Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances

The passage below is from Federalist No. 47, written by James Madison in 1788.

Source: Public Domain / Project Gutenberg

...Montesquieu was guided... in saying “There can be no liberty where the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or body”... he did not mean that these departments ought to have... no CONTROL over, the acts of each other.

Based on this passage, which constitutional principle does Madison describe?

• separation of powers

• checks and balances

• popular sovereignty

• judicial review

Checks and Balances: True or False? Vice President Kamala Harris can cast votes in the Senate in order to break tie votes.

• True

• False

What branch of government overrides vetos?

• Legislative

• Executive

• Judicial

This branch of government is responsible for making laws.

• Legislative

• Executive

• Judicial

True or False? Congress' power to impeach officials gives them a check over both the Executive and Judicial branches?

• True

• False

Which branch controls federal appropriations of money, known as the "power of the purse?"

• Legislative

• Executive

• Judicial

What branch reviews lower court decisions?

• Legislative

• Executive

• Judicial

The president carries out the law and therefore interprets laws passed by Congress. This is a check by the Executive Branch over the (a)   branch.

Which branch of government negotiates foreign treaties?

• Legislative

• Executive

• Judicial

The 3 branches of power in the government are spelled out in the _____.

• Declaration of Independence

• Bill of Rights

• The US Constitution

• Articles of Confederation