FCLE study

what is the supreme law of the land?

the constitution

what does the constitution do?

sets and defines government and protects basic rights of americans

The idea of self government is in the first three words of the constitution. what are they?

“we the people”

what is an amendment?

a change or addition to the constitution

what do we call the first 10 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?

declared independence 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 US?

capitalist/market economy

what is the rule of 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 & house

what are the two parts of the US congress?

The senate and house of representatives

how many US senators are there?

100

we elect a US senator for how many years?

6

who signs bills to become laws?

the president

the house of representatives has how many voting members?

435

we elect a US representative for how many years?

2

who vetoes bills?

the president

who does a US senator represent?

all people of the state

why do some states have more representatives than other states?

because of state’s population

we elect a president for how many years?

4

in what month do we vote for a president?

november

the president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

the vice president

if both the president and 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

what does the president's cabinet do?

advises the president

what are 2 cabinet level positions?

(secretary of) agriculture, commerce, defense, education, energy, health & human services, homeland security, housing & urban development, interior, labor, state, transportation, treasury, veterans affairs, attorney general, vice president

what does the judicial branch do?

reviews & explains laws, resolves disputes, 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

under our constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. what is one power of the federal government?

print money, declare war, create an army, make treaties

under our constitution, some powers belong to the states. what is one power of the states?

provide schooling & education, protection (police), safety (fire departments), give a driver’s license, approved zoning & land use

what is the capital of your state?

tallahassee

what are the 2 major political parties in the US?

democratic and republican

there are 4 amendments to the constitution about who can vote. describe one of them.

citizens 18 and older can vote, you don't have to pay a poll tax, anyone can vote

what is one responsibility that is only for US citizens?

serve on a jury, vote in a federal election

name one right only for US citizens

vote and run for office

what do we show loyalty to when we say the pledge of allegiance?

the US and the flag

what is one promise you make when you become a US citizen?

give up loyalty to other countries, defend the constitution & laws of the US, obey the law, serve in the military, serve the nation, be loyal to the US

when is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?

april 15

when must all men register for the selective service?

between 18 and 26

what is one reason colonists came to america?

freedom, political liberty, religious freedom, economic opportunity, practice religion, escape persecution

who lived in america before the europeans arrived?

native americans

what group of people was taken to america and sold as slaves?

africans

why did the colonists fight the british?

because of taxation w/o representation, quartering of soldiers, and they didn't have self government

who wrote the declaration of independence?

thomas jefferson

when was the declaration of independence adopted?

july 4, 1776

there were 13 original states. name 3.

new hampshire, massachusetts, rhode island, connecticut, new york, new jersey, pennsylvania, delaware, Maryland, virginia, north carolina, south carolina, Georgia

what happened at the constitutional convention?

the founding fathers wrote the constitution

when was the constitution written?

1787

the federalist papers supported the passage of the US constitution. name on of the writers.

james madison, alexander hamilton, john jay, publius

what is one thing benjamin franklin in famous for?

US diplomat, oldest member of constitutional convention, first postmaster general of the US, writer of the “Poor Richard’s Almanac,” started the first free libraries

who is the father of our country?

george washington

who was the first president?

george washington

what territory did the US buy from france in 1803?

the louisiana territory

name one war fought by the US in the 1800s

war of 1812, mexican-american war, civil war, spanish-American war

name the US war between the north and the south.

the civil war

name one problem that led to the civil war

slavery, economy, state’s rights

what was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?

emancipation proclamation, saved the union, led the US during the civil war

what did the emancipation proclamation do?

freed the slaves

what did Susan B. Anthony do?

fought for women's rights

name one war fought by the US in the 1900s

WW1, WW2, Korean war, Vietnam war, Gulf War

who was president during WW1?

Woodrow Wilson

Who was president during the Great Depression and WW2?

Franklin Roosevelt

Who did the US fight in WW2?

Japan, Germany, and Italy

Before he was president, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

WW2

During the cold war, what was the main concern of the US?

Communism

what movement tried to end racial discrimination?

civil rights movement

What did Martin Luther King Jr. do?

fought for civil rights

what major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the US?

terrorists attacked NYC Twin towers