100 questions 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 (to the Constitution)
▪ an addition (to the Constitution)
What do we call the first ten 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?
▪ twenty-seven (27)
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
▪ announced our independence (from Great Britain)
▪ declared our independence (from Great Britain)
▪ said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)
What are two 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
▪ 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 House (of Representatives)
How many U.S. Senators are there?
▪ one hundred (100)
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
▪ six (6)
Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?*
▪ Chris Van Hollen (democratic)
▪ Ben Cardin (democrat)
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)
Name your U.S. Representatives.
▪ Andrew Harris ▪ Dutch Ruppersberger ▪ John Sarbanes ▪ Glen Ivey ▪ Steny Hoyer ▪ David Trone ▪ Kweisi Mfume ▪ Jamie Raskin
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
▪ (because) they have more people
▪ (because) some states have more people
We elect a President for how many years?
▪ four (4)
In what month do we vote for President?
▪ November
What is the name of the President of the United States now?*
▪ Joe 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
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
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 Agriculture ▪ Secretary of Commerce ▪ Secretary of Defense ▪ Secretary of Education ▪ Secretary of Energy ▪ Secretary of Health and Human Services ▪ Secretary of Homeland Security ▪ Secretary of Housing and Urban Development ▪ Secretary of the Interior ▪ Secretary of Labor ▪ Secretary of State ▪ Secretary of Transportation ▪ Secretary of the Treasury ▪ Secretary of Veterans Affairs ▪ Attorney General ▪ Vice President
What does the judicial branch do?
▪ reviews laws
▪ explains laws
▪ resolves disputes (disagreements)
▪ 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?
▪ Nine (9)
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
▪ John Roberts
▪ John G. Roberts, Jr.
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 departments) ▪ give a driver’s license ▪ approve zoning and land use
Who is the Governor of your state now?
▪ New Elected Governor: Wes Moore
What is the capital of your state?
▪ Annapolis
What are the two major political parties in the United States?*
▪ Democratic and Republican
What is the political party of the President now?
▪ Democratic party
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
▪ Nancy Pelosi
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
▪ Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
▪ You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
▪ Any citizen can vote. (Women and men 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 federal office
What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
▪ freedom of expression ▪ freedom of speech ▪ freedom of assembly ▪ freedom to petition the government ▪ freedom 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 United States
▪ obey the laws of the United States
▪ serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
▪ serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
▪ be loyal to the United States
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?*
▪ eighteen (18) and older
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
▪ vote ▪ join a political party ▪ help with a campaign ▪ join a civic group ▪ join a community group ▪ give an elected official your opinion on an issue ▪ call Senators and Representatives ▪ publicly support or oppose an issue or policy ▪ run for office ▪ write to a newspaper
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
▪ April 15
When must all men register for the Selective Service?
▪ at age eighteen (18)
▪ between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (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
▪ people from Africa
Why did the colonists fight the British?
▪ because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
▪ because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
▪ because they didn’t have self-government
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
▪ (Thomas) Jefferson
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
▪ July 4, 1776
There were 13 original states. Name three.
▪ New Hampshire ▪ Massachusetts ▪ Rhode Island ▪ Connecticut ▪ New York ▪ New Jersey ▪ Pennsylvania ▪ Delaware ▪ Maryland ▪ Virginia ▪ North Carolina ▪ South Carolina ▪ Georgia
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
▪ The Constitution was written.
▪ The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
When was the Constitution written?
▪ 1787
The Federalist 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
▪ 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?
▪ the Louisiana Territory
▪ Louisiana
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
▪ War of 1812
▪ Mexican-American War
▪ Civil War
▪ Spanish-American War
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
▪ the Civil War
▪ the War between the States
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 (Emancipation Proclamation)
▪ saved (or preserved) the Union
▪ led the United States during the Civil War
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
▪ freed the slaves
▪ freed slaves in the Confederacy
▪ freed slaves in the Confederate states
▪ freed 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.*
▪ World War I ▪ World War II ▪ Korean War ▪ Vietnam War ▪ (Persian) Gulf War
Who was President during World War I?
▪ (Woodrow) Wilson
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
(Franklin) Roosevelt
Who did the United States fight in World War II?
▪ Japan, Germany, and Italy
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
▪ World War II
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 on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
▪ Terrorists attacked the United States.
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
▪ Cherokee ▪ Navajo ▪ Sioux ▪ Chippewa ▪ Choctaw ▪ Pueblo ▪ Apache ▪ Iroquois ▪ Creek ▪ Blackfeet ▪ Seminole ▪ Cheyenne ▪ Arawak ▪ Shawnee ▪ Mohegan ▪ Huron ▪ Oneida ▪ Lakota ▪ Crow ▪ Teton ▪ Hopi ▪ Inuit
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
▪ Missouri (River)
▪ Mississippi (River)
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.
▪ Puerto Rico ▪ U.S. Virgin Islands ▪ American Samoa ▪ Northern Mariana Islands ▪ Guam
Name one state that borders Canada.
▪ Maine ▪ New Hampshire ▪ Vermont ▪ New York ▪ Pennsylvania ▪ Ohio ▪ Michigan ▪ Minnesota ▪ North Dakota ▪ Montana ▪ Idaho ▪ Washington ▪ Alaska
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 (Harbor)
▪ 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?
▪ because there is one star for each state
▪ because each star represents a state
▪ because there are 50 states
What is the name of the national anthem?
▪ The Star-Spangled Banner
When do we celebrate Independence Day?*
▪ July 4
Name two national U.S. holidays.
▪ New Year’s Day ▪ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day ▪ Presidents’ Day ▪ Memorial Day ▪ Independence Day ▪ Labor Day ▪ Columbus Day ▪ Veterans Day ▪ Thanksgiving ▪ Christmas
