Why do we have 3 branches? We wanted to make sure that the people felt as if they were allowed to contribute to the government, even
though they really couldn't.
We were trying to prevent one person or group from having too much power and wanted a "balance of
power."
We thought kings and queens were incompetent.
We were trying to make sure the people wouldn't be able to revolt.

frederick william of brandenburg-prussia trained his son, frederick, to be a hardy soldier. but frederick disliked rifle shooting and horseback riding. unlike his father, he was interested in french literature. he enjoyed poetry and music and, like some others of the enlightenment, he scoffed at religion. his father thought him soft, frivolous and unmindful of his duties. and when frederick refused to put his signature on a right to succession, for a few moments his father strangled him.