What describes the effect of the Separation of Powers?

• A. Gives all powers to one branch.
• B. Centralizes authority.
• C. Allows states no role.
• D. Divides government powers among three branches to prevent concentration of power.

Answer: (D)

Separating powers means dividing governmental authority among the main branches so no single group can accumulate all control. This setup creates checks and balances: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches each have distinct powers and ways to limit the others, helping prevent tyranny. The description that government powers are divided among three branches to prevent concentration of power captures this effect. The other ideas describe concentrating power or removing the states’ role, which isn’t how the system is designed—the separation of powers works alongside the states within a federal framework.