Checks and Balances

Question 1

What is the Legislative Branch made up of?

Answer 1

Senate & House of Rep

Question 2

What is the Legislative’s Branch primary job?

Answer 2

• Make laws
• Declare laws
• Regulates interstate and foreign commerce
• Controls taxing and spending policy’s

Question 3

Term length of House of Rep?

Answer 3

2 years

Question 4

How is representation determined for the house?

Answer 4

Representatives are divided across all the states according to the respective numbers.

Question 5

Title of leader in the house?

Answer 5

Speaker of the house

Question 6

Term length of Senate?

Answer 6

6 years

Question 7

How is representation determined for the Senate?

Answer 7

Each state gets 2 senators

Question 8

Title of leader for the Senate?

Answer 8

Vice President

Question 9

What is the impeachment process?

Answer 9

The House of Representatives brings articles (charges) of impeachment against an official. If the House adopts the articles by a simple majority vote, the official has been impeached. The Senate holds an impeachment trial.

Question 10

What is the primary job of the Executive Branch?

Answer 10

Execute or enforce laws

Question 11

Key powers/ responsibilities of the Executive Branch?

Answer 11

• Veto bills
• Command armed forces
• Grant pardons
• Appoint judges
• Appoint cabinet

Question 12

President’s term?

Answer 12

4 years

Question 13

What is the VP’s primary responsibility?

Answer 13

VP is the tie breaking vote if needed

Question 14

What is The Cabinet?

Answer 14

The Cabinet is an advisory body made up of the heads of the 15 executive departments. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

Question 15

Primary job of The Judicial Branch?

Answer 15

The judicial branch decides the constitutionality of federal laws and resolves other disputes about federal laws.

Question 16

Term length of Judicial Branch?

Answer 16

Lifetime

Question 17

Legislative over Executive?

Answer 17

The President can veto a law, but the legislative branch can override that veto with enough votes.

Question 18

Legislative over Judicial?

Answer 18

The judicial branch interprets laws, but the legislative branch confirms the President’s nominations for judicial positions, and Congress can impeach any of those judges and remove them from office.

Question 19

Executive over Legislative?

Answer 19

The legislative branch makes laws, but the President can veto those laws with a Presidential Veto. The legislative branch makes laws.

Question 20

Executive over Judicial?

Answer 20

The Executive branch has the ability to appoint Federal judges and issue pardons, which gives it influence over the actions of the Judicial branch.

Question 21

Judicial over Legislative?

Answer 21

The legislative branch makes laws, but the judicial branch can declare those laws unconstitutional.

Question 22

Judicial over Executive?

Answer 22

The executive branch can declare Executive Orders, which are like proclamations that carry the force of law, but the judicial branch can declare those acts unconstitutional.

Question 23

How does the Electoral College work?

Answer 23

The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Your State has the same number of electors as it does Members in its Congressional delegation: one for each Member in the House of Representatives plus two Senators.

Question 24

How many electors are needed to win an election?

Answer 24

270

Question 25

How are Electoral votes awarded by state?

Answer 25

The number of electoral votes exercised by each state is equal to that state’s congressional delegation which is the number of Senators (two) plus the number of Representatives for that state. Each state appoints electors using legal procedures determined by its legislature.

Question 26

Which states use a different method for the electoral college?

Answer 26

Maine and Nebraska