Foundations
This governing document was used before the U.S. Constitution.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
These officials advise the President and lead executive departments.
What are Cabinet members?
Illinois has this many U.S. Senators and this many Representatives.
What are 2 Senators and 17 Representatives?
This is the number of Justices on the U.S. Supreme Court.
What is 9?
This is a long speech used to delay or block action in the Senate.
What is a filibuster?
Issuing driver’s licenses, running public schools, and conducting local elections are examples of these powers kept by the states.
What are reserved powers?
This year the Constitution was officially ratified.
What is 1788?
These are the five main powers of the President.
What are chief executive, chief diplomat, commander in chief, legislative leader, and head of state?
These are the requirements to be a U.S. Senator.
What are at least 30 years old, U.S. citizen for 9 years, resident of their state?
Supreme Court Justices receive their jobs this way.
What is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate?
This term describes drawing voting district lines to benefit a political party.
What is gerrymandering?
This process allows government officials to be formally accused and removed from office.
What is impeachment?
The Constitution contains this many articles and this many amendments.
What are 7 articles and 27 amendments?
This branch includes the President, Vice President, Cabinet, and executive departments/agencies.
What is the executive branch?
These are the requirements to be a U.S. Representatives.
What are at least 25 years old, U.S. citizen for 7 years, resident of their state?
Federal courts hear these kinds of cases.
What are cases involving the Constitution, federal laws, treaties, or disputes between states?
This legal protection prevents people from being jailed without being brought before a court.
What is habeas corpus?
Taxing, building roads, and establishing courts are examples of powers shared by state and federal governments.
What are concurrent powers?
These are the three branches of government and their main roles.
What are the legislative branch makes laws, the executive branch enforces laws, and the judicial branch interprets laws?
The President serves this length of time and may only serve this many terms.
What are four years and two terms?
Congress in Washington, D.C. has this total number of voting members.
What are 535 members?
State courts hear these kinds of cases.
What are cases involving state laws, crimes, family law, and contracts?
This term means a court has the authority to hear a case first.
What is original jurisdiction?
This clause in Article IV requires states to honor the laws and court decisions of other states.
What is the Full Faith and Credit Clause?
This uprising by Massachusetts farmers showed weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and helped lead to the Constitutional Convention.
What was Shays' Rebellion?
These are the people that follow the order of succession if the President cannot serve.
Who is Vice President, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate?
This process counts the population every 10 years.
What is the census?
These are the levels of the federal court system.
What are District Courts, Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court?
This word describes the complicated and slow system of departments, agencies, and workers that carry out government laws and policies.
What is bureaucracy?
These are powers given to the federal government, such as declaring war, printing money, and establishing post offices.
What are deleghted powers?
This institution informs the public and holds government accountable.
What is the free press?
The Electoral College was created for this reason.
What is to balance power between large and small states in presidential elections?
One member of the House of Representatives serves about this many people.
What is about 500,000 people?
This is a court hearing where a judge decides whether a person accused of a crime should be released or kept in custody while awaiting trial.
What is a detention hearing?
This word means publishing false written statements that damage a person’s reputation.
What is libel?
Congress can override vetoes, approve budgets, reject judicial appointments, and impeach officials as part of this constitutional principle.
What are checks and balances?