Legislative Branch
What is the job of legislative branch and what is the name of the building in which they work?
to make laws
Capitol Building
What is the job of the executive branch and in which building does the leader work?
to enforce or carry out the laws
White House
What is the job of the judicial branch and in which building do they do their job?
to interpret the laws
Supreme Court Building
What word means to change the Constitution for the better or improve/update it?
Amend or Amendment
What is the Constitution?
our written down plan of how we make laws
How many people from each state get to be part of The United States Senate?
2 people from each state for a total of 100 senators
Explain what it means to enforce the laws.
Make sure people follow the laws.
What are the 9 justices who interpret the laws for our country called?
The Supreme Court
things we are free to do as citizens of The United States of America
What are the top 2 things the Constitution does?
divide power into 3 branches and list our rights
According to the Constitution, how is the number of representatives each state sends to be part of the House of Representatives determined?
It is based on the population of the state - states with a larger population get to send more people to the House to debate and vote on laws
This is a 3 part question. Who is the leader of the Executive branch of government, how often is this person elected, and how long can they serve?
Describe what it means to interpret laws.
think really hard and find evidence that the law either fits in the Constitution (constitutional) or does not fit in the Constitution (unconstitutional)
Describe how someone would exercise their right to peacefully assemble.
get a large group of people together, chant, hold signs, silently protest, etc. All of these count as answers
Describe how a bill becomes a law according to the Constitution.
It must pass a vote in both the senate and the house and then go to the president's desk to sign or veto
What are the House and Senate called together?
Name a way the executive branch checks either of the other branches to keep the balance.
President can sign or veto laws Congress has passed.
President gets to pick the Supreme Court Justice if there is an opening which gives him a say in the Judicial Branch
True or False and why? Every president gets to choose a Supreme Court justice to be on the court when he becomes president.
False - justices serve for life so a president only chooses a justice if one retires or passes away
What does it mean that we have the right to petition the government?
We can share our opinion with others and collect signatures to turn in to the government when we want to make a change.
What was the first plan of government for the United States called? Remember this plan failed and then The Constitution was written.
Articles of Confederation
Why did the writers of The Constitution break Congress into 2 groups?
The big states and small states were arguing over how many people from each state would get to go be part of congress to debate and vote on laws
True or False AND why? If a president vetoes an idea for a law then it can never become a law.
False - It can go back to the house and senate to vote again. If 2/3 of congress approve it then that overrides the veto
When there is an opening on the Supreme Court, how is it filled?
The current president picks a new justice and the senate must approve his pick
Name our 5 rights that are listed in The First Amendment.
speech, religion, peacefully assemble, petition, press
What are 2 ways the Constitution provides a system of checks and balances?
president can veto laws that congress makes
president picks supreme court justice, but senate must approve
supreme court can declare laws unconstitutional