Principles of American Democracy
1. What is the supreme law of the land?
▪ the Constitution
13. Name one branch or part of the government.*
▪ Congress
▪ legislative
▪ President
▪ executive
▪ the courts
▪ judicial
48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
▪ You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
▪ Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)
▪ A male citizen of any race (can vote).
58. What is one reason colonists came to America?
▪ freedom
▪ political liberty
▪ religious freedom
▪ economic opportunity
▪ practice their religion
▪ escape persecution
71. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
▪ the Louisiana Territory
▪ Louisiana
2. What does the Constitution do?
▪ sets up the government
▪ defines the government
▪ protects basic rights of Americans
14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
▪ checks and balances
▪ separation of powers
49. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?*
▪ serve on a jury
▪ vote in a federal election
59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
▪ American Indians
▪ Native Americans
72. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
▪ War of 1812
▪ Mexican-American War
▪ Civil War
▪ Spanish-American War
3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
▪ We the People
15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?
▪ the President
50. Name one right only for United States citizens.
▪ vote in a federal election
▪ run for federal office
60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
▪ Africans
▪ people from Africa
73. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
▪ the Civil War
▪ the War between the States
4. What is an amendment?
▪ a change (to the Constitution)
▪ an addition (to the Constitution)
16. Who makes federal laws?
▪ Congress
▪ Senate and House (of Representatives)
▪ (U.S. or national) legislature
51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
▪ freedom of expression
▪ freedom of speech
▪ freedom of assembly
▪ freedom to petition the government
▪ freedom of religion
▪ the right to bear arms
61. Why did the colonists fight the British?
▪ because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
▪ because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
▪ because they didn’t have self-government
74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
▪ slavery
▪ economic reasons
▪ states’ rights
5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
▪ the Bill of Rights
17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*
▪ the Senate and House (of Representatives)
52. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
▪ give up loyalty to other countries
▪ defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
▪ obey the laws of the United States
▪ serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
▪ serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
▪ be loyal to the United States
62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
▪ (Thomas) Jefferson
75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*
▪ freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
▪ saved (or preserved) the Union
▪ led the United States during the Civil War