Quiz 3 - answers 11. What is the topic of this chapter? The federal system of government and how it works 12. What did the writers of the constitution not want? a. A king b. A central government that was too strong 13. What are the three branches of government and what are their jobs? a. Legislative branch – (the congress) makes the laws b. Executive branch – (the president) carries out the laws c. Judicial branch (the Supreme Court) – protects the people by making sure that all laws are constitutional 14. What is the system of checks and balances and how does it work? The three branches run the country together with equal power. Each branch is kept from getting too powerful by the other branches. For example if the congress wants to create a law that the president doesn’t like, the president can veto it. Also, in the judicial branch, the public can challenge any law that it thinks is not good for the people.