US History & Government
Checks and Balances
“When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of [judges],
there can be no liberty; because [the government may] enact tyrannical laws, to execute them in a tyrannical
manner.”
De Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws (1748)
What did the Baron de Montesquieu say about government?
What does the verb “to check” mean?
What does the term “checks and balances” mean?
Complete the chart to identify how checks and balances work in our government:
Which branch of government
is doing the checking?
Which branch of government
is being checked?
1. Ratifies a treaty
2. Vetoes a law
3. Creates courts
4. Grants pardons
5. Appoints federal judges
6. Overrides a veto
7. Impeaches and removes a judge
8. Rejects an appointment to the courts
9. Suggests a laws
10. Reject a presidential appointment
11. Declares a law unconstitutional
12. Impeaches and removes a president
In countries such as Israel and Britain, the Prime Minister (political leader who has powers similar to our
President) is chosen by the Parliament (similar to the US Congress). Why do you think that the Founding
Fathers did not choose to have the President selected by Congress?