At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, delegates from 12 of our 13 original states agreed to replace the unicameral national legislature from the Articles of Confederation with the bicameral national legislature that we now have enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. The original legislature had presented many problems.
The constitutional doctrine of separation of powers designates specific lanes of authority for each branch of the federal government. To protect our liberties through the just rule of law in our republic:
While true, that wasn’t much help to journalists, policymakers or the voting public—and that answer focused on differences, not commonalities. Now, Helping America Vote: Election Administration in the U.S., a new publication from the U.S.
Test your knowledge of the first four lessons of our Civics Crash Course. As a patriotic act for 4th of July - Independence Day, extend your understanding of the American government and share with friends to elevate your celebration!
June 24, 2025
The Honorable Bryan Steil
Chairman
Committee on House Administration
1526 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Joseph D. Morelle
Ranking Member
Committee on House Administration
570 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Steil, Ranking Member Morelle, and Members of the Committee:
American democracy exists within a federal system. Federalism is a form of government that is divided between a central authority and smaller units of power. In the United States, the central authority is the national government seated in Washington, D.C., and the smaller units are our state governments. While the U.S. Constitution delegates crucial powers to the national (federal) government, a significant amount of authority has been set aside for states.
Democracy, fundamentally, is the rule of the people. But what does ‘the people ruling’ look like in practice? Citizens voting for other citizens to serve as representatives in government - that’s the main way popular sovereignty manifests in the United States. Voting is, in fact, the most common method of democratic participation in our republic.
As our nation debated ratification of the Constitution in the late eighteenth century, the Anti-Federalists raised concerns about the danger of federal representatives losing touch with their constituents in a nation as sizable as the United States. They feared Americans could become subject to tyranny, factionalism, and discord if the federal government had too much unchecked power.
Democracy is a system of government in which the people are sovereign. In other words, the fundamental essence of a democracy is rule by the people. A democratic government operates with the consent of the governed based on the popular will.
There are two main types of democracy at work in the United States: Direct Democracy and Representative Democracy.
U.S. Vote Foundation (US Vote) is your go-to spot to get set up to vote, and our trusted services extend beyond Election Day. For democracy to thrive, citizens must be reliably informed between elections in order to prepare to effectively participate at the ballot box. US Vote supports your democratic duty to be a responsible, engaged citizen with our useful tools and instructive resources. We are excited to announce our new Civics Crash Course initiative.