American Government - U.S. Constitution

If Congressman Eric Sorenson resigned from his office, who would set the date for a special election to be held to fill the vacancy?

Governor of Illinois

Why is a filibuster effective at killing a bill?

A senator speaks for so long on a bill that the other senators grow tired of it and vote to kill the bill

The Vice President is officially considered the President of the Senate.  Why then, does the Senate have the President Pro Tempore?

Vice president only goes into the senate to break a 50/50 tie, which rarely happens, so pro tempore oversees the daily proceedings of the senate.

What happens to a bill on day #11 that the President has had for ten days (not counting Sundays) and Congress has remained in session working during that time?

Passes and becomes law

How long is the term of office for a member of the U.S. Senate?

6 years

When is General Election Day?

Tuesday after the first Monday in November during even number years

How many total electoral votes are cast for President in a presidential election?

538

If Wisconsin were to sue Illinois, what type of jurisdiction is granted to the U.S. Supreme Court to decide on the case?

original jurisdiction

How many judges are on the U.S. Supreme Court?

9

When do the official votes of the electoral college get counted by the President of the Senate?

3rd Wednesday of December after the general election

If the President is on trial for impeachment in the Senate, who presides over the trial?

chief of justice

For how many years must a candidate have lived in the U.S. to run for President?

14 years

What type of jurisdiction did the U.S. Supreme Court use to decide the famous case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS (1953)?

Appellate Jurisdiction

How many total members are elected to the U.S. Senate?

100

Every two years, ____ of the U.S. House of Representatives is up for reelection.

100%

Every two years, ____ of the U.S. Senate is up for reelection.

1/3

The Senate must confirm the President’s nominees for what jobs/positions?

All cabinet positions, supreme court judges, and ambassadors

The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise found in Article I Section 9 outlawed the Congress from eliminating the U.S. involvement in the international slave trade until after the year:

1808

What happens to a bill on day #11 that the President has had for ten days (not counting Sundays), but Congress has adjourned during that time?

pocket veto

What is the purpose of gerrymandering?

drawing of Congressional district lines to benefit one political party winning the election

If there is a tie in the electoral votes for President, then how is the President selected?

house of representatives votes with each state only getting one vote

How long can a member of the U.S. House of Representatives debate a bill?

1 hour

How long can a member of the U.S. Senate debate a bill?

unlimited

What are the three categories of crimes that members of Congress can be arrested for?

treason, felonies, and breach of the peace

Write out the mathematical formula for determining how many electoral votes Illinois will receive for President in the 2028 General Election

17 representatives in the house + 2 senators = 19

Vote needed in the Senate to confirm President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Commerce.

2/3

What vote is needed in the Senate to convict the president of impeachment and remove him from office?

2/3

Vote needed for a vote of cloture

3/5

Vote needed in the Supreme Court to hand down a decision on a case.

majority

Vote needed in the House of Representatives to recommend an impeachment trial of the President to the Senate.

Majority

Natural-born U.S. citizen because at least one of your parents is a U.S. citizen.

Jus Sanguinis

Delay of execution.

reprieve

Law that would punish you for an action you committed previously when the action was legal.

ex post facto law

A request by the defense in a criminal trial to have a trial moved to a different area to find an impartial jury.

change of venue

You have the right to be brought in front of a judge and notified of the charges against you.

habeas corpus

The removal of the arrest, the charges, the conviction, and the punishment for a crime.

pardon

Natural-born U.S. citizen by being born on American soil.

Jus Soli

Someone who moves to an area for the purpose of running for political office there.

Carpet Bagger