Foundations of U.S. Government
What was the first form of government in the U.S. that eventually failed and was replaced?
Articles of Confederation
How many members are there in the House of Representatives?
435
What month does a President get inaugurated?
January
The term of a Supreme Court Justice is
Life
A judge must issue a(n) _____ before police can search someone's home to look for evidence.
warrant
Life, liberty and property are our
natural rights
Who is second in line to become President of the US in an emergency, after the Vice President?
Speaker of the House of Representatives
What is the minimum number of electoral votes necessary to be elected President?
270
Who approves all appointments of federal judges?
Senate
Miranda Rights reminds people who are arrested that they have the right to
remain silent and not answer any questions
Whose ideas were incorporated into the Declaration of Independence?
John Locke
How old does one need to be in order to become a Senator?
30
What does the President promise to “preserve, protect, and defend” when being sworn in as President?
Constitution
What is the main purpose of the Judicial Branch?
To interpret laws
When you refuse to testify against yourself in court so as to not incriminate yourself, this is possible because of which amendment?
5th amendment
The difference between a monarchy and a democracy is that
Monarchy is rule by a king or queen and a democracy is rule by the people.
If the President vetoes a bill, you need a 2/3 majority vote in which part of Congress to override the veto, so that bill becomes a law?
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives
What is the difference between a swing state and a safe state?
A swing state (or purple state) changes its vote between Republican and Democrat candidates in each election cycle. Safe states vote predictably the same in every election cycle.
In the real 1994 MGM studios vs. Honda case, who won and what was the reasoning?
MGM won; the court ruled that Honda violated copyright laws
Draw a timeline with the following historical events in the correct order (no need to include dates):
Civil Rights Movement, Reconstruction, Passage of the 19th amendment, Civil War, Jim Crow Era
Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow Era, Passage of the 19th amendment, Civil Rights Movement
What was the main disagreement between Federalists and Anti-Federalists?
Federalists wanted a strong central government and Anti-Federalists wanted strong state governments.
Federalists supported the original draft of the Constitution. Anti-Federalists wanted to add a Bill of Rights.
What is a filibuster?
A political procedure used in the Senate to delay a vote on a bill.
Explain the difference between an electoral vote and a popular vote
Each state is given a certain number of electoral votes based on its number of representatives in the House and Senate, plus three votes for the District of Columbia. Popular vote is the total number of individual votes cast by citizens across the entire country for a particular candidate.
Justices who interpret the Constitution through the Living Constitution lens
interpret the Constitution in the context of modern society and values, recognizing that today’s world is very different from 1787
What are the three clauses listed under the 14th amendment?
Citizenship Clause - all persons born in the U.S. including former slaves were now citizens
Due Process Clause - former slaves were also protected by the Constitution
Equal Protection Clause - everyone has equal protection under the laws of the states