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Washington, D.C., was created to be the center of the United States government. And government business goes on in buildings all across the city.
The founders of the United States wanted to make sure that no leader ever had too much power. That’s why they created a government with three branches. Each can limit the power of the others. The legislative branch is the two houses of Congress. It makes the laws that govern the country. The executive branch is headed by the president, who lives in the White House. It enforces national laws. The judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Court. It makes sure that national laws and the president’s actions are legal. It does that by comparing them to the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land.
Washington started out small. It was a small government for a small nation. But as the nation grew, so did the government. Here are some places in Washington, D.C., where government happens every day.
