Checks and Balances Among the Three Branches¶
Learning Objective¶
Students will identify (Bloom L1 — Remember) each constitutional check and explain (Bloom L2 — Understand) how it prevents any one branch from becoming too powerful.
- Bloom Level: Understand (L2)
- Bloom Verb: Identify, Explain
- Library: p5.js
Specification¶
The full specification below is extracted from Chapter 2: "Chapter 2: The Constitution and Bill of Rights".
Type: interactive infographic
**sim-id:** checks-and-balances-diagram<br/>
**Library:** p5.js<br/>
**Status:** Specified
**Learning objective:** Students will *identify* (Bloom L1 — Remember) each constitutional check and *explain* (Bloom L2 — Understand) how it prevents any one branch from becoming too powerful.
**Design:**
- Three nodes arranged in a triangle: Congress (top-left), President (top-right), Judiciary (bottom-center)
- Each node is a rounded rectangle with the branch name and its main constitutional function
- Directed arrows between each pair of nodes, each labeled with a specific check
- Clicking an arrow opens an infobox explaining the check in one sentence and giving a real historical example
- Color coding: Congress = orange, President = blue, Judiciary = purple
- Checks to include:
Congress → President:
- Override veto (2/3 both chambers)
- Declare war (limits Commander-in-Chief)
- Control appropriations (power of the purse)
- Impeach and remove president
President → Congress:
- Veto legislation
- Call special sessions
- Recommend legislation (State of the Union)
- Negotiate treaties (Senate must ratify by 2/3)
Congress → Judiciary:
- Senate confirms federal judges
- Impeach and remove judges
- Set jurisdiction of lower federal courts
- Constitutional amendment can override rulings
Judiciary → Congress:
- Judicial review — can strike down statutes as unconstitutional
Judiciary → President:
- Judicial review — can strike down executive orders as unconstitutional
President → Judiciary:
- Nominate all federal judges (including Supreme Court)
**Historical examples in infoboxes (sample):**
- Override veto: Congress overrode President Nixon's veto of the War Powers Resolution in 1973
- Judicial review of president: *Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer* (1952) struck down Truman's seizure of steel mills
- Senate confirms judges: Senate rejected Bork (1987), confirmed Kagan (2010)
**Interactive feature:** A "Test Yourself" button hides all arrow labels; student must click each arrow and type what check it represents before revealing the answer.
**Canvas:** 100% width × 500px; responsive stacking on mobile.