The three branches of the federal government are independent, but each has the power to restrain the other branches through a system of checks and balances. true false

True

Explanation: The separation of powers among three independent branches of government is a defining characteristic of the presidential system that characterizes the institutions of some constitutional democracies, such as Argentina, Brazil, Panama, the Philippines, and the United States of America. The U.S. Constitution is the original functional model for separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.