U.S. government, law, and the Constitution (Section 7) Flashcards
Which document begins with the words “We the People”?
The U.S. Constitution
Which part of which document guarantees basic civil liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom from unreasonable search, protection against self-incrimination, right to a speedy trial by jury, etc.?
The Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments to the Constitution).
How many branches of government does the U.S. government have? What is each branch called & what is its job? Why was the U.S. government set up with multiple branches?
Legislative branch makes laws.
Executive branch enforces laws.
Judicial branch interprets laws
(clarifies their meaning and application).
How many houses are there in the U.S. Congress and what are they called? How is the number of members in each determined?
The U.S. House of Representatives has 435 members. Each state has a certain number of representatives proportional to its population, so different states have different #s of reps.
Executive branch enforces laws.
The U.S. Senate has 100 members–2 from each state regardless of the state’s population.
Who are the U.S. senators from New York? Give the first and last name of each. What leadership position does one of the them hold?
Chuck Schumer and
Kirsten Gillibrand.
Schumer is currently the Senate Majority Leader.
What is the name of the person who currently represents the area including Dobbs Ferry in the U.S. House of Representatives?
Mondaire Jones. [After January 3, 2023, he will no longer be representing this district.]
Who is the U.S. Speaker of the House?
Nancy Pelosi
Who is the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court?
John Roberts
Who is the Governor of New York?
Kathy Hochul
What are (at least) two examples of “checks and balances” built into the U.S. Constitution?
- Congress passes laws but the president has the power to veto a law he does not like.
(executive checks legislative)
With sufficient votes, congress can override the president’s veto.
(legislative checks executive)
2.
Congress declares war, but the president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
(legislative checks executive and vice versa)
3.
The Supreme Court has the power to decide whether a law is constitutional or not
(judicial checks legislative), but Congress can initiate the process for amending the Constitution [it cannot amend the Constitution unilaterally–needs approval from ¾ of states, but it can start the process).
- The President appoints judges to the federal courts, subject to the approval of the Senate, but he cannot remove judges from their positions.
(executive checks judicial, legislative checks
executive, judicial checks executive).
According to the Constitution, who makes laws for the U.S., and who is responsible for enforcing them?
The U.S. Congress (the legislative branch) makes laws for the U.S. as a whole.
The Executive branch (of which the President is Chief Executive) is responsible for enforcing laws made by Congress.
What are the steps required for a bill to become law in the U.S.
- A bill must receive a majority vote in each of the two houses of Congress.
If the president signs the bill (or takes no action for ten days), the bill becomes law.
2. If the president vetoes the bill, it returns to
Congress where it must receive a 2/3 vote in
each of the two houses of Congress in order to
become law.
Who ultimately chooses the president of the United States, in most cases, according to the Constitution? (Hint: it’s NOT the citizens of the U.S.)
The Electoral College (unless there is no majority in the Electoral College, and then the House of Representatives intervenes)
Excepting those who live in Washington, D.C. or U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, what is the minimum number of governments under which each American lives (and what are they)?
Two–the U.S. government and the government of the state in which the person lives.
What is the basic principle of U.S. law—you are innocent until ______?
…proven guilty
