14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
American Government · System of Government
Accepted answer(s)
- checks and balances
- separation of powers
USCIS officers ask this on the 2008 Civics Test because understanding "american government" is core to how the U.S. system works day to day. Memorize the exact answer above rather than a paraphrase — officers accept the wording USCIS publishes, and "checks and balances" is the safest phrasing to say out loud in the interview.
This is question 14 of the 2008 Civics Test. See it on uscis.gov.