Answer:
James Madison used the idea of a three-branch system described in Montesquieu’s The Spirit of the Laws.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Spirit of the Laws (1748) is a treatise on political theory, written by Baron de Montesquieu, that developed the idea of Separation of Powers and the three-branch system for the first time. The impact of Montesquieu's ideas was such that his ideas are the foundation of most democratic governments that exist nowadays, including the United States.
In the treatise, the French philosopher describes three types of government: democratic, republican, monarchical and despotic; and he supported the separation of powers into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial, all of which should rule under the law and must check each other’s power in order to prevent corruption and abuses of power.