Foundations
The US federal government has how many branches.
What is three?
These are the two chambers of Congress.
What is the House of Representatives and the Senate?
This elected official leads the executive branch.
What is the president?
This is the highest court in the United States.
What is the Supreme Court?
This document establishes the structure and powers of the US federal government.
What is the Constitution?
Representation in this chamber is based on each state’s population.
What is the House of Representatives?
This branch carries out and enforces federal laws.
What is the executive branch?
Federal judges use this branch’s power to interpret laws.
What is the judicial branch?
This system divides power between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
What is separation of powers?
Every state has this many U.S. senators, regardless of its population.
What is two?
The president can use this power to reject a bill passed by Congress.
What is a veto?
Supreme Court justices generally serve for this length of time.
What is life (unless they retire, resign or are removed)?
This system allows each branch to limit the powers of the other branches
What are checks and balances?
Before most bills can become federal law, they must pass both chambers and receive this.
What is the president's signature?
Federal agencies perform this function when they develop detailed requirements for carrying out laws passed by Congress.
What is rulemaking or regulation?
This term describes the division of power between the federal government and state governments.
What is federalism?
The Constitution gives the federal government certain powers while reserving many other powers for these governments.
What are state governments?
Raising the Social Security retirement age would require this type of federal action.
What is a change in federal law?
A form of government where the people have a say.
What is a democracy?
This level of government would make laws about things like riding your bicycle on the sidewalk or using fireworks.
What is local government?