Constitution test 1 Flashcards
First three reading guides on the legislature, executive, and judiciary. As well as voter suppression
What are two “chambers” or parts of the Legislative Branch?
- The house of representatives
- The senate
What are the members of the House of Representatives called?
Representatives
How long do representatives serve?
2 years
And how many members does each state get? (Note: this part of the Constitution was changed later.)
One member for every thirty thousand
How are the representatives chosen?
By the people
Who “leads” or presides over the House of Representatives?
The speaker of the house
What are members of the senate called?
Senators
How long to senators serve?
Six years
How many senators does each state have?
Two per state
How (were) they chosen? (Note: this part of the Constitution was changed later.)
By the legislature
What role does the Vice President play in the Senate?
If the senate is divided the vice president (president the senate) will have the final vote.
What does impeachment mean?
To try someone such as the president for crimes, you are impeached the second a trial is announced regardless of if you win
Who can be impeached?
President, vice president, all federal offices
What is the specific process for impeachment? Be detailed.
The house of representatives has the sole power to call for impeachment
The senate has the sole power to try all impeachments
If the president is being tried the chief justice must preside
No person can be convicted without the agreement of two thirds of the people present
1) So, how are laws made in Congress? BE SPECIFIC especially about Bills and how they become laws.
All bill having to due with budget must be from the house of representatives but the senate can propose or amend other bills not having to do with budget
If a bill is passed by the senate and house of representatives it is sent to the president
If the president approves it is made law
If they do not it is sent back to the house it originated from and the president’s reasons for sending it back are documented
That house will then look over the reasons and if two third of the house vote to pass the bill it will be sent to the other house and if two thirds of that house vote to pass it it will be made into law
What’s are the legislature powers?
Passes laws
Makes taxes
Declares war
Prints/coins money
Appropriates money
Can impeach federal officials
Who is eligible to be the President?
A president must have been born in the United States (or been a citizen of the United States when the constitution was adopted
A president must be 14 years a resident of the United States
A president must be 35 years old or older
What is the judicial branch?
The Judicial branch is the branch of the government the deal directly with if something is constitutional
How can the Constitution be “amended” (formally changed?) Be very specific of two different routes for this process.
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution
The Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments
Who is in the judicial branch?
The Supreme Court (9 justices) (and lower federal courts)
What are the executive’s powers
Enforces laws
Appoints officials (including Supreme Court
Justices, ambassadors)
Can propose new laws to Congress
Signs laws (or vetoes them)
Commander in Chief of armed forces
Makes treaties
What is the judicial’s powers?
Interprets and explains laws
Can declare acts by President or Congress
“unconstitutional*
What are the executives checks on the legislature
Can veto laws
Negotiates foreign treaties
Can propose and campaign for laws
Can call special sessions of Congress (force them to meet)
“Appoints” people to national departments al agencies
Commander in Chief, so can command troops/military
What are the executives checks on the judiciary?
Appoints federal judges
Can grant pardons to people convicted of federal crime
What are the legislatures checks on the executive
Can override veto (if 2/3’s of both houses agree)
Must approve executive’s “appointments”
Must ratify treaties
Declares war
Appropriates (decides when/what to spend)
money
Can impeach and remove President
What are the legislatures checks on the judicial
Can impeach and remove judges
Can propose constitutional amendments to overrule judges’ declaration of a law unconstitutional.
Must approve appointments of judges
What are the judicial’s checks on the executive
Can declare executive actions “unconstitutional ”
What are the judicial’s checks on congress?
