The U.S. Political System, American History, and Rhetorical Devices

Comprehensive fill-in-the-blank practice cards covering the structure of the U.S. political system, key historical milestones and concepts, and literary rhetorical devices.

The United States is politically structured as a __________ with a written Constitution.

federal republic

The system in which government branches possess powers to limit and review one another to prevent abuse of power is called __________.

checks and balances

The U.S. House of Representatives consists of __________ members who are elected every 2 years.

$$435$$

The U.S. Senate is composed of 100 members, with exactly __________ senators representing each state.

$$2$$

Members of the U.S. Senate serve terms lasting __________ years.

$$6$$

The U.S. President is chosen through the Electoral College, which is composed of __________ members.

$$538$$

The Supreme Court is the highest federal court in the United States and consists of __________ justices nominated by the President for life.

$$9$$

The Declaration of Independence, which announced the colonies' break with Britain and affirmed that 'all men are created equal,' was issued on __________.

4 July 1776

The U.S. Constitution was drafted in the year __________.

$$1787$$

George Washington became the first President of the United States in the year __________.

$$1789$$

Added to the Constitution in 1791 to protect individual freedoms and limit government power, the first ten amendments are known as the __________.

Bill of Rights

Slavery was abolished nationally across the United States in 1865 by the __________.

13th Amendment

While the Democratic Party is symbolised by a donkey and blue, the Republican Party is symbolised by an __________ and red.

elephant

States such as Michigan, Arizona, and Pennsylvania where political support is closely divided are known as swing states or __________.

battleground states

The practice of drawing election-district boundaries to provide a political party with an unfair electoral advantage is called __________.

gerrymandering

When legislation is stalled in Congress, a president may issue an __________ to instruct how the executive branch executes policy.

executive order

The possibility of moving to a different social or economic position is defined as __________.

social mobility

The Emancipation Proclamation, declaring enslaved people in rebelling areas free, was issued in 1863 by President __________.

Abraham Lincoln

The American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and the Confederacy over slavery, took place from 1861 to __________.

$$1865$$

The Republican Party was founded in the year __________ with opposition to the expansion of slavery as a central issue.

$$1854$$

A situation in which people or groups move toward strongly opposing views on politics and society is called __________.

polarization

Public conflicts over values, beliefs, and social issues like LGBTQ+ rights, abortion, religion, and climate change are referred to as __________.

culture wars

The national ethos and belief that people can pursue freedom, opportunity, and a better life in the U.S. is called the __________.

American Dream

The stylistic device characterized by two or more close words repeating the same initial sound, such as 'World Wide Web,' is __________.

alliteration

An indirect reference to a well-known person, place, or historical/literary event is known as an __________.

allusion

The stylistic device involving the expansion of a basic statement, proverb, or idea (e.g., 'jobs… good jobs') is called __________.

amplification

When a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive sentences or lines, such as 'I have a dream…', the device is called __________.

anaphora

Placing two contrasting ideas together to highlight their difference, as in 'Give me liberty or give me death,' is called __________.

antithesis

Arranging words or ideas in an ascending order to build excitement or underline seriousness is called a __________.

climax

Using extreme exaggeration to make a point, add humour, or convey strong emotion (e.g., 'I waited for him forever') is called __________.

hyperbole

A sharp contrast between what is explicitly said and what is truly meant is known as __________.

irony

When a speaker or writer lists items or events to emphasize a message or prove a thesis, they are using __________.

enumeration

Comparing an object, person, or concept by calling it something else unrelated (e.g., 'He was a lion in the fight') is a __________.

metaphor

Placing two opposite or contradictory words directly next to each other, such as 'clearly misunderstood,' forms an __________.

oxymoron

A statement that seems contradictory on the surface but actually reveals a deeper truth is a __________.

paradox

Giving two or more elements in a sentence the same grammatical structure, such as 'She goes to school, she goes to work,' is called __________.

parallelism

Attributing human traits and actions to inanimate objects, animals, or abstract ideas is called __________.

personification

A negative, often harsh and bitter form of irony used to mock or criticize is called __________.

sarcasm

Comparing two different things using the explicit connective words 'like' or 'as' is a __________.

simile

A concrete entity that represents an abstract idea, such as the Statue of Liberty representing freedom, is a __________.

symbol