Three Branches of Government The United States government is like a great tree. Its roots are a collection of rules known as the U.S. Constitution Its strong branches reach far and wido. The government has three branchos: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. Each branch is equally powerful. Why does the author compare the government to a tree? to describe the beauty of history to illustrate the strength of new laws to show that things are related in government and nature to connect new information to something familiar