Florida Civics Literacy Practice Exam

What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

1. The Electoral College

2. The Bill of Rights

3. Checks and Balances

4. Federalism

The correct answer is: Checks and Balances

Checks and balances is an important part of the US government's structure designed to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. The Electoral College, represented by option A, is responsible for electing the President and Vice President of the United States. Although this helps distribute power among different states, it does not directly stop one branch from becoming too powerful. Option B, the Bill of Rights, provides citizens with fundamental rights and limits the powers of the government, but it is not specifically aimed at preventing one branch from becoming too powerful. Federalism, represented by option D, is the division of power between the federal and state governments, which helps balance power but does not directly prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. Therefore, the most correct choice is C, checks and balances, as it is specifically designed to limit the power of each branch and ensure overall balance in the government.