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100 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is the supreme law of the land?
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the Constitution
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What does the Constitution do?
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- sets up the government
Americans |
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The idea of self-government is in the
first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? |
We the People
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What is an amendment?
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- a change (to the Constitution)
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What do we call the first ten
amendments to the Constitution? |
the Bill of Rights
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What is ONE right or freedom
from the First Amendment? |
- speech
- religion - assembly - press - petition the government |
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How many amendments does
the Constitution have? |
twenty-seven (27)
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What did the Declaration of
Independence do? |
- announced our independence
(from Great Britain)
(from Great Britain) |
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What are TWO rights in the
Declaration of Independence? |
- life
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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? |
- capitalist economy
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What is the "rule of law"?
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- Everyone must follow the law.
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Name ONE branch or part
of the government. |
- Congress - legislative
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What stops ONE branch of government
from becoming too powerful? |
- checks and balances
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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
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What are the TWO parts
of the U.S. Congress? |
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? |
six (6)
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Who is ONE of your state's U.S. Senators now?
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- Dick Durbin (D-IL)
- Mark Kirk (R-IL) |
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The House of Representatives has
how many voting members? |
four hundred thirty-five (435)
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We elect a U.S. Representative
for how many years? |
two (2)
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Name your U.S. Representative.
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District 8 - Tammy Duckworth (D)
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Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
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all people of the state
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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 |
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We elect a President for how many
years? |
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? |
Barack Obama
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What is the name of the Vice President
of the United States now? |
Joe Biden
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If the President can no longer serve,
who becomes President? |
the Vice President
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If both the President and the Vice
President can no longer serve, who becomes President? |
the Speaker of the House
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Who is the Commander in Chief
of the military? |
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? |
Secretary of:
Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Labor, State, Transportation, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, and the Treasury |
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What does the judicial branch do?
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- reviews/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? |
the Supreme Court
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How many justices are on
the Supreme Court? |
nine (9)
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Who is the Chief Justice
of the United States now? |
John Roberts
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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 |
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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 |
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Who is the Governor of your state now?
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Bruce Rauner (R)
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What is the capital of your state?
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Springfield
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What are the TWO major political
parties in the United States? |
Democratic and Republican
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What is the political party of the
President now? |
Democratic (Party)
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What is the name of the Speaker
of the House of Representatives now? |
John Boehner
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There are four amendments to the
Constitution about who can vote. Describe ONE of them. |
- Citizens eighteen and older can vote
- You don't have to pay a poll tax to 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? |
- serve on a jury
- vote in a federal election |
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Name ONE right only for
United States citizens. |
- vote in a federal election
- run for federal office |
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What are TWO rights of everyone living
in the United States? |
freedom of:
expression, speech, assembly, worship, right to bear arms |
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What do we show loyalty to when we
say the Pledge of Allegiance? |
- the United States
- the flag |
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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 |
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How old do citizens have to be to vote
for President? |
eighteen (18) and older
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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 |
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When is the last day you can send infederal income tax forms?
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April 15
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When must all men register for
the Selective Service? |
- at age 18
- between 18 and 26 |
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What is ONE reason colonists came
to America? |
- political liberty
- religious freedom - economic opportunity - practice their religion - escape persecution |
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Who lived in America before
the Europeans arrived? |
- American Indians
- Native Americans |
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What group of people was taken to
America and sold as slaves? |
- 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) (boarding, quartering) |
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Who wrote the Declaration of
Independence? |
(Thomas) Jefferson
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When was the Declaration of
Independence adopted? |
July 4, 1776
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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 |
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What happened at the Constitutional
Convention? |
- 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. |
- (James) Madison
- (Alexander) Hamilton - (John) Jay - Publius (pen name of all three) |
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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 |
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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? |
- the Louisiana Territory
- Louisiana |
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Name ONE war fought by the United
States in the 1800s. |
- 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. |
- the Civil War
- the War between the States |
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Name ONE problem that led to
the Civil War. |
- slavery
- economic reasons - states' rights |
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What was ONE important thing that
Abraham Lincoln did? |
- freed the slaves
(Emancipation Proclamation) Civil War |
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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 |
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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. |
- World War I
- World War II - Korean War - Vietnam War - (Persian) Gulf War |
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Who was President during
World War I? |
(Woodrow) Wilson
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Who was President during the Great
Depression and World War II? |
(Franklin) Roosevelt
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Who did the United States fight in
World War II? |
Japan, Germany, and Italy
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Before he was President, Eisenhower
was a general. What war was he in? |
World War II
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During the Cold War, what was the
main concern of the United States? |
Communism
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What movement tried to end racial
discrimination? |
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? |
Terrorists attacked the United States.
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Name ONE American Indian tribe in
the Untied States. |
- 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. |
- Missouri (River)
- Mississippi (River) |
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What ocean is on the West Coast of
the United States? |
Pacific (Ocean)
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What ocean is on the East Coast of
the United States? |
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? |
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 |
