Final Exam Study Guide Flashcards
What is the supreme law of the land?
the Constitution
What does the constitution do?
sets up the government
“the idea of self-government in the first three words of the Constitution”
We The People
What is an amendment?
a change/addition (to the Constitution)
What do we call the first 10 amendments to 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?
declared/announced our independence (from Great Britain)
What are two rights in 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/market economy
What is the “rule of law”?
No one is above the law, everyone must follow the law
Name one branch/part of the government.
legislative, executive, judicial, Congress, President, the courts
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
checks and balances, separation of powers
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
the President
Who makes federal laws?
Congress, Senate and House (of reps.)
What are the two parts of the US Congress?
House and Senate
How many US Senators are there?
100 (2 per state)
We elect a US Senator for how many years?
term is 6 years
Who is one of your state’s US Senators now?
(John) Fetterman, (David) McCormick
The House of Representative has how many voting members?
435
We elect a US Representative for how many years?
2 year term
Name your US Representative.
Glenn Thompson
Who does a US Senator represent?
All people of the state
Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
(because of) the state’s population
We elect a President for how many years?
4 year term
In what month do we vote for President?
November
What is the name of the President of the United States now?
(Joe) Biden
What is the name of the Vice President of the US now?
(Kamala) Harris
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
the Vice President
If both the president and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes president?
the Speaker of the House
Who is the Commander in Chief of the Military?
the President
Who signs bills to become laws?
the President
Who vetoes bills?
the President
What does the President’s Cabinet do?
advises the President
What are two Cabinet-level positions?
Secretary of ___ (Agriculture, Defense, Education, State, Homeland Security), Attorney General, Vice President
What does the judicial branch do?
reviews/explains laws, resolves disputes, decides if a law goes against the Constitution
What is the highest court in the United States?
the Supreme Court
How many justices are on the Supreme Court
9
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
John G. Roberts, Jr.
What is one power of the federal government?
to print money, declare war, create an army, make treaties
What is one power of the states?
provide schooling and education, provide protection (police), provide safety (fire departments), give a driver’s license, approve zoning and land use
Who is the Governor of your state now?
Josh Shapiro
What is the capital of your state?
Harrisburg
What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Democratic and Republican
What is the political party of the President now?
Democratic (Party)
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
(Mike) Johnson
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
Any citizens 18 and older can vote, no poll taxes
What is one responsibility that is only for United States Citizens?
serve on a jury, vote in a federal election
Name one right only for United States citizens.
vote in a federal election, run for federal office
What are two rights of everyone living in the US
freedom of _(expression, speech, assembly, [to] petition the government, religion), the right to bear arms
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, defend the Constitution and laws of the United States, obey the laws of the United States, sere in the US military (if needed)
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
18 and older
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
vote, run for office, join a political party, help with a campaign, join a civic group, join a community group, give an elected official your opinion on an issue, call Senator and Representatives, publicly support or oppose an issue or policy, write to a newpaper
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
April 15th
When must all men register for the Selective Service?
between18-26 (normally done at age 18)
What is one reason colonists came to America?
freedom, political liberty, religious freedom, economic opportunity,practice their religion, escape 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
Why did the colonists fight the British?
because of high taxes (without representation), the British army stayed in their houses (boarding/quartering), didn’t have self-government
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
(Thomas) Jefferson
When was the Declaration of independence adopted?
July 4, 1776
There were 13 original states. Name three.
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution
When was the Constitution written?
1787
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the US Constitution. Name one of the writers.
(James) Madison, (Alexander) Hamilton, (John) Jay
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
US Diplomat
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 1803?
the Louisiana Territory
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
War of 1812, Civil War
Name the US war between the North and the South
the Civil War
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 (Emancipation Proclamation), saved/preserved the Union, led the United States during the Civil War
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
freed the slaves
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
fought for civil rights and women’s rights
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
World War I & II, Vietnam War
Who was president during World War 1?
(Woodrow) Wilson
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War 2?
(Franklin) Roosevelt
Who did the United states fight in World War 2?
Japan, Germany, and Italy
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
World War 2
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
Communism
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
Civil RIghts (Movement)
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?
Terrorists attacked the United States
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States
Navajo
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States
Missouri, Mississippi
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
Pacific (Ocean)
What ocean is on the east coast of the US?
Atlantic (Ocean)
Name one US territory.
Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa
Name one state that borders Canada.
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washginton, Alaska
Name one state that borders Mexico.
California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas
What is the capital of the US?
Washington, D.C.
Where is the Statue of Liberty?
New York (Harbor), Liberty Island
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
because there were 13 original colonies
Why does the flag have 50 stars?
because there are 50 states, each star represents a state
What is the name of the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled Banner
When do we celebrate Independence Day?
July 4
Name two national US Holdiays
Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day, Labor Day
