Once America was free from Great Britain, it needed to decide how to run the new country. The nation's founders split the government into three branches. This ensured that no one person would have too much power. This system keeps us free!

Shelly Buchanan, M.S. Educational Media, is a middle school librarian, educational coach, freelance writer, and Ph.D. student in library and information sciences. She previously taught middle and high school English, where she enjoyed working with students using the kid-powered reading and writing workshop model of instruction.