The Constitution - Improved Deck Flashcards
What are the three branches of government?
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial
What is the job of the executive branch?
To enforce laws
Who are the primary members of the Executive Branch?
President, Vice President, and Cabinet
Who is the current President?
Donald Trump
Who is the current Vice President?
Mike Pence
How old must a person be to be President?
35 years old
Where must a President be born?
In the U.S.
What does native-born mean?
Born a U.S. citizen
What does naturalize mean?
To become a citizen.
What is the term of residency required to become President?
14 years
Who votes for the President?
Electors of the Electoral college
Who votes for Electors?
The people
Who selects the President if there is no majority in a Presidential election?
The House of Representatives
What is it called when a President doesn’t sign/approve a bill?
A veto
Where does a bill go after it is vetoed?
It goes back to Congress
What is it called when a President does nothing with a bill AND Congress adjourns in less than 10 days?
A Pocket veto
What is a pocket veto?
When a President does nothing with a bill AND Congress adjourns in less than 10 days
What is part of the President’s job regarding laws?
To propose and support them as they pass through Congress.
Who is the Chief Military Officer?
The President
Who makes foreign policy?
The President
Who appoints ambassadors, judges, etc. with the approval of the Senate?
The President
Who can make treaties with the Senate’s approval?
The President
Who gives the State of the Union Address?
The President
What is the State of the Union Address?
A speech describing how the country is doing and what the President’s plans for the future are.
What is the President’s Cabinet?
His advisors.
Who appoints the Cabinet Members?
The President
Who approves the Cabinet Members?
The Senate
What is the term of the Cabinet members?
No set term: determined by President.
Titles of most cabinet members begin with what?
“Secretary of”
What is a pardon?
The freeing of a convicted criminal from punishment.
Who is the only person who can issue pardons?
The President
What is the job of the Legislative Branch?
Making Laws
What are the houses in Congress called?
The House of Representatives and the Senate
Who is the representative of our area of California?
Paul Cook
Who are the Senators of California?
Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris
For a bill to become a law, what percent majority of votes must be given?
51%
What is a simple majority?
51%
How does Congress override a president’s veto?
With a 2/3 vote of either House
What is the term of a House Representative?
2 years
Why are house representatives more responsive to public opinion?
Because they are elected every 2 years
Who can bring impeachment charges?
The House of Representatives
What age is required to become a house representative?
25 years old
How long does a person have to have lived in the U.S. in order to become a member of the House of Representatives?
7 years
How many members are in the House of Representatives?
435
What is the title of the top officer of the House of Representatives?
The Speaker of the House
Who is the current Speaker of the House?
Nancy Pelosi
How old must one be to become a Senator?
30 years old
How long does a person have to have lived in the U.S. in order to become a Senator?
9 years
How many Senators does each state have?
2 Senators per state
How many Senators are there in Congress?
100 Senators in Congress
What is the term for a Senator?
6 years
What fraction of the Senate is reelected at a time and how often?
1/3, 2 years between reelection
What is the title of the top officer of the Senate?
The President of the Senate
Who is the President of the Senate also known as?
The Vice President
Who is the current President of the Senate?
Mike Pence
What is the only job of the President of the Senate?
To break tie votes within the Senate (50-50).
What is one of the Senate’s duties?
Approving Presidential appointments.
What kind of vote is required to approve Presidential appointments?
A simple majority
What does the Senate act as in impeachment trials?
The Senate acts as the Jury
Which houses in Congress make their own rules?
Both houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives
What is the job of the Judicial Branch?
Interpreting the law
What is the primary group of the Judicial Branch?
The Supreme Court
How many judges are on the Supreme Court?
9 judges
What is the title of the head judge of the Supreme Court?
His title is Supreme Court Justice
By whom are Supreme Court judges appointed?
The President
By WHOM are Supreme Court judges approved? With what kind of vote?
The Senate; A simple majority
What is the term for a judge?
Life is the term.
What three types of courts are there?
Federal Courts, Appellate Courts, and State Courts
Cases involving States are heard in what court?
The Supreme Court
What is original jurisdiction?
When cases are heard for the first time
What is appellate jurisdiction?
When cases are heard more than once
What is an amendment?
A change
What is the only way that the Constitution can be changed?
Through an amendment
What two ways can the Constitution be amended with what fraction vote?
Through a 3/4 vote of state legislatures for the amendment or 3/4 vote through state conventions.
What is the census?
A count of people done every 10 years
What is a tariff?
A tax on imported goods
What is a Bill?
A proposed law
What is a quorum?
A majority or the number that must be present at a group meeting to vote
What is seizure?
To forcibly take something.
What is the Elastic Clause?
The part of the Constitution that allows it to stretch - supporting the loose interpretation.
What does Ex Post Facto mean?
It means after the fact or deed.
Who was James Madison?
The father of our Constitution
What is a constitution?
A written plan of government
What is popular sovereignty?
The people having supreme authority over the government
What is federalism?
The division of power between the central and state governments
What does Judicial Review grant to the Court?
It grants the right to determine the constitutionality of laws.
What does the separation of powers do? What does it protect against?
It spreads the power of government through the 3 branches and protects against a king.
What is Constitutional law higher than?
Any and all state, city, or local laws.
What is the Supremacy of National Law?
The principle that the Constitution is the highest law of the land.
What were the Articles of Confederation?
The U.S. constitution right after the Revolutionary war.
What were slaves counted as in a census?
3/5 of a person.
