2008 civics test · Question 14 · System of Government
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
Any one of these answers is accepted
- checks and balances
- separation of powers
What this means
Power is split among three branches so that no one part of government becomes too powerful. Each branch can limit the other two. This system is called checks and balances, or separation of powers.
Some examples of how it works in practice:
- Congress passes a bill, but the president can veto it.
- Congress can override that veto with a two-thirds vote.
- The courts can rule that a law violates the Constitution.
- The president appoints judges, but the Senate must approve them.
Any of “checks and balances,” “separation of powers,” or “so one part does not become too powerful” is an accepted answer.
Why this is on the test
Checks and balances explain why the president cannot simply pass a law and why Congress cannot decide a court case, a pattern that appears in many other test questions.
How this question is asked
On the 2008 civics test, the officer asks up to 10 of the 100 questions out loud and you pass by answering 6 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion.
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