how did the constitution prevent any one branch of the federal government from becoming too powerful?

Answer 1

It's a system of checks and balances. No one segment is more powerful than the other. That's the way it's suppose to work.

Answer 2

Think of what each branch does first. One branch doesn't do everything. The legislative writes the laws. The Judicial branch decides if they can be laws. The exectuive branch executes or enforces the laws. Now, go even more. In executing the laws, either the Legislative branch i.e. Congress or the Judicial branch can decide if the actions taken by the Executive branch to enforce the laws were lawful themselves. If Congress tried to write into a law something that would heavily benefit them or give them unchecked power, the Judicial branch would more than likely deem it unconstitutional. Any branch not only can't do its part without being checked by and balanced against the other two branches, an individual branch cannot do everything that the government needs to do. Now, technically and hypothetically one could argue that since the military comes under the Executive branch that the Exectuive branch could try a coup and overthrow the government. This would of course only be hypothetical since the people, represented by the Legislative branch and somewhat "protected" by the Judicial branch would never allow it to happen.
This is why a monarchy was not what was put into effect by the US "founding fathers". In a true monarchy, the king or queen is the absolute last word. They can decree a law, decide how they want to enforce the law and no one can say it is a wrong or unjust or inappropriate law since the king or queen is also the final judging authority.

Answer 3

Yous should know this from current news and debate. The Constitution tries to balance power by assigning specific duties and checks and balances to the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches. For example, Congress may pass a law but it must be either signed into law by the President or they must have a very large majoroty to override a veto. Even then, the courts may rule that the law violates parts of the Constitution and nullify it. Congress in turn must approve appointees to the Supreme Court and Federal courts, while the President is allowed to nominate them.

That only one example of the balances. To protect the federal government from being too strong, for example, certain rights were reserved to the states.

Answer 4

This is a flawed, idealist question. Frankly, I'm tired of this misguided notion we have that says the founders were infallible. The system of "checks and balances" can absolutely be circumvented if a single party obtains power of both the executive and legislative branches and puts like-minded judges into seats on the judicial branch. While this doesn't give any particular branch excessive power, it certainly means the illusion of limited power is just that - an illusion. To say the Constitution simply "prevents" this from happening is a ludicrous oversimplification.

Answer 5

By a carefully orchestrated system of separations of powers and checks and balances. For instance: Congress writes the laws, but they cannot sign them--the President must. The President cannot write laws, only sign them. The Supreme Court cannot write nor sign laws only determine if they are Constitutional or not. So, if Congress and the President are both corrupt, the Supreme Court can invalidate any unfair laws passed through judicial review--the power the Supreme Court has to declare an act of Congress unconstitutional.

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

The 3 branches were supposed to keep the other in check, in balance.

Answer 7

checks and balances:

people elect legislature and president
legislature can overturn presidents vetoed laws - and approves cabinet members, federal court justices, etc
president has veto power over legislature
judiciary can rule any law unconstitutional

Answer 8

By creating a system of checks and balances

Answer 9

by not letting any one of the branches have the power to do something by themselfs.