MidLitSoc
The Three Branches of Government

Checks and Balances

The responsibilities of government are shared among the three branches.

While each branch of government has its own responsibilities, the U.S. Constitution uses a system of "checks and balances" to keep any one branch from having too much control. Here are some examples:

  • When Congress writes a bill, the president can veto (reject) it before it becomes law. Congress can then only pass the bill if more than two-thirds of the members of Congress vote for it.
  • The president and his staff create a national budget, but Congress must approve it.
  • When the legislative and executive branches can't agree about what a law means, the U.S. Supreme Court can make the final decision.

In two to three sentences, write down what you think the phrase "checks and balances" means.