Government Study Guide

What is the form of government of the United States?

Constitutional Federal Republic

2. What is the supreme law of the land?

The Constitution

3. Name one thing the U.S. Constitution does.

defines the fundamental law of the US federal government

4. The U.S. Constitution starts with the words “We the People.” What does “We the People” mean?

The idea of self-government

5. How are changes made to the U.S. Constitution?

By the Congress

6. What does the Bill of Rights protect?

Civil rights and liberties

7. How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have?

27

8. Why is the Declaration of Independence important?

It marked a big step in the separation from Britain

9. What founding document said the American colonies were free from Britain?

The Declaration of Independence

9. Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

God made us all equal, we are entitled to “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness”, and checks and balances

10. The words “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” are in what founding document?

Declaration of Independence

11. What is the economic system of the United States?

Capitalism

12. What is the rule of law?

Everyone must follow the law

13. Many documents influenced the U.S. Constitution.

Declaration of Independence

14. There are three branches of government. Why?

To ensure the separation of powers

16. Name the three branches of government.

Legislative, Judicial, Executive

17. The President of the United States is in charge of which branch of government?

Executive

18. What part of the federal government writes laws?

Legislative

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

Senate and House of Representatives

20. Name one power of the U.S. Congress.

Writes laws

21. How many U.S. senators are there?

100

22. How long is a term for a U.S. senator?

6 years

23. Who is your US State Senator?

Tom Thillis

24. How many members are in the House of representatives?

435

25. How long is a term for a member of the House of Representatives?

2 years

26. Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators?

They have more people

27. How many senators does each state have?

2

28. Why does each state have two senators?

To represent them in the whole Senate

29. Name your U.S. representative.

Ted Budd

30. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

Nancy Pelosi

31. Who does a U.S. senator represent?

The State

32. Who elects U.S. senators?

The People

33. Who does a member of the House of Representatives represent?

Congressional District

34. Who elects members of the House of Representatives?

The people

35. Some states have more representatives than other states. Why?

Depends on the size of the state

36. The President of the United States is elected for how many years?

4 years

37. The President of the United States can serve only two terms. Why?

To prevent them from having too much power

38. What is the name of the President of the United States now?

Joe Biden

39. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?

Kamala Harris

40. If the president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

The Vice President

41. Name one power of the president.

Lead the military

42. Who is Commander in Chief of the U.S. military?

The president

43. Who signs bills to become laws?

The President

44. Who vetoes bills?

The President

45. Who appoints federal judges?

The President

46. The executive branch has many parts.

The Cabinet

47. What does the President’s Cabinet do?

Advice the President

48. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

Secretary of State and Secretary of Labor

49 . Why is the Electoral College important?

They decide on the President

50. What is one part of the judicial branch?

The Supreme Court

51. What does the judicial branch do?

Resolves disputes and decides the constitutionality of federal laws

52. What is the highest court in the United States?

The Supreme Court

53. How many seats are on the Supreme Court?

Nine Justices

54. How many Supreme Court justices are usually needed to decide a case?

Six Justices

55. How long do Supreme Court justices serve?

As long as they choose

56. Supreme Court justices serve for life. Why?

Removes them from political pressure

57. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

John G. Roberts

58. Name one power that is only for the federal government.

Coin money

59. Name one power that is only for the states.

Ownership of Property

60. What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment?

Powers are for the states and the people

61. Who is the governor of your state now?

Roy Cooper

62. What is the capital of your state?

Raleigh

63. There are four amendments to the U.S. Constitution about who can vote.

The 19th- Women rights to vote

64. Who can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and serve on a jury in the United States?

Men and women older than 18

65. What are the three rights of everyone living in the United States?

Life, liberty, and pursuit of happinness

66. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

The United States

67. Name two promises that new citizens make in the Oath of Allegiance.

To protect the Constitution and laws from all enemies

68. How can people become United States citizens?

Birth or naturalization

69. What are two examples of civic participation in the United States?

Voting and volunteering

70. What are one-way Americans can serve their country?

Obeying the law and working in local

71. Why is it important to pay federal taxes?

It is used for improving roads and buildings

72. It is important for all men aged 18 through 25 to register for the Selective Service.

To ensure that a future draft will be fair and equitable

73. The colonists came to America for many reasons.

Riches and hope for freedom of speech, religion, and slavery

74. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

The Native Americans

75. What group of people was taken and sold as slaves?

The Africans

76. What war did the Americans fight to win independence from Britain?

The Revolutionary War

77. Name one reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain.

They didn’t want to be lead by a leader who didn’t live in the USA

78. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson

79. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

1776

80. The American Revolution had many important events.

The Stamp Act

81. There were 13 original states.

North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland

82. What founding document was written in 1787?

The Constitution

83. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution.

Alexander Hamilton and James Madison

84. Why were the Federalist Papers important?

They help in understanding and interpreting the Constitution

85. Benjamin Franklin is famous for many things.

He invented the lighting rod

86. George Washington is famous for many things.

He was the first president of the United States

87. Thomas Jefferson is famous for many things.

Writing the Declaration of Independence

88. James Madison is famous for many things.

Father of the Constitution

89. Alexander Hamilton is famous for many things.

Founding father

90. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

The Mississippi River

91. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.

Mexican-American War

92. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.

The Civil War

93. The Civil War had many important events.

Battle of Fort Sumter

94. Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things.

Issued the Emancipation Proclamation

95. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

Freed the slaves

96. What U.S. war ended slavery?

The Civil War

97. What amendment gives citizenship to all persons born in the United States?

14th Amendment

98. When did all men get the right to vote?

15th Amendment

99. Name one leader of the women’s rights movement in the 1800s.

Susan B. Anthony

100. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.

WW1 and WW2