Principles of American Government
What is the Supreme law of the land?
the Constitution
Name the three branches of the government.
- Legislative, executive, judicial
- Congress, president, and the courts
Who can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and serve on a jury in the United States?
- Citizens
- Citizens of the United States
- U.S. citizens
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
- Africans
- people of Africa
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
- Louisiana Territory
-Louisiana
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
27
What part of the federal government wrotes laws?
- (U.S) Congress
- (U.S. or national) legislature
- Legislative branch
Why is it important to pay federal taxes?
- Required by law
- All people pay to fund the federal government
- Required by the (U.S.) Constitution (16th Amendment)
- Civic duty
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
July 4, 1776
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
- Freed the slaves
- Freed slaves in the Confederacy
- Freed slaves in the Confederate states
- Fredd slaves in the most Southern states
What does the Bill of Rights protect?
- (The basic) rights of Americans
- (The basic) rights of people living in the United States
Name one power of the U.S. Congress.
-writes laws
- declares war
- makes the federal budget
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
- the United States
- the flag
George Washington is famous for many things. Name one.
- "Father of Our Country"
- First president of the United States
- Genearl of the Continental Army
- President of the Constitutional Convention
What amendment says all person born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are U.S. citizens?
-14th Amendment
Why is the Declaration of Independence important?
- It says that America is free from British control
_ It says that all people are created equal
-It identifies inherent rights
- It identifies individual freedoms
Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
-people of their state
- citizens of their state
Name two promises that new citizens make in the Oath of Allegiance.
- give up loyalty to other countries
- defend the (U.S) Constitution
- obey the laws of the U.S.
- serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
- serve (help do important work for) the nation (if needed)
- be loyal to the U.S.
Benjamin Franklin is famous for many things. Name one.
- U.S. diplomat
- first Postmaster General of the United States
- helped write the Declaration of Indpendence
- founded the first free public libraries
- inventor
When did all men get the right to vote?
- After the Civil War
- During Reconstruction
- (With the) 15th Amendment
- 1870
What is the rule of law?
- Everyone must follow the law.
-Leaders must obey the law
- Government must obey the law
-No one is above the law.
Name one power that is only for the federal government.
- print paper money
- mint coins
- declare war
- create an army
- make treaties
- set foreign policy
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
- Citizens 18 and older can vote
- You don have to pay ( a poll tax) to vote
- Any citizen can vote ( men and women can vote)
- A male citizen of any race ( can vote.)
Why were the Federalists Papers important?
- They helped people understand the (U.S.) Constitution
- They supported passing the (U.S.) Constitution
Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things. Name one.
- Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
- Saved (or preserved) the Union
- Led the United States during the Civil War
- 16th president of the United States
- Delivered the Gettysburg Address