The Branches of Government & The Constitution

Question 1

What branch of government interprets the nation’s laws and settles disputes?

Answer 1

Judicial Branch

Question 2

What branch of government creates and approves of the nation’s laws?

Answer 2

Legislative Branch

Question 3

What branch of government carries out the laws of the nation?

Answer 3

Executive Branch

Question 4

What is the Legislative Branch also called?

Answer 4

Congress

Question 5

How is Congress formed?

Answer 5

Congress is divided into two parts. The Senate and the House of Representatives.

Question 6

What does Congress do?

Answer 6

1 - They write the bills.
2 - They have power in foreign affairs.
3 - They can collect taxes and create a system of currency.

Question 7

What are foreign affairs?

Answer 7

It’s the business that the US has with other nations.

Question 8

What is a bill?

Answer 8

A bill is a document that is waiting for approval before it can be made into law.

Question 9

What is a law?

Answer 9

A law is an official document stating a rule the nation needs to follow.

Question 10

What happens if the President signs the bill?

Answer 10

The bill becomes a law.

Question 11

What happens if the President doesn’t sign the bill?

Answer 11

Congress can override the president’s decision by voting for the bill’s approval by a two third’s majority vote.

Question 12

What is the Senate made of?

Answer 12

The Senate is made of two representatives from each state.

Question 13

What is the President’s Cabinet?

Answer 13

It’s a group of people that works directly with the president for key jobs (defense, national intelligence, education, housing, etc.)

Question 14

Who needs to approve the President’s cabinet?

Answer 14

The Senate

Question 15

What other things does the Senate approve?

Answer 15

US Ambassadors and federal judges.

Question 16

How is the number of representatives per state in the House of Representatives decided?

Answer 16

It is decided by the number of citizens in each state. The states with higher populations will get more representatives in the House.

Question 17

What is “to impeach”?

Answer 17

To impeach is to charge a government official with a crime or misconduct.

Question 18

Who can impeach?

Answer 18

The House of Representatives

Question 19

Who is the Head of the Executive Branch?

Answer 19

The President of the United States of

Question 20

What did the Continental Congress decide?

Answer 20

They decided they wanted a system of checks and balances.

Question 21

What is checks and balances?

Answer 21

The system under which each branch of government limits, or checks, the powers of the other branches.

Question 22

What can the President do regarding people who committed crimes against the nation?

Answer 22

He can PARDON them, or forgive from a punishment.

Question 23

Who heads the Judicial Branch?

Answer 23

The Supreme Court

Question 24

What does the Judicial Branch do?

Answer 24

It interprets the nation’s laws and upholds the meaning of the Constitution, as well as settles disputes between the states or territories.

Question 25

How many judges or justices are in the Supreme Court?

Answer 25

Nine judges

Question 26

What is the leader of the nine judges in the Supreme Court called?

Answer 26

The Chief Justice.

Question 27

Who appoints the Supreme Court Justices?

Answer 27

The President appoints them and they are approved by the Senate.

Question 28

How long does the job of Supreme Court Justice last?

Answer 28

It is a lifetime job. They serve until they choose to retire or are impeached or found guilty of breaking the law.

Question 29

What are the Articles of the Confederation?

Answer 29

They are the nation's first set of laws.

Question 30

When were the Articles of the Confederation used?

Answer 30

During the Revolutionary War.

Question 31

What were the limitations of the Articles of the Confederation?

Answer 31

1 - It could not elect a president to rule over the states 2 - It could not tax the states to pay back debts to France and Spain 3 - It had no established court in order to settle disputes 4 - In order to pass any laws, the states had to vote 9 out of 13.

Question 32

When did the Constitutional Convention happen?

Answer 32

May 1787

Question 33

What was the Constitutional Convention?

Answer 33

It was a meeting to improve the Articles of Confederation.

Question 34

What did the Constitutional Convention end up doing?

Answer 34

They ended up creating a new document.

Question 35

Were all the states represented at the Constitutional Convention?

Answer 35

No, all states were there except for Rhode Island.

Question 36

What where some things decided at the Constitutional Convention?

Answer 36

1 - George Washington was elected President of the Continental Congress. 2 - James Madison designed the plan of government 3 - Benjamin Franklin kept the peace between argument 4 - Morris wrote the final draft of the Constitution. 5 - The delegates agreed to a federal system

Question 37

What is the Constitution?

Answer 37

It is a document that describes and outlines how the government should work.

Question 38

How many parts does the Constitution have?

Answer 38

Three main parts

Question 39

What are the three main parts of the Constitution?

Answer 39

Preamble, Articles and Bill of Rights.

Question 40

What is the Preamble?

Answer 40

It is the introduction to the Constitution. It explains the purpose and the major goals the document tries to achieve.

Question 41

What do the Articles do?

Answer 41

They outline the three branches of government as well as the powers and responsibilities that each branch must fulfill.

Question 42

What is the Bill of Rights?

Answer 42

The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments that have been added to the Constitution since its ratification, and any other amendments that have been added since.

Question 43

Why is the Constitution known as a "living document"?

Answer 43

Because it is able to be changed as needed to mirror the changes in history.

Question 44

When was the Constitution signed?

Answer 44

September 17, 1787

Question 45

When did states approve the Constitution?

Answer 45

One year later, 9 out of 13 states approved the Constitution.