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  • Essay / Checks and Balances - 850

    The Founding Fathers were the political leaders who took part in the American Revolution and achieved American independence from Great Britain in 1776. They also participated in the development and the adoption of the Constitution in 1788. They are known in our history books as "The Creators" and are responsible for implementing the new government, outlined in the new Constitution. The founders feared majority rule and so created three separate branches of government; Legislative, executive and judicial. Each branch had its own powers, as well as the ability to exercise some control over other branches. Ultimately, all three branches work together to give us the government we know today. The following explains the responsibilities and restrictions placed on each branch of government, as well as how they "check and balance" each other. The legislative branch is responsible for making laws and includes Congress, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. The Senate has 100 members, two from each state. The House of Representatives is made up of 435 members, and the larger the state's population, the more representatives it will have. The House and Senate are also known as the Houses of Congress and both have special exclusive powers. The consent of both houses is required to pass any legislation. But it can only become law if it is signed by the President. The president, however, has the power to veto a bill, which will reject the legislation and send the bill back to Congress. It can then only be adopted if 2/3 of both houses of Congress vote in favor of the bill. Executive power is explained in Article II of the Constitution. It explains the term of office of the president, the election procedure... middle of paper ...... quite careful work in ensuring that all branches of government receive equal responsibilities and powers, one branch seems to have more than any other. The Legislature has the power to make laws, veto laws, start wars, and impeach our president. As a country, we must ensure that we elect only trusted representatives to the Senate. The Framers ensured that with checks and balances, no branch of government would have more power than the other to keep our government running smoothly for decades. Works Cited Janda, Kenneth. “2 The Constitution.” The Challenge to Democratic Government in America. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2008. Print. “The Constitution of the United States – The Constitution of the United States Online – USConstitution.net.” » Index page - The American Constitution online - USConstitution.net. Internet. August 9. 2010. .