1-50 Flashcards
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 or an addition to the constitution
What do we call the first 10 amendments to the constitution?
The bill of rights
What is one right or freedom from the first amendment?
- Speech
- Religion
- Assembly
- Press
- Petition the government
How many amendments does the constitution have?
27
What did the deceleration of independence do?
- Announced our independence from GB
or - Declared our independence from GB
or - Said that the Unites States is free from GB
What are two rights in the Deceleration of Independence?
- Life
- Liberty
- Pursuit of happiness
What is freedom of religion?
You can practice any religion, or not…
What is the economic system in the US?
- Capitalist economy
- 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
Name one branch or part 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 the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
- The Senate and the House of representatives
How many U.S. Senators are there?
100
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
6
Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?
(Colorado)
- Michael Bennet (serving since 2009)
- John Hickenlooper (serving since 2021)
The house of representatives has how many voting members?
435
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
2 years
Name your U.S. Representative
- Ed Perlmutter - District 7 including Thornton!!!!!!!!!
- Diana DeGette
- Joe Neguse
- Lauren Boebert
- Ken Buck
- Doug Lamborn
- Jason Crow
Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
All people of the state
Why do some states have more Representatives than other states
Any one of the three…
- Population
- They have more people
- Some states have more people
We elect a president for how may years?
4 Years
In what month do we vote for President?
November
What is the name of the President of the United States now?
Any one of the three…
- Joseph Biden
- Joe Biden
- Biden
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
Kamala Harris
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
The vice president - Kamala Harris
If the both the President and Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
Speaker of the House
Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
The President
Who signs bills to become laws?
The President
Who vetoes bills?
The President
What does the President’s cabinet do?
Advises the President
What are two cabinet level positions?
Secretary of…
- Housing and development
- Health and Human Services
- Homeland Security
- Commerce
- Defense
- Interior
- Energy
- State
- VP
- Attorney General - Agriculture
- Education
- Labor
- Transportation
- Treasury
- Veterans Affairs
What does the Judicial branch do?
- Reviews laws
- explains laws
- Resolves disputes
- Decides if a law goes against the constitution
What is the highest court in the United States?
The Supreme Court
How many justices are on the supreme court?
9
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
John Roberts
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
- To print money
- To declare war
- To create an army
- To make treaties
Under our constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
- Provide schooling and education
- Provide protection (Police)
- Provide safety (Fire department)
- Give a drivers license
- Approve zoning and land use
Who is the Governor of your state now?
Jarid Polis (D)
What is the capital of your state?
Denver
What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Republican and Democratic
What is the political party of the President now?
Democratic
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
Kevin Mcarthy
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
- Citizens 18 and older
- You do not have to pay to vote
- Any citizen can vote
- A male citizen of any race can vote
What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
- Serve on a jury
- Vote in a federal election
Name one right only for United States citizens.
- Vote in a federal election
- Run for a federal office
What are the two rights of everyone living in the United States?
Freedom of…
- Expression
- Speech
- Assembly
- to petition the government
- of religion
- The right to bear arms
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
- The United States
- The flag
What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
- Give up loyalty to other countries
- Defend the constitution and laws of the U.S.
- Obey the laws of the U.S.
- Serve in the U.S. military if needed
- Serve the nation
- Be loyal to the United States
How old do citizens have to be to vote for president?
18 years and older
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
- Give an elected official your opinion on an issue
- Publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
- Call Senators and representatives
- Join a community group
- Join a civic group
- Write to a newspaper
- Join a political party
- Run for office
- Vote
- Help with a campaign
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
April 15th
When must all men register for the Selective Service?
- 18
- Between 18 and 26
What is one reason colonists came to America?
- Freedom
- Political liberty
- Religious freedom
- Economic opportunity
- Practice their religion
- Escape persecution
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
- American Indians
- Native Americans
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
Africans or People from Africa
Why did the colonists fight the British?
- Because of high taxes - taxation without representation
- Because the British Army stayed in their house
- Because they didn’t have self-government
Who wrote the Deceleration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
When was the Deceleration of Independence adopted?
July 4th, 1776
There were 13 original states. Name three.
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Georgia
- Virginia
- New Jersey
- Maryland
- Connecticut
- New York
- Delaware
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
- The Constitution was written
- The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution
When was the Constitution written?
1787
The Fedarlist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
- James Madison
- Alexander Hamilton
- John Jay
- Publius
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
- U.S. Diplomat
- The oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
- First Postmaster General of the United States
- Writer of “poor Richard’s Almanac”
- Started the first free libraries
Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
George Washington
Who was the first President?
George Washington
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
Louisiana Territory
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800’s
- Civil war
- War of 1812
- Spanish-American War
- Mexican-American War
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South
The Civil War
Name one problem that led to the Civil War
- Slavery
- Economic reasons
- States’ rights
What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
- Freed the slaves
- Saved the Union
- Led the U.S. during the Civil War
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
- Freed the slaves
- Freed the slaves in the Confederacy
- Freed the slaves in the Confederate states
- Freed the slaves in most Southern states
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
- Fought for women’s rights
- Fought for civil rights
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
- WW1
- WW2
- Korea
- Vietnam
- Persian Gulf War
Who was the President during WW1?
Woodrow Wilson
Who was President during the Great Depression and WW2
Franklin Roosevelt
Who did the United States fight in WW2?
- Germany
- Japan
- Italy
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a General. What war was he in?
WW2
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
Communism
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
Civil Rights movement
What did martin Luther King, Jr. do?
- Fought for civil rights
- Worked for equality for all Americans
What major event happened in September 11, 2001, on the United States?
Terrorists attacked the United States
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States
- Cherokee - Creek - Oneida
- Navajo - Blackfeet - Lakota
- Sioux - Seminole - Crow
- Chippewa - Cheyenne - Teton
- Choctaw - Arawak - Hopi
- Pueblo - Shawnee - Inuit
- Apache - Mohegan
- Iroquois - Huron
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States
- Mississippi
- Missouri
What ocean is on the West Coast of the united States?
Pacific ocean
What ocean is on the East Coast of the united States?
Atlantic ocean
Name one U.S. territory
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Puerto Rico
- American Samoa
- Guam
- Northern Mariana Islands
Name one state that borders Canada
- New Hampshire
- Pennsylvania
- North Dakota
- Washington
- New york
- Minnesota
- Michigan
- Maine
- Ohio
- Montana
- Alaska
- Vermont
- Idaho
Name one state that borders Mexico
- California
- Arizona
- New mexico
- Texas
What is the capital of the United States?
Washington D.C.
Where is the Statue of Liberty?
- New York
- Liberty Island
(Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson River)
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
- Because there were 13 original colonies
- Because the stripes represent the original colonies
Why does the flag have 50 stars?
- One star for each state
- Each star represents a state
- There are 50 States
What is the name of the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled Banner
When do we celebrate Independence Day?
July 4th
Name two national U.S. holidays
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Independence Day
- Presidents’ day
- New Year’s Day
- Columbus day
- Thanksgiving
- Memorial Day
- Labor Day
- Veterans Day
- Christmas
