The federal government of the United States U. The U. Constitution in the Congress , the president , and the federal courts , respectively. Supreme Court. In the federal division of power, the federal government shares sovereignty with each of the 50 states in their respective territories. The full name of the republic is the "United States of America". No other name appears in the Constitution , and this is the name that appears on money, in treaties, and in legal cases to which the nation is a party.
The terms "Government of the United States of America" or "United States Government" are often used in official documents to represent the federal government as distinct from the states collectively.
In casual conversation or writing, the term "Federal Government" is often used, and the term "U. Government" is sometimes used. The terms "Federal" and "National" in government agency or program names generally indicate affiliation with the federal government; for instance, the Federal Bureau of Investigation , National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , and National Park Service.
Because the seat of government is in Washington, D. The following year, in July , delegates to the Second Continental Congress , gathered at present-day Independence Hall in the colonial capital of Philadelphia , unanimously adopted the United States Declaration of Independence with each of the 56 colonial-era delegates signing it. In September , the Thirteen Colonies ultimately prevailed over the British in the Revolutionary War, establishing the United States as an independent nation.
On March 4, , again gathered in Philadelphia, the colonies ratified and adopted the Constitution of the United States , which established the nation's federal rule of law and was largely based on federalism , republicanism and democracy.
