The United States fought five wars in the 1900s: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War. In 1917, 2 million American soldiers went to France to help end World War I. The United States joined France, Britain, and Russia in a war against Germany and Austria-Hungary. The war ended in 1918.

The president vetoes bills. The president has the power to stop a bill from becoming a law. The president can refuse to sign a bill that Congress approved. This is called a veto. The bill is sent back to Congress without the president’s signature. Congress can change the bill or vote again. If two-thirds of the House of Representatives and two-thirds of the Senate vote to override the veto, it becomes a law without the president’s signature.

Franklin Roosevelt was president of the United States during the Great Depression and World War II. Franklin Roosevelt became president in 1933. The United States economy was weak. Banks failed. Many people did not have jobs. Franklin Roosevelt tried to fix the economy. He made rules for banks and the stock market. He started programs to create jobs and help workers across the country. The United States joined World War II in 1941. Americans joined Britain and the Soviet Union to fight against Germany, Italy, and Japan. Franklin Roosevelt was the president until he died in 1945. Roosevelt led America through the challenges of the Great Depression and World War II.

The president of the United States is the leader of the executive branch. The president enforces the laws of the United States.

The system of checks and balances stops one branch of the federal government from becoming too powerful. The United States government is divided into three separate branches. They are the president, Congress, and the courts. Here is an example of how this works. Congress makes laws. But the president can veto a law. That means the president can refuse to sign it. The law is then sent back to Congress. This is one way the president limits, or _x0093_checks,_x0094_ the power of Congress.

Capitalism is the economic system in the United States. It is a market economy. Capitalism means that people, not the government, own most businesses. In the United States, businesses decide what to sell. They decide how much money to charge for products and services. Then people decide what they want to buy. This is called a market economy. The economy is controlled by individual people and businesses, not by the government. The United States has a capitalist, market economy.

We vote for the president in November. In 1845, Congress decided that November was the perfect month to have elections. At that time, most American citizens lived on farms. By November, farmers had finished harvesting their crops. They could leave the farm to vote. Also, November was not as cold as the winter months. Bad weather would not stop people from voting.

The powers of the United States government are listed in the Constitution. The powers of the federal government include the power to print money, create an army, and make treaties. Another is the power to declare war. The president can ask Congress for a declaration of war. In 1941, after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war. Congress voted to declare war and the United States entered World War II.

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party are the two major political parties in the United States. Political parties are groups of people who organize to help candidates win elections and to create public policies. The members of the two major political parties are called the Democrats and the Republicans. The symbol of a donkey represents the Democrats. The symbol of an elephant represents the Republicans. Party membership is voluntary. Many people belong to a political party.

The judicial branch reviews laws and explains laws. It resolves disagreements. It also decides if a law is supported by the Constitution, or is constitutional. The Supreme Court and all other federal courts are part of the judicial branch.