What stops one branch from becoming too powerful?

• A. Checks and balances
• B. Federalism
• C. Bicameralism
• D. Separation of powers

Answer: (A)

Checks and balances is the system that prevents any single branch from becoming too powerful by giving each branch the power to limit the others. For example, the legislature makes laws but the president can veto; Congress can override a veto with enough votes. The president appoints federal judges, but those appointments require Senate confirmation. The judiciary can strike down laws or executive actions as unconstitutional. Impeachment allows the House to charge a formal accusation and the Senate to remove a president or other official. This web of cross-checks keeps power from concentrating in one place.

Federalism deals with distributing authority between national and state governments, not with intra-governmental balance among branches. Bicameralism creates two houses in the legislature, which can shape laws but doesn’t by itself enforce balance among the branches. Separation of powers assigns functions to each branch, but checks and balances are the mechanism that actively prevents any one branch from dominating.