Constitution Study Guide Flashcards
Who discovered Illinois?
Louis Jolliet and Sacques Marguette
What is Illinois named after?
An Indian tribe, the Illiniwek
When did Illinois become a state?
Dec. 3 1818
Who was the first state governor of Illinois?
Mr. Shadrach Bond
Name the 3 Illinois capital cities in order from the earliest to latest:
Kaskaskia, Vandalia, Springfield
How many constitutions has Illinois had?
four
In what year was the present Illinois Constitution ratified and approved?
Dec. 15, 1970
In what year did the present Illinois Constitution go into effect?
July 1, 1971
List 3 responsibilities that states have been given by the U.S. constitution
- Schools
- conducting elections
- Marriage Laws
How many branches of government does Illinois government have?
3
Name the 3 Branches of Illinois government have?
- Executive
- Legislative
- Judicial
Explain 2 ways the Illinois constitution can be amended
- A joint resolution containing the affirmative vote of 3/5 of the members of both chambers
- A petition signed by 8% of the votes cast
How many official flags has Illinois had?
2 flags
In what year did the present flag become the official flag?
July 1st, 1970
What two years appear on the Illinois flag, what are their importance?
1818: statehood and 1868: the first use of the state seal
State tree
white oak
State flower
common blue violet
State mineral
fluorite
State insect
monarch butterfly
State slogan
“Land of Lincoln”
State Song
“Illinois” - Charles H. Chamberlin
State animal
White-tailed deer
State fish
bluegill
State dinosaur
Tullimonstrum
State motto
“State sovereignty, National union”
Meaning of state motto
Illinois governs itself under the government of the United States
What river forms the southern boundary of our state?
Ohio River
What river forms our western boundary?
Mississippi
What two rivers partially form our state’s eastern boundary?
Ohio River and Wabash Rivers
What river is known as “the Father of all Rivers?”
Mississippi River
List 4 uses of Illinois Rivers
transportation, recreation, hydroelectric power, and irrigation
List 2 problems caused by the rivers
flooding and pollution
List the 5 states that border illinois:
Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, and Kentucky
The Legislative power of Illinois belongs to what group?
General Assembly
Name the 2 parts of the General Assembly
The House of Representatives and the Senate
There are how many state senators?
59
There are how many state representatives?
118
The total amount of members in the General Assembly is…
177
We live in which Congressional district?
the second
Our U.S. representative is?
Robin Kelly
Our state legislative district is?
17th
Our state senator is?
Elgie R. Sims. Jr.
Momences lies within what State representative district?
34th
Our state representative is?
Nicholas K. Smith
Our 2 U.S. senators are?
Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth
Illinois sends how many U.S. Representatives to Congress?
17
The term of a state senator is ___ years
4
The term of a state representative is ___ years
2
To be a state senator or representative you must be at least ___ years old a resident of his/her district for at least __ years before the election
21, 2
The general assembly meets each year on the?
second Wednesday of January
Impeachment is?
A formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity which may include the removal of that official
The trial for impeachment occurs in the?
Senate
Who has the sole power of impeachment?
congress
What is a quorum?
The minimum of members of a deliberate assembly
For a bill to become a law it must have passed by _____ and have been signed by the ______
general assembly, president
To override a Governor’s veto it takes a veto of?
3/5
For a bill to pass the General Assembly, it must have received at least a ______ vote
majority
Once a bill has been given to the Governor, he/she has ___ calendar days to decide about it
60
If he fails to act on the bill within 60 days, what happens to the bill?
the bill automatically becomes a law
Define Lobby
organized groups who seek to influence lawmakers
List one way lobby is good for the law-making process
It aids in informing our lawmakers
List one way lobbies have been proven to be a bad influence on lawmakers
Exerts too much influence and causes the views of citizens to be overlooked
Can a Senator serve as the Lieutenant Governor at the same time?
No
List 2 restrictions put on state lawmakers by our state constitution?
- Cannot receive an appointment by the governor to another public office
- Cannot hold any other public office in the state
What are 3 qualifications to be Governor?
At least 25 years old, resident of the state for 3 years, and a citizen
List the line of succession for the Governor
lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller, and treasurer
What is the chief job of the Executive Branch?
The governor enforces law and vetoing or approving bills passed by the general assembly
Who is the Chief Executive of the state government?
the governor
Define pardon:
to excuse from a crime or persecution, forgiven completely
Define reprieve:
A cancellation or postponement of a punishment
Define commutation:
the act of substituting one thing for another, judicial sentence reduced to be a less severe one
Who has the power in state government to grant pardons, reprieves, and commutations
Governor
Who is the commander-in-chief of the state militia?
the governor
How long is the term of a Governor?
4 years
Define regular veto?
When the governor returns the legislation to the originating house without approval
Define line-item veto
A partial veto, a certain item on a bill is sent back
Define amendatory veto
Allows governor to amend bills that have been passed by the legislature
Keeper of the Great Seal of Illinois
Sec. of State; Jesse White
This office has more direct contact with the people of Illinois than any other executive office?
Sec. of State
This person may become the governor if the present governor cannot fulfill their duties
Lieutenant governor; Juliana Stratton
The State’s Chief Fiscal Control Officer
Comptroller; Susan A. Mendoza
Protects Illinois consumers against fraud and rip offs
Attorney General
Gives legal advice to the executive offices
attorney general; Kwame Raul
Issues driver’s licenses, vehicle plates, and maintains records
Secretary of State
The State Librarian
Sec. of State
This is responsible for the safekeeping and investment of state monies
treasurer
The Watchdog of the State’s money
Comptroller; Susan A. Mendoza
State Archivist
Sec. of state
The term of any executive officer is __ years
4
To be executive officer you must be at least __ years old, a resident of the state for at least __ years preceding their election and a citizen
25; 3
List 3 main functions of the state Judicial Branch
Administer justice, interpret meaning of law, and settle disputes
List the 3 types of state courts from lowest -> highest
circuit courts, appellate court, & supreme court
Are state court judges elected or appointed?
elected
Which court has only appellate jurisdiction?
Appellate courts
Which court has only original jurisdiction?
circuit courts
Which state court has both types of jurisdiction?
supreme courts
The term of a circuit court judge is __ years, for an appellate judge is __ and for a supreme court judge is __ years
6; 10; 10
Which court is the true trial court?
circuit court
How many judges are there on the Illinois supreme court?
7
List 3 qualifications to be a state court judge
- Be a citizen
- Licensed attorney of state
- Resident of the district they are elected
Explain how a judge can be re-elected
A judge has to file to the secretary of state a declaration of candidacy 6 months before the election, it has to be certified by the secretary of state and get a 3/5 majority vote, added to election without party affiliation
Can a judge hold any other job or position while serving the state?
NO
To vote in Illinois you must be at least __ years old, a resident of your voting district for at least __ days before preceding the election, and a _____
18; 30; citizen
To vote in an election you must have been registered in your district at least __ days before the election
30
Explain the closed primary system
Voters on election day choose one political parties ballot, voters have to register in one party and can only vote for that party
Explain the open primary system
Voters are not required to declare party affiliation, any voter can vote in any primary
Which type of primary does Illinois use
partial primary, voter has to make a public declaration of which primary they’re voting in or else it will be assumed
Give an example of an issue that could be placed on a referendum
tax increase
How many counties does Illinois have?
102
Define federalism
the division and sharing of power between the national & state governments
List 4 services provided by municipalities
- police
- water
- sanitation
- zoning
List the 5 forms of municipal government
- council-manager
- mayor-council
- commission
- town meeting
- representative town meeting
What form of government does Momence have?
mayor-council
List 3 services provided by the counties
- public mental health
- 911 emergencies
- property taxes
What is an example of a special purpose district?
school district
What color is the background of the US flag?
White
What day is flag day?
June 14th
What do the colors on the US flag mean?
courage, loyalty, and innocence
How should the flag be displayed?
- Always to the left of other flags
- If on a wall, the the blue should be in the upper left corner
- Always illuminated
