American Government

Module 1: Institutions and Policy Processes: The Presidency, Bureaucracy, and Congress 1.0: Introduction 1.1 Congress - 1.1.1 Congress' Enumerated and Implied Powers - 1.1.2 Congress' Power to Tax - 1.1.3 Congressional Organization, Rules, and Committees 1.2 The President - 1.2.1 The President and his Powers - 1.2.2 The Vice President and the First Lady 1.3 The Bureaucracy - 1.3.1 Origins of the Bureaucracy - 1.3.2 Bodies of the Bureaucracy 1.4 Structure, Policy Processes, and Outputs: How Legislation Works 1.5 Relationships Among These Institutions and the Links Between Them - 1.5.1 The Relationships Between Institutions and the Media - 1.5.2 The Role and Types of Media 1.6 Readings Module 2: Federal Courts, Civil Liberties, and Civil Rights 2.0 Introduction 2.1 Structure and Processes - 2.1.1 The Supreme Court - 2.1.2 Judicial Implementation and the Lower Federal Courts 2.2 The Development of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties by Judicial Implementation 2.3 The Bill of Rights 2.4 Incorporation of the Bill of Rights 2.5 Equal Protection 2.6 Readings Module 3: Political Parties and Interest Groups 3.0 Introduction - 3.1.1 Political Parties - 3.1.2 Political Parties Organization and Mobilization: Campaign Finance - 3.1.3 Dissension within the Parties - 3.1.4 The Role and Nature of Third Parties and Major Third Parties 3.2 Interest Groups - 3.2.1 Defining and Differentiating Between Interest Groups - 3.2.2 Laws Governing Lobbyists 3.3 Elections 3.4 Readings Module 4: Political Beliefs and Behavior 4.0 Introduction 4.1 Processes By Which Citizens Learn About Politics 4.2 Political Participation 4..3 Public Opinion 4.4 Beliefs That Citizens Hold About Governments and Its Leaders 4.5 Political Culture 4.6 The Influence of Public Opinion on Political Leaders 4.7 Readings Module 5: Constitutional Underpinnings of American Democracy 5.0 Introduction 5.1 Federalism - 5.1.1 Federalism in the Constitution - 5.1.2 Types of Federalism - 5.1.3 Tensions Between Federal and State Governments 5.2 Separation of Powers 5.3 Checks and Balances 5.4 Majority Rule 5.5 Minority Rights 5.6 Considerations that Influenced the Formation and Adoption of the Constitution - 5.6.1 Breaking From the British Empire - 5.6.2 Philosophical Underpinnings of the National Government - 5.6.3 The Articles of Confederation - 5.6.4 The National Founding - 5.6.5 5.7 Theories of Democracy 5.8 Readings

What is the supreme law of the land?

the Constitution

What does the Constitution do?

sets up the government, defines the government, protects basic rights of Americans

The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

We the People

What is an amendment?

a change (to the Constitution) and an addition (to the Constitution)

What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

the Bill of Rights

What are rights or freedom form the First Amendment?

speech, religion, assembly, press, petition the government

How many amendments does the Constitution have?

twenty-seven (27)

What did the Declaration of Independence do?

• announce our independence (form Great Britain)

• declared our independence (from Great Britain)

• said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)

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 United States?

capitalist economy and market economy

What is the “rule of law”

• Everyone must follow the law

• Leaders must obey the law

• Government must obey the law

• No one is above the law

Parts 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 and House (of Representatives)

• (U.S. or national) legislature

What are two parts of the U.S. Congress?

the Senate and House (of Representatives)

How many U.S. Senators are there?

one hundred (100)

Congress is ___ of the constitution

Article 1

Congress is a long-involved article and sets up a ___

bicameral legislature

The House of Representatives has __ members

435

The Senate has __ members

100

The president is relegated to ___ of the constitution

Article 2

The bureaucracy was not ___ but was ___

written into the constitution ; designed to help congress and the president fulfill their duties

The framers designed Congress in depth in ___ of the Constitution

Article 1

Enumerated powers

those that are listed in the Constitution and the others are just implied

Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution

Congress has the power to tax

Congress has the power to create many different ___

committees

Framer Alexander Hamilton was a strong advocate of

a powerful, national government

We elect a U.S Senator for how many years?

six (6)

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

four hundred thirty-five (435)

We elect a U.S Representative for how many years?

two (2)

Who does a U.S Senator represent?

all people of the state

Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

because of the state’s population/ they have more people/ some states have more people

We elect a President for how many years?

four (4)

In what month do we vote for President?

November

In what month do we vote for President?

November

If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

the Vice President

If both the President and the 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

NUMBER 32 OF CIVIC LITERACY PDF

____ is not written into the Constitution, but it has grown greatly over the course of the 20th century and is designed by Congress to help take care of their duties and powers

(Module 1.3.1 Origins of Bureaucracy)

The Bureaucracy

Who increases the size of the bureaucracy?

(Module 1.3.1 Origins of Bureaucracy)

The President

What are some bodies of the Bureaucracy?

(Module 1.3 Origins of Bureaucracy)

private corporations, agencies and specific regulatory agencies

The bureaucracy is not one of the ___ of government

(Module 1.3.1 Origins of Bureaucracy)

three branches

The bureaucracy is not written into the ____

(Module 1.3 The bureaucracy)

Constitution

Congress has the power to pass legislation. What does this create?

(Module 1.3.1 Origins of Bureaucracy)

Government agencies and the guidelines that these agencies should follow

What kind of power do the agencies that make up bureaucracy have?

(Module 1.3.1 Origins of Bureaucracy)

the power of administrative discretion

What is the main purpose of bureaucracy?

(Module 1.3.1 Origins of Bureaucracy)

Implementing the laws congress enacts

Which of the following best explains the consistent of the federal over the past hundred years?

o Increases in federal income

o The inability of Congress to cut programs

o The success of Democratic presidents in promoting their policies

o Public demand for, and expectation of, social services

o United States Supreme Court rulings requiring Congress to assist those living in poverty

(1.3 The Bureaucracy )

Public demand for, and expectation of, social services