UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 



5975 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 



of Commerce and the Department of Labor. 

 The work of each department is explained in a 

 special article. 



Judicial Department. The only court re- 

 quired by the Constitution is the Supreme 

 Court of the United States, but "Congress may, 

 from time to time, ordain and establish" in- 

 ferior courts. Besides the Supreme Court there 

 are nine circuit courts of appeal, ninety-nine 

 district courts, a court of claims, a court of pri- 

 vate land claims, a supreme court and a court 

 of appeals for the District of Columbia, an 

 admiralty court and territorial courts. In addi- 



government. The state controls such intimate 

 matters as education, marriage and divorce, suf- 

 frage, criminal law, property, professions, trades 

 and taxation. Except for the income tax the 

 Federal government levies no direct taxes. 



Each state has a constitution, usually drawn 

 up by a special convention and subsequently 

 approved by the voters. The state govern- 

 ments, in their fundamental features, all re- 

 semble the Federal government. Each state 

 has a legislature of two houses, usually called 

 the senate and the house of representatives. In 

 six states the lower house is the assembly, and 



OBVERSE AND REVERSE SIDES OF THE 



tion to these Federal courts, the states maintain 

 systems of courts, described in the articles on 

 each state. 



Territories and Dependencies. Most of the 

 states admitted to the Union since 1789 were 

 first organized as territories, which are in most 

 respects similar to states, but have no inde- 

 pendent action. The governor and other chief 

 officials are appointed by the President, and the 

 acts of the territorial Irgislature lire subject to 

 tin- approval of Congress. The acquisition of 

 Philippine Islands and Porto Rico aft. r 

 t)>< Spanish- American War presented a new 

 problem in government, which was met by 

 forming territorial organizations. The only t . r- 

 ics now remaining are Alaska, Hawaii and 

 Porto Rico. The Philippine Islands are not, 

 ory. 



State and Local Government. As expla 

 above, all powers not especially granted to the 

 national government are re?< he states. 



In general, it is true that the state stands much 

 closer to its citizens than does the national 



GREAT SEAL, OF THE UNITED STATES 



in three the house of delegates. Usually the 

 term of senators is four years; of representa- 

 tives, two years. The voters elect the execu- 

 tive officers, who are usually a governor, lieu- 

 tenant-governor, secretary of state, treasurer, 

 attorney-general and superintendent of public 

 instruction, although in a number of states the 

 last officer is appointed by the governor. The 

 state courts are of such variety that it is im- 

 possible to summarize them here, except to 

 say that all states have a supreme court, or 

 court of appeals, with a number of lower c<>- 

 The judicial systems of the states are described 

 in the articles on each state. 



Types of Local Government. As the state is 



tin- source of all home government, it provides 



for local administration. There arc three gen- 



s of local government, based on early 



colonial forms: 



( 1 ) In the townihip or New England type, the 

 town or township Is the unit of government 

 The town officers are chosen at an annual meet- 

 Ing of thr voters, and they transact all the pub- 



