All of these powers are considered checks and balances provided, an attempt to prevent the Executive Branch from devolving into a tyrannical body. All of these powers have limits, in order to prevent tyranny from any of the other branches as well. This separation of powers, and checks and balances, is a fundamental concept of the United States Constitution and the Federal Republic system that prevails in America.

Montesquieu wrote about how to best organize government to avoid the abuse of power. His writings are the influence to separate our government into separate branches, each with its own responsibility and power to keep the others from becoming more powerful than the others. His thinking was inflential on, and largely in line, with many early constitutional thinkers, who focused on placing systems of checks and balances within the governmental framework they set up.

While auxiliary precautions do limit governmental power, there is a better answer available. The main purpose of auxiliary precautions is to divide and separate power among government institutions. They serve as a system of checks and balances to ensure that one branch of government does not attain too much power.

As part of the checks and balances and separation of powers, the Founders, wanted war-making decision making to rest with Congress, the body that represents the people. That way, war would not be waged at the whim of an executive.

As part of the separation of powers, ultimate authority over the military was to be given to the president. That way, the military would always be subordinated to civilian authority.

Article VI of the constitution outlines that the constitution, treaties made, and laws of congress shall be the supreme law of the land. This clause ensures that state and local governments recognize the supremacy of the constitution and national law.

Unfortunately, the Constitution upheld the practice of slavery. One of the key ways in which this was accomplished was the mandates placed on both Congress and the individual state governments to return any captured runaway slaves to their owners; granting freedom to a slave was seen as depriving the owner of the income that the slave’s labor would provide. The Constitution was especially concerned with creating and maintaining a strong national economy, and so Congress’s various economic powers were clearly defined within the document. Among other provisions, Congress was empowered to issue and value money, to pass taxes, to regulate interstate (between two or more states) and international commerce, to govern bankruptcy proceedings, to guard copyrights and patents, and to prosecute any counterfeiters and/or pirates.

Supreme Court Justices are the only officials that serve for life. This was based on the idea that judicial decisions should be free of political influence, therefore a justice does not fear political reprisals for making controversial decisions.

The Senate was to be the house of wisdom. Therefore, the political elites of different states would choose among themselves who had the political capacity and experience to serve in the Senate.

According to the constitution, the president has the power to negotiate treaties, but ultimately, they must be approved by the senate. Only the Supreme Court can declare laws unconstitutional and all other powers listed are reserved to the executive.