8th grade Civics test flashcards
When was the Constitution created and adopted?
The Constitution was created in 1787 but was adopted (had enough consenting votes) in the year 1788.
-Developed at the Constitutional Convention
What does the Constitution do?
The Constitution “sets up government”, which means that it sets the boundaries for what our government can or cannot do
What was it divided in to?
The Constitution, as it was originally written, is divided into articles, which details the rights and responsibilities of various components of government
-The first three words of the Constitution are “We the People”
What does it define?
It defines the branches of government
-Executive branch
-Legislative branch
-Judicial branch
How many times has it been amended and what do the amendments do?
The Constitution has been amended (changed) 27 times.
-This includes the Bill of Rights
-Which includes the First Amendment
-Protects freedom of speech, press, assembly, to petition the government, and religion.
Is anyone exempt from the constitucion?
The Constitution is the supreme law of the land.
-Rule of law means no one is exempt from these laws!
How old do you have to be to vote?
You must be 18 to vote in elections
-26th Amendment
How can women vote?
Women were granted the right to vote as a result of the 19th Amendment
When were black men given the right to vote?
Black (men) were granted the right to vote in the 15th Amendment.
What are poll taxes?
The 24th Amendment abolished poll taxes (a form of discrimination that prevent access to the polls)
How old do you need to be for president?
You must be at least 35 to run for president
-Two-term limit.
What are the 2 ways to become a citizen?
If you were born in the US - you are automatically a citizen!
If not, you may become a naturalized citizen -
Criteria: lived in US for at least 5 years and apply (and take this test!).
Where is the Pacific Ocean?
The west coast
Where is the Atlantic Ocean?
The Atlantic Ocean is on the East Coast
What were the 13 colonies?
The 13 Colonies were:
Georgia,
North Carolina,
South Carolina,
Virginia,
Maryland,
Delaware,
New Jersey,
Pennsylvania,
New York,
Connecticut,
Rhode Island,
Massachusetts,
New Hampshire
What borders Mexico?
California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas border Mexico (to our southern border)
What boarders Canada?
Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine border Canada at our northern border.
What are the native American tribes?
Native Americans lived on this land prior to the arrival of Europeans.
Some Native American tribes are
Cherokee
Navajo
Apache
Hopi
Inuit
Pueblo
What are the territories?
Some US territories (places where the US exercises control over, but which are not states) are:
Puerto Rico,
US Virgin Islands,
Northern Mariana Islands,
American Samoa,
Guam
How did the slaves get to America?
Enslaved Africans were brought via the transatlantic slave trade
What did they first operate under?
The country first operated under the Articles of Confederation
However, this was a weak constitution that did not grant a lot of power to the central government.
How did the U.S. declare independence and why?
Colonists declared independence from Great Britain by writing the Declaration of Independence
Some reasons they did so because they felt they were being unfairly taxed and not represented in government,
The primary author of the Declaration of Independence was Thomas Jefferson
This was written on July 4, 1776 (our independence day - a national holiday).
Why did the U.S. expand dramatically?
The US dramatically expanded during this time due to the
purchase of the Louisiana Territory.
Purchased from France in 1803
What is the constitutional convention?
The Constitutional Convention was an event in which lawmakers met to revise the Articles of Confederation and ultimately created a new Constitution
This occurred in 1787
Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate in attendance!
What were wars fought in the 1800s?
Some wars fought in this century were:
The War of 1812
The Mexican American War
The Civil War
Fought between the North and the South
Over slavery
States rights’
The Spanish American War
What is the emancipation proclamation?
The Emancipation Proclamation (issued by Abraham Lincoln) freed
enslaved people in rebelling states.
What were wars fought in the 1900s?
The United States was involved in:
World War I,
World War II,
the Korean War,
the Vietnam War, and
the Persian Gulf war in the 20th century (the 1900s).
Who were the presidents during World War 1 and 2?
The president during WWI was Woodrow Wilson
The president during both the Great Depression and WWII was Franklin D. Roosevelt
What was the Cold War?
The Cold War was a conflict involving the Soviet Union and the United States as a result of the competing interests of capitalism (US) and communism (Soviet Union)
What was the Civil Rights movement?
The movement to end racial discrimination was known as the Civil Rights movement.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a significant leader of this movement
He fought for racial equality and civil rights
What is the executive branch?
Definition: The executive branch consists of the President, his or her advisors, and various departments and agencies.
This branch is responsible for enforcing the laws of the land. The following are executive branch organizations and agencies:
Terms:
Presidents are elected for 4 years
Presidents have a two-term maximum.
Miscellaneous:
Line of succession: When the president can no longer serve, the Vice President. Next in line, is the Speaker of the House.
Election: All eligible voters for their president. The president appoints the heads of cabinets.
What is the legislative branch?
Definition: The legislative branch is made up of the House and Senate, known collectively as the Congress.
Among other powers, the legislative branch makes all laws, declares war, regulates interstate and foreign commerce, and controls taxing and spending policies.
Terms:
House representatives are elected for 2 years
Senators are elected for 6 years
Miscellaneous:
As a country, we elect 435 representatives and 100 senators in total.
Election: All eligible voters can vote for their representatives or senators. Senators are voted on in a statewide election, but a voter must reside in a congressional district to vote for their representative.
What is the judicial branch?
Definition: The judicial branch consists of the U.S. Supreme Court and the Federal Judicial Center. According to the Constitution, “[t]he judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.” The Federal Judicial Center is the education and research agency for the federal courts.
Terms:
There are currently 9 Supreme Court justices
SCOTUS justices and judges serve for life.
Miscellaneous:
The Supreme Court chief justice currently is Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.
Election: All federal judges (SCOTUS, federal courts, district courts) are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
