Principals of American Government
What is the supreme law of the land?
the constitution
In what month do we vote for President?
November
What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
- serve on a jury
- vote in a federal election
George Washington is famous for many
things. Name one.
• "Father of Our Country"
• First president of the United States
• General of the Continental Army
• President of the Constitutional Convention
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South
- the Civil War
- the War between the States
During the Cold War, what was one main
concern of the United States?
• Communism
• Nuclear war
What is the capital of the United States?
Washington, D.C.
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
• (Because there were) 13 original colonies
• (Because the stripes) represent the original colonies
How are changes made to the U.S.
Constitution?
• Amendments
• The amendment process
Name the three branches of government.
• Legislative, executive, and judicial
• Congress, president, and the courts
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
- Eighteen (18) and Older
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted and who wrote it?
- July 4, 1776
- Thomas Jefferson
The Civil War had many important events.
Name one.
• (Battle of) Fort Sumter
• Emancipation Proclamation
• (Battle of) Vicksburg
• (Battle of) Gettysburg
• Sherman's March
• (Surrender at) Appomattox
• (Battle of) Antietam/Sharpsburg
• Lincoln was assassinated.
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
Terrorists attacked the United States.
Where is the Statue of Liberty?
- New York (Harbor)
- Liberty Island
- New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson River
Why does the flag have 50 stars?
- because there is one star for each state
- because each star represents a state
- because there are 50 states
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
- Speech
- Religion
- Assembly
- Press
- Petition the Government
There are three branches of government.
Why?
• So one part does not become too powerful
• Checks and balances
• Separation of powers
April 15
When and where was the Constitution written?
- Written in 1787
- Written at the Constitutional Convention
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
- freed the slaves
- freed slaves in the Confederacy
- freed slaves in the Confederate States
- freed slaves in most Southern States
Martin Luther King, Jr. is famous for many
things. Name one.
• Fought for civil rights
• Worked for equality for all Americans
• Worked to ensure that people would "not be judged
by the color of their skin, but by the content of their
character"
Name ONE of the two longest rivers in the United States.
- Missouri River
- Mississippi River
When do we celebrate Independence Day?
July 4
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
the Bill of Rights
What is the name of the President of the United States now?
Donald J. Trump
Name one right ONLY for United States Citizens.
- vote in a federal office
- run for federal office
What is ONE reason colonists came to America?
- Freedom
- Political Liberty
- Religious Freedom
- Economic Opportunity
- Practice their Religion
- Escape Persecution
Name one leader of the women's rights
movement in the 1800s.
• Susan B. Anthony
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton
• Sojourner Truth
• Harriet Tubman
• Lucretia Mott
• Lucy Stone
Why did the United States enter World War I?
• Because Germany attacked U.S. (civilian) ships
• To support the Allied Powers (England, France,
Italy, and Russia)
• To oppose the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-
Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria)
Name ONE U.S. territory.
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- American Samoa
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Guam
Where is the Statue of Liberty?
• New York (Harbor)
• Liberty Island
Name two important ideas from the
Declaration of Independence and the U.S.
Constitution.
• Equality
• Liberty
• Social contract
• Natural rights
• Limited government
• Self-government
What are two major political parties?
Democratic and Republican
What are three rights of everyone living in the United States?
- freedom of expression
- freedom of speech
- freedom of assembly
- freedom to petition the government
- freedom of religion
- the right to bear arms
There were 13 original states (Colonies). Name FIVE.
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
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
Name ONE war fought by the United States in the 1900's.
- World War 1
- World War 2
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
- (Persian) Gulf War
Name one state that borders Mexico.
- California
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Texas
What is the name of the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled Banner
The words "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of
Happiness" are in what founding document?
• Declaration of Independence
What are two cabinet - level positions?
Secretary of ... Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, the Treasury, Veterans Affairs
Attorney General
Vice President
There are four amendments to the constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
- Citizens 18 or older can vote.
- You don't have to pay to vote
- Any citizen can vote
- A male citizen of any race can vote
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name ONE of the writers.
- James Madison
- Alexander Hamilton
- John Jay
- Publius
Name ONE war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
- War of 1812
- Mexican-American War
- Civil War
- Spanish-America War
Name one example of an American
innovation.
• Light bulb
• Automobile (cars, combustion engine)
• Skyscrapers
• Airplane
• Assembly line
• Landing on the moon
• Integrated circuit (IC)
Name ONE State that borders Canada.
Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Alaska
The Nation's first motto was "E Pluribus
Unum." What does that mean?
• Out of many, one
• We all become one