Reading...
Play button
Play button
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 does the Constitution do?
|
sets up / 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?
|
change / addition (to the Constitution)
|
|
|
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
|
the Bill of Rights
|
|
|
What are 2 rights or freedoms from the First Amendment?
|
- speech
- religion - assembly - press - petition the government |
|
|
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
|
twenty-seven (27)
|
|
|
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
|
announced/declared our independence (from Great Britain)
|
|
|
What are the 3 rights in the Declaration of Independence?
|
- life
- liberty - the 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
|
|
|
What is the “rule of law”?
|
Everyone must follow the law. No one is above the law.
|
|
|
Name 2 branches or parts of the government.
|
- Congress
- legislative - President - executive - the courts - judicial |
|
|
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
|
checks and balances
|
|
|
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
|
the President
|
|
|
Who makes federal laws?
|
- Congress
|
|
|
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
|
the Senate and House (of Representatives)
|
|
|
How many U.S. Senators are there?
|
one hundred (100)
|
|
|
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
|
six (6)
|
|
|
Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?
|
...
|
|
|
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
|
four hundred thirty-five (435)
|
|
|
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
|
two (2)
|
|
|
Name your U.S. Representative.
|
...
|
|
|
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 / more people
|
|
|
We elect a President for how many years?
|
four (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 4 Cabinet-level positions?
|
- Secretary of Defense
- Secretary of Homeland Security - Secretary of State - Vice President |
|
|
What does the judicial branch do?
|
- reviews laws
- explains laws - resolves 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?
|
nine (9)
|
|
|
Who is the Chief Justice of the US now?
|
John Roberts
|
|
|
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What are 2 powers 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 are two powers of the states?
|
- provide schooling and education
- give a driver’s license |
|
|
Who is the Governor of your state now?
|
Use this page to find your Governor:
www.usa.gov/Contact/Governors.shtml |
|
|
What is the capital of your state?
|
...
|
|
|
What are the 2 major political parties in the United States?
|
Democratic and Republican
|
|
|
What is the political party of the President now?
|
Democratic
|
|
|
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
|
Nancy Pelosi
|
|
|
There are 4 amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe 2 of them.
|
- Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
- Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.) - A male citizen of any race (can vote). |
|
|
What are 2 responsibilities that are only for U.S. citizens?
|
- serve on a jury
|
|
|
Name 2 rights only for United States citizens.
|
- vote in a federal election
- run for federal office |
|
|
What are 4 rights of everyone living in the U.S.?
|
- 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 are 2 promises you make when you become a US citizen?
|
- give up loyalty to other countries
- defend the Constitution and laws of the U.S. - obey the laws of the U.S. - 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?
|
eighteen (18) and older
|
|
|
What are 4 ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
|
- vote
- join a political party - join a civic group - join a community group - call Senators and Representatives - 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?
|
between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)
|
|
|
What are 2 reasons colonists came to America?
|
- freedom
- political liberty - religious freedom - economic opportunity - practice their religion - escape persecution |
|
|
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
|
Native Americans
|
|
|
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
|
Africans
|
|
|
What are 2 reasons why the colonists fought the British?
|
- because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
- because the British army stayed in their houses - 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 6.
|
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts - Rhode Island - Connecticut - New York - New Jersey - Pennsylvania - Delaware - Maryland |
|
|
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
|
The Constitution was written.
|
|
|
When was the Constitution written?
|
1787
|
|
|
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name 2 of the writers.
|
- (James) Madison
- (Alexander) Hamilton - (John) Jay - Publius |
|
|
What are 2 things Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
|
- U.S. diplomat
- oldest member of the Constitutional Convention - first Postmaster General of the U.S. - 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?
|
Louisiana
|
|
|
Name 2 wars fought by the United States in the 1800s
|
- Mexican-American War
- Civil War - Spanish-American War |
|
|
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
|
the Civil War
|
|
|
Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
|
slavery
|
|
|
What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
|
- freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
- led the United States during the Civil War |
|
|
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
|
freed slaves in the Confederate (Southern) states
|
|
|
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
|
fought for women’s/civil rights
|
|
|
Name 2 wars 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 did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
|
fought for civil rights
|
|
|
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the U.S.?
|
Terrorists attacked the U.S.
|
|
|
Name 2 American Indian tribes in the United States.
|
- Cherokee
- Navajo - Sioux - Chippewa - Choctaw - Pueblo - Apache - Iroquois - Creek - Blackfeet - Seminole - Cheyenne - Arawak - Shawnee - Mohegan - Huron - Oneida - Lakota - Crow - Teton - Hopi - Inuit |
|
|
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
|
- Mississippi (River)
|
|
|
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
|
Pacific (Ocean)
|
|
|
What ocean is on the East Coast of the U.S.?
|
Atlantic (Ocean)
|
|
|
Name 2 U.S. territories.
|
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Islands - American Samoa - Northern Mariana Islands - Guam |
|
|
Name 2 states that borders Canada.
|
- Maine
- New Hampshire - Vermont - New York - Pennsylvania - Ohio - Michigan - Minnesota - North Dakota - Montana - Idaho - Washington - Alaska |
|
|
Name 2 states that border Mexico.
|
- California
- Arizona - New Mexico - Texas |
|
|
What is the capital of the United States?
|
Washington, D.C.
|
|
|
Where is the Statue of Liberty?
|
Liberty Island
|
|
|
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
|
because there were 13 original colonies
|
|
|
Why does the flag have 50 stars?
|
because each star represents a state
|
|
|
What is the name of the national anthem?
|
The Star-Spangled Banner
|
|
|
When do we celebrate Independence Day?
|
July 4
|
|
|
Name 4 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 |
