The USA Flashcards
What was the population of the United States of America in 2021?
331.9 million
As of 2021, white Americans represented what percentage of the population?
75.8%
What is the constitution?
A set of rules that outlines how the rules for how the government should be run
What does the constitution guarantee?
The fundamental rights all citizens
What are the three branches of government?
The Executive
The Legislative
The Judicial
What does the constitution set out?
Who has and does not have power in the government
What does the legislative branch refer to?
The people who make the laws in the US
What does the executive branch refer to?
It carries out the laws
What does the judicial branch refer to?
The court system that operates
What else is the legislative branch known as?
Congress
What are three roles of the legislative branch?
To write federal laws
To set how much is to be paid in tax
To scrutinise the Executive
What two chambers make up Congress?
The House of Representatives
The Senate
What act was passed in 2020 to encourage former soldiers to become scientists?
The Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act
What act was passed in 2019 to stop people making animal crush videos?
The PACT (Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture) Act
How many new judges did Congress approve for the Supreme Court were chosen by Donald Trump?
2
In 2019, what were some people unhappy with?
How President Donald Trump was acting with Ukraine
What else is the executive branch known as?
The Office of the President
What are four roles of the executive branch?
To be the main ambassador
To lead the armed forces
To select judges to sit on the Supreme Court
To run the Federal Government
As the US representative around the world what did Joe Biden sign in 2021?
A new global climate change deal in Glasgow
As the leader of the US army Joe Biden ordered military help be given to who in 2022?
Ukraine following the invasion by Russia
The US President is in charge of the Federal Government so Joe Biden ordered an end to what?
Private Federal Prisons
The US President is in charge of the Federal Government so Joe Biden ordered the establishment of what?
A Gender Equality Council to reduce poverty and improve gender equality in the US
The US President is in charge of the Federal Government so Joe Biden ordered the setting up of what?
A Space Council to plan US government action in Space
What are the two main roles of the Judicial branch?
To make sure that everyone in the US is following the laws as set out in the constitution
To settle disputes
How many judges make up the Supreme Court?
9
What did the Supreme Court approve in recent years?
Same-Sex Marriage in all 50 states cancelling out some bans that had been put in place
What did the Supreme Court stop?
Donald Trump’s first travel ban as it found it discriminated against people based on religion
What are four ways American citizens can participate in politics?
Stand as a candidate
Vote
Protest
Join a political party
Describe how Americans can stand as a candidate.
The United States offers numerous opportunities for individuals to run for and be elected to various positions of power and authority. From local offices like dog catcher or school board member to state and federal positions like mayor, governor, senator, and president, there are a wide range of positions that Americans can seek to hold.
Give an example of American citizens standing as candidates.
The 2020 presidential election was indeed a significant event in which Joe Biden ran as the Democratic candidate against the incumbent president, Donald Trump, who was the Republican candidate. Joe Biden won the election and became the 46th President of the United States.
Describe how Americans can vote.
The United States offers its citizens numerous opportunities to participate in the democratic process by casting their votes in various elections. The range of positions that individuals can vote for is indeed extensive, including local offices like sheriffs, city council members, state positions such as senators and governors, and the highest office in the land, the presidency.
Who were the two major candidates Americans could choose from in the 2020 President election?
The incumbent President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden
Who can vote in the USA?
Anyone over the age of 18 that is registered to vote
What does voting allow?
People the opportunity to directly choose representatives, which they think will best represent them
What percentage of the eligible populationturned outfor the2020presidential election?
About two-thirds (66%)
Why are protests effective at grabbing the public’s attention?
They get significant media coverage They also put pressure on representatives as people become aware of issues around the country
Describe how Americans can protest.
Citizens in the USA have the freedom to engage in protests as a fundamental aspect of the country’s democratic principles. Protests are a common form of political expression, and they often involve large numbers of people who want to voice their concerns and opinions on various important issues.
During Donald Trump’s presidency, there were numerous protests and demonstrations about what?
His positions on women’s rights, immigration policies, LGBTQ+ issues, and his response to mass shootings
What was ‘March for our lives’?
A student led protest/movement in support of laws to prevent gun violence in the USA
Where did the main ‘March for our lives’ protest take place?
Washington DC
How many other ‘March for our lives’ related protests were there across the world?
880
What is the ‘Black lives matter’ movement?
A campaign against institutionalised violence and discrimination of black people, especially from police officers
Describe how Americans can join political parties.
Americans have the right to join political parties of their choice. Joining a political party is a way for individuals to actively participate in the political process, support candidates who align with their values and beliefs, and help shape the party’s platform and priorities.
What are the two major political parties in the USA?
The Democratic Party
The Republican Party
What do the Democrat Party believe in?
They lean centre-left and support a larger government role in areas like healthcare and education
What do the Republican Party believe in?
They lean centre-right and advocates for limited government involvement in the economy
How many Presidents have been an ethnic minority?
1 - Barack Obama Obama is the only President to have an ethnic minority background
How many Presidents have been female?
0 - There has never been a female President or even a female Presidential candidate before 2016
What percentage of Congress are white? And how does this compare to the US population?
Roughly three-quarters of Congress compared to 60% of the population
What percentage of Congress are Black? And how does this compare to the US population?
11% of Congress are Black compared with 14% of the population
What percentage of Congress are Hispanic? And how does this compare to the US population?
10% of Congress are Hispanic compared with 19% of the population
What percentage of Congress are Asian or Pacific Islanders? And how does this compare to the US population?
3% of Congress are Asian or Pacific Islanders compared to 6% of the population
What percentage of Congress are Native American? And how does this compare to the US population?
1% of Congress are Native American and this in line with the population
What percentage of women make up the 118th Congress?
28% – the highest percentage in US history and a considerable increase from where things stood even a decade ago
Counting both the House of Representatives and the Senate, how many women are voting and non-voting members of Congress?
153 of 540
How many women are serving on the House of Representatives?
128
How many women hold a seat in the Senate?
25
What are the four reasons for underrepresentation?
Sexism
The Incumbency effect
Cost of US elections
Racism
Explain why sexism puts women off standing in elections.
Many women are reluctant to put themselves forward as candidates because they often face sexism in the media which often focuses on their looks and fashion rather than ideas and experience.
What happened to the Governor of Missouri?
Fox TV station had a piece about her appearance
Explain why the incumbency effect causes underrepresentation.
This is the idea that once you are elected it’s easier to stay in office as you get all the tax payer paid benefits to help you such as paying for letters to all voters on what you have done in office
Why is it easier for males to become President?
As most people who run for president tend to first be Governors or in Congress, it is less surprising they can use that position to then get elected president
Explain why the cost of US elections causes underrepresentation.
The US is such a big country and taking part in politics means you need a lot of money to get elected
Candidates in US elections must raise huge sums of money to fight elections and pay for teams to help them
What groups are more likely to live in poverty and so are less able to afford the costs of taking time off work or running an election campaign?
Women and ethnic minorities