Separation of powers: This term describes the division of governmental power into separate branches (executive, legislative, judicial) to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
Federalism: Federalism is the distribution of power between a central government and state governments, allowing for shared authority while still maintaining national unity.
Checks and balances: Referring to mechanisms within a government structure that ensure no single branch becomes dominant or abuses its power by giving each branch certain abilities to limit or influence other branches' actions.