Which is the best explanation for the reason our "founding fathers" built a system of checks and balances into our government? a) they wanted to make sure that only well-educated, wealthy citizens held political power in america's government. b) they saw the need to balance political power between "free" states in the north and "slave" states in the south. c) they wanted to prevent the abuses of power that america experienced while under control of the british government. d) they felt that a system of "checks and balances" would the executive branch become the most powerful of the three branches.