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The Evolving United States Government Essays

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Like nature, the United States government has evolved to meet the demands of an ever growing population, the increasing terrorist threat, and a new state of mind in terms of what government should look like. Each branch of the federal system plays a key role in controlling the populace. The Executive branch handles day-to-day maintenance of the federal government, makes sure laws are enforced and carried out, as well as represents the U.S. to foreign interests. The Legislative branch passes laws and allocates funds for use in running the federal government and providing assistance to the states. The Judicial branch hears cases that involve disputes between interpretations of the laws or those that challenge them. A delicate balance …show more content…

Cuba, due to the sinking of the U.S. Maine was taken over, and is now regulated by the U.S. government as a result of the Spanish-American War, while China was forced to keep an Open Door Policy, which caused the Boxer Rebellion. After World War Two, America became the leading world power, the foreign policy opened up with the creation of the United Nations, Marshall Plan, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. During the Cold War, the main objective was to prevent the spread of Communism; however, afterwards global peace became the main objective ("War…”). Third, what changes have been made to each power? The executive branch has grown the most since the late 1800’s. Abraham Lincoln used his position as Commander-in-Chief, and used the Chief Executive Clause in his Emancipation Proclamation to build an army to take over the South, as well as, suspended liberties (habeas corpus). This showed the executive branch gained power in times of war, causing it to have more power than the other branches (Yoo, John). Theodore Roosevelt used all powers of the president to further his agendas, without extending from the Constitution. In his “Square Deal”, he pressed for more government involvement in the U.S. economy and regulation of business, as well as, more legislative powers for the president. ("American…”). Woodrow Wilson’s “New Freedom” created the Federal

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