Civics exam

What is the form of government in the US

• republic

• constitution-based federal republic

• representative democracy

what is the supreme law of the land

the US constitution

name one thing the US constitution does

• forms government

• defines powers of government

• defines parts of government

• protects rights of people

US constitution starts w/ the words “We The People.” What does that mean?

• self-government

• popular sovereignty (the foundational democratic principle that a government’s power and legitimacy are created and sustained only by the consent of its people. It establishes that citizens are the ultimate source of all political authority and exercise this power through voting and elected representatives)

• consent of the governed

• people should govern themselves

• example of social contract

how are changes made to the US constitution?

• amendments

• amendments process

what does Bill of Rights protect

• basic rights of Americans

• basic rights of people livingt in the US

bill of rights

• consists of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution

• First Amendment: Protects the freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. [1, 2]

• Second Amendment: Protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms. [1, 2]

• Third Amendment: Restricts the government from forcing citizens to house (quarter) soldiers in their private homes during peacetime. [1, 2]

• Fourth Amendment: Protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government and requires warrants to be backed by probable cause. [1, 2]

• Fifth Amendment: Guarantees due process of law and protects individuals from self-incrimination, being tried twice for the same crime (double jeopardy), and having private property taken for public use without just compensation. [1, 2]

• Sixth Amendment: Guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury in criminal cases, as well as the right to legal counsel and to confront witnesses. [1, 2]

• Seventh Amendment: Guarantees the right to a jury trial in federal civil (non-criminal) cases involving disputes over property or money. [1, 2]

• Eighth Amendment: Prohibits the federal government from imposing excessive bail, excessive fines, or cruel and unusual punishments

• Ninth Amendment: Clarifies that the rights of the people are not limited strictly to those specifically listed in the Constitution. [1, 2]

• Tenth Amendment: Establishes that any powers not explicitly given to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, belong to the states or to the people.

how many amendments does the US constitution have?

• 27

why is the Declaration of Independence important?

• it says America is free from British control

• it says all ppl are created equal

• It identifies inherent rights

• It identifies individual freedoms

what document said American colonies were free from the Britain

the Declaration of Independence

2 important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the US constitution

• equality

• liberty

• social contract

• natural rights

• limited government

• self-government

words “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” are in what founding document?

the declaration of independence

what is the economic system of the US

• capitalism

• free 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

many documents influenced the US constitution. Name one

• declaration of independence

• articles of confederation (the United States' first constitution, establishing a weak central government with most power held by the states, and was in effect from 1781 to 1789)

• federalist papers

• anti-federalist papers

• virginia declaration of rights

• fundamental orders of Connecticut

• mayflower compact

• iroquois great law of peace

there are 3 branches of government, why?

• so one part doesn’t become too powerful

• checks and balances

• separation of powers

name 3 branches of government

• legislative, executive, judicial

• congress, president and the courts

president of the US is in charge of which branch of government

• executive branch

what part of the federal government writes laws

• US congress

• US legislature

• legislative branch

what are the 2 parts of the US congress

• senate

• house of representatives

name one power of the US congress

• writes laws

• declares war

• makes the federal budget

how many US senators are there

• 100

how long is a term for the US senator

6

who is one of your state’s US senators now?

Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks

how many voting members are in the house of representatives

435

how long is a term for a member of the house of representatives

2 yrs

why do US representative serve shorter terms than US senators

to more closely follow public opinion

how many senators do each state have

2

why does each state have 2 senators

• equal representation (for small states)

• The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)

name your US representatives

• Jamie Raskin

• Steny Hoyer

• Glenn F. Ivey

• Andy Harris

• Sarah K. Elfreth

• Kweisi Mfume

• Johnny Olszewski

• April Delaney

What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

• Mike Johnson of Louisiana

• Republican

who does US senator represent

• citizens of their state

• people of their state

who elects US senators

citizens from their state

who elects members of house of representatives

citizens from their congressional district

who does member of the house of representatives represent?

• citizens in their congressional district

• citizens in their district

• ppl from their congressional district

• ppl in their district

some states have more representatives than other states, why?

• because of state’s population

• because they have more people

the president of the US is elected in how many yrs

4

the president of the US can serve only 2 terms, why?

• 22nd amendement

• to keep president from becoming too powerful

name of the president of the US now

Donald J Trump

What is the name of the vice pres of the US now?

JD vance

if a president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

vice president of the US

name 1 power of the president

• sign bills into laws

• vetoes bills

• enforces laws

• commander in chief (of military)

• chief diplomat

• appoints federal judges

who is commander in chief of US military

pres of US

who signs bills to become laws

pres of US

who vetoes bills

president of US

who appoints federal judges

pres of US

executive branch has many parts, name 1

• president of the US

• Cabinet

• Federal departments and agencies

What does the pres’s cabinet do

advises president of US

2 cabinet-lvl positions

• attorney general

• secretary of agriculture

• secretary of commerce

• secretary of education

• secretary of energy

• secretary of health n 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 treasury

• secretary of veterans affairs

• secretary of war (defense)

• vice president

• administrator of environmental protection agency

• administrator of the small business administration

• director of the central intelligence agency

• director of the office of management and budget

• director of national intelligence

• united states trade representative

why is electoral college important

• decides who is elected president

• provides compromise between popular election of president and congressional selection

what is one part of the judicial branch

• supreme court

• federal courts

what does judicial branch do

• reviews laws

• explains laws

• resolves disputes (disagreements) abt the law

• decides if law goes against US constitution

what is highest court in US

supreme court

how many seats are on supreme court

• 9

how many supreme court justices are usually needed to decide a case

5

how long do supreme court serve

• for life

• lifetime appointment

• until retirement

supreme court justices serve for life, why?

to be independent of politics

limit outside political influence

who is chief of justice in the US now

John G. Roberts, Jr

name 1 power that is only for federal government

• print paper money

• mint coins

• declare war

• create an army

• make treaties

• set foreign policies

name 1 power that is only for the states

• provide scholling and education

• provide protection (police)

• provide safety (fire dept)

• give driver’s license

• approve zoning + land use

what’s the purpose of 10th amendment

it states that the powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or the ppl

who is the governor of your state now

Wes Moore

What is the capital of your state

Annapolis

there are 4 amendments to the US constitution abt who can vote, describe 1

• citizens 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)

who can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and serve on a jury in the US

• citizens

• citizens of the US

• US citizens

what are the 3 rights of everyone living in the US

• 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 pledge of allegiance

the us

the flag

the 2 promises that new citizens make in oath of allegiance

• give up loyalty to other countries

• defend the US consitution

• obey the laws of the US

• serve in the military if needed

• serve, help do important work for, the nation, if needed

• be loyal to the US

how can ppl become US citizens

• be born in the US under the conditions set by 14th amendment

• naturalize

• derive citizenship (under conditions set by congress)

what are 2 examples of civic participation in the US

• vote

• run for office

• help w a campaign

• join a political party

• join a civic grp

• join a community grp

• give an elected official your opinion (on an issue)

• contact elected officials

• support or oppose an issue or policy

• write to a newspaper

what is 1 way the Americans can serve their country

• vote

• pay taxes

• obey the law

• serve in the military

• run for office

• work for local, state, or federal government

why is it important to pay federal taxes

• required by law

• all people pay to fund the federal governemnt

• required by the US constitution (16th amendment)

• civic duty

it is important for all men age 18-25 to register for selective service, name 1 reason why

• required by law

• civic duty

• makes the draft fair, if needed

the colonists came to America for many reasons, name 1

• freedom

• political liberty

• religious freedom

• economic opportunity

• escape persecution

who lived in America before the Europeans arrived

• american indians

• native americans

what group of people was taken and sold as slaves

• africans

• people of africa

what war did the Americans fight to win independence from Britain

• american revolution

• The American Revolutionary War

• War for American Independence

name 1 reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain

• high taxes

• taxation w/o representation

• British soldiers stayed in American’s houses (boarding, quartering)

• they did not have self-government

• Boston Massacre (A tense standoff between a heckling colonial mob and British soldiers erupted into violence when someone in the conflict yelled “FIRE” and the troops fired into the crowd, killing five colonists. Local patriots heavily publicized the tragedy to spark anti-British sentiment.

• Boston Tea Party (Tea Act) (Protesting a remaining monopoly tax on tea, a group called the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves and dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor. This act of economic defiance destroyed millions of dollars worth of property in today's money.)

• Stamp Act (This act required colonists to pay a tax on virtually all printed paper materials, from legal documents to playing cards. It sparked widespread protests and unified the colonies under the rallying cry, "No taxation without representation!")

• Sugar Act (To help pay off its war debts, Britain taxed foreign molasses and sugar imported by the colonies. It fueled early colonial anger over being taxed by a British Parliament where they had no elected representatives.)

• Townshend Acts (Britain placed new taxes on imported everyday essentials like glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. The colonists responded with widespread boycotts of British goods, significantly escalating tensions.)

• Intolerable (coervice) acts

who wrote declaration of independence

Thomas Jefferson

when was declaration of independence adopted

Jul 4, 1776

american revolution had many important events, name 1

• Battle of Bunker Hill (Though technically a British victory because the patriots ran out of ammunition, this early battle proved that untrained colonial forces could stand ground against the regular British army. It inflicted heavy casualties on the redcoats and provided a massive psychological boost to the revolution.)

• Declaration of Independence

• Washington Crossing the Delaware (Battle of Trenton) (Faced with low morale and expiring enlistments, George Washington led a daring Christmas night crossing of an icy river to launch a surprise attack on Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey. The stunning victory saved the Continental Army from collapsing and reignited the colonial war effort.)

• Battle of Saratoga (This decisive American victory resulted in the surrender of an entire British army under General John Burgoyne in upstate New York. It is considered the major turning point of the war because it convinced France to officially enter the conflict as an American ally.)

• Valley Forge (Encampment) (While the Continental Army suffered through a brutal winter of disease, starvation, and freezing conditions outside Philadelphia, they used the time to rigorously retrain. Under the guidance of Prussian military officer Baron von Steuben, the soldiers emerged in the spring as a disciplined, professional fighting force.)

• (Battle of) Yorktown (British surrender at Yorktown) (With the assistance of the French navy and army, Washington trapped British General Cornwallis on a Virginia peninsula, forcing his total surrender. This overwhelming victory effectively broke Britain's will to continue fighting and led directly to the peace treaty recognizing American independence.)

There were total 13 original states, name 5

• New Hampshire

• New York

• Rhode Island

• Massachussets

• Conneticut

• Pennsylvania

• Delaware

• Maryland

• Virginia

• North Carolina

• South Carolina

• Georgia

what founding document was written in 1787

US constitution

the federalist papers supported the passage of the US constitution, name 1 of the writers

• james madison

• alexander hamilton

• john jay

• publius

why were the federalist papers important

• they helped ppl understand the constitution

• they supported passing the US constitution

benjamin franklin is famous for many things, name 1

• founded 1st free public libraries

• first postmaster general of US

• helped write declaration of the US

• inventor

• US diplomat

george washington is famous for many things, name 1

• father of our country

• 1st president of the US

• general of the continental army

• president of the constitutional convention

thomas jefferson is famous for many things, name 1

• writer of declaration of independence

• 3rd president of the US

• doubled the size of US (Louisiana Purchase)

• 1st secretary of state

• founded UVA

• writer of virginia statue on religious freedom

james madison is famous for many things, name 1

• father of constitution

• 4th president of US

• president during war 1812

• one of writers of federalist papers

alexander hamilton is famous for many things, name 1

• 1st secretary of the treasury

• one of the writers of federalist papers

• helped established 1st bank of US

• aide to general george washington

• member of continental congress

what territory did the US buy from france in 1803

• louisiana territory

• louisiana

name 1 war fought by US in 1800s

• war of 18112

• mexican-american war

• civil war

• spanish-american war

name the US war b/w north n south

civil war

civil war had many important events, name 1

• battle of fort sumter

• battle of vicksburg

• emancipation proclamation

• battle of gettysburg

• sherman’s march

• surrender at appomattox

• battle of antitam/sharpsburg

• lincoln was assassinated

abraham lincoln is famous for many things, name 1

• freed slaves (emancipation proclamation)

• saved/preserved the union

• led the US during civil war

• 16th president of US

• delivered gettysburg address

what did emancipation proclamation do

• freed slaves

• freed slaves from confederacy/confederate states and most southern states

which US war ended slavery

civil war

what amendment says all persons born or naturalized in the US, n subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are US citizens

14th amendment

when did all men get the right to vote

• after civil war

• during reconstruction

• w/ the 15th amendemnt

• 1870

name 1 leader of women’s rights movement in 1800s

• susan b. anthony (As the movement's premier organizer and strategist, she traveled tirelessly to campaign for women's rights, famously getting arrested for voting in 1872 and co-founding the National Woman Suffrage Association)

• elizabeth cady stanton (She was the brilliant philosophical force of the early movement who co-organized the Seneca Falls Convention and authored the "Declaration of Sentiments," which explicitly demanded women's right to vote)

• sojourner truth (A powerful abolitionist and women's rights activist, she delivered the famous, improvised "Ain't I a Woman?" speech in 1851, masterfully highlighting the intersectional struggles of race and gender.)

• harriet tubman (After bravely liberating dozens of enslaved people via the Underground Railroad and serving as a Union scout [spy and soldier for Union army during civil war], she dedicated her later life to the suffrage movement, advocating for the freedom and political rights of Black women.)

• lucretia mott (A dedicated Quaker abolitionist and reformer, she co-organized the Seneca Falls Convention with Stanton, serving as a vital bridge between the anti-slavery movement and the early women's rights campaign)

• lucy stone (A fierce orator and pioneer who famously kept her maiden name, she co-founded the American Woman Suffrage Association and helped build a massive, organized base of support by focusing on state-by-state voting rights)