Back to Foundations of American Democracy

Lesson PreviewLesson 6 of 9 in this unit

1.6 Principles of American Government

Part of Foundations of American Democracy in AP® US Government & Politics. Read the opening section, then create a free account for the full interactive lesson, practice, and progress tracking.

Start free

The Constitution establishes separation of powers by dividing government authority among legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Each branch has distinct responsibilities, preventing any single institution from exercising complete control. This division reflects the framers’ belief that concentrated power threatens liberty.

In this unit

9 lessons

  1. 1.1Ideals of DemocracyPreview lesson
  2. 1.2Types of DemocracyPreview lesson
  3. 1.3Government Power and Individual RightsPreview lesson
  4. 1.4Challenges of the Articles of ConfederationPreview lesson
  5. 1.5Ratification of the U.S. ConstitutionPreview lesson
  6. 1.6Principles of American GovernmentThis lesson
  7. 1.7Relationship between the States and National GovernmentPreview lesson
  8. 1.8Constitutional Interpretations of FederalismPreview lesson
  9. 1.9Federalism in ActionPreview lesson

Continue the full lesson in Stellar

Create a free account to unlock the remaining sections, checkpoints, course practice, and progress tracking for AP® US Government & Politics.

Start free