Executive versus Legislative power
What Executive versus Legislative power means in History A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of Executive versus Legislative power
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
Check what you remember
Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain Executive versus Legislative power in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: AQA
Bitter clashes between Johnson and Radical Republicans culminated in his 1868 impeachment, which permanently weakened the executive branch during this era.
The presidency faced ongoing conflicts with Congress over issues like the annexation of Santo Domingo and civil service reform, limiting executive power.
Truman faced significant opposition from the conservative coalition in Congress, so he did not have full control over domestic policy.
Topics that use Executive versus Legislative power
- 1K The making of a Superpower: USA, 1865–1975 – The Era of Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, 1865–1890 (AQA A-Level)
- 2J America: A Nation Divided, c1845–1877 – Radical Reconstruction, 1867–1877 (A-level only) (AQA A-Level)
- 2Q The American Dream: reality and illusion, 1945–1980 – Truman and Post-war America, 1945–1952 (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Agrarian Discontent
- Anti-communism and civil liberties
- Civil rights and federal enforcement
- Civil Rights and racial inequality
- Corporate influence on government
- Economic prosperity
- Economic transition and consumerism
- Ending of the frontier
Using Executive versus Legislative power in the exam
Check the command word and mark scheme for your exact question. After comparing your explanation with the reference, use the term in an answer on the linked topic. This practice does not predict an exam mark.
Practise History questions
Create a free account to answer exam-style questions on this topic and get feedback on your answers.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge