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DocsTeachThe online tool for teaching with documents, from the National Archives National Archives Foundation National Archives

Checks and Balances in Action

Seeing the Big Picture

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Checks and Balances in Action

About this Activity

  • Created by:National Archives Education Team
  • Historical Era:Across Eras: Civics & Government
  • Thinking Skill:Historical Analysis & Interpretation
  • Bloom's Taxonomy:Analyzing
  • Grade Level:Middle School
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Please use a tablet or desktop computer to use this activity.
In this activity students 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 documents they have examined with an appropriate description of the branches of government involved in the action.
https://www.docsteach.org/activities/student/checks-and-balances-in-action

Suggested Teaching Instructions

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to identify and explain the interactions between the legislative, executive and judicial branches by critically analyzing primary sources related to "checks and balances."

Instructions

This activity may be used to conclude a unit of study into the creation of the US Constitution. The activity can be completed as a class, in small groups, in pairs, or individually. For grades 6-12. Approximate time needed is 20 minutes.

Start the lesson with a refresher of the definitions of the legislative, executive and judicial branches. Ask students to write a definition in their own words and to list powers related to each of these branches. Discuss the definitions and list the powers together as a class.

Ask students to define the system of checks and balances and explain how that relates to the definitions of the individual branches.

After discussing definitions, introduce the activity. Tell students they will be examining documents from throughout United States history to match examples of particular "checks and balances" with an appropriate explanation describing the branches involved and the type of interaction.

Open the activity and model document analysis with one of the documents. After reading the document outloud as a group, ask students to note which branches of government are involved in the document selected and how the system of checks and balances is operating. Ask students to match the document to the appropriate description.

After modelling the activity, tell students to analyze the remaining documents. As they analyze, students should note the particular branches associated with each document and type of interaction.

Following completion of the activity, lead a class discussion on the concluding question.
  • Based on the documents included in this activity, which branch has the most powerful check on the other branches? Explain.

Documents in this activity

  • Attempted Override of President Richard Nixon's Veto of S. 518, an Act to Abolish the Offices of the Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget
  • Constitution of the United States
  • Draft of Motion Rule for Marbury v. Madison
  • Judiciary Act of 1789
  • Nomination of John Marshall to the Supreme Court
  • Roll call votes relating to the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson on Articles II, III, and XI
  • Selection from President Andrew Jackson's Veto of the Bank Recharter Bill

CC0
To the extent possible under law, National Archives Education Team has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to "Checks and Balances in Action".

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