Three Branches
What does the executive branch do, and who is the leader?
enforce the laws; the president
How many amendments are in the bill of rights? (Double points: How many amendments in total, so far?)
10 (27)
What does the judicial branch do, and what is the most powerful group called?
evaluate/judge laws; Supreme Court
What is the concept of "federalism"?
a government where power is split/shared between the national and state governments
What does the legislative branch do, and what are the two houses of congress called?
make laws; senate and house of representatives
List the five freedoms in the first amendment
speech, religion, press, petition, assembly
Which are the "Miranda Rights," and which amendment is used to protect them?
When police officers arrest someone, required to say "you have a right to remain silient, anything you say can you used against you," etc.; this is because the fifth amendment protects people from witnessing against themselves
Name and define three types of leadership (ex. democracy is a government by the people).
monarchy, theocracy, oligarchy, anarchy, autocracy, dictatorship
What is the principle of "checks and balances"?
systems for parts of the government to check each other's power so no one branch or person takes too much; it is supposed to keep power and decision making in balance to protect our democracy
Which part of which amendment would protect you if a police officer searched your house, car, or body without a warrant? Name the number and quote the phrase.
#4: "unreasonable search and seizure"
What right did Korematsu claim the U.S. government violated, and why did the court make an exception?
He claimed they violated his right to "due process" when he was forcibly interned just for being Japanese (American!); the courts decided that the wartime context was an acception, as stated in the fifth amendment
Explain 2 of the limits of government. What are they and why are they important?
constitution, rule of law, separation of powers, consent of the governed, rights of the minority
How does a bill become a law?
1. Starts as an idea from Congress member or citizen(s); 2. introduced to congress, one house at a time; 3. goes through committees, debates, revisions, votes; 4. president signs it into laws or vetoes it
Which part of which amendment would protect you if you were physically tortured as a punishment for shoplifting?
#8: "cruel and unusual punishments"
Explain the difference between Mary Beth Tinker's and Matthew Fraser's cases. Why did the court decide to protect one form of speech and not the other?
Tinker and others wore an armband to school with a peace sign as symbolic speech in protest of the vietnam war to school; this symbolic speech did not disrupt the learning environment beyond making a political statement, so it was protected. Fraser spoke "lewdly" at a school event after being told not to, causing others to "hoot[], yell[], and ma[ke] gestures;" Fraser knowingly broke the school conduct code and disrupted the learning environment, so the court did not protect his speech.
Compare and contrast Locke's and Hobbes' ideas about government and the state of nature.
Hobbes thought people were naturally selfish and needed government to keep them at peace; Locke thought people were born as blank slates with natural rights and needed government to protect their natural rights; both talked about the social contract between people and government, but hobbes said people gave up rights for protection whereas locke said people had the right to fight against a failing government