Perso Flashcards
1
Q
What is the supreme law of the land?
A
The Constitution
2
Q
What does the Constitution do?
A
- Sets up the government
- Defines the government
- Protects basic rights of Americans
3
Q
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
A
We the People
4
Q
What is an amendment?
A
A change to the Constitution
An addition to the constitution
5
Q
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
A
The Bill of Rights
6
Q
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
A
- speech
- religion
Assembly
Press
Petition the government
7
Q
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
A
Twenty-seven (27)
8
Q
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
A
Declared our independence from Great Britain
9
Q
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
A
- Life
- Liberty
- Pursuit of happiness
10
Q
What is freedom of religion?
A
You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion
11
Q
What is the economic system in the United States?
A
Capitalist economy
Or market economy
12
Q
What is the “rule of law”?
A
Everyone must follow the law
No one is above the law.
Government must obey the law.
13
Q
Name one branch or part of the government
A
- Congress
Legislative - President
Executive
The courts
Judicial
14
Q
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
A
Separation of powers
Checks and balances
15
Q
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
A
The President
16
Q
Who makes federal laws?
A
- the Congress
US legislature
17
Q
What are the two parts of the US Congress?
A
The Senate and House of Representatives
18
Q
How many US Senators are there?
A
One hundred (100)
19
Q
We elect a US senator for how many years?
A
6 years
20
Q
Who is one of your state’s US Senators?
A
Elizabeth Warren
21
Q
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
A
four hundred and thirty-five (435)
22
Q
We elect a US Representative for how many years?
A
2
23
Q
Name your US Representative
A
Ayanna Pressley
24
Q
Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
A
All people of the state
25
Why does some states have more Representatives than other states?
Because they have more people
26
We elect a President for how many years?
Four (4)
27
In what month do we vote for President?
November
28
What is the name of the President of the United States now?
Joe Biden
29
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
Kamala Harris
30
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
The Vice President
31
If both the President and the Vice President can longer serve, who becomes President?
The Speaker of the House
32
Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
The President
33
Who signs bills to become laws?
The President
34
Who vetoed bills?
The President
35
What does the President’s Cabinet do?
Advises the President
36
What are two Cabinet-level positions?
- Secretary of Agriculture
- Secretary of Education
Secretary of Defense
Secretary of State
VP
37
What does the judicial branch do?
- reviews laws
- explains laws
- resolves disputes
- decides if a law goes against the Constitution?
38
What is the highest court in the US?
The Supreme Court
39
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
Nine (9)
40
Who is the Chief Justice of the US now?
John G. Roberts, Jr.
41
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
- to print money
- to declare war
- to create an army
- to make treaties
42
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
- provide schooling and education
- give a driver’s license
Provide safety (fire departments)
Provide protection (police)
Approve zoning and land use
43
Who is the Governor of your state now?
Maura Healey
44
What is the capital of your state?
Boston
45
What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Democratic and Republican
46
What is the political party of the President now?
Democratic
47
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives?
Kevin McCarthy
48
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote? Describe one of them
- Citizens eighteen and older can vote
You don’t have to pay a poll tax to vote.
49
What is one responsibility that is only for US Citizens?
- Serve on a jury
- Vote in a federal election
50
Name one right only for US citizens?
Vote in a federal election
51
What are two rights of everyone living in the US?
- Freedom of speech
- Freedom of religion
52
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
The flag or the United States
53
What is one promise you make when you become a United States Citizen?
- give up loyalty to other countries
- obey the laws of the United States
54
How old citizens have to be to vote for President?
Eighteen and older
55
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
- vote
- join a political party
56
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
April 15
57
When must all men register for the Selective Service?
Between 18 and 26 years old
58
What is one reason colonists came to America?
- Freedom
- religious freedom
59
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
Native Americans
60
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
Africans
61
Why did the colonists fight the British?
- because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
- because the British army stayed in their homes (boarding, quartering)
- because they didn’t have self-government
62
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
63
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
July 4, 1776
64
There were thirteen original states. Name three
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New York
65
What happened at the Constitution Convention?
The Constitution was written
66
When was the Constitution written?
1787
67
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S Constitution. Name one of the writers
Alexander Hamilton
68
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
Oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
69
Who is the “Father of our country?”
George Washington
70
Who was the first President?
George Washington
71
What territory did the US buy from France in 1803?
Louisiana
72
Name one war fought by the US in the 1800s
Civil War
73
Name the US war between the North and the South
The Civil War
74
Name one problem that led to the Civil War?
Slavery
75
What was one important thing Abraham Lincoln did?
- freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
76
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
Freed slaves in most Southern states
77
What did Susan B Anthony do?
Fought for women’s rights
78
Name one war fought by the US in the 1900s?
- World War I
- World War II
- Korean War
79
Who was President during World War I?
Woodrow Wilson
80
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
Franklin Roosevelt
81
Who did the US fight in World War II?
Japan, Germany, and Italy
82
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
World War II
83
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the US?
Communism
84
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
The civil rights movement
85
What did Martin Luther King jr do?
Fought for civil rights
86
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the US?
Terrorists attacked the United States
87
Name one American Indian tribe in the US
- Cherokee
- Apache
- Sioux
88
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States
Mississippi River
89
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
Pacific Ocean
90
What ocean is on the east coast of the United States?
Atlantic Ocean
91
Name one US territory
Puerto Rico
92
Name one state that borders Canada
Vermont
93
Name one state that borders Mexico
California
94
What is the capital of the United States?
Washington, DC
95
Where is the Statue of Liberty?
- New York Harbor
- Liberty Island
96
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
Because there were 13 original colonies
97
Why does the flag have 50 stars?
- Because there are 50 states
- Because each star represents a state
98
What is the name of the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled banner
99
When do we celebrate independence day?
July 4th
100
Name two national US holidays
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
