US Government Flashcards
Name the Three Main Types of Rule
Dictatorships - One person in control of everything, unlimited
Oligarchies - One group in control of everything, typically the rich influencing government leaders, unlimited
Democracy - No single person or group holds all the power, elections determine many things, limited
Name the Seven Articles of the Constitution
1: Powers of Congress
2: Powers of the Executive Branch
3: Powers of the Judicial Branch
4: Relations between State Governments
5: The Amending Process
6: The Supremacy Clause
7: The Ratification Process
Explain Article I of the Constitution
Legislative Branch:
- division into House and Senate
- has the power to collect taxes, create money, and regulate foreign trade
- can declare war and create a military
- tasked with the up keeping of US infrastructure
- includes the Necessary and Proper Clause, which states that Congress may create any laws, though they must be checked by the other branches
Explain Article II of the Constitution
Executive Branch:
- enforcement of all laws passed by Congress
- power to veto any laws
- head of all branches of the US armed forces
- nominates judges to the Supreme Court
Explain Article III of the Constitution
Judicial Branch:
- interpretation of laws passed by Congress
- Supreme Court can abolish a law if deemed unconstitutional
- judges are appointed for life
- the only crime mentioned in this article is treason
Explain Article IV of the Constitution
Relations between States:
- all states must honor the laws of other states
- criminals, if found in a different state, must be returned to the original state
- outlines the creation of new states, ensuring a republican form of government
Explain Article V of the Constitution:
Amendment Process:
- for an amendment to be considered, either 2/3 of the entire Congress must agree it is needed, or 2/3 of the states must
- the amendment must be ratified by either 3/4 of the state governments or conventions voting in favor
- the first ten amendments are considered the Bill of Rights
Explain how a Bill becomes a Law
- The House proposes a bill, and places it in a hopper
- The bill is read to the entire House, then assigned to a House Committee for review
- If it survives the House Committee, it is read a second time to the House, then the bill is voted on
- If at least 51% vote for the bill, it moves onto the Senate
- The bill is read in the Senate and sent to a Senate Committee
- If it survives the Committee, it is read again
- occasionally, a Senator will attempt to block a vote by using a filibuster, where the Senator talks for as long as they can about the bill, but cannot stop, hoping that enough people will leave to block a vote. If the Senator stops talking or 3/5 of the Senate vote to end the filibuster, it ends.
7. If the Senate votes in favor of the bill, and changes it in any way, it returns to the House. - to prevent an eternity of discussion about this bill, a Conference Committee may called, made of both Senate and House members.
8. Once the bill is passed by the entire Congress, it goes to the President. They may sign it into law, veto it, or let it sit on their desk for ten days, after which it becomes a law. - before this instance, either house of Congress may “table” a bill, no longer allowing it to be discussed or return to the floor.
Explain a Veto
This is when the President kills a bill passed by Congress instead of signing it into law. A veto may be overridden by Congress if 2/3 of both houses vote against it.
What is a 51% vote called?
A simple majority vote
What is a 60% vote called?
A cloture vote
How many members of Congress are there?
535, with 435 Representatives and 100 Senators
What are the requirements for becoming a Representative or Senator?
- 25 years old
- US resident for 7 years
- 30 years old
- US resident for 9 years
What are Congress members’ terms of office?
Representatives: 2 years
Senators: 6 years
What are the requirements for becoming President?
- 35 years old
- native born to the US
- US resident for 14 years
