Classroom Resource

Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances/Crash Course Government and Politics

Subject Area

Social Studies

Grade(s)

10, 12

Overview

In this video from PBSLearningMedia, Craig Benzine teaches students about the U.S. government's separation of powers and the system of checks and balances. In theory, the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch are designed to keep each other in check and to keep any branch from becoming too powerful. In reality, the system was designed to keep the president from becoming some kind of autocrat. For the most part, it has worked.

Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 10 - United States History I

SS10.US1.4

Describe the political system of the United States based on the Constitution of the United States. [A.1.a., A.1.b., A.1.d., A.1.g., A.1.i.]

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.US1.4

Vocabulary

  • political system
  • elements
  • distinguishing
  • ideologies
  • conflicting

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The inadequacies of Articles of Confederation and how these lead to the writing of the Constitution.
  • Personalities, issues, ideologies, and compromises related to the Constitutional Convention and the ratification of the Constitution of the United States.
  • The purpose and effects of the Federalist Papers.
  • Details of the political system of the United States based on the Constitution of the United States.
  • How to interpret the Preamble to the Constitution.
  • The purpose of the separation of powers and how this works in the U.S. federal system.
  • The meaning and purpose of the elastic clause.
  • The purpose of the Bill of Rights and the effects of these amendments.
  • Factors leading to the development and establishment of political parties, including Alexander Hamilton's economic policies, conflicting views of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, George Washington's Farewell Address, and the election of 1800.
  • The reasons for and effects of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Nineteenth Amendments.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Analyze and describe the political system of the United States based on the Constitution of the United States by giving a verbal or written account with characteristics of the political system.
  • Interpret the Preamble of the Constitution, separation of powers, federal system; elastic clause, the Bill of Rights; and the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Nineteenth Amendments by examining these parts.
  • Describe the inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation by giving a verbal or written account of the weaknesses.
  • Distinguish personalities, ideas, issues, ideologies and compromises related to the Constitutional by highlighting these differences.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • The Constitution replaced a weak Articles of Confederation and provides the basis for governing the United States.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 12 - United States Government

SS10.USG.13

Evaluate constitutional provisions of the judicial branch of government of the United States, including checks by the judicial branch on other branches of government, limits on judicial power, and the process by which cases are argued before the United States Supreme Court.

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.USG.13

Vocabulary

  • strict/loose construction
  • impartiality
  • lower court
  • ideology
  • appellate court
  • landmark case
  • jurisdiction
  • judicial review
  • appointment
  • Supreme Court
  • opinion/decision
  • district court

Knowledge

Students know:
  • How key landmark Supreme Court cases influenced the interpretation of constitutional rights of citizens and powers/limitations of American government.
  • The means by which judges interpret the meaning of the Constitution, including strict and loose construction.
  • The organization of the American court system, including the powers and limitations of each level and type of court.
  • The process by which Supreme Court justices are appointed, including the consideration of ideology and how such may impact future decisions.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the effect by which landmark decisions change the interpretation of constitutional provisions and rights.
  • Illustrate the process by which a court case is initiated in a lower level court and can then later be decided by the US Supreme Court.
  • Critique the process by which political ideology becomes a factor in both the appointment process of judges as well as the decision-making process in deciding cases.
  • Analyze an excerpt of a Supreme Court decision to ascertain the constitutional interpretation evident as well as the impact it may have on a constitutional right or provision.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • The powers, limitations, and organization of the judicial branch of American government, including how these determine the means by which a case arrives to, is argued before, and is decided upon by the Supreme Court, helps shape the law in the U.S.
Link to Resource
https://aptv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/separation-of-powers-government-cras…

CR Resource Type

Audio/Video

Resource Provider

PBS
Accessibility

Accessibility

Video resources: includes closed captioning or subtitles
License

License Type

CUSTOM

Custom License Type (URL)

https://aptv.pbslearningmedia.org/help/terms-of-use/#.YEGohFVKjIU

Comments or Notes

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Approved Date

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