The founding fathers set Americas' government, and future, up for success. They drafted the Constitution up in a way that it prevents the government from becoming too powerful. The government uses two systems known as a system of separation of powers, and checks and balances, to ensure this happens. The Constitution is composed of nine sections; Preamble, Articles I through VII and Amendments. These sections direct, or guide, how the government will function. .
By using the system of separation of powers the Constitution breaks up the government into three branches, and outlines the power, duties and responsibilities of each branch. Those branches are the legislative, executive and judicial. The system of separation of powers gives each branch certain powers, and allows each branch to "check" (challenge or limit) the power of the other branches (Mount, 2010). This is understood as having a system of checks and balances. The Constitution was drafted in this way to prevent any one branch of government from having more power than another. .
Article I of the Constitution (the first and longest Article in the Constitution) is a blueprint for the legislative branch. This branch is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House and Senate together make up Congress. Congress is charged with turning the needs and wants of the American people into law. The power of Congress, as specified in Article I, is to pass federal laws, establish post offices, borrow money and pay debts, rule on how a person can earn citizenship, regulate trade with other nations and between states, punish pirates, coin money and punish counterfeiters and give inventions patents. The legislative branch has other powers that serve as a check to the executive branch. .
Like the power to impeach in the House, and hold impeachment trials in the Senate. The power to select the President (House) and the Vice President (Senate), when there is no majority of electoral votes.