Final answer:
The constitutional requirements, mode of election, and legal modifications in Article I ensure checks and balances by distributing power between the branches of government and providing means for each to check the others. This includes Senate approval of presidential appointments and the congressional authority to impeach members of both the executive and judicial branches.
Step-by-step explanation:
The constitutional requirements, mode of election, and legal modifications to Article I of the Constitution establish a system of checks and balances which is fundamental to the U.S. government. This system was heavily influenced by Baron Montesquieu's ideas and is designed to prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful. For example, the president has the power to appoint judges, but these appointments must be confirmed by the Senate. Similarly, while Congress can pass bills, the president has the power to veto them, though this veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate. Additionally, the House of Representatives has the authority to impeach the president, who is then tried by the Senate. The judiciary is not beyond check either; Congress can impeach judges, and the Senate confirms judicial appointments. Over time, Congress has also retained the power to modify the federal court structure and its appellate jurisdiction.
Article I also sets forth the structure of Congress—its powers, the basis for representation, and the procedural rules—including the requirements to serve. The Great Compromise similarly reflects a system of balances within the legislature itself, between states with different population sizes. It also delineates how elections are to be conducted by states, while ensuring Congress meets at least once annually.
Through formal amendments and the practice of judicial review, a power inferred by the Supreme Court's decisions over time, the Constitution has been both formally and informally modified. This adaptability allows for the reinforcement and adjustment of checks and balances as needed to maintain a proper distribution of power, exemplified by the extensive legislative, executive, and judicial checks spelled out across the Constitution's articles and subsequent amendments.