Government Flashcards
What is the supreme law of the land?
the Constitution
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?
a change (to the Constitution)
an addition (to the Constitution)
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
the Bill of Rights
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
speech
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
twenty-seven (27)
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
announced our independence (from Great Britain)
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
Life and Liberty
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
What is the “rule of law”?
No one is above the law.
Name one branch or part of the government.
Congress
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
checks and balances
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
the President
Who makes federal laws?
Congress
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
the Senate and House (of Representatives)
How many U.S. Senators are there?
one hundred (100)
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
six (6)
Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?
Ted Cruz
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
four hundred thirty-five (435)
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
two (2)
Name your U.S. Representative.
MIchael Burgess
Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
all people of the state
Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
some states have more people
We elect a President for how many years?
four (4)
In what month do we vote for President?
November
What is the name of the President of the United States now?
Biden
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States 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 Defense, Secretary of Transportation
What does the judicial branch do?
reviews laws, explains laws, resolves disputes (disagreements) 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?
Nine
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
John Roberts
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal
government?
to print money
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
give a driver’s license
Who is the Governor of your state now?
Gregg Abbott
What is the capital of your state?
Austin
What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Democratic and Republican
What is the political party of the President now?
Democratic
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.
Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
vote in a federal election
Name one right only for United States citizens.
vote in a federal election
What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
freedom of speech, freedom of religion
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?
defend the Constitution and laws of the United States, obey the laws of the United States
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
eighteen (18) and older
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
Vote, help with a campaign
When 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 eighteen (18)
between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)
What is one reason colonists came to America?
freedom
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 colonists fight the British?
because of high taxes (taxation without representation), because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering, because they 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 York, North Carolina, South Carolina
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 U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
Alexander Hamilton
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
first Postmaster General of the United States
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
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
the Civil War
Name one problem that led to the Civil War
Slavery
What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
freed the slaves
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
fought for women’s rights
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s
World War II
Who was President during World War I?
Woodrow Wilson
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
Franklin Roosevelt
Who did the United States fight in World War II?
Japan, Germany, and Italy
Before he was President, Eisenhower 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 (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.
Mississippi River
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
Pacific Ocean
What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
Atlantic Ocean
Name one U.S. territory.
Puerto Rico
Name one state that borders Canada.
New York
Name one state that borders Mexico.
Texas
What is the capital of the United States?
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?
One star for each of the 50 states
What is the name of the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled Banner
When do we celebrate Independence Day?
July 4
Name two national U.S. holidays.
Independence Day, Christmas
