Congress
The President
The UK
Taiwan
Big Ideas
100

What is a legislature with two chambers called?

Bicameral

100

What is the president’s power to reject a bill called?

Veto

100

Who is the UK’s head of state?

The King - King Charles

100

What is the name of Taiwan’s legislature?

The Legislative Yuan


100

What is the difference between a head of state and a head of government?

The head of state is the symbol of the nation. The head of government runs the government day to day.

200

How many senators does each U.S. state have?

Two

200
What is the name of the weird "voting system" in which you need 270 votes to become US President
Electoral College
200

What is the elected house of the UK Parliament called?

The House of Commons

200

Who is the head of government in Taiwan?

The premier

200

In which country is one person both head of state and head of government: the U.S., the UK, or Taiwan?

The United States

300

How many votes does it take to end a filibuster in the Senate?

60 

300

Which chamber impeaches the president, and which chamber holds the trial?

The House impeaches. The Senate holds the trial, and removal takes a two-thirds vote.

300

The UK’s system is named after the palace where Parliament meets. What is it called?

The Westminster system

300

In what year did martial law end in Taiwan?

1987

300

What is the difference between a coup and a self-coup?

In a coup, a group (usually the military) seizes power from the leader. In a self-coup, a leader who came to power legally shuts down the other branches.

400

What does it take for Congress to override a president’s veto?

A two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate.

400

How can a candidate lose the national popular vote and still become president?

Because of the Electoral College. Votes are counted state by state, and in 48 states the winner takes all of that state’s electors (example: 2016).

400

What is a vote that forces the prime minister to resign or call an election called?

A vote of no confidence

400

What type of system does Taiwan have, with both an elected president and a premier?

Semi-presidential

400

Name the type of system in the U.S., the UK, and Taiwan.

Presidential, parliamentary, and semi-presidential

500

Gerrymandering has two types. Name them and explain one.

Packing (crowding the other side into a few districts) and cracking (splitting the other side across many districts)

500

What is a pocket veto?

The president does nothing with a bill, and Congress adjourns before the 10 days are up, so the bill dies without being signed.

500

What does fusion of powers mean?

The prime minister and cabinet sit in Parliament, so the executive and the legislature are joined.

500

Name two reasons Taiwan became a democracy.

 Any two:

  • a growing middle class
  • leaders chose reform
  • deals between the government and the opposition
  • early elections
  • outside pressure
500

In which of our three countries (US/UK/Taiwan) can the courts NOT strike down a law passed by the legislature?What can they do instead?

The United Kingdom. UK courts can declare that a law conflicts with human rights, but the law stays in force.

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