Branches of Government/Checks and Balances Quiz

Label what parts of our government systems go with each branch of government.

e

d

f

g

h

c

b

a

House of Reps

Senate

Supreme Court

Congress

enforces laws

makes laws

interprets laws

President

What is checks and balances?

• A system of accounting for the finances of each branch of government.

• A system to ensure that the federal government has more power than the state governments.

• A system to ensure that states have more power than the federal government.

• A system that ensures that each branch of government has some power over the others.

How many representatives are in the House of Representatives and the Senate?

• House=435; Senate=100

• House=100; Senate=435

• House=435; Senate=9

• House=9; Senate=100

Match the correct qualifications to each branch of government.

Groups:

(a) President

,

(b) Senator

,

(c) Representative

• must live in district they represent

• 30 years old

• 35 years old

• natural born citizen

• live in state they represent

• 25 years old

• citizen 9 years

• live in US 14 years

• citizen 7 years

Match each branch of government with their powers.

Groups:

(a) President (Executive)

,

(b) Congress (Legislative)

,

(c) Judicial (Supreme Court)

• Pardons people

• declares war

• impeaches justices

• overrides vetoes

• negotiates treaties

• impeaches President

• can overturn rulings by other judges

• enforces laws

• finds laws unconstitutional

• interprets laws

• approves funding

• makes laws

• appoints justices

• signs laws

• vetoes bills

• approves appointees

• finds Presidential actions unconstitutional

Level 2 Question: Why did the Founding Fathers create a system where each branch can limit the power of the other? Give detailed response.

Level 2 Question: Explain how each branch of the government checks the other branches. You need at least one example of a check from each of the three branches!