Instructions
Welcome to the Branches of Power Challenge! The U.S. Constitution creates a system where no single part of the government becomes too powerful. This worksheet will test your knowledge of the three branches and the system of Checks and Balances.
- Complete the matching section by connecting the branch to its primary role.
- Analyze the provided chart and fill in the blank rows with specific examples of checks and balances.
- Read the real-world scenario and answer the application questions.
- Complete the optional Challenge Question for extra credit or deeper thought.
Part 1: The Three Branches (Recall)
Match the Branch of Government (A, B, or C) to its correct function.
| Function | Branch | Letter Choice |
|---|---|---|
| F1. Writes and enacts federal laws, controls the federal budget. | A. Executive Branch | |
| F2. Interprets laws and reviews the constitutionality of actions. | B. Legislative Branch | |
| F3. Carries out and enforces laws; leads the military. | C. Judicial Branch |
- F1: __
- F2: __
- F3: __
Part 2: Checks and Balances: Balancing the Power
The most important way the three branches stay balanced is through the system of checks and balances, where each branch has the power to restrain the others. Complete the following table by identifying the specific action used to check the power.
| Checking Branch | Branch Being Checked | Specific Checking Action (The Power Used) |
|---|---|---|
| EXAMPLE | ||
| Executive Branch (President) | Legislative Branch (Congress) | Vetoing a bill passed by Congress. |
| Legislative Branch (Congress) | Executive Branch (President) | |
| Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) | Legislative Branch (Congress) | |
| Legislative Branch (Congress) | Judicial Branch (Federal Courts) | |
| Executive Branch (President) | Judicial Branch (Federal Courts) |
Part 3: Scenario Application
Read the following scenario and answer the questions. This tests your understanding of how the system works in practice.
SCENARIO: The President signs an Executive Order creating a new national environmental protection agency (The EPA 2.0). However, the US Congress feels the agency is too expensive and has overstepped its constitutional boundaries. Congress decides to act.
4. Which of the following is the most powerful and immediate check Congress can place on this new agency? (Circle one)
A. The House and Senate can vote to impeach the President. B. Congress can declare war on the agency's headquarters. C. Congress can refuse to allocate (deny) the funds needed to run the agency. D. Congress can ask the Supreme Court to interpret the Executive Order.
5. Short Answer: If the Supreme Court believed that the Executive Order establishing the EPA 2.0 violated the Constitution (specifically, that the President did not have the authority to create it), what specific power would the Court use to stop the order? (Use the proper legal term.)
6. Reflection Question: Why is it essential, according to the Founders, that the Legislative Branch (Congress) be the only branch with the power to control the federal budget (the “power of the purse”)?
Challenge Section (Optional)
7. Hypothetical Check: Imagine the Judicial Branch begins making rulings that are widely unpopular and harmful to public safety. How can the Legislative Branch check or limit the long-term impact of the Judicial Branch without removing any judges?
Answer Key
Part 1: The Three Branches (Recall)
- F1: B. Legislative Branch
- F2: C. Judicial Branch
- F3: A. Executive Branch
Part 2: Checks and Balances: Balancing the Power
| Checking Branch | Branch Being Checked | Specific Checking Action (The Power Used) |
|---|---|---|
| EXAMPLE | ||
| Executive Branch (President) | Legislative Branch (Congress) | Vetoing a bill passed by Congress. |
| Legislative Branch (Congress) | Executive Branch (President) | Overriding a Presidential Veto (requires 2/3rds vote in both houses). |
| Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) | Legislative Branch (Congress) | Declaring a law unconstitutional (Judicial Review). |
| Legislative Branch (Congress) | Judicial Branch (Federal Courts) | Impeaching and removing a federal judge or creating/abolishing lower federal courts. |
| Executive Branch (President) | Judicial Branch (Federal Courts) | Appointing federal judges/Supreme Court justices (must be confirmed by the Senate). |
Part 3: Scenario Application
4. Which of the following is the most powerful and immediate check Congress can place on this new agency? C. Congress can refuse to allocate (deny) the funds needed to run the agency.
5. Short Answer: If the Supreme Court believed that the Executive Order establishing the EPA 2.0 violated the Constitution (specifically, that the President did not have the authority to create it), what specific power would the Court use to stop the order? (Use the proper legal term.) Judicial Review (or declaring the Executive Order unconstitutional).
6. Reflection Question: Why is it essential, according to the Founders, that the Legislative Branch (Congress) be the only branch with the power to control the federal budget (the “power of the purse”)? Sample Response: This power ensures that the Legislative Branch, which is the closest branch to the people (as they elect the representatives), maintains ultimate control over how the government spends taxpayer money. It serves as a strong check on the Executive Branch, preventing it from carrying out programs that Congress does not approve of or fund.
Challenge Section (Optional)
7. Hypothetical Check: Imagine the Judicial Branch begins making rulings that are widely unpopular and harmful to public safety. How can the Legislative Branch check or limit the long-term impact of the Judicial Branch without removing any judges? Sample Response: Congress can pass a new constitutional amendment that specifically overturns the court's interpretation or ruling. They can also pass new, more detailed legislation designed to clarify or limit the scope of the previous ruling, though this is often tested by the court again later. They could also change the number of justices on the Supreme Court (though this is extremely rare and controversial).