Legislative
Judicial
Executive
The Federal System
Vocabulary
100
What is the main job of the legislative branch?
What is to make laws?
100
What is the main job of the judicial branch?
What is to apply and interpret the laws?
100
What is the main job of the executive branch?
What is to carry out and enforce the laws?
100
What are reserved powers? Please give at least three examples.
What are powers reserved for the states, examples include marriage laws, setting up schools, police force, and conducting elections?
100
What does "bicameral" mean?
What is a legislature divided into two parts or houses. Our Congress is bicameral, divided in the House and Senate.
200
What are the enumerated powers of Congress and where are they found in the Constitution?
What are the powers specifically granted to Congress; found in Article I, Section 8?
200
Which court did the Constitution establish and where is it found in the Constitution?
What is the Supreme Court in Article III. The Constitution gave Congress the power to establish other federal courts as necessary.
200
How is a president elected?
What is by the Electoral College. Each state has electors that are equal to the total number of Senators and Representatives. A vote for a candidate is really a vote for the elector or really votes for the President. A candidate must have at least 270 (a majority) of the electoral votes to win.
200
What are expressed powers? Give at least three examples.
What are powers given explicitly to the federal government. Examples include, declaring war, establishing post offices, coining money, maintaining an army and navy, regulating commerce between states and foreign nations?
200
What is the "cabinet"?
What is a group of advisors for the President. This group includes the head of fifteen departments like the Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture etc......
300
What is the elastic clause?
What is the "necessary and proper" clause that allows Congress to do whatever it needs to carry out the expressed powers. This clause allows Congress to stretch its powers to meet the needs of our growing and changing nation.
300
What is the difference between a civil and criminal case?
What is a criminal case involves someone accused of a crime? A civil case involves someone's rights being harmed or abused.
300
What are the requirements to become President?
What is you must be at least 35 years old, a native born citizen, and lived in the US for at least 14 years?
300
What are concurrent powers? Give at least three examples.
What are powers shared between the federal and state governments? Examples include collecting taxes, providing for the general welfare, borrowing money, enforcing laws, and establishing courts.
300
What are implied powers?
What are powers not stated directly in the Constitution. These are powers given to Congress to carry out the expressed powers in Clause 18 (necessary and proper/elastic clause).
400
How are the states represented in both house of Congress?
What is in the Senate, each state gets an equal number of representatives (2 per state x 50 states = 100 Senators); In the House of Representatives, each state is represented according to population. There are 435 total members.
400
What is judicial review and how was it established?
What is judicial review was established by the landmark Supreme Court Case, Marbury v. Madison. Judicial review is the power that the Supreme Court has to declare laws or acts unconstitutional. The judicial branch has the power to uphold the Constitution and determines if the law conflicts, and strikes it down if it does.
400
What is the importance of the decision in the landmark case, United States v. Nixon?
What is the Supreme Court unanimously decided that President Nixon had to hand over the tapes from the Oval Office because executive privledge did not apply in this case. The decision was important because it showed future leaders and Americans that the President and other leaders are not above the law. (rule of law/limited government)
400
What happens if the laws of a state and the nation conflict?
What is the supremacy clause? In every case, the Constitution in the supreme law of the land and federal laws trumps state law.
400
What are "constituents"?
What are people from a representative's district. These are the people he/she represents. The Congress member is responsible for meeting their needs.
500
What are some restrictions on the powers of Congress?
What are these are listed in Article I, Section 9. Congress can't abuse their power, favor one state over another, tax exports or interstate commerce. Congress can't pass laws that hurt the legal rights of people. Congress can't interfere with state powers. Checks from other branches include the president vetoing laws and the Supreme Court declaring them unconstitutional.
500
How do cases move through the federal court system?
What is the federal court system is like an elevator. Cases begin in district courts, if there is an issue with the decision; they are appealed to the Court of Appeals. Then, they move to the Supreme Court for a final decision.
500
What is the presidents job as head of state and commander in chief?
What is; as head of state, the President is responsible for building goodwill with other countries by greeting their leaders and establishing a relationship. As commander in chief, the President has to back up foreign policy with force. The president can order troops into battle.
500
How is our federal government like a three layer cake? Give a specific explanation, illustration and examples at each level.
What is the federal government is like a three layer cake because powers are divided between the federal, state, and local governments. At each level of government, the powers are divided into three branches. At the federal level, you have the President, Congress, and the Supreme Court. At the state level, you have the governor, state courts, and state legislature. At the local level, you have the mayor, district courts, and local lawmaking bodies (city council).
500
What is foreign policy? Give some examples of tools.
What is our position and actions towards foreign nations?The president decides how to deal with other nations to keep our country safe. As part of foreign policy, we give nations help or aid, make treaties, appoint ambassadors, make trade agreements, or at a last resort, use military force.
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