Powers, Checks and Balances

Which example shows how branches of government interact with each other?

• The Supreme Court rules on a case.

• The House of Representatives votes on a bill.

• The president recommends legislation to Congress.

• The president signs a treaty with a country in Europe

How is the power of the judicial branch limited by the U.S. Constitution?

• It lacks the authority to approve new legislation.

• It lacks the authority to hand down punishments.

• It lacks the authority to evaluate the actions of government officials.

• It lacks the authority to make people appear in court without their consent.

Which of these excerpts from the United States Constitution best reflects the principle of checks and balances?

• “This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States . . . shall be the supreme Law of the Land. . . .”

• “The [listing] in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be [interpreted] to deny . . . others retained by the people.”

• “All persons born or naturalized in the United States . . . are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

• “Every Bill which shall have passed [Congress] shall, before it becomes a Law, be presented to the President of the United States.”

Read the following excerpt and answer the question below. …[W]henever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government… -Declaration of Independence, 1776 Source: National Archives/Public Domain

Which political principle is reflected in this quote?

• class warfare

• social contract

• order of succession

• separation of powers

The concept of separation and balance of powers in the Constitution refers to:

• a separation of powers between various executive departments.

• a separation of powers between the national and state governments.

• a separation of powers between separate and coequal branches of government.

• a separation of individual rights from the rights that are granted to state governments

Read the following chart and answer the question below.

Which column correctly explains how the legislative branch can check the power of the executive and judicial branches?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Th following statements describe two events relating to the U.S. government....

A. The U.S. Supreme Court declares a law created by Congress unconstitutional

B. Congress passes a new tax law and the Internal Revenue Service enforces it.

What constitutional principles are demonstrated in examples A and B?

• Example A: checks and balances; Example B: separation of powers

• Example A: checks and balances; Example B: judicial review

• Example A: separation of powers; Example B: individual rights

• Example A: separation of powers; Example B: checks and balances

Read the following information and answer the question below.

The federal government is divided into three branches: the executive power, granted to the president; the legislative power, given to Congress (the House of Representatives and the Senate); and the judicial power, vested in one Supreme Court and other federal courts created by Congress. The Constitution provides a system of checks and balances designed to avoid the tyranny of any one branch. Most important actions require the participation of more than one branch of government.

For example, Congress passes laws, but the president can veto them. The executive branch prosecutes persons for criminal violations, but they must be tried by the courts.

Which statement about the executive branch should be added to the information?

• When prosecuting a suspect, the executive branch must secure funds from the legislative branch.

• When building a court system, the executive branch must gain approval from the judicial branch.

• When appointing judges, the executive branch must gain approval from the legislative branch.

• When vetoing a law, the executive branch must wait for approval from the judicial branch.

The statement below was written by John Adams in April 1776.

A representation of the people in one assembly being obtained, a question arises, whether all the powers of government, legislative, executive, and judicial, shall be left in this body? I think a people cannot be long free, nor ever happy, whose government is in one assembly.

Source: Thoughts on Government, Letter of John Adams

Which basic principle of American government is John Adams describing in this statement?

• separation of powers

• individual rights

• natural laws

• civic virtue

Look at the following table and answer the question below

Which letters match the column numbers in the chart?

• A 1, B 2, C 3

• B 1, C 2, A 3

• A 1, C 2, B 3

• C 1, A 2, B 3