U.S. Government

Federal Government

Outline of the U.S. Government
What makes U.S. government uniquely American...its Constitution, the separation of powers, the concept of “checks and balances,” the decentralized roles of state and local governments, and a citizenry with wide opportunity to be part of it all.

About America: How the U.S. is Governed (pdf - 1.10MB)
"How the United States Is Governed" describes how federal, state, and local governments are elected, how they operate, and how the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government relate under the U.S. constitutional system. It also highlights how nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other institutions allow Americans to influence and shape government policy.

U.S. Government Manual
Information on the agencies of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the U.S. government.

USA Elections in Brief
A background guide to the entire U.S. electoral system, from federal, state, local, and primary elections to related topics such as polling and the role of the parties and the media.

Executive Branch

• The White House
• The Cabinet
• U.S. Department of State
• Federal Agencies and Commisions
• Official US Executive Branch Web Sites
• Executive Branch Documents (Budget, Economic Report of the President, CFR, FR, Public papers of the President, Statistical Abstract, etc.)

 Legislative Branch

• U.S. House of Representatives
• U.S. Senate

Judicial Branch

• Supreme Court of the United States
• Links to Federal Courts
• Uunderstanding the Federal Courts (pdf-1.29MB)

Search engines for Federal Government Information

• Citizens' Handbook: Your Guide to the U.S. Government
• USA.gov
• Sources of Government Information
• Federal Web Locator

State and Local Governments

• State and Local Governments
• Council of State Governments
• National Conference of State Legislatures
• The National Association of Counties
• National League of Cities (NLC)

Publications about U.S Government

• Government Periodicals