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100 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is the supreme law of the land? |
the Constitution |
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What does the Constitution do?
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- sets up the government - defines the government - protects basic rights of Americans |
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The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
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We the People |
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What is an amendment?
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- a change (to the Constitution) - an addition (to the Constitution) |
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What doe we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
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the Bill of Rights |
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What is ONE right or freedom from the First Amendment?
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- speech - religion - assembly - press - petition the government |
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How many amendments does the Constitution have?
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twenty-seven (27)
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What did the Declaration of Independence do?
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- announced our independence (from Great Britain) - declared our independence (from Great Britain) - said that the United States is free (from Great Britain) |
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What are TWO rights in the Declaration of Independence?
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- life - liberty - pursuit of happiness |
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What is freedom of religion?
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You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion |
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What is the economic system in the United States?
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- capitalist economy - market economy |
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What is the "rule of law"?
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- Everyone must follow the law. - Leaders must obey the law. - Government must obey the law. - No one is above the law. |
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Name ONE branch or part of the government.
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- Congress - legislative - President - executive - the courts - judicial |
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What stops ONE branch of government from becoming too powerful?
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- checks and balances - separation of powers |
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Who is in charge of the executive branch?
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the President |
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Who makes federal laws?
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- Congress - Senate and House (of Representatives) - (U.S. or national) legislature |
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What are the TWO parts of the U.S. Congress?
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the Senate and House (of Representatives)
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How many U.S. Senators are there?
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one hundred (100) |
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We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
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six (6)
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Who is ONE of your state's U.S. Senators now?
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- Jerry Moran (R–KS) - Pat Roberts (R–KS) |
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The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
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four hundred thirty-five (435) |
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We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
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two (2) |
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Name your U.S. Representative.
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District 2 – Lynn Jenkins (R) |
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Who does a U.S. Senator represent? |
all people of the state
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Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
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- (because of) the state's population - (because) they have more people - (because) some states have more people |
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We elect a President for how many years?
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four (4) |
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In what month do we vote for President?
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November
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What is the name of the President of the United States now?
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- Barack Obama - Obama |
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What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
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- Joseph R. Biden, Jr. - Joe Biden - Biden |
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If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
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the Vice President |
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If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
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the Speaker of the House |
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Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
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the President
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Who signs bills to become laws?
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the President
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Who vetoes bills?
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the President
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What does the President's Cabinet do?
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advises the President |
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What are TWO Cabinet-level positions?
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- 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 Labor - Secretary of State - Secretary of Transportation - Secretary of the Treasury - Secretary of Veterans Affairs - Attorney General - Vice President |
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What does the judicial branch do?
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- reviews laws - explains laws - resolves disputes (disagreements) - decides if a law goes against the Constitution |
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What is the highest court in the United States?
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the Supreme Court |
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How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
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nine (9) |
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Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
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John Robers (John G. Roberts, Jr) |
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Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is ONE power of the federal government?
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- to print money - to declare war - to create an army - to make treaties |
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Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is ONE power of the states?
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- provide schooling and education - provide protection (police) - provide safety (fire departments) - give a driver's license - approve zoning and land use |
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Who is the Governor of your state now?
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Sam Brownback (R) |
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What is the capital of your state?
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Topeka |
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What are the TWO major political parties in the United States?
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Democratic and Republican |
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What is the political party of the President now?
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Democratic (Party) |
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What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
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(John) Boehner |
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There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe ONE of them.
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- 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). |
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What is ONE responsibility that is for the United States citizens?
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- serve on a jury - vote in a federal election |
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Name ONE right only for the United States citizens.
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- vote in a federal election - run for federal office |
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What are TWO rights of everyone living in the United States?
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- freedom of expression - freedom of speech - freedom of assembly - freedom to petition the government - freedom of worship - the right to bear arms |
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What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
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- the United States - the flag |
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What is ONE promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
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- 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 |
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How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
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eighteen (18) and older |
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What are TWO ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
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- 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 |
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When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
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April 15 |
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When must all men register for the Selective Service?
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- at age eighteen (18) - between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26) |
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What is ONE reason colonists came to America?
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- freedom - political liberty - religious freedom - economic opportunity - practice their religion - escape persecution |
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Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
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- American Indians - Native Americans |
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What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
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- Africans - people from Africa |
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Why did the colonists fight the British?
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- because of high taxes (taxation without representation) - because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering) - because they didn't have self-government |
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Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
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(Thomas) Jefferson
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When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
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July 4, 1776
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There were 13 original states. Name THREE.
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- New Hampshire - Massachusetts - Rhode Island - Connecticut - New York - New Jersey - Pennsylvania - Delaware - Maryland - Virginia - North Carolina - South Carolina - Georgia |
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What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
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- The Constitution was written. - The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution. |
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When was the Constitution written?
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1787 |
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The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name ONE of the writers.
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- (James) Madison - (Alexander) Hamilton - (John) Jay - Publius |
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What is ONE thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
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- 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 |
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Who is the "Father of Our Country"?
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(George) Washington |
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Who was the first President?
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(George) Washington
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What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
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- the Louisiana Territory - Louisiana |
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Name ONE war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
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- War of 1812 - Mexican-American War - Civil War - Spanish-American War |
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Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
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- the Civil War - the War between the States |
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Name ONE problem that led to the Civil War.
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- slavery - economic reasons - states' rights |
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What was ONE important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
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- freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation) - saved (or preserved) the Union - led the United States during the Civil War |
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What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
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- freed the slaves - freed slaves in the Confederacy - freed slaves in the Confederate states - freed slaves in most Southern states |
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What did Susan B. Anthony do?
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- fought for women's rights - fought for civil rights |
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Name ONE war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
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- World War I - World War II - Korean War - Vietnam War - (Persian) Gulf War |
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Who was President during World War I?
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(Woodrow) Wilson
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Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
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(Franklin) Roosevelt |
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Who did the United States fight in World War II?
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Japan, Germany, and Italy |
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Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
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World War II
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During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
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Communism
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What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
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civil rights (movement)
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What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
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- fought for civil rights - worked for equality for all Americans |
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What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
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Terrorists attacked the United States. |
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Name ONE American Indian tribe in the Untied States.
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- Cherokee - Navajo - Sioux - Chippewa - Choctaw - Pueblo - Apache - Iroquois - Creek - Blackfeet - Seminole - Cheyenne - Arawak - Shawnee - Mohegan - Huron - Oneida - Lakota - Crow - Teton - Hopi - Inuit |
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Name ONE of the two longest rivers in the United States.
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- Missouri (River) - Mississippi (River) |
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What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
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Pacific (Ocean)
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What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
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Atlantic (Ocean)
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Name ONE U.S. territory.
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- Puerto Rico - U.S. Virgin Islands - American Samoa - Northern Mariana Islands- Guam |
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Name ONE state that borders Canada.
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- Maine - New Hampshire - Vermont - New York - Pennsylvania - Ohio - Michigan - Minnesota - North Dakota - Montana - Idaho - Washington - Alaska |
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Name ONE state that borders Mexico
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- California - Arizona - New Mexico - Texas |
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What is the capital of the United States?
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Washington, D.C. |
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Where is the Statue of Liberty?
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- New York (Harbor) - Liberty Island |
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Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
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- because there were 13 original colonies - because the stripes represent the original colonies |
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Why does the flag have 50 stars?
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- because there is one star for each state - because each star represents a state - because there are 50 states |
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What is the name of the national anthem?
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The Star-Spangled Banner |
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When do we celebrate Independence Day?
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July 4 |
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Name TWO national U.S. holidays.
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- New Year's Day - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - President's Day - Memorial Day - Independence Day - Labor Day - Columbus Day - Veterans Day - Thanksgiving - Christmas |
