Jonas Rein
Gary Zabel
The United States constitution went into effect on March 4, 1789, and was a revolutionary body of work which set up the laws of the united states of America. The American constitution desired to differentiate from European political systems. The constitution desired to form an orderly country, improve the country’s progression, and secure the blessing of freedom. The founding fathers were acutely aware of the detrimental impact of not having an orderly separation of powers.
The founding fathers analyzed many European laws and regulations, and from doing so came to the realization that many of the other countries set of laws did not have an orderly separation of powers. The first three articles of the constitution embody the separation of powers. The three branches are the executive; consisting of the president; the legislative; consisting of bicameral congress, and the judiciary; consisting of federal and supreme courts. The system of checks and balances was intended to prevent any branch or person from becoming too powerful. The system of checks and balances divided the countries’ major responsibilities to all three branches. All three branches have the ability to have power in the decision making process of the other 2 branches. Congress is made up of the house of representatives and the Senate. Congress has the power to pass bills, declare war, oversees, investigates, and makes rules for the government and its officers, has the sole power of impeachment, can ratify treaties by the president, and defines by law the jurisdiction of the federal judiciary in cases not specified by the constitution. The president if the commander and chief of the armed forces, executes the instructions of congress, my veto bills passed by congress, executes the spending authorized by congress, and has the power to grant “reprieves and pardons for offenses against the united states.” The judicial branch determines which laws congress intended to apply to...