Pbs Learning Media: Crash Course Government and Politics: Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances

In which Craig Benzine teaches you 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. [8:30]