Madison & Montesquieu: The Men Who Gave Us Checks and Balances | Leo & Layla | PragerU Kids

foreign the inside of the tree house is finally finished great work Leo it looks awesome I can't wait to bring the whole chess club up here we'll have a treehouse tournament not so fast if we're gonna share the tree house and keep it clean like Dad said we'll need some ground rules ground rules how about every week we make a schedule of who gets to use it I call afternoons every afternoon how is that fair it's fair because I was the one who helped dad build it but what does that have to do with making rules it means I worked hard so I should be the one making them not you my own rules I can taste the power oh boy I think we're gonna need some help [Music] hmm my colleagues from Virginia will find this draft much to their liking those from New England not so much how can I make them agree think Madison think duck good Heavens where are we Layla I'm not sure but I think it's somewhere important you think it's important a young lady I am James Madison and this is the Constitutional Convention in the room behind me all of us delegates from all 13 states are trying to form a new government James Madison our country's fourth president the father of the Constitution president the father of the Constitution well that does have a nice ring to it wait a minute how do you know about the new constitution why it's not even finished yet if you're foreign spies then ungod we're not spies Mr Madison we're from the future my name is Layla and I'm Leo I learned all about you in History Class the future history class this is quite unprecedented um Leo Leila pleased to make your acquaintance is this really the Constitutional Convention this is unbelievable well if you don't believe me see for yourself look there are the Degen gets right you are we've been here for months now arguing debating and giving speeches you see our old agreement the Articles of Confederation was not effective so now we're working hard to plan a new government that can bind us together as a nation and without stepping on anyone's Freedom if we can all agree then by God's grace we'll have a republic that's exciting have you reached an agreement yet ah no not quite trying to get everyone to agree on a new government is well proving difficult I see your point sharing power is not easy isn't that right Mr I make the rules whatever Layla I still think I'm right uh you're so getting on my nerves we know you're busy Mr Madison but we could really use your help you see we have a new tree house and our dad said we have to share it and keep it clean we tried making some ground rules but my brother and I can't agree but we both agree that I helped build it Leo you know it's for the both of us and plus I'm older so I should get some perks now now children I'm sure there's a solution in fact your struggle to share this tree house reminds me of our struggle to form a new government what do you mean Mr Madison wait do the founding fathers have a secret Treehouse of Their Own no nothing like that I mean agreeing on ground rules means both having power and granting power to someone else it's not easy and there needs to be compromised but why should I compromise when I did most of the work with Dad just because Layla is bigger no wait you have a point Leo we're facing a similar issue right now larger and smaller states have concerns about being represented equally in our new government large states want representation to be based on each State's population while small states are pushing for equal representation no matter the population of the state well I'm on teams small states they can't help that they're small all right Leo Mr Madison is that the only issue you're facing unfortunately no all of us delegates recognize the importance of having a stronger federal government especially in these early stages of our new nation but we also understand that many Americans have their concerns being ruled by Great Britain left a very bad taste in their mouths we must find a way to convince them because with no Authority at all the 13 states won't be able to make common laws sign treaties with other countries or raise taxes to pay off debt even worse some states might turn against other states and start wars on their own chaos if you ask me it sounds like a government with too much power can be dangerous but one with no power won't work either what's your solution I'm glad you asked Layla it's called separation of powers how will that work I can tell you how I hope it will work you see it's a new theory of government that hasn't really been tested yet it's based on the work of my favorite French philosopher Montesquieu monster who Montesquieu as we have been developing the Constitution we've use montesquieu's idea of separation of powers to divide the government into three separate branches that's right the president doesn't have all the power who's gonna tell George Washington oh he's well aware and supports the idea the presidency is the executive branch but there are two more branches that share the power of making and interpreting laws the legislative and the judicial branches the president has some power but he's not the one who makes the laws right again the legislative branch made up of Congress will make our laws the president will approve the laws but his most important job will be enforcing the law but he doesn't explain the meaning of the law if there is a disagreement about it that would be too much power that will be the job of the Judiciary or as I'm calling it The Supreme Court so congress makes the laws the president uses them to govern but when a disagreement comes up the Supreme Court plays referee right precisely this this way power is separated and everyone's Liberty is protected now going back to your treehouse dilemma it seems that neither of you should decide the entire schedule or do all of the cleaning perhaps you can separate those Powers hmm what if we take turns I make the schedule one week and then Leo makes it the next week that could work but then who cleans the tree house we could take turns with that too when you make the schedule I'll clean and when I make the schedule you'll clean great stock children but I might interject what happens when one of you has to clean up the other's mess would that present a problem wait a minute Layla if you make a schedule that only lets you and your friends in the tree house then I'll be the one cleaning up your mess all week that's not fair you know I think you're right Leo oh I didn't think making rules would be this hard but we can't give up if the delegates at the Constitutional Convention gave up then we wouldn't have a government or even a country that's right Leo we all want different things but if we don't agree on how to govern ourselves we'll have nothing no tree house and certainly no Republic ah I've been working for weeks on this draft of the Constitution but I still don't know how I'm going to get every state to ratify it doesn't everyone like your plan for three branches of government not everyone some worry that one branch of government will grow more powerful than the other two over time I've been thinking hard about that objection but I don't have an answer sounds like we both could use some help hey Mr Madison what would your favorite philosopher say Montesquieu why he'd have plenty to say separating government into different branches was his idea hmm Leo are you thinking what I'm thinking definitely ah monkey what on Earth just happened so sorry to have bothered you sir my name is Leo and this is my sister Layla we're from the future which is where you are now Philadelphia Pennsylvania in 1787. dear future your time travelers that's incredible and that's not all Mr Montesquieu meet James Madison a future president of the United States I well this is quite unprecedented it's an honor to meet you Barrington Montesquieu ah and likewise Monsieur Madison I have to say I'm a huge fan of your work but you're probably wondering why we've initiated your visit you see in 1776 the 13 British colonies in North America fought a war against England and won our independence I myself represent the former colony of Virginia we're trying to form a new American government based on your ideas wait wait the colonies in America win a war against the England in Croatia here's what happened with no representation in the British Parliament we colonists grew tired of England taxing us without our consent finally we refuse to pay and when King George sent his armies we fought back will of course in my studies of ancient governments around the world I have come across many rulers who taxed the people unjustly I call them despots here of England a country I admire saw treating its Colonial subjects this way when I was young England's Glorious Revolution gave the English people a constitution and a new Parliament to limit the king's Powers but it sounds like England's colonies did not share in these developments not at first but with your country's generous help we won our freedom France's government loaned money and sent ships and soldiers to America during the war we became allies monster on behalf of all of my fellow Americans merci beaucoup on behalf of La France you are welcome now I'd like to hear more about this government you're creating you said it was based on my ideas yes indeed you've arrived at the Constitutional Convention where I'm trying to get all 13 states to accept a constitution based on your greatest idea separation of powers a new nation on the American continent with a constitution and three branches of governments nonetheless how inspiring it sounds like your efforts will protect the American people's Liberty for generations to come I do hope so but I'm having a hard time getting all of the delegates to agree Mr Montesquieu we could also use your help my brother Leo and I need to find a way to share the new tree house in our backyard so far we just don't see eye to eye well it's admirable that you are asking by elf that's a sign of wisdom tell me more about this tree house well our dad said we have to share it and keep it clean but I helped build it maybe I'm being a little selfish but sharing something I helped build just doesn't feel fair that is understandable in my studies of Law and human nature I have learned one thing human beings are ambitious sure we can share and compromise but we're always looking for a way to turn something to our advantage well put and if someone works hard at something like building a treehouse or fighting a war for independence of course they want a fair turn for that effort that's also part of human nature hmm wait a minute I think I've got it what if someone else makes the schedule that way we both have to follow it and neither one of us will abuse our power you know Leo that might be the best solution that makes me think of Mr montesquieu's idea for a government with separated Powers someone making a very impartial schedule for both of you reminds me of the judicial branch of the government and no Republic can function without it I'm curious uh who do you have in mind I think our mom could do it she won't be using the Treehouse herself so I think she'd be fair to both of us what do you think Leo yeah I think Mom's the best choice this means I'll have to share the tree house with you Layla I still don't like it but I know that's a good thing goodbye ultimate power Splendid I'm glad you children found a solution ah is am I they agreeing to shed the tree house you both recognize each other's inherent dignity or the worth and value you have as a person and now they agree into that a third party make these schedule you found a way to check and balance that power spray magnificent checks and balances that's the final piece to the new Constitution and that's how I'll get every state to agree and ratify it I am curious what you mean you've just reminded me that deep down everyone is ambitious but at the same time God gives everyone inherent dignity so to protect that dignity and to give that ambition someplace to go I'm going to give each branch of the new government some power over the other branches that way each branch will check and balance the other another incredible idea if each branch has the unique power of the other two then that will stop one brand from becoming too powerful over time ah the more you hear about this new nation on the American continent the more excited I am that these ideas will be put to the test how does this sound when congress makes a law the president can veto it he doesn't have to approve every single law they make wow you are really on don't do something that I'm on your medicine I cannot thank you enough Montesquieu your book The Spirit of the laws inspired my friends and me and without your wisdom we'd probably never find a way to share and separate power and my sister and I would still be arguing over a way to share that tree house thanks again Ito was my pleasure now how exactly does this time travel work again don't worry Mr montesquiel just hold on Goodbye Mr Montesquieu and Mr Madison did we meet again well kids I'm honored that you asked me to be your treehouse scheduler how did you come up with that idea well just like the three branches of our government we don't want either one of us to have too much power so we decided to give that power to you how thoughtful but don't think I'll be the one cleaning up after you of course not Layla and I agreed that whoever uses the tree house will clean it up when they're done perfect layla it's very generous of you to let your brother and his chess club have the tree house for the first week well by helping Dad I think Leo earned it Treehouse chess tournament here we come on guard if you like time traveling with Leo and Layla watch more of their Adventures at prageru kids.com and parents don't forget to subscribe