The Branches of Government
Founding Fathers
Miscellaneous
Bill of Rights
Vocabulary
100

This branch of government makes the laws.

What is the legislative branch?

100

This founding father was the oldest member at the Constitutional Convention.

Who was Benjamin Franklin?

100

These are the 3 parts of the Constitution.

What are the Preamble, the Articles and the Amendments?

100

Protects your freedoms of speech, religion, assembly and petition.

What is the First (1st) Amendment?

100
This is the authority of a president to refuse to sign bills into law.
What is veto power?
200

This branch of government enforces, or carries out, laws.

What is the executive branch?

200

This founding father came up with the Great Compromise.

Who was Roger Sherman?

200

These powers are not clearly written in the Constitution, but are suggested, as many laws are "necessary and proper" to the function of government (e.g. the power to print postage stamps).

What are implied powers?

200
Protects against unreasonable (warrantless) searches and seizures (unless reasonable suspicion or probable cause exists).
What is the Fourth (4th) Amendment?
200
This is a change to the Constitution, which requires a supermajority (2/3) of Congress or states to propose and a 3/4 majority of states to ratify (approve).
What is an amendment?
300
This branch of government interprets the law.
What is the judicial branch?
300

This founding father was the father of the Constitution.

Who was James Madison?

300

These people think that Congress (and the Courts that interpret laws) should narrowly construe the elastic clause.

What are Strict Constructionists?

300
Protects the rights of the accused (including the right to grand jury indictment, the right not to testify against oneself, and due process).
What is the Fifth (5th) Amendment?
300

This is the division of power between a central (national or federal) government and regional (state and local) government.

What is federalism?

400

The division of government into three branches in order to restrict the accumulation of power by any one person or body.

What is the separation of powers?

400

This founding father was the President of the Constitutional Convention.

Who was George Washington?

400

Name one of the 6 goals for the Constitution.

What are:

to form a more perfect union, 

to establish justice, 

to insure domestic tranquility, 

to provide for the common defense, 

to promote the general welfare, 

to secure the blessings of liberty.

400
Protects against excessive fines and bail and against cruel or unusual punishments.
What is the Eighth (8th) Amendment?
400

This is a government in which citizens rule themselves through elected officials.

What is a republic?

500

A system of restrictions placed on individual branches of government by the other branches of government to maintain a balance of power.

What is the system of checks and balances?

500

This famous founding father helped draft our Constitution.

Who was Alexander Hamilton?

500

This was the opening of the Constitutional Convention.

When was May 25, 1787?

500

Protects the rights of those on trial (including a speedy, public jury trial of one's peers; access to an attorney; and the rights to obtain and confront witnesses for and against).

What is the Sixth (6th) Amendment?

500

This is the willingness to work for the good of the nation even at a great sacrifice.

What is civic virtue?

M
e
n
u