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Difficulty: Very hardStructure and Core Principles of the U.S. Constitution

“A republican, or free government, can only exist where the body of the people are virtuous, and where property is pretty equally divided; in such a government the people are the sovereign...

The government proposed by the convention, instead of being a simple structure, easy to be understood, is a complex government, consisting of three distinct branches, which are to balance and check each other. This complexity will prevent the people from detecting the source of abuse... and will enable the wealthy and ambitious to capture the separate parts of the state to oppress the public.”
—Centinel, Letter I, 1787

The ideas expressed in the excerpt most directly challenge which of the following core principles of the United States Constitution?

  1. The division of federal power into distinct branches designed to check and balance one anotherAnswer
  2. B
    The reservation of supreme sovereignty to individual states to prevent federal overreach
  3. C
    The establishment of a national bank to manage the country's public credit and currency
  4. D
    The replacement of a unicameral legislature with a bicameral Congress to balance state representation

Answer

The division of federal power into distinct branches designed to check and balance one another
The correct answer is correct because the author explicitly criticizes the 'complex government, consisting of three distinct branches, which are to balance and check each other.' Centinel argues that this complexity obscures political accountability, making it difficult for citizens to identify and check abuses of power, directly challenging the principle of checks and balances.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus text to identify the author's primary critique.
The author, writing as Centinel, argues that the 'complex government, consisting of three distinct branches, which are to balance and check each other' is a structural flaw.
Understanding the source's argument is necessary to connect it to the corresponding constitutional principle.
2
Connect the author's critique of the 'complex government' and 'three distinct branches' to a specific constitutional principle.
The critique directly targets the system of checks and balances and separation of powers established by the Constitutional Convention.
Identifying the core principle being challenged answers the main question.
3
Evaluate the options to determine which one describes the challenged principle.
The option regarding the division of federal power into distinct branches designed to check and balance one another is the correct match.
Confirming the correct option ensures logical consistency and rules out distractors.

Key Concept

Checks and Balances and Separation of Powers in the U.S. Constitution
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Topics

Structure and Core Principles of the U.S. Constitution

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