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一．美国the3branchesoftheU.Sfederalgovernmentthelegislativebranch(立法机构)theexecutivebranch(行政机构)thejudicialbranch(司法机构)(1)thelegislativebranchThelegislativebranchismadeupofelectedrepresentativesfromallofthestatesandistheonlybranchthatcanmakefederallaws,levyfederaltaxes,declarewarorputforeigntreatiesintoeffect.ItconsistsofaCongressthatisdividedintotwohouses.1）TheHouseofRepresentatives（众议院）Itcompriseslawmakerswhoservetwo-yearterms.Eachmemberrepresentsadistrictinhisorherhomestate.Thenumberofdistrictsinastateisdeterminedbyacountofthepopulationtakenevery10years.2）TheSenate（参议院）Itcompriseslawmakerswhoservesix-yearterms.Eachstate,regardlessofpopulation,hastwosenators.One-thirdoftheSenateiselectedeverytwoyears.ThemaindutyoftheCongressistomakelaws,includingthosewhichlevytaxesthatpayfortheworkofthefederalgovernment.Alawbeginsasaproposalcalledabill.WhenbothhousesofCongresspassabillonwhichtheyagree,itissenttothepresidentforhissignature.Onlyafteritissigneddoesthebillbecomealaw.(2)TheexecutivebranchThechiefexecutiveoftheUnitedStatesisthepresident,who,togetherwiththevicepresident,iselectedtoafour-yearterm.UnderaConstitutionalAmendment（修正案）passedin1951,apresidentcanbeelectedtoonlytwoterms.Thepowersofthepresidencyareformidable:thechiefformulatorofpublicpolicycommanderinchiefofthearmedforcesproposeslegislationtoCongressvetoanybillpassedbyCongress(Thevetocanbeoverriddenbyatwo-thirdsvoteinboththeSenateandHouseofRepresentatives.)hasbroadpowerstoissueregulationsanddirectivesregardingtheworkofthefederalgovernment'smanydepartmentsandagencies.hastheauthoritytoappointfederaljudgesasvacanciesoccur,includingmembersoftheSupremeCourt.(subjecttoconfirmationbytheSenate)appointstheheadsandseniorofficialsofthemajordepartmentsofthegovernmentwhocollectivelymakeupthepresident'scabinet.(thelargemajorityoffederalworkers,however,areselectedthroughanonpoliticalcivilservicesystem.)(confirmedbytheSenate)primarilyresponsibleforhandlingforeignrelationscaneasilyinfluencepublicopinion.(3)ThejudicialbranchThejudicialbranchisheadedbytheSupremeCourtwithachiefjusticeand8associatejustices.Therearealso13federalcourtsofappealand94federaldistrictcourts.Federaljudgesareappointedforlife,andcanonlyberemovedfromofficethroughtheprocessofimpeachmentandtrialintheCongress.TheSupremeCourthasthejudicialreviewpower(司法复审权),thepowerdeterminingwhethercongressionallegislationorexecutiveactionviolatestheConstitution（最高法院决定国会法案或行政法令是否违宪)Thepowerofjudicialreviewisnotprovidedforbytheconstitution.It’sthecourt’sinterpretationofitsconstitutionalRoleasestablishedintheMarburyVs.Madisoncaseof1803.（马伯里对麦迪逊案）“checksandbalances(制约与平衡的原则)”Thesystemof“checksandbalances”ofthethree-partnationalgovernmentworkstokeepseriousmistakesfrombeingmadebyonebranchoranother.Examples:IfCongressproposesalawthatthepresidentthinksisunwise,thepresidentcanvetoit.Thatmeanstheproposaldoesnotbecomelaw.Congresscanenactthelawdespitethepresident'sviewsonlyiftwo-thirdsofthemembersofbothhousesvoteinfavorofit.Thepresidenthasthepowertomaketreatieswithothernationsandtomakeallappointmentstofederalpositions,includingthepositionofSupremeCourtjustice.TheSenate,however,mustapprovealltreatiesandconfirmallappointmentsbeforetheybecomeofficial.InthiswaytheCongresscanpreventthepresidentfrommakingunwiseappointments.TheideaofchecksandbalanceswasfirstprovidedintheFederalistPapers.《联邦党人文集》二、美国两大政党PoliticalpartiesTherearetwomajorpoliticalpartiesinUS.OneistheDemocraticParty,whichevolvedoutofThomasJefferson'sparty,formedbefore1800.Thesymbolofthepartyisthedonkey.TheotheristheRepublicanParty,whichwasformedinthe1850s,bypeopleinthestatesoftheNorthandWest.ThesymboloftheRepublicanPartyistheelephant.PoliticalpartiesareorganizedgroupsofpeoplewhoshareasetofideasabouthowtheUnitedStatesshouldbegovernedandwhoworktogethertohavemembersoftheirgroupelectedinordertoinfluencethegoverningofthecountry.WhenmembersofapoliticalpartyformamajorityinCongress,theyhavegreatpowerstodecidewhatkindsoflawswillbepassed.MostAmericanstodayconsidertheDemocraticPartythemoreliberalparty.TheDemocratsearnedthatreputationinthe1930swhentherewasaworldwideeconomicdepression.UnderPresidentFranklinRoosevelt'sNewDealplan,Democratssetupgovernmentprogramsthatprovidedpaidemploymentforpeoplebuildingdamsandroadsandpublicbuildings.ThegovernmentundertheDemocraticPartyestablishedmanyotherprograms,includingSocialSecurity(社会保障制度),whichensuresthatthosewhoareretiredordisabledreceivemonthlypaymentsfromthegovernment.RepublicansplacemoreemphasisonprivateenterpriseandoftenaccusetheDemocratsofmakingthegovernmenttooexpensiveandofcreatingtoomanylawsthatharmindividualinitiative.Forthatreason,AmericanstendtothinkoftheRepublicanPartyasmoreconservative.Americansdonothavetojoinapoliticalpartyinordertovoteortobeacandidateforpublicoffice.However,runningforofficewithoutthemoneyandcampaignworkersapartycanprovideisdifficult.三、美国改革独立宣言TheAmericanRevolution1.Thecauses:(1)Bytheearly1760s,the13EnglishcoloniesinNorthAmericahaddevelopedasimilarAmericanpatterninpolitics,economyandculturallifeandenjoyedthesamefrontierenviron