Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
100 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
What is the supreme law of the land? |
The Constitution. |
|
What doe the Constitution do? |
Sets up the government defines the government protects basic rights of Americans |
|
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? |
We the people. |
|
What is an amendment? |
a change (to the Constitution) an addition (to the Constitution) |
|
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? |
the Bill of Rights |
|
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? |
Speech Religion Assembly Press Petition the Government |
|
How many amendments does the Constitution have? |
27 |
|
What did the declaration of independence do? |
Announced our independence (from Great Britain) declared our independence said that the United States is free (from Great Britain) |
|
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence |
Life Liberty Pursuit of Happiness |
|
What is freedom of religion? |
You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion. |
|
What is the economic system in the United States? |
capitalist economy market economy |
|
What is the "rule of the law" |
Everyone must follow the law Leaders must obey the law Government must obey the law No one is above the law |
|
Name one branch or part of the government |
Congress Legisative President Executive the Courts Judicial |
|
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? |
Checks and balances Separation of Powers |
|
Who is in charge of the executive branch? |
the president |
|
who makes federal laws? |
Congress Senate and House of representatives US or National legislature |
|
what are the two parts of the us congress? |
the Senate and House of Representatives. |
|
how many us senators are there? |
100 |
|
we elect a us senator for how many years? |
6 |
|
who is one of your state's US senators now? |
(Massachusetts 2015) Elizabeth Warren (D) (Since 2013) Ed Markey (D) (Since 2013) |
|
The house has how many voting members? |
435 |
|
we elect a us representative for how many years? |
2 |
|
name your us representative |
Richard Neal Katherine Clark Stephen Lynch (D) |
|
who does a US senator represent? |
all people of the state |
|
why do some states have more reps than other states? |
state population they have more people |
|
we elect a president for how many years? |
4 |
|
In what month do we vote for president? |
november |
|
what is the name of the president of the USA? |
Barack Obama |
|
What is the name of the Vice President of the US now? |
Joe Biden |
|
If the president can no longer server, who becomes President? |
the Vice President |
|
If both the pres and VP can no longer serve, who becomes president? |
speaker of the house |
|
who is the commander in chief of the military |
the president |
|
who signs bills to become laws? |
the president |
|
who vetoes bills? |
the president |
|
what does the president's cabinet do? |
advises the president |
|
what are two cabinet level positions? |
secretary of agriculture secretary of commerce secretary of defense secretary of education secretary of energy secretary of health and human services secretary of hoemland security secretary of housing and urban development secretary of the interior etc |
|
What does the judicial branch do? |
reviews laws explains laws resolves disputes (disagreements) decides if a law goes against the Constitution |
|
What is the highest court in the United States? |
the supreme court |
|
how many justices are on the Supreme Court? |
9 |
|
Who is the chief justice of the US now? |
John Roberts |
|
under our constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government? |
to print money to declare war to create an army to make treaties |
|
under our constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states? |
provide schooling and education provide protection provide safety give a driver's license approve zoning and land use |
|
who is the governor of your state now? |
Charlie Baker (Massachusetts 2015) |
|
what is the capital of your state? |
BOSTON |
|
what are the two major political parties in the us? |
democratic and republican |
|
what is the political party of the president now? |
democratic |
|
what is the name of the speaker of the house of rep now? |
John Boehner |
|
There are four amendments to the constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them. |
citizens 18 and older can vote. you don't have to pay a poll tax to vote any citizen can vote. (women and men) a male citizen of any race can vote. |
|
what is one responsibility that is only for US citizens? |
serve on a jury vote in a federal election |
|
Name one right only for United States citizens |
vote in a federal election run for federal office |
|
What are two rights of everyone living in the US? |
freedom of expression freedom of speech freedom of assembly freedom to petition the government freedom of worship the right to bear arms |
|
what do we show loyalty to when we say the pledge of allegiance? |
the united states the flag |
|
what is one promise you make when you become a US citizen? |
give up loyalty to other countries defend the constitution and laws of the US obey the laws of th eUS serve in the US military serve the nation be loyal to the United States |
|
how old do citizens have to be to vote for President? |
18 and older |
|
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? |
vote join a political party help with a campaign join a civic group join a community group give an elected official your opinion on an issue call senators and representatives publicly support or oppose an issue or policy run for office write to a newspaper |
|
when is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? |
April 15 |
|
When must all men register for the selective service? |
at age 18 between 18 and 26 |
|
what is one reason colonists came to america? |
freedom political liberty religious freedom economic opportunity practice their religion escape persecution |
|
who lived in america before the Europeans arrived? |
American Indians Native Americans |
|
what group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves? |
Africans people from Africa |
|
Why did colonists fight the British? |
because of high taxes because the British army stayed in their houses because they didn't have self-government |
|
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? |
Thomas Jefferson, in 1776. |
|
When was the declaration of independence adopted? |
July 4, 1776 |
|
There were 13 original states. Name three |
New Hampshire Massachusetts Rhode Island Connecticut New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware Maryland Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia |
|
What happened at the constitutional convention? |
the constitution was written. |
|
When was the constitution written? |
1787 |
|
The federalist papers supported the passage of the us constitution. Name one of the writers. |
James Madison Alexander hamilton John jay Publius |
|
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for? |
US diplomat oldest member of the constitutional convention first postmaster general of the US writer of Poor Richard's Almanac started the first free libraries |
|
Who is the "father of our country"? |
George Washington |
|
who was the first president? |
George Washington |
|
what territory did the US buy from France in 1803 |
The Louisiana territory |
|
name one war fought by the US in the 1800s |
the War of 1812 Mexican-American war Civil War spanish american war |
|
Name the US war between the north and the south |
the civil war the war between the states |
|
name one problem that led to the Civil war. |
slavery economic reason states' rights |
|
What was one important thing that Abraham lincoln did? |
freed the slaves saved the Union led the US during the Civil War |
|
What did the emancipation Proclamation do? |
freed the slaves |
|
what did Susan B. Anthony do? |
fought for women's rights fought for civil rights |
|
Name one war fought by the us in the 1900s |
world war 1 world war 2 korean war vietnam war gulf war |
|
who was president during world war 1? |
Woodrow Wilson |
|
who was president during the great depression and world war II? |
Franklin Roosevelt |
|
who did the United States fight in world war II? |
Japan, Germany, and Italy |
|
before he was president, Eisenhower was a general. what war was he in? |
world war 2 |
|
during the cold war, what was the main concern of the United States? |
communism |
|
what movement tried to end racial discrimination? |
civil rights |
|
what did martin luther king, jr. do? |
fought for civil rights worked for equality for all americans |
|
What major event happened on 9/11/2001 in the united states? |
terrorists attacked the US |
|
name one american indian tribe in the United States |
navajo cherokee |
|
name one of the two longest rivers in the United States |
Mississippi Missouri |
|
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States? |
pacific ocean |
|
What ocean is on the east coast of the US? |
atlantic ocean |
|
name one us territory |
puerto rico us virgin islands american samoa northern mariana islands guam |
|
Name one state that borders canada. |
maine new hampshire vermont new york pennsylvania ohio michigan minnesota north dakota montana idaho washington alaska |
|
name one state that borders mexico |
california |
|
what is the capital of the US? |
washington DC |
|
where is the Statue of Liberty? |
New York liberty island |
|
why does the flag have 13 stripes? |
because there were 13 original colonies |
|
why does the flag have 50 stars? |
because there are 50 states |
|
what is the name of the national anthem? |
the star-spangled banner |
|
when do we celebrate independence day? |
July 4 |
|
Name two national US holidays |
New Year's Day MLK Day Presidents' Day Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day VBeterans Day Thanksgiving Christmas |