When the new constitution was adopted in 1787, the structure of the infant government of the United States called for three separate branches, each with their own powers and a system of checks and balances. This would ensure that no one branch would ever become too powerful because the other branches would always be able to check the power of the other two. These branches work together to run the country and set guidelines for us all to live by the legislative branch is described in Article one of the U.S. Constitution. Many people feel that the Founding Fathers put this branch in the document first because they thought it was the most important. The legislative branch is comprised of 100 U.S. senators and 435 members in the U.S. House of Representatives. This is better known as the U.S. Congress. Making laws is a primary function of the legislative branch, but it is also responsible for approving federal judges and justices, passing the national budget and declaring war. Each state gets two senators and some number of representatives, depending on how many people live in that state. The executive branch is described in Article two of the Constitution. The leaders of this branch of government are the president and vice president who are responsible for enforcing the laws that Congress sets forth. The president works closely with a group of advisers known as the Cabinet. These appointed helpers assist the president in making important decisions within their area of expertise, such as defense, the Treasury and Homeland Security.