Test Flashcards
what is the supreme law of the land?
the constitution
What does the constitution do?
Sets up the government, defines the government and protects basic right 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 or 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?
Freedom of speech, religion, assembly, press and petition the government.
how many amendments does the constitution have?
27
what did the Declaration of Independence do?
announced/declared our independence from Great Britain
What are two rights in the declaration of independence?
The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
What is freedom of religion?
You can practice any religion or choose to not practice any religion at all.
what is the economic system of the United States?
Capitalist/market economy
what is the rule of law?
everybody must follow the law, including government officials, nobody is above the law
Name one branch or part of the government
Congress, legislative, president, executive, the courts, judicial
what stops one branch of government from becoming to powerful?
Checks and balances/the separation of power
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
The president
Who makes federal laws?
Congress/state and House of Representatives/US or national legislature
what are the two parts of the US Congress?
The Senate and the House of Representatives
how many US senators are there?
100
we selected US senator for how many years
6
name one of your states US senators now
Alex Padilla or Adam Schiff
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
435
We elect a U.S Representative for how many years
2
Name your U.S representative
George Whitesides or Mike Garcia
Who does a U.S Senator represent
All the people of the state
why do some states have more representatives then other states?
Because of the state population/because they have more people
We elect a president for how many years?
4
In what month do we vote for president
November
what is the name of the president of the United States right now?
Donald Trump
what is the name of the vice president of the United States right now?
JD Vance
if the president can no longer serve, who becomes the 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, secretary of commerce, secretary of defense, secretary of education, secretary of energy, secretary of health and human services, secretary of homeland, security, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, secretary of the interior, secretary of labor, secretary of state, secretary of transportation, secretary of the treasury, secretary of veteran affairs, attorney General, vice president
what does the judicial branch do?
Reviews laws, explains laws, resolve disputes, decides if a law goes against the constitution
what is the highest court in the United States?
The Supreme Court
Who is the chief justice of the United States now?
John Roberts Jr
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
under our constitution, some powers belong to the state what is one power of the states?
To provide schooling and education, provide protection (police), provide safety (fire department), get a drivers license, approved zoning a land use
how many justices are on the Supreme Court?
9
Who is the governor of your state right now?
Gavin Newsom
what is the capital of your state?
Sacramento
what are the two major political parties in the United States?
Democratic and republic
what is the political party of the president now?
republican
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 18 and older, you don’t have to pay tax to vote, any citizen can vote, a male citizen of any race can vote
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 US citizens
vote in a federal election, run for federal office
what are two rights for everyone living in the United States?
freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly freedom to petition the government freedom of religion and the right to bare 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 law of the United States, serve in the US military if needed, serve for the nation, be loyal to United States
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, 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, senators, and representatives, publicly support, or oppose an issue or policy, run for office, write to a newspaper
when is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms
April 15
when must all men registered for the selective service?
Between ages 18 and 26
what is one reason colonist came to America
freedom, political liberty, religious freedom, economic, opportunity, practice our religion, escape persecution
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
The Native American
what group of people were taken to America and sold as slaves?
africans/people from Africa
why did the colonist fight the British?
because of high taxes, because the British army stayed in their houses, 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 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 constitution was written by the founding fathers
when was the constitution written?
1787
The federalist paper supported the passage of the US Constitution name, one of the writers
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John J, Publius
what is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for
He is a US diplomat, oldest member of the constitutional convention, first postmaster general of the United States, writer of poor Richard almanac, started the first free libraries
Who is the father of our country?
George Washington
Who was the first president?
George Washington
what territory did the US buy from France in 1803?
The Louisiana territory
name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s
The war of 1812, the Mexican American war, the Civil War, Spanish American war
name the US war between the north and the south
The Civil War/the war between the states
name, one problem that led to the civil war
slavery, economic reasons, state rights
what was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did
Freed the slaves (emancipation proclamation), saved the union, lead to the United States during the Civil War
what did the emancipation proclamation do?
freed the slaves
what did Susan B Anthony do?
She fought for a woman’s rights and civil rights
name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s
World war I World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam war, the Persian war
Who was the 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, it 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
The civil rights movement
what did Martin Luther King Jr. do?
he fought for civil rights and worked for equality for all Americans
what major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States
terrorist attacked the United States
name one American Indian tribe in the United States
Cherokee, Navajo, Sioux, Chippewa, Choctaw, Pueblo, Apache, Iroquois, Creek, Blackfeet, Seminole, Cheyenne, Arawak, Shawnee, Mohegan, Huron, Oneida, Lakota, Crow, Teton, Hopi, Inuit
name, one of the two longest rivers in the United States
The Missouri river/the Mississippi river
what ocean is on the west coast of the United States
The Pacific Ocean
what ocean is on the east coast of the United states
The Atlantic ocean
name one US territory
Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam
name one state that borders Canada
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Alaska
name one state that borders Mexico
California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas
Where is the Statue of Liberty?
New York Harbor/liberty Island
what is the capital of the United States?
Washington DC
why does the flag have 13 stripes?
because there were 13 original colonies
why does the flag have 50 stars?
to represent each 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 holidays
New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas
