Which branch of the government is the most powerful?
Well, interesting question. The Government was set up with three “co-equal” branches.However, as in life, nothing is equal.The branches are the Executive (President), The legislative (Congress) and the Judicial (Courts)Congress can pass a proposed Law - the President has to sign it for it to actually become a law. The President wins on this one.But, if the President Vetoes it, it goes back to Congress. They can over ride his veto if enough congress people vote for it!So Congress wins in that power struggle.Now the law is on the books. But, several states don’t like the law and sue to stop it. It works it’s way up to the Supreme Court. They make a decision. The President can’t change it. Congress, in theory, could over ride that decision, but it has only happened a handful of times. They cannot change the Court’s decision, but what they do is re-write the law and try again.The Supreme Court are the Gods of the land. Once they decide an issue, no other power can change that decision. Congress can try another law to go around the Court’s decision, but that new law is subject to the courts review.No one can overturn or change a Supreme Court decision, except for the Supreme Court!This was a simple answer to your question. I hate reading answers that drone on for page after page.
Explain what the term "balance of power" means when referring to federal government?
it really refers to the checks and balance nature of 3 way govn't Anytime the judicial gives an "unconstitional" ruling on a matter, - that's putting in check the over-stepping reach of either the legislative or executive branch. Line-item-veto would give too much power to the executive, - so the legislature never gives him a 'law' that allows him that power.
Which branch of state government has the most and least power?
I don't know what state you're in, but typically, the executive has the most power, followed by the legislature and then the courts. Basically, when the chips are down, the best power to have is the sword (executive), then the purse (legislative) and then the pen (judicial). Of course, this is a simplification.
How did the balance of power between the sovereign states and the federal government change as a result of the U.S. Civil War?
I cannot write a comprehensive answer, but the Federal Government gained enormous power vis-a-vis the states. Prior to the war the term "United States" was considered a plural, after the war it was considered singular. The powerful Federal Government of today has its origins in the war. A good book which has a discussion of this subject is 'Cracks in the Constitution' by Ferdinand Lundberg.
How did john marshall strengthen the US government?
John Marshall (September 24, 1755 – July 6, 1835) was an American statesman and jurist who shaped American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court a center of power. The longest serving Chief Justice in Supreme Court history, Marshall dominated the Court for over three decades (a term outliving his own Federalist Party) and played a significant role in the development of the American legal system. Most notably, he established that the courts are entitled to exercise judicial review, the power to strike down laws that violate the Constitution Marshall made several important decisions relating to Federalism, shaping the balance of power between the federal government and the states during the early years of the republic. In particular, he repeatedly confirmed the supremacy of federal law over state law and supported an expansive reading of the enumerated powers.
What circumstances led the framers of the Constitution to create a federal system?
Here is a paragraph taken from study.com I think it sums it up quite well.After almost a decade operating under the Articles of Confederation, the framers of our Constitution realized that the states had too much power. They felt they needed a different system. They wished to create a stronger federal government. The result was a balance of powers between the states and the federal government, with the federal government clearly in charge. This is the system of federalism we still use today.The Constitution expressly grants broad powers to the federal government but not to the states. Instead, the Constitution stresses what the states can't do. The addition of the Bill of Rights, including the Tenth Amendment, helped temper some of this imbalance. The Tenth Amendment gave the states all powers not delegated to the national government or denied to the states. In other words, under federalism, the states get to regulate whatever is left over.For example, Article I, Section 8, grants Congress certain powers, such as coining money and declaring war. The following section prohibits the states from such things as coining money and declaring war.