On the previous page is a map that shows the boundaries of all 50 states that make up the United States of America and Washington, DC, our nation's capital. Even though Alaska and Hawaii are separated geographically from the other 48 states, citizens of these states are as much a part of the United States as we are in North Carolina.
All other states have state officials just as we have in North Carolina, and every state also has national officials whose responsibilities cover the entire country. National officials (also called U.S. officials) meet in Washington, DC, to do their work in one of the three branches of the federal government.
The American system of government is established by the United States Constitution, which provides for three separate but equal branches of government -- legislative, executive, and judicial. Together, these branches make, execute, and interpret the laws that govern our country. Because each branch has both individual and shared powers, no one branch has more authority than the other two, and each is accountable to the others. This "checks and balances" system means that the balance of power in our government remains steady.
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