Government Terms Flashcards
How many Us senators do we have
100
Legislative branch
This branch is made up of Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives)
-Drafting proposed laws
-Confirming or rejecting presidential nominations for heads of federal agencies, federal judges, and the Supreme Court
-Having the authority to declare war
Executive branch
-President - The president is the head of state, leader of the federal government, and Commander in Chief of the United States armed forces.
-Vice president - The vice president supports the president. If the president is unable to serve, the vice president becomes president. The vice president also presides over the U.S. Senate and breaks ties in Senate votes.
-The Cabinet - Cabinet members serve as advisors to the president. They include the vice president, heads of executive departments, and other high-ranking government officials. Cabinet members are nominated by the president and must be approved by the Senate.
Judicial branch
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and other federal courts.
It evaluates laws by:
-Interpreting the meaning of laws
-Applying laws to individual cases
-Deciding if laws violate the Constitution
Checks and balances
The ability of each branch to respond to the actions of the other branches is the system of checks and balances.
Can branches of government change acts of another branch
Yes:
-The president can veto legislation created by Congress. He or she also nominates heads of federal agencies and high court appointees.
-Congress confirms or rejects the president’s nominees. It can also remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.
-The Justices of the Supreme Court, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, can overturn unconstitutional laws.
How many justices are in the Supreme Court
9
How many US house representatives do we have
435
What determines how many house representatives are in each state
Population
expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain.
Declaration of Independence
the framework of the Federal Government of the United States.
Constitution
is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. It defines citizens’ and states’ rights in relation to the Government.
Bill of Rights
Who wrote the bill of rights
James Madison
Who wrote the constitution
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay
On June 11, 1977 who wrote the declaration of independence
Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman
