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What is the supreme law of the land?
The constitution
What does the Constitution do?
sets up the government
defines the government
protects basic rights of Americans
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
we the people
What is an amendment?
a change (to the Constitution)
an addition (to the Constitution)
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
The Bill of rights
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
▪ speech
▪ religion
▪ assembly
▪ press
▪ petition the government
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
27
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
announced our independence (from Great Britain)
declared our independence (from Great Britain)
said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
▪ life
▪ liberty
▪ pursuit of happiness
What is freedom of religion?
▪ You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion
What is the economic system in the United States?
▪ capitalist economy
▪ market economy
What is the “rule of law”?
▪ Everyone must follow the law.
▪ Leaders must obey the law. ▪ Government must obey the law. ▪ No one is above the law.
Name one branch or part of the government.
▪ Congress
▪ legislative
▪ President
▪ executive
▪ the courts
▪ judicial
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
▪ checks and balances
▪ separation of powers
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
▪ the President
Who makes federal laws?
▪ Congress
▪ Senate and House (of Representatives)
▪ (U.S. or national) legislature
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
▪ the Senate and House (of Representatives)
How many U.S. Senators are there?
▪ one hundred (100)
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
▪ six (6)
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
▪ four hundred thirty-five (435)
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
two
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
all people of the state
Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
▪ (because of) the state’s population
▪ (because) they have more people
▪ (because) some states have more people
We elect a President for how many years?
four years
In what month do we vote for President?
November
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
the Vice president
If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
the Speaker of the House
Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
The president
Who signs bills to become laws?
The president
Who vetoes bills?
the president
What does the president’s cabinet do?
advises the president
What are two Cabinet-level positions?
▪ Secretary of Agriculture
▪ Secretary of Commerce
▪ Secretary of Defense
▪ Secretary of Education
▪ Secretary of Energy
▪ Secretary of Health and Human Services
▪ Secretary of Homeland Security
▪ Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
▪ Secretary of the Interior
▪ Secretary of Labor
▪ Secretary of State
▪ Secretary of Transportation
▪ Secretary of the Treasury
▪ Secretary of Veterans Affairs
▪ Attorney General
▪ Vice President
What does the judicial branch do?
▪ reviews laws
▪ explains laws
▪ resolves disputes (disagreements)
▪ decides if a law goes against the Constitution
What is the highest court in the United States?
the supreme court
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
9 justices
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
▪ to print money
▪ to declare war
▪ to create an army
▪ to make treaties
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
▪ provide schooling and education
▪ provide protection (police)
▪ provide safety (fire departments)
▪ give a driver’s license
▪ approve zoning and land use
What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Democratic and Republican
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
▪ Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
▪ You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
▪ Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)
▪ A male citizen of any race (can vote).
What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
▪ serve on a jury
▪ vote in a federal election
Name one right only for United States citizens.
▪ vote in a federal election
▪ run for federal office
What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
▪ freedom of expression
▪ freedom of speech
▪ freedom of assembly
▪ freedom to petition the government
▪ freedom of religion
▪ the right to bear arms
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
▪ the United States
▪ the flag
What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
▪ give up loyalty to other countries
▪ defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
▪ obey the laws of the United States
▪ serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
▪ serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
▪ be loyal to the United States
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
▪ eighteen (18) and older
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
▪ vote
▪ join a political party
▪ help with a campaign
▪ join a civic group
▪ join a community group
▪ give an elected official your opinion on an issue
▪ call Senators and Representatives
▪ publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
▪ run for office
▪ write to a newspaper
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
April 15
When must all men register for the Selective Service?
▪ at age eighteen (18)
▪ between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)
What rights does the sixth amendment guarantee?
The right to a trial by jury in a criminal trial
Who sits in the presidential cabinet?
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Secretary of Defense
Vice-President
What is a super-majority?
A 66.6% majority
The seventh amendment guarantees what right?
The right to a trial by jury in a civil trial
How long is a representative's term in the House of Representatives?
2 years
What is the role of the vice president in Congress?
The vice president acts as a tie breaker if there is a tie in the Senate.
What does it take to put a referendum, initiative or recall proposal on a state ballot?
Enough eligible voters must sign a petition
The state has to make sure the names/addresses on the petitions match the information of eligible voters
What did the 13th amendment end?
All forms of enslavement (except as a punishment for being convicted of a crime)
Which article is about the Legislative Branch?
Article 1
How does a bill become law?
It must pass through the House of Representatives and the Senate and be signed by the President.
Justice Department
The lawyers for the federal Government
Social Contract Theory
People voluntarily agreed to create a state and give up to the government just enough power to promote the safety and well-being of all
Divine Right Theory
A higher power created the state and gave those of royal birth the right to rule.
Constitutional Monarchy
the King/Queen is not all powerful as the nation has a constitution and a democratically elected parliament
Evolutionary Theory
The state evolved from the early families that united to form clans
Force Theory
The state was born when one person or a small group took control over people in an area
State
A body of people living in a defined political territory
Theocracy
A system of government ruled by religious leaders
Dictatorship
A country ruled by an unelected leader/political party
Democracy
A government in which supreme authority rests with the people
Anarchy
a society organized on the basis of voluntary cooperation, without political institutions or hierarchical government
Sovereign
Having supreme and absolute authority over a territory
How many houses are in Congress?
Two
Which article of the Constitution is about the ratification process?
Article 7
An absolute monarchy is based on which theory of government?
Divine Right Theory
Which of the following things can Congress NOT do?
They cannot punish people by denying their right to a trial.
They cannot make it illegal to have done something in the past back when it was legal
What is the fifth article of the Constitution about?
How to amend the Constitution
Which amendment(s) expanded voting rights?
The 15th amendment
Which amendment protects people from having their home searched without a warrant?
The Fourth Amendment
Recall
A proposal to get rid of a state official
Initiative
A proposal for a new law that everybody gets to vote on
Referendum
A proposal to get rid of an existing state law
Executive Order
A directive written by the president instructing federal agencies how to enforce existing law
Presidential Cabinet
A formal group of the president’s advisors, all of whom must be approved by the senate.
What do Electors in the Electoral College do?
They vote for President (typically based on what the majority of voters in their state want)
In what part of the federal government does each state get two representatives?
The Senate
What is the second article of the Constitution about?
The Executive Branch
The fifth amendment protects against
Being forced to testify against oneself
Being charged twice for the same crime
What does the emoluments clause of the Constitution say?
While in office, the president and members of Congress cannot use their power to enrich themselves.
Which of the following statements is FALSE?
The highest ranking member of Congress is Commander in Chief of the army.
The Constitution can be amended by
a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate
The Second Amendment has been most recently interpreted by the Supreme Court to say that
There is a broad individual right to bear arms
Presidential government
The executive and legislative branches of the government are separate and coequal
Federal government
A government that divides powers between central and state/local governments
Unitary Government
A centralized government holds all governmental power
Confederation
An alliance of independent states
Parliamentary Government
The executive is a prime minister who is the leader of the majority party
Oligarchy
A government in which the power to rule is held by a small elite
Autocracy
A government in which a single person holds unlimited power
What did the 18th amendment do?
It prohibited the sale, distribution, and manufacturing of alcohol
What amendment says that people have even more rights than those listed in the Constitution?
The 9th amendment
Which of the following powers does Congress NOT have?
The power to put taxes on goods that go from one state to another