Vocabulary
What is an amendment?
a change or addition to the Constitution
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
The Bill of Rights
Name two branches of government
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
Africans
What is one promise you make when you become a US citizen?
give up loyalty to other countries
defend the Constitution and laws of the US
obey the laws of the US
serve in the US military if needed
be loyal to the US
Define Separation of Powers`
a principle of government that divides governmental authority among three distinct branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial
What is one freedom from the First Amendment?
speech
religion
assembly
press
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
Checks and Balances
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
Native Americans
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Name two.
18 and older
Don't have to pay a poll tax
Any citizen (man or woman) can vote
Male of any race can vote
What kind of economic system does the US have?
Capitalist - an economic system featuring the private ownership of business wealth and the free and unrestrained operation of trade markets. (in theory)
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
27
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
The President
What is one reason colonists came to America?
freedom
political liberty
religious freedom
economic opportunity
What are two rights of everyone living in the US?
freedom of:
speech
expression
assembly
to petition the government
religion
right to bear arms
What is the Electoral College and how many people does each state get?
group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president
What are two rights of the Declaration of Independence?
Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness
Who makes federal laws?
Congress
Senate/House of Representatives
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
The Constitution was written
What is one right that is only for US Citizens?
Vote in a federal election
Run for federal office
Define Federalism
a system of government where power is divided between a central authority and regional or state governments
When was the Constitution written?
1787
What are two parts of Congress, and how many representatives are in each?
Senate (100)
House of Representatives (435)
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
What is one responsibility that is only for US citizens?
Serve on a jury
Vote in a federal election