Principles of
American Democracy
American Democracy
What is freedom of religion?
You can practice any religion. Or not practice a religion.
Name one branch of government or part of government.
Congress, Legislative, President, Executive, Judicial, the courts
There are four (4) amendments about who can vote. Describe one of them.
Citizens 18 and older can vote.
Any citizen can vote.
A male citizen of any race can vote.
Who lived in America before the colonists arrived?
Native Americans or American Indians
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the American Constitution. Name ONE of the writers of the Federalist Papers.
James Madison
OR
Alexander Hamilton
OR
John Jay
OR
Publius
What is an amendment?
A change to the Constitution
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
Checks and balances.
OR
Separation of powers.
What are two (2) rights of everyone living in the United States?
What group of people were brought to America and sold as slaves?
Africans.
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for.
U.S. diplomat, oldest member of the Constitutional Convention, first Postmaster General of the United States, writer of “Poor Richard’s Almanac”, started the first free libraries
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
Speech, Religion, Assembly, Press, Petition the Government
Who makes federal law?
Congress
What is one responsibility only for US citizens?
The right to vote in an election.
Why did the colonists fight the British?
Because of high taxes.
OR
Because they did not have self-government
What territory did the US purchase from France?
Louisiana Territory
What is the rule of law?
No one is above the law.
Name ONE Connecticut US Senator.
Chris Murphy
OR
Richard Blumenthal
What is one right only for US citizens?
The right to run for federal office.
Name three (3) of the original 13 states.
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
Terrorists attacked the United States.
What is the supreme law of the land?
The Constitution
We elect a US representative for how long?
2 years.
What are two (2) ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
▪ vote, join a political party, help with a campaign, join a civic group, join a community group, give an elected official your opinion on an issue, call Senators and Representatives, publicly support or oppose an issue or policy, run for office, write to a newspaper
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
The Constitution was written.
OR
The founding fathers wrote the Constitution.
Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
Slavery
Economic Reasons
States' Rights