I believe that our system of checks and balances that we use today comes from England since the system of checks and balances is basically there to keep a president from becoming too powerful. Whenever King John was in power in England, he became sort of a tyrant and made up absurd rules and demanded the people to do unnecessary things that they didn't want to do. In conclusion, the people forced King John to sign the Magna Carta, which basically limited the King and future kings and prevented him from doing whatever he wanted. So I would say that we got out system of checks and balances from the Magna Carta.