Use the passage to answer the question.

What is the main purpose of this excerpt from The Federalist No. 51, and which of the following best illustrates it?
A.

to outline the powers of the executive branch; the president signs a treaty
B.

to outline the powers of the legislative branch; Congress changes the date of an election
C.

to outline the system of checks and balances among the three branches; the Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional
D.

to outline the system of checks and balances among the three branches; the president announces that he will run for a third term

D.

to outline the system of checks and balances among the three branches; the president announces that he will run for a third term

The main purpose of this excerpt from The Federalist No. 51 is to outline the system of checks and balances among the three branches of government. Among the given options, the one that best illustrates this purpose is C: "to outline the system of checks and balances among the three branches; the Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional." This example demonstrates the power of the judicial branch to check the actions of the legislative branch by declaring a law passed by Congress as unconstitutional.

The main purpose of this excerpt from The Federalist No. 51 is to outline the system of checks and balances among the three branches. It emphasizes the importance of separation of powers to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Among the options provided, the best illustration of this purpose is option C: "to outline the system of checks and balances among the three branches; the Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional." This demonstrates how the judiciary branch, specifically the Supreme Court, exercises its power to check the legislative branch by reviewing and potentially overturning laws that are deemed unconstitutional. This exemplifies the system of checks and balances outlined in the passage.