Question

Read the following text:

It is far more rational to suppose, that the courts were designed to be an intermediate body between the people and the legislature, in order, among other things, to keep the latter within the limits assigned to their authority.—Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 78

In this quote, Hamilton suggests the importance of the ability of the courts to

A. assign their authority to other branches of government
B. cause a needed division between the people and the legislature
C. constrain the power of the legislative branch
D.supersede the authority of the president

Answer 1

I believe the correct answer is C. constrain the power of the legislative branch.
Hamilton explicitly says in the excerpt that the job of the courts was to 'keep [the legislature] within the limits assigned to their authority.' This means that they cannot do anything they are not authorized to do, which the court makes sure happens.