Goverment test- 8th Grade.

yay

Who is the current Speaker of the House?

Mike Johnson, Republican, Louisiana, elected in 2023.

What is the role of the Speaker of the House?

The Speaker controls what business is presented and how it is conducted in the House of Representatives.

How is the Speaker of the House selected?

They are nominated by the party with more representatives and then elected by a vote in the House.

What is the Census?

An enumeration of the United States population every 10 years.

Why is the Census important for the House of Representatives?

The number of representatives for each state is based on its population, ensuring correct representation.

What types of questions does the Census ask?

Demographic questions such as date of birth, gender, race, and household composition.

How many members are currently in the House of Representatives?

435 members.

Why is the number of House members different from the electoral vote total of 538?

The 538 total includes 100 Senators and 3 electoral votes for the District of Columbia.

How many representatives does Pennsylvania currently have?

17 representatives starting in 2023.

Why did Pennsylvania lose a representative in 2022?

The 2020 Census showed that Pennsylvania's population grew less than other states.

Who is the current congressional representative for the Bala Cynwyd area?

Madeline Dean, Democrat.

What role does the Vice President play in the Senate?

They break ties in voting.

What is the Vice President's title in the Senate?

President of the Senate.

Who is the current Vice President?

J.D. Vance, Republican.

Who is in charge of the Senate when the Vice President is not present?

President Pro Tempore, Charles E. Grassley, Republican, Iowa.

What amendment changed the way Senators are elected?

The 17th Amendment, ratified in 1913.

Why was the 17th Amendment necessary?

It gave the power of electing senators to the people, reducing political corruption.

Why does the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court preside over a presidential impeachment trial?

To avoid a conflict of interest for the Vice President, who is from the same party as the President.

Where must all tax bills start?

In the House of Representatives, as stated in Article 1, Section 7, Clause 1.

What is the normal procedure for how a bill becomes a law?

Introduce a Bill → Refer to Committee → Debate → Compromise → Approve → President signs → Becomes Law.

What does veto mean?

To reject a bill.

What recourse does Congress have if the President vetoes a bill?

Congress can override the veto with a 2/3 majority vote in both chambers.

What is a pocket veto?

When the President refuses to act on a bill and Congress adjourns within 10 days.

What military powers are given to Congress?

Declaration of War, raising an army and navy, making rules for the military, and calling forth the militia.

Why can only Congress declare war instead of the President?

Congress represents the people and includes multiple viewpoints for debate on such a significant decision.

What does appropriate mean in a legislative context?

To pass laws allowing something to happen, including spending tax money.

Why is Clause 18, Section 8 known as the Elastic Clause?

It allows Congress to make laws necessary for carrying out its duties, enabling flexibility in governance.What are the formal powers and duties of the President outlined in?

What role does the President serve as Chief Executive?

The President implements policy, supervises the executive branch, prepares the executive budget, and appoints/removes executive officials.

What is the system called that is used to elect a President?

The Electoral College.

What significant event in 1800 led to a change in the Electoral College system?

The election ended in a tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, leading to the Twelfth Amendment.

Why can a presidential candidate win the popular vote but lose the election?

Because the President is elected by the Electoral College, not by popular vote.

Which presidential election saw a candidate win the popular vote but lose the election in 2016?

Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost to Donald Trump.

What were the qualifications necessary to run for President?

Natural Born Citizen, At Least 35 Years Old, 14 Years a Resident in the U.S.

What text was removed from the qualifications for President and why?

"or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution" was removed because the first seven Presidents were born under British rule.

What are the powers of the President as listed in the Constitution?

Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Making Treaties and Nominations, Temporary Appointments.

What is the impeachment process for a President?

The House votes on impeachment, then it goes to the Senate for trial, where the Chief Justice presides.

Which Presidents have been formally impeached?

Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump.

What were the reasons for Donald Trump's impeachments?

In 2019, for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress; in 2021, for inciting an insurrection.

What happens to the powers of the President if they leave office?

The powers pass to the Vice President.

What caused confusion regarding presidential succession?

The wording of the clause regarding succession when a President dies in office.

List the first five members of the President's Cabinet in line for succession.

Vice President, Speaker of the House, President pro tempore of the Senate, Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury.

What precedent did John Tyler set regarding presidential succession?

Tyler set the precedent that the Vice President assumes the office of President when it becomes vacant.

What is presidential succession?

The process by which the office of the President is filled when it becomes vacant.

List the first three members of the President's Cabinet in line for succession.

1. Vice President 2. Speaker of the House 3. President Pro Tempore (Senate)

How many times has a Vice President become President before the former President's term was completed?

Nine times.

Name one circumstance that caused a Vice President to become President.

Death of a sitting President.

What is the main role of the President's Cabinet?

To advise the President on any subject related to their respective offices.

List five departments in the President's Cabinet.

1. Department of State 2. Department of the Treasury 3. Department of Defense 4. Department of Justice 5. Department of the Interior

What is the 'State of the Union Address'?

An annual report given by the President to Congress on the condition of the nation.

Where in the Constitution is the State of the Union Address described?

Article II, Section 3.

When is the State of the Union Address typically given?

Each January.

What does the 25th Amendment explain?

Presidential succession and procedures for when a President is unable to perform duties.

What happens if a President dies or resigns according to the 25th Amendment?

The Vice President becomes President.

What must happen when a Vice President takes over the office of President?

The new President appoints a Vice President, who must be approved by a majority vote of both houses of Congress.

What provision does Section 3 of the 25th Amendment provide?

The President can inform Congress if they are too sick to perform their duties.

What does Section 4 of the 25th Amendment entail?

The Vice President and Cabinet can declare the President disabled, making the Vice President Acting President.

What is required for Congress to decide if a President is disabled?

A two-thirds vote of both houses.

Give an example of a situation where the Cabinet might need to remove a President from office.

If a President suffers a traumatic brain injury and cannot perform their duties.Jurisdiction

Federal Courts Jurisdiction

Federal courts have jurisdiction over cases that involve the Constitution, federal laws, treaties, foreign ambassadors and diplomats, naval and maritime laws, disagreements between states or between citizens from different states, and disputes between a state or citizen and a foreign state or citizen.

Original Jurisdiction

Original jurisdiction means the power of a court to hear a case where it first arises.

Supreme Court Original Jurisdiction

The Supreme Court rules in all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be a party.

Appellate Court

An appellate court does not decide guilt. It decides whether the lower court trial was properly conducted and reviews the lower court's decision.

Supreme Court as Final Appellate Court

The Supreme Court's primary role is to be the final decision maker in any of the 'appeal' cases they hear. Once the Supreme Court rules, it is the final decision for that case.

Supreme Court Justice Nomination Requirements

The Constitution does not specify qualifications for Justices such as age, education, profession, or native-born citizenship.

Supreme Court Justice Education

A Justice does not have to be a lawyer or a law school graduate, but all Justices have been trained in the law.

Supreme Court Justice Term Length

Supreme Court Justices serve a life sentence.

Ways to End Supreme Court Justice Term

A Supreme Court Justice can retire, be impeached or die while in office.

Determining Number of Supreme Court Justices

The Constitution places the power to determine the number of Justices in the hands of Congress.

First Supreme Court Justices

The first Judiciary Act, passed in 1789, set the number of Justices at six, one Chief Justice and five Associates.

Supreme Court Justices Number Changes

Over the years Congress has passed various acts to change this number, fluctuating from a low of five to a high of ten.

Judiciary Act of 1869

The Judiciary Act of 1869 fixed the number of Justices at nine and no subsequent change to the number of Justices has occurred.

Current Supreme Court Chief Justice

John Glover Roberts Jr. who serves as the 17th and current Chief Justice of the United States.

Chief Justice Appointment

He took his seat on September 29, 2005, having been nominated by President George W. Bush.

Current Associate Judges

Clarence Thomas-Conservative-George H. W. Bush, Samuel Alito-Conservative-George W. Bush, Sonia Sotomayor-Liberal-Obama, Elena Kagan-Liberal-Obama, Neil Gorsuch-Conservative-Trump, Brett Kavanaugh-Conservative-Trump, Amy Coney Barrett-Conservative-Trump, Ketanji Brown Jackson-Liberal-Biden.

Case Travel Steps

Trial Court-Handles civil and criminal cases. Juries make verdicts. Judges enforce rules of procedure. Appellate Court-Hears appeals of trial court cases. State Supreme Court-Highest state court. Hears appeals of appellate court cases. United Supreme Court-Nation's highest court. Reviews decisions of lower courts. Decides cases involving the United States Constitution and federal laws.

Impeached Supreme Court Judge

The only Supreme Court judge to be impeached.

Samuel Chase

The only Supreme Court Justice to be impeached in 1805.

Impeachment of Justice Chase

Chase was accused of letting his political views interfere with his judgments.

First Supreme Court Members

John Jay (Chief Justice), John Rutledge, William Cushing, John Blair, Robert Harrison, and James Wilson (Associate Justices).

First Supreme Court Meeting

The first meeting was held in New York City on February 1, 1790.

First Case Heard

West v. Barnes, where West was sued for paying his farm mortgage in paper money instead of gold or silver.

Outcome of West v. Barnes

The court decided in favor of Barnes 5-0 due to a procedural error, leading to West losing his farm.

Marbury v. Madison

A case that began with John Adams attempting to appoint William Marbury as a Justice of the Peace.

William Marbury's Appointment

Marbury was denied his appointment by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison after Adams' presidency ended.

Chief Justice John Marshall

Reviewed the Marbury v. Madison case and stated that Article III did not allow one branch to force action on another.

Judicial Review

The principle established in Marbury v. Madison allowing federal courts to void acts of Congress that conflict with the Constitution.

Constitutionality Determination

Marbury v. Madison established the Supreme Court's power to determine the constitutionality of acts from the other two branches of government.

First Act Declared Unconstitutional

Marbury v. Madison was the first case where the Supreme Court struck down an act of Congress as unconstitutional.

Judiciary's Power

The case recognized that Congress grants certain powers to the Judiciary while limiting the Court's own authority.

Chief Justice Marshall's Genius

Marshall's decision established the Supreme Court as the ultimate Constitutional authority without triggering a constitutional crisis.

Doctrine of Judicial Review

Created by Marbury v. Madison, allowing the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution.

Political Charges in Cases

Justice Chase was accused of limiting defense witnesses in politically charged cases.

Acquittal of Justice Chase

Justice Chase was acquitted by the Senate after impeachment.

David Barnes

He was an heir of the Jenckes and a well-known attorney involved in West v. Barnes.

Final Decision in Marbury v. Madison

Ultimately, the decision about Marbury's appointment belonged to President Thomas Jefferson.