Challenge Your Exam Readiness With Our Free GED Practice Questions

Separation of powers delineates roles among branches of the federal government—legislative, executive, and judicial—each checking the others. Option B shows Congress (legislative) passing a law and the Supreme Court (judicial) exercising judicial review, a classic separation-of-powers check. By contrast, federalism divides power between the national government and states/localities. Options A, C, and D describe state/local authority over licensing, curfews, or education—federalism examples. On the GED, distinguish the axes: horizontal separation (branches within a level) versus vertical division (national vs. state). When you see branches limiting each other’s actions—veto, judicial review, confirmations—that’s separation of powers. When you see states/localities making their own policies, that’s federalism. This conceptual map speeds sorting similar-sounding civics terms.