This branch of government has the power to collect taxes, regulate trade, declare war, and override vetoes.
What is the legislative branch?
100
These powers are clearly listed or numbered in the Constitution.
What are expressed (or enumerated) powers?
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 branch of government commands the armed forces, makes treaties, grants pardons, and appoints federal justices.
What is the executive branch?
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 branch of government conducts criminal and civil trials and can declare laws to be in violation of the Constitution.
What is the judicial branch?
300
These are powers that either the federal or state governments do not have (e.g. the states may not coin/print money or establish armies).
What are denied powers?
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 branch of government's leaders are chosen by the electoral college.
What is the executive branch?
400
These powers belong to both federal and state governments (e.g. the powers to collect taxes, make and enforce laws, and establish courts).
What are concurrent (or shared) powers?
400
Protects against excessive fines and bail and against cruel or unusual punishments.
What is the Eighth (8th) Amendment?
400
This clause declares the Constitution (and federal law) to be the supreme law of the land (i.e. constitutional/federal law trumps state law).
What is the supremacy clause?
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 branch may not suspend habeas corpus (imprison w/o charge), pass ex post facto laws (make something illegal after the fact), tax exports, or spend without a budget.
What is the legislative branch?
500
All powers not belonging to the federal government but to the states (e.g. the powers to establish schools and set speed limits).
What are reserved powers?
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 act of formally accusing a public official (e.g. the president) of a crime (e.g. treason) that can result in removal from office.