government midterm

mr wibergs class 2026

Who were the three main authors of the Federalist Papers?

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay

What is federalism?

A system where power is shared between the national government and state governments.

What are three places slavery was accommodated in the Constitution?

Article 1 Section 2 Clause 3 — Three-Fifths Compromise; Article 1 Section 9 Clause 1 — slave trade allowed until 1808; Article 4 Section 2 Clause 3 — Fugitive Slave Clause.

What are the three branches of government and their roles?

Legislative: makes laws; Executive: enforces laws; Judicial: interprets laws.

What case established judicial review?

Marbury v. Madison.

How are members of the House apportioned?

According to the state's population.

What problem can arise from redistricting?

gerrymandering

How many US House representatives does Colorado have after the 2020 census?

8

Who is the current Governor of Colorado?

Jared Polis.

Who are the current Senators from Colorado?

Michael Bennet, John Hickenlooper.

Who is the US Representative for the Loveland area?

Joe Neguse.

Which federal court circuit is Colorado in?

10th Circuit.

Flow chart

us supreme court ————-
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State sup. Ct.
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state court of appeals
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state district ct.
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fed. ct. approved
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fed. district ct.

What is required to stop a filibuster?

The chamber votes for cloture.

Does the US Constitution require a supermajority to pass laws in the Senate?

False.

How many US Senators are needed to break a filibuster?

60 senators.

Is there currently a cloture requirement in the US Senate for budget matters?

True.

How many electoral votes are required for a presidential candidate to win?

270 electoral votes.

What role does the national popular vote have in electing the President?

The popular vote winner becomes the president.

Who appointed the current Supreme Court justices?

John Roberts — George W. Bush; Clarence Thomas — George H. W. Bush; Samuel Alito — George W. Bush; Sonia Sotomayor — Barack Obama; Elena Kagan — Barack Obama; Neil Gorsuch — Donald Trump; Brett Kavanaugh — Donald Trump; Amy Coney Barrett — Donald Trump; Ketanji Brown Jackson — Joe Biden.

What was Franklin Delano Roosevelt's court packing plan?

Roosevelt wanted to add more justices to the Supreme Court to support his New Deal laws.

What are the 7 swing states in the 2024 presidential election?

Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin.

How did George Washington expand the power of the presidency?

He appointed the heads of various federal departments as his own advisors.

Who must confirm the heads of the major federal departments?

The Senate.

Which constitutional clause did Mitch McConnell use to shape the federal judiciary?

Article 2, Section 2 , Clause 2— the Appointments Clause.

Which Obama Supreme Court nominee did McConnell refuse to consider?

Merrick Garland.

Who was the justice rushed through after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg?

Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

What did the First Amendment's freedom of the press allow during Watergate?

The Washington Post to investigate and publish details about the Watergate break-in.

What were the charges in the four impeachment trials?

Andrew Johnson: violating the Tenure of Office Act; Bill Clinton: perjury and obstruction of justice; Donald Trump (2019): abuse of power and obstruction of Congress; Donald Trump (2021): incitement of insurrection.

Who are the current Congressional Leaders?

Speaker of the House: Mike Johnson; House Minority Leader: Hakeem Jeffries; Senate Majority Leader: Chuck Schumer; Senate Minority Leader: John Thune.

What amendments are related to the rights of the accused?

5th and 6th Amendments.

What does stare decisis mean?

A legal doctrine that obligates courts to follow historical cases when making a ruling.

What is a writ of certiorari?

An order of the Supreme Court calling up the records of the lower court for review.

What is judicial activism?

Judicial philosophy where a justice is more likely to overturn decisions or rule actions unconstitutional.

What is an amicus curiae?

Literally a 'friend of the court' and used for a brief filed by someone interested in but not party to a case.

What is executive privilege?

The president's right to withhold information from Congress, the judiciary, or the public.

What is impeachment?

The act of charging a government official with serious wrongdoing.

What is cloture?

A parliamentary process to end a debate in the Senate.

What is bicameralism?

The political process that results from dividing a legislature into two separate assemblies.

What is pork-barrel politics?

Federal spending intended to benefit a particular district or set of constituents.

What is a standing committee?

A permanent legislative committee that meets regularly.

What is a bill?

Proposed legislation under consideration by a legislature.