US National Archives
Docs Teach: Checks and Balances in Action
In this activity, young scholars will analyze documents that span the course of American history to see examples of 'checks and balances' between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches in action. Students will then match the...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Checks on the Judicial Branch: Foundational
This resource from Khan Academy provides foundational-level practice questions over the checks on the government's judicial. These questions are intended for students taking high school or college level American Government and Civics...
Tom Richey
Tom Richey: Constitutional Underpinnings of u.s. Government
The first unit of an online course on AP US Government and Politics. It explores key concepts of American government, including constitutional government, republicanism, separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, construction...
Siteseen
Siteseen: Government and Constitution: Checks and Balances
Learn about checks and balances, limits and controls imposed on all branches of a government by giving each branch of government the right to amend or void certain acts of the other branches.
US Government Publishing Office
Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Branches of Government
Students will visualize how the Constitution organized our 3 branches of government and the role each plays in our government. This infographic breaks down the powers of each branch and shows how they perform checks on the other...
Digital History
Digital History: Majority Rule vs. Checks and Balances [Pdf]
It is interesting to read how the delegates to the Constitutional Convention thought as they debated important issues such as the checks and balances that should be written into the new Constitution. Read these conversations based on...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Checks on the Presidency: Advanced
This resource from Khan Academy provides advanced-level practice questions over the checks on the US President. These questions are intended for students taking high school or college level American Government and Civics courses,...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Checks on the Presidency: Foundational
This resource from Khan Academy provides foundational-level practice questions over the checks on the US President. These questions are intended for students taking high school or college level American Government and Civics courses,...
Oswego City School District
Regents Exam Prep Center: Introduction to u.s. Government
Explore the ideas and principles of American government including its influences, foundation, and basic tenets (such as checks and balances and federalism).
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum
Harry S. Truman Library & Museum: Three Branches of Government
Interactive teaching unit for Grades 5-8 that helps to explain the three branches of government and the the balance of power. Topics covered include balance of government, how a bill becomes a law, the amendment process, the Legislative...
University of Chicago
The Founders' Constitution: Federal v. Consolidated Government: Virginia Plan
The original text of The Virginia Plan presented at the Constitutional Convention. Discusses federal versus consolidated government.
University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina: Constitution 101 [Pdf]
Provides a good basic introduction to the Constitution. Explains the founding principles, checks and balances, the rationale for it, the accomplishments of the Constitutional Convention, the debate and ratification, the structure of the...
The Dirksen Congressional Center
Dirksen Congressional Center:congress for Kids: Introduction to the Constitution
Explore the history of the United States Constitution: information about the writing the Constitution, the Great Compromise, the Constitution's signers, the Bill of Rights, the Amendments to the Constitution, federal powers, checks and...
Digital History
Digital History: Republicanism
The framers of the Constitution had a great distaste for the monarchial society of Great Britain. See how this was reflected in the checks and balances they wrote into the Constitution in an effort to create a working republic.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Balancing Power Between State and Federal Governments
In this lesson plan, students will consider "The Federalist Debates: Balancing Power Between State and Federal Governments." The plan includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum
Harry S. Truman Library & Museum: Three Branches of Our Government
This slide and the six that follow it (use the advance button near the bottom of the screen) offer an explanation of each of the three branches of government and the duties they perform, including discussion of the tensions arising from...
US Government Publishing Office
Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Learning Adventures: Three Branches of Government
Learning adventure guide on the three branches of government. Students read about the functions of the Legislative, Judicial and Executive branches and then play the learning game.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Human Nature, Government and Individual Rights
Overview discussion of the views held by Madison and Hamilton that people, in general, need to have written into the law certain checks and balances to guard against abuse of power, protect individual rights and encompass a pluralistic...
iCivics
I Civics: Constitution Day Lesson Plan
This interactive lesson gives students a quick snapshot of the Constitution, including the purpose of each article, the powers of the three branches, how a bill becomes a law, and the concepts of separation of powers and checks and...
US National Archives
National Archives: Teaching Six Big Ideas in the Constitution
The Constitution can be broken down into 6 main themes: Limited Government, Federalism, Republicanism, Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, and Popular Sovereignty. Learners will study background on the Founding Fathers and use...
Siteseen
Siteseen: Government and Constitution: Branches of Government
This article contains a useful guide to the functions of the three US Branches of Government that make, enforce, or interprets laws.
University of Missouri
Exploring Constitutional Conflicts: Separation of Powers
When do the actions of one branch of the federal government unconstitutionally intrude upon the powers of another branch? This article surveys the history of this question in historic Supreme Court cases.
US Mint
United States Mint: Branches of Power
Save the federal government from Oppressor Sam, and learn about the US Constitution to restore the three branches of government.
iCivics
I Civics: Three Branches
A web quest looking at how a law gets passed as it moves through the three branches of the United States government: executive, legislative, and judicial. Each page has a question to answer, and a link to a site with information specific...