Citizenship Test Flashcards
What is the supreme law of the land?
The constitution
What stops one branch of the government from becoming too powerful?
Checks and balances
And
Separation of power
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?
Change to the constitution
An addition to the constitution
What do we call the first ten amendments of 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 Declaration of Independence do?
Announce our independence
Declare our independence
Said that the United States was free
What are two rights of 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
Government must obey the law
Leaders must obey the law
No one is above the law
Name one branch or part of the government
Judicial, congress, legislator, president, executive, the courts,
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
The president
Who makes federal laws?
The congress
Senate + house
Legislator
What are two parts of the U.S. Congress
Senate
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 states us senators now?
Barbra boxer
The House of Representatives has how many voting members
435
We elect a U.S. Representatives for how many years?
2
Name your U.S. representative
Howard buck
Who does a U.S. Senator represents?
All the people of the states
Why do some states have more representatives than other states?
Because of the states population
Because they have more people
Because some states have more people
We elect a president for how many years?
4
In what month do we vote for a president?
NOVEMBER!!!
What is the name of the president of the United States now?
Barack Obama
What is the name of the Vice President now?
Joe Biden
If the president of the United States can no longer serve, who becomes president?
Vice President
If both the president and Vice President can no longer serve who becomes president?
Speaker of the house
Who is the commander and chief of the military?
The president
Who signs bills to become laws?
The president
Who vetoes bills?
The president
What does the presidents cabinet do?
Advises the president
What are two cabinet level positions?
Secretary of labor,
Vice President
Secretary of education
Secretary of State
What does the judicial branch do?
Reviews laws
Explains laws
Resolved disputes
Decides if the law goes against the constitution
What is the highest court in the United States?
Supreme Court
How many justices are in the Supreme Court?
9
Who is the Chief Justice of the U.S. Now?
John Roberts
Under our constitution some powers belong to 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) Give a drivers license Approve zoning and land use
Who is governor of your state right now?
Jerry brown
What is the capital of your state?
Sacramento
What are the two major political parties of the United States?
Democratic
Republican
What is the political party of the United States?
Democratic
What is the name of the speaker of the House of Representatives now?
John boehner
There are four amendments to the constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
Citizens 18 and older can vote
You don’t have to pay to vote
Any citizen can vote
A male citizen of any race
What is one responsibility that is only for U.S. citizens
Serve in a jury
Vote in a federal election
Name one right only for United States citizens
Vote in a federal election
Run in a federal office
What two rights of everyone living in the United States?
Freedom of worship
Freedom of speech
Freedom of expression
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
Obey the laws of the United States
Be loyal to the United States
How old do you have to vote for president?
Eighteen and older
What two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
Vote
Run for office
Help with a campaign
What 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 18
Between 18 and 26
What is one reason colonist came to America?
Freedom
Escape from 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 colonist fight the British?
Because of high taxes
Because they didn’t have self government
Because the British army stayed in their houses
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
July 4, 1776
There are 13 original states.
Name three.
New York
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 the U.S constitution. Name one of the writers
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
U.S diplomatic
Oldest member of the constitutional convention
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 1894?
Louisiana
Name one war fought be the United States in the 1800’s?
Mexican American war
Civil 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
Saved the union
Led the United States during the civil war
What did the emancipation proclamation do?
Freed the slaves
Freed the slaves in the confederacy
Freed slaves in the confederate states
Freed slaves in most southern states
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
Fought for woman’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
Who was president during World War I?
Wilson
Who was president during the Great Depression and World War II?
Roosevelt
Who did the United States fight in World War II?
Japan
Germany
Italy
Before he was president, Elsenhower 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
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?
Terrorist attracted the United States
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States
Cherokee
Pueblo
Navajo
Name one of the longest rivers in the United States?
Mississippi
Missouri
What ocean is on the west coast of the United States?
Pacific Ocean
What ocean is in the east coast of the United States?
Atlantic Ocean
Name one U.S territory
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands
Name one state that borders Canada
Washington
Montana
New York
Name one state that borders Mexico?
California
Arizona
Texas
New Mexico
What is the capital of the United States
Washington, D.C
Where is the Statue of Liberty?
New York
Liberty island
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
Because there were 13 original colonies
Why does the flag have 50 starts?
Because there is one start for each state
Because there are 50 states
What is the name of the national anthem?
The star spangled banner
When do we celebrate Independence Day
4th of July
Name two national U.S holidays
Independence Day
President’s day
Labor Day
