Sectionalism refers to being loyal to a certain region in a country, but not to the country as a whole.
European people and Native American people began interacting when the European powers took an interest in exploring and colonizing the region. As European settlements in North America increased, so did contact between these two groups. However, the relationship that was established between them changed greatly throughout the years.
Initially, the first European settlers depended on the Native Americans heavily. Native American people had better knowledge of the land, the weather, the local crops and the many other challenges that existed in the region. European settlers greatly benefitted from this knowledge. Therefore, the initial relationship between these people was one of cooperation.
As time passed, the interactions between the two groups grew. As the European settlements developed, both groups engaged in complex exchanges and commercial transactions. This led to more cooperation, but also increased conflict between them.
As conflict increased, the Native Americans began to suffer more. Lands were taken away from them, and many were displaced. Moreover, they were killed in great numbers through war and disease. This made the interaction between the two groups more negative.
The fact that the government is divided into three branches is known as the "division of power" - the power is distributed to avoid power abuse, so that no instance has unlimited power.
The fact that the three branches are overlapping is known as "checks and balances" - the branches check the other ones (whether their function is lawful) and balance each other.
