Introduction/Three Branches
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89 Terms
What are the three branches of the U.S. government?
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.
What does the Legislative Branch do?
Makes laws and oversees the other branches.
What does the Executive Branch do?
Enforces and carries out laws.
What does the Judicial Branch do?
Interprets laws and determines whether laws are constitutional.
What is separation of powers?
The division of government power among three branches.
What are checks and balances?
A system where each branch can limit the power of the other branches.
What is federalism?
The division of power between the national government and state governments.
What is popular sovereignty?
The idea that government gets its power from the people.
What is limited government?
The idea that government can only exercise powers allowed by the Constitution.
How many articles are in the Constitution?
Seven.
What does Article I establish?
The Legislative Branch.
What does Article II establish?
The Executive Branch.
What does Article III establish?
The Judicial Branch.
What does Article IV establish?
Relations among states.
What does Article V establish?
The amendment process.
What does Article VI establish?
The Supremacy Clause.
What does Article VII establish?
The ratification process.
ARTICLE I — LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
What is the topic of Article I?
The Legislative Branch (Congress).
What is the main function of Congress?
Making laws and providing oversight.
What is Congress?
The national legislature responsible for making federal laws.
What does oversight mean?
Monitoring and investigating the actions of other government branches and officials.
How many houses does Congress have?
Two.
What is a bicameral legislature?
A legislature made up of two houses.
What are the two houses of Congress?
The House of Representatives and the Senate.
What is the lower house called?
The House of Representatives.
What is the upper house called?
The Senate.
What must both houses do for a bill to pass Congress?
Both must pass the same version of the bill, usually by a majority vote.
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
What is the term for a member of the House of Representatives?
2 years.
Are there term limits for House members?
No.
How often are all House members elected?
Every 2 years.
What is the minimum age to serve in the House?
25 years old.
How long must someone have been a U.S. citizen to serve in the House?
7 years.
What is the residency requirement for the House?
Must be an inhabitant of the state they represent.
How is representation in the House determined?
By population (proportional representation).
What is proportional representation?
Representation based on population.
How often is the Census taken?
Every 10 years.
What is the Census?
An official count of the U.S. population.
Why is the Census important to Congress?
It determines how many representatives each state receives.
How many voting members are in the House?
435.
What is reapportionment?
Redistributing House seats among states based on population changes after the Census.
What is redistricting?
Redrawing congressional district boundaries within a state.
Who elects members of the House?
The voters of each congressional district.
What is a congressional district?
A geographic area that elects one member of the House.
What is the minimum number of representatives each state gets?
One.
What is the House's unique power regarding revenue bills?
All revenue bills must originate in the House.
What are revenue bills?
Bills that raise money for the government, usually through taxes.
What is the House's unique power regarding impeachment?
The House begins the impeachment process.
What does impeachment mean?
The formal accusation of a government official for misconduct.
Who chooses the President if no candidate wins a majority of electoral votes?
The House of Representatives.
How does the House choose the President in that situation?
Each state delegation receives one vote.
Who is the leader of the House of Representatives?
The Speaker of the House.
What is the Speaker of the House?
The presiding officer and leader of the House.
What is the Speaker's position in the presidential line of succession?
Second, after the Vice President.
Who is the current Speaker of the House?
Mike Johnson (verify before your test).
Who is your congressman?
Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
THE SENATE
What is the term for a senator?
6 years.
Are there term limits for senators?
No.
How often is one-third of the Senate elected?
Every 2 years.
Why are Senate elections staggered?
To provide continuity and stability.
What is the minimum age to serve in the Senate?
30 years old.
How long must someone have been a U.S. citizen to serve in the Senate?
9 years.
What is the residency requirement for the Senate?
Must be an inhabitant of the state they represent.
How many senators does each state have?
Two.
What kind of representation does the Senate use?
Equal representation.
How many total senators are there?
100.
How were senators originally chosen?
By their state legislatures.
Which amendment changed how senators are elected?
The 17th Amendment.
When was the 17th Amendment ratified?
1913.
How are senators elected today?
Directly by the voters of their state.
What is the Senate's unique power regarding appointments?
Approving or rejecting many presidential appointments.
What is the Senate's unique power regarding treaties?
Approving treaties by a two-thirds vote of senators present.
What is a treaty?
A formal agreement between countries.
What is the Senate's unique power regarding impeachment?
Holding impeachment trials and deciding whether to convict.
What vote is required to convict in an impeachment trial?
Two-thirds of senators present.
What happens if the Senate convicts an impeached official?
The official is removed from office.
Who is the President of the Senate?
The Vice President of the United States.
When does the Vice President vote in the Senate?
Only in case of a tie.
What is the President pro tempore?
A senator who presides over the Senate when the Vice President is absent.
Why was the President pro tempore position created?
To fill the presiding role when the Vice President is not present.
Who are New Jersey's two U.S. Senators?
Andy Kim and Cory Booker.