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Difficulty: EasyStructure and Core Principles of the U.S. Constitution

"It is agreed on all sides, that the powers properly belonging to one of the departments ought not to be directly and completely administered by either of the other departments. It is equally evident, that none of them ought to possess, directly or indirectly, an overruling influence over the others, in the administration of their respective powers. . . . [T]he most difficult task is to provide some practical security for each, against the invasion of the others."
— James Madison, Federalist No. 48, 1788

Which of the following core constitutional principles is Madison defending in this excerpt?

  1. The separation of powers and the establishment of a system of checks and balances.Answer
  2. B
    The retention of supreme sovereignty by individual state governments over the national congress.
  3. C
    The formal organization of the federal government into competing political parties.
  4. D
    The concentration of all federal policy decisions in a single, unicameral legislature.

Answer

The separation of powers and the establishment of a system of checks and balances.
The correct option is correct because Madison is discussing how to structure the federal government so that the legislative, executive, and judicial departments remain distinct and do not overrule or invade one another. This is the definition of separation of powers and checks and balances.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the text of the stimulus for key vocabulary and concepts.
The text references 'departments' that should not administer the powers of others or possess 'overruling influence' over the others.
Identifying these terms shows that the author is discussing the internal structure of the federal government and the relationships between its branches.
2
Relate these concepts to the core principles of the U.S. Constitution.
The concept of dividing government into departments that limit each other's power corresponds to the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances.
This links the historical source directly to the constitutional mechanism designed to prevent tyranny by distributing power.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one that best reflects this constitutional mechanism.
The option stating 'The separation of powers and the establishment of a system of checks and balances' is the correct match.
This choice accurately summarizes the defense of branches maintaining independence and checking one another.

Key Concept

Separation of powers and checks and balances
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Topics

Structure and Core Principles of the U.S. Constitution

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