U.S. Constitution
Before the Constitution was written, the newly independent United States was guided by a much weaker set of rules called the Articles of this.
What is Confederation? (or What are the Articles of Confederation?)
Every state, no matter how large or small its population, gets exactly this many elected officials in the U.S. Senate.
What is two?
The Supreme Court uses this two-word power to review laws and decide whether or not they violate the rules of the Constitution.
What is judicial review?
This amendment in the Bill of Rights guarantees federalism by stating that any power not given to the national government is "reserved to the states."
What is the 10th Amendment?
This is the specific term used by government experts to describe powers, like collecting taxes and building roads, that are shared by both the federal and state governments.
What are concurrent powers?
In the summer of 1787, 55 delegates met in secret at Independence Hall in this Pennsylvania city to draft the new Constitution.
What is Philadelphia?
The heads of the executive departments, like the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Defense, make up this special group of advisors to the President.
What is the Cabinet?
The President can check the power of the Judicial Branch by using this special power to officially forgive a person who was convicted of a crime.
What is a pardon?
If a state law completely disagrees with a federal law, the Constitution says that the law from this level of government is supreme and will always win.
What is the federal (or national) government?
While the President is the head of the federal executive branch, this elected official is the chief executive in charge of a state government.
What is a Governor?
Because everyone trusted him so much, this famous general and Founding Father was chosen to be the president of the Constitutional Convention.
Who is George Washington?
While the President serves a 4-year term, Supreme Court Justices are appointed to serve for this length of time, assuming they don't retire or get impeached.
What is for life? (or their lifetime)
If the President wants to make a formal treaty (or agreement) with another country, it cannot become official until it is approved by this specific chamber of Congress.
What is the Senate?
While the federal government handles foreign countries, only the states have the power to organize and run these events, where people go to vote for leaders.
What are elections?
Just below the state level, states are usually divided into these smaller geographic areas, which often have their own sheriffs, courthouses, and local services.
What are counties?
It takes a lot of work to change the Constitution, which is why it has only been amended, or changed, exactly this many times since it was written.
What is 27?
While the Senate is equal for every state, the number of members a state sends to the House of Representatives is determined by this.
What is its population? (or the number of people who live there)
Because Congress has the "power of the purse," the President cannot spend any of the government's money until Congress approves this yearly financial plan.
What is the budget?
Delivering mail is a big job, which is why under federalism, only the national government has the power to run this important service.
What is the Postal Service? (or Post Office)
Because the Constitution does not give the national government power over this, only states have the power to issue these specific licenses that adults need before they can legally get behind the wheel of a car.
What are driver's licenses?
The 19th Amendment, which was added to the Constitution in 1920, was a major milestone because it finally guaranteed this group of people the right to vote.
Who are women?
Because the President is the supreme leader of the United States Armed Forces, they hold this official military title.
What is Commander in Chief?
If the House of Representatives votes to impeach a President or a federal judge, the actual trial to decide if they should be removed is held by this group.
What is the Senate?
Because they share power, both the state and national governments have the authority to establish these places, where judges listen to cases and decide if laws were broken.
What are courts?
The Constitution contains the "Supremacy Clause," which acts as a tiebreaker and says that if a state law and a federal law ever disagree, the law from this level of government will always win.
What is the federal (or national) government?