social studies

legislative branch’s main jobs

create laws

senate minimum age

30

number of people in the senate

100, 2 from each state

house of representatives minimum age

25

how many people are in the house of representatives

435, the amount from each state comes from the population of the state

how a bill becomes a law

idea for a law, committee discusses the bill, chamber votes and if it passes it goes to the other chamber, discussion/vote process repeats, once both houses agree it goes to the president, president can sign or veto

checks and balances

each branch can stop the others from gaining too much power

examples of checks and balances

if the president veto’s a law, 2/3 of congress can agree to override the veto, president can veto a law, senate has to approve if the president wants to appoint high officers

executive branch main job

enforce laws

executive branch’s leader

the president

other people in the executive branch

vice president and the cabinet

vice president’s job

president of the senate, and will take over if president leaves, presidents partner

cabinet’s job

the presidents advisors

presidents term length

4 years, 2 term limit

president’s requierments

35, natural born citizen, have lived in the US for 14 years

why the electoral college was needed

founding fathers didn’t trust the people to elect a good person and it would be too difficult to need every person to vote on everything

how the number of electors from each state is determined

number of senators + number of representatives

the amount of electoral votes needed to win an election

270

judicial branch main job

interpret laws

number of judges

9

title of the leader of the supreme court

chief justice

how long a justice serves

for life or until retirement

judicial review

review by the supreme court of how constitutional a law is

can a supreme court ruling be appealed

no

definition of amendment

change or addition to the constitution

bill of rights

first 10 amendments

why the bill of rights was needed

it protects and makes clear citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms

federalist

totally fine with the constitution as is

anti-federalist

insists on a bill of rights before approving the constitution

first amendment

freedom to assemble, petition, and have the freedom of speech, religion, and press

second amendment

allows people to keep and bear arms

third amendment

no soldier shall — in time of peace — be quartered in any house without consent of the owner

fourth amendment

protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures

fifth amendment

protection against self incrimination, right to remain silent, ensure that the right process of the law is used

sixth amendment

guaranteed right to a lawyer, a non biased jury, and public trial without unnecessary delay

seventh amendment

right to a jury trial in a civil case

eighth amendment

prevents cruel and unusual punishment

ninth amendment

people of the US are entitled to morethan just the written rights

tenth amendment

powers are reserved for the people and the states

thirteenth amendment

permanently outlaw slavery

fourteenth amendment

people naturally born in the US had citizenship, equal protection under the law

fifteenth amendment

every citizen has the right to vote no matter their race or color

eighteenth amendment

prohibited the manufacture sale and transportation of intoxicating liquor

nineteenth amendment

gave women the right to vote

twenty-first amendment

gets rid of the nineteenth amendment

twenty-second amendment

no person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice

twenty-sixth amendment

lowered the voting age from 21 to 18

preamble goals

establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves ad our posterity, form a more perfect union

separation of powers

each branch ahs it’s own job

constitution

a set of basic laws and principles that a country or organization is governed by

democracy

a system of government ruled by people who can vote on laws and leaders

republic

a type of democracy that has people vote for representatives

federalism

a system of dividing powers between different levels of government, national, local, and state

necessary and proper cause

if it’s needed and right congress can make a law

loose interpretation

more flexible, don’t need to read the constitution as it is and adjusts to modern times

strict interpretation

no reading between the lines, whatever the constitution says goes

enlightenment

inspiration from philosophers shaped the US founding documents and created the rebellion

gerrymandering

intentionally but legally giving an edge to one particular political party, manipulating HOR state lines to allow for an easier time winning

issues with the articles of confederation

no law enforcement, no taxes, couldn’t get states to do anything, everyone was divided, no leader, every state was it’s own thing

3/5th compromise

a deal between the colonies for population purposes where enslaved people were only counted as 3/5ths of a person