Dividing Power: The American System of Government

To understand American politics you must understand that Americans have distrusted any concentration of political power ever since the nation was founded. The American form of government was written down in a constitution adopted in 1787, shortly after the United States gained independence from Great Britain. Having just fought a war against what they viewed as the tyranny of King George III, the Americans were understandably eager to make sure no one person or persons in government would be allowed to have too much power. Wherever power was concentrated, they broke it up.

Read more in Access to English: Social Studies, pp. 190-198. Then do the tasks in the textbook and on this website.

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