The characteristic of the early United States reflected enlightenment idea is the Checks and Balances' of the branches of state.
The Enlightment phyloshopher Montesquieu introduced the idea that the power of the state should be divided in order to keep a better control over the institutions that rule people in a country.
The state is divided into three branches: legislative, executive and judiciary.Each branch controls one area of the state and at the same time supervises the other too avoid concentration of power by one group. This system is called of 'Checks and Balances'.