US Constitution Study Guide Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts from the US Constitution Study Guide for exam preparation.

How many Articles does the Constitution have?

7

What branch of government has legislative power according to Article I?

Congress

What is legislative power?

The power to make laws.

How many members are in the House of Representatives?

435

How is the number of representatives each state gets determined?

It is based on population.

What are the requirements to become a member of the House of Representatives?

25 years old, citizen for 7 years, resident of the state.

What is the term length for a member of the House of Representatives?

2 years.

Which chamber has the sole power to impeach federal officials?

House of Representatives.

What is the title of the leader of the House of Representatives?

Speaker of the House.

Who is the current leader of the House of Representatives?

Mike Johnson.

Who represents Missouri’s first district?

Wesley Bell.

Who represents Missouri’s second district?

Ann Wagner.

Who represents Missouri’s third district?

Bob Onder.

Who represents Missouri’s fourth district?

Mark Alford.

Who represents Missouri’s fifth district?

Emmanuel Cleaver II.

Who represents Missouri’s sixth district?

Sam Graves.

Who represents Missouri’s seventh district?

Eric Burlison.

Who represents Missouri’s eighth district?

Jason Smith.

How many senators are there?

100.

How many senators does each state have?

Each state has the same number (2).

How were senators originally chosen?

They were elected by state legislatures.

What are the requirements to become a senator?

30 years old, citizen for 9 years, resident of the state.

What fraction of senators must vote in favor of impeachment to remove an official from office?

2/3.

When are federal elections held in the United States?

The first Tuesday after a Monday in November.

What constitutional privileges do members of Congress have while in office?

Freedom of speech in legislative debates, limited immunity from arrest, and the right to receive pay.

In which chamber must revenue bills originate?

House of Representatives.

What happens after a bill receives a majority vote from both houses of Congress?

It's sent to the president.

What fraction of Congress must vote to override a veto?

2/3.

What is an enumerated power?

A power specific to the government in the Constitution.

What is an implied power?

A power not specifically given to the government.

Which clause of the Constitution supports implied powers?

The Elastic Clause.

Give an example of an implied power.

Creating the Air Force.

What trade cannot be banned until at least 1808?

The slave trade.

What is Habeas Corpus?

The right to be arrested for committing a crime.

What is an Ex Post Facto law?

A law that applies to acts committed before it was passed.

Can the United States grant titles of Nobility?

No.

What things are states specifically prohibited from doing under the Constitution?

Making treaties, coining money, taxing imports or exports, passing bills of attainder or ex post facto laws.

What branch of government vests executive power according to Article II?

Presidential (Executive branch).

What is executive power?

The power to enforce laws.

How long is the term for the President and Vice President?

4 years.

Who is the current President?

Donald Trump.

Who is the current Vice President?

JD Vance.

How many Electoral College votes are needed to win the presidency?

270.

What is the formula for determining a state's electoral votes?

Combine senators and representatives.

How many electoral votes does Missouri have?

10.

What are the constitutional requirements to be eligible for the presidency?

Natural born citizen, 35 years old, lived in US for 14 years.

Which officials can the president appoint?

Ambassadors, justices of the Supreme Court, and officers in the US.

What reasons may the president be impeached?

Treason, bribery, and crimes and misdemeanors.

What branch of government vests judicial power according to Article III?

Supreme Court.

What is judicial power?

The power to interpret laws.

How long is the term of a Supreme Court Justice?

Indefinite.

What is the title of the leader of the Supreme Court?

Chief Justice.

Who is the current leader of the Supreme Court?

John Roberts.

What type of cases do Federal courts have jurisdiction over?

Cases involving the U.S. Constitution, federal laws, disputes between states.

What type of cases does the Supreme Court have original jurisdiction over?

Cases involving foreign ambassadors or where a state shall be a party.

What is the only crime specifically defined in the Constitution?

Treason.

Do states have to abide by the public acts of other states?

Yes.

What happens to a person who commits a crime in one state and is fled to another?

They are sent back to the state where it happened for trial.

Which branch of government can admit new states to the Union?

Congress.

What restrictions are placed on the creation of new states?

New states cannot be created inside existing states without approval.

Which branch governs federal territory?

Congress.

What type of government is guaranteed to all states?

Republican.

What guarantees to the states are made in the Constitution?

Equal representation in the Senate, protection from invasion.

What are the two methods for proposing a new amendment?

A two-thirds vote of both houses or by a national convention.

What portion of the states must approve an amendment?

3/4.

What two things is an amendment specifically not allowed to do?

Banning slaves before 1809, depriving states of Senate representation.

Can religion be a requirement for federal office?

No.

How many states needed to ratify the Constitution?

9.

How many amendments are in the Bill of Rights?

10.

What are the protections in the First Amendment?

Religion, speech, press, petition, assembly.

What are the two clauses of freedom of religion?

Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause.

What right is protected by the Second Amendment?

Right to bear arms.

What is banned by the Third Amendment?

Quartering of soldiers.

What does the Fourth Amendment protect against?

Unreasonable search and seizure.

What are the Fifth Amendment rights?

Grand jury, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, due process.

What are the Sixth Amendment rights?

Fair and speedy trial, right to a jury, to confront accuser.

What is the minimum amount for a civil trial by jury?

20 dollars.

What is banned by the Eighth Amendment?

Excessive bail, fines, cruel and unusual punishment.

What does the Ninth Amendment suggest?

There are rights not included in the Bill of Rights.

To whom does the Tenth Amendment reserve certain powers?

The states and people.

What does the Eleventh Amendment provide?

Civil immunity for states.

What office is affected by the Twelfth Amendment?

Vice President.

What practice is banned by the Thirteenth Amendment?

Slavery.

Who gains citizenship via the Fourteenth Amendment?

All people born in the US and subject to its jurisdiction.

What are the most cited clauses of the Constitution in Supreme Court cases?

The Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause.

Who gained the right to vote by the Fifteenth Amendment?

Black men.

What does the Sixteenth Amendment create?

The income tax.

What office is affected by the Seventeenth Amendment?

Senators.

What is banned by the Eighteenth Amendment?

Manufacture, transportation, or sale of alcohol.

Who gained the right to vote by the Nineteenth Amendment?

Women.

What does the Twentieth Amendment move to January?

The beginning of presidential and congressional terms.

Which earlier amendment is repealed by the Twenty-First Amendment?

The Eighteenth Amendment.

What does the Twenty-Second Amendment limit?

The number of terms a president can serve.

Who gained the right to vote by the Twenty-Third Amendment?

Residents of Washington D.C.

What is banned by the Twenty-Fourth Amendment?

Poll taxes.

What office is most affected by the Twenty-Fifth Amendment?

The presidency.

Who gained the right to vote by the Twenty-Sixth Amendment?

People between ages of 18-21.

When was the Twenty-Seventh Amendment added to the Constitution?

1992.