I am ready
Which branch of government makes laws?
Legislative
What is the Bill of Rights?
The first 10 amendments
Which freedom is protected by the First Amendment?
Freedom of speech
What power was established by judicial review?
Declaring laws unconstitutional
Who is the Commander in Chief?
President
Federalism is best described as:
Sharing power between levels of government
Who makes laws at the national level?
Congress
Which branch was designed to be the most powerful?
Legislative
Who enforces laws?
President
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
9
What was the main weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
The national government was too weak
Why is power shared in a federal system?
To protect freedom and prevent abuse of power
What is the main role of the judicial branch?
Interpret laws, decide if they follow the constitution and are fair
What are checks and balances?
Limits each branch places on the others
U.S. Senators from Wisconsin are:
Tammy Baldwin — Democrat, serving in the U.S. Senate since 2013.
Ron Johnson — Republican, serving in the U.S. Senate since 2011.
Why are amendments necessary?
To improve or update the Constitution over time
Which compromise counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation?
Three-Fifths Compromise
Why did southern states want enslaved people counted in the population?
To gain more representatives
What are the two parts of Congress?
Senate and House of Representatives
Explain the difference between amendment 6 and 7
6th Amendment: This is about criminal trials. If someone is accused of a crime, they have the right to a fast trial, a lawyer, and to see and question the people who say they did something wrong.
7th Amendment: This is about civil cases It says you have the right to a jury trial in these cases if the amount in dispute is big enough.
Explain why the Founders believed separation of powers would protect freedom.
Because dividing power among three branches prevents any one person or group from becoming too powerful and abusing power
What is a constitution? Explain its purpose in one clear sentence.
A constitution is a written plan of government that explains how the government works and what powers it has.
Why do you think the framers avoided using the word “slave” in the Constitution? What were they trying to avoid?
They wanted to avoid directly recognizing slavery as legitimate and hoped the document could survive future changes or disagreements about slavery.
Name at least 5 amendments and describe them.
I decide
Name and give me an example of at least 2 amendments broken in the movie Just mercy
6th Amendment – Right to a fair trial
Example: Walter McMillian was rushed to trial with an inadequate defense. His lawyer didn’t properly investigate evidence or witnesses, which violated his right to a speedy and fair trial and proper legal representation.
8th Amendment – Protection against cruel and unusual punishment
Example: Walter was wrongly sentenced to death despite evidence proving his innocence. This punishment for a crime he didn’t commit is a clear violation of the 8th Amendment.