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100 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
What is the supreme law of the land?
- the Constitution
What does 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 (from Great Britain)
- 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 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
- legislative
- 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 Representative)
- (US or national) legislature
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*
- the Senate and House (of Representatives)
How many U.S. Senators are there?
- 100
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
- 6
Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?*
- Carl Levin
- Debbie Stabenow
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
- 435
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
- 2
Name your U.S. Representative.
-Bill Huizenga
Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
- all people of the state
Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
- (because of) the state’s population
- (because) they have more people
- (because) some states 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 United States now?*
- Barack Obama
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
- Joe Biden
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
- the Vice President
If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
- the 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 Homeland Security
- Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
- Secretary of the Interior
- Secretary of Labor
- Secretary of State
- Secretary of Transportation
- Secretary of the Treasury
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- Attorney General
- Vice President
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 United States 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 (police)
- provide safety (fire departments)
- give a driver’s license
- approve zoning and land use
Who is the Governor of your state now?
- Rick Snyder
What is the capital of your state?*
- Lansing
What are the two major political parties in the United States?*
- Democratic and Republican
What is the political party of the President now?
- Democratic (Party)
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
- (John) Boehner
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
- Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
- You don't have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
- Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)
- A male citizen of any race (can vote).
What is one responsibility that is only for United States 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 United States?
- 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 United States citizen?
- give up loyalty to other countries
- defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
- obey the laws of the United States
- serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
- serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
- 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 the colonists fight the British?
- because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
- because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
- because they didn’t have self-government
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
- (Thomas) Jefferson
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.
- The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
When was the Constitution written?
- 1787
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
- (James) Madison
- (Alexander) Hamilton
- (John) Jay
- Publius
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
- U.S. diplomat
- oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
- first Postmaster General of the United States
- 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 United States buy from France in 1803?
- the Louisiana Territory
- Louisiana
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
- War of 1812
- Mexican-American War
- Civil War
- Spanish-American War
Name the U.S. 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 reasons
- states’ rights
What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*
- freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
- saved (or preserved) the Union
- led the United States during the Civil War
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
- freed the slaves
- freed slaves in the Confederacy
- freed slaves in the Confederate states
- freed slaves in most Southern states
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
- fought for women’s rights
- fought for civil rights
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*
- World War I
- World War II
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
- (Persian) Gulf War
Who was President during World War I?
- (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 II
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?"
- Communism
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
- civil rights (movement)
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
- Terrorists attacked the United States.
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
- Cherokee
- Navajo
- Sioux
- Chippewa
- Apache
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
- Missouri (River)
- Mississippi (River)
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
- Pacific
What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
- Atlantic
Name one U.S. territory.
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. 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
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Texas
What is the capital of the United States?*
- Washington, D.C.
Where is the Statue of Liberty?*
- New York (Harbor)
- Liberty Island
[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
- because there were 13 original colonies
- because the stripes represent the original colonies
Why does the flag have 50 stars?*
- because there is one star for each state
- because each star represents a state
- 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 U.S. holidays.
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Presidents’ Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*
- fought for civil rights
- worked for equality for all Americans