Checks and Balances

Our Founding Fathers wanted to ensure the

new government did not abuse its power under the new Constitution

Created three separate branches, with none being more powerful than another

Background

The Three Branches

A Quick Review

The Legislative Branch

Article I Makes the laws Includes Congress

(the Senate and the House of Representatives)

The Executive Branch

Article II Enforces the laws Includes the

President

The Judicial Branch

Article III Interprets the laws Includes the U.S.

Supreme Court and lower federal courts

What are checks and balanc

es?

this branchoverthis branch

LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE JUDICIAL

LEGISLATIVE Proposing legislation

Vetoing bills

Declare laws unconstitutional

EXECUTIVE Override vetoImpeach presidentApprove

appointments

Declare executive acts

unconstitutional

JUDICIAL Propose new Amendments

Impeach justicesConfirm

appointments

Appointing judges that

share viewpointsEnforcing the

Court’s decisions

Checks and Balances

President Obama issued an executive order about

immigration…Congress feels he circumvented their power to make laws.

The U.S. Supreme Court has placed same sex marriage on their docket…Congress feels they’re trying to create laws

Congress has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Health Care Act Obama suggested the legislation that Congress passed in 2009

The Speaker of the House invited PM Netanyahu of Israel to address Congress…The Executive Branch usually deals with foreign leaders

Current Struggles