Aim: How does the U.S. Constitution's system of

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Aim How does the U.S. Constitution's system of
Checks and Balances work?
Do Now Why do you think a government might need
a system where one branch of the government has
some control over what another branch does?
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The Constitution established a government based
on a system of Checks and Balances
These checks keep any one branch from gaining too
much power.
Each branch can check the power of the other.
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Examples of Checks and Balances
If Congress passes a bill the President doesn't
like
Executive
Legislative
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Examples of Checks and Balances
he can veto the bill
Executive
Legislative
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Examples of Checks and Balances
But Congress can pass the bill into law over the
veto by a vote of 2/3 of its members
Executive
Legislative
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Examples of Checks and Balances
Congress also has the ability to impeach the
President (remove him from office) if he commits
"treason, bribery, or other high crimes and
misdemeanors".
Executive
Legislative
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Examples of Checks and Balances
If Congress passes a law that The Supreme Court
finds unconstitutional the law can no longer be
used
Legislative
Judicial
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Examples of Checks and Balances
But Congress has the power to change the
Constitution by passing amendments (changes) to
it, although
Legislative
Judicial
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• It is not easy to change the Constitution.
  Two-thirds of the House and Senate need to
  approve of the proposal and send it to the states
  for a vote. Then, three-fourths of the state
  legislatures must also affirm the proposed
  Amendment.

Since 1787, over 9,000 amendments have been
proposed, but only 27 have been approved.
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Examples of Checks and Balances
The Supreme Court can decide that a president's
action is unconstitutional
Executive
Judicial
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Examples of Checks and Balances
But its the President who selects candidates for
the Supreme Court when one of the Justices
retires or dies.
Judicial
Executive
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• Name one way in which
• The Executive branch of our government checks the
  power of the Legislative branch.
• The Legislative checks the Executive
• The Judicial checks the Legislative
• The Legislative checks the Judicial
• The Executive checks the Judicial
• The Judicial checks the Executive