Constitutional Foundations
This article of the U.S. Constitution establishes the legislative branch and grants Congress its enumerated powers.
What is Article I?
The national legislature, composed of the Senate and House of Representatives, is known by this name.
What is Congress?
A member of this chamber must be at least 25 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for seven years, and serve a two-year term.
What is the House of Representatives?
This branch, headed by the president, enforces federal laws and administers government programs.
What is the executive branch?
This is the principal function of the judicial branch: determining the meaning of laws and resolving cases under the law.
What is interpreting laws?
This article establishes the executive branch, including the presidency.
What is Article II?
Congress has this two-house structure, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
What is bicameral?
A member of this chamber must be at least 30 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for nine years, and serve a six-year term.
What is the Senate?
A president must be at least this age to be constitutionally eligible for office.
What is 35 years old?
These are the lowest federal trial courts, where cases generally begin and where juries may hear evidence and issue verdicts.
What are U.S. district courts?
This article creates the federal judicial branch and establishes the Supreme Court.
What is Article III?
This nationwide count, conducted every ten years, helps determine each state’s number of House members.
What is the census?
This presiding officer leads the House of Representatives and is chosen by House members.
Who is the Speaker of the House?
To hold this highest office in the land, a candidate must be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a resident of the United States for this many years.
What is 14 years?
These federal courts review district-court decisions for legal error rather than conducting a new trial.
What are U.S. courts of appeals?
This constitutional principle divides governmental authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to prevent excessive concentration of power.
What is separation of powers?
This Article I power permits Congress to raise revenue to fund federal programs and services.
What is the power to levy or collect taxes?
This chamber has the exclusive constitutional authority to initiate revenue bills and impeach federal officials.
What is the House of Representatives?
This group of department heads and other senior advisers assists the president in administering the executive branch.
What is the Cabinet?
This power allows courts, especially the Supreme Court, to determine whether laws or government actions comply with the Constitution.
What is judicial review?
This system allows each branch to limit the powers of the other branches, such as when the president vetoes legislation or courts invalidate unconstitutional laws.
What are checks and balances?
This constitutional power of Congress allows it to formally place the nation in a state of war.
What is the power to declare war?
This chamber conducts impeachment trials, confirms major presidential appointments, and ratifies treaties.
What is the Senate?
In this presidential role, the president directs the armed forces as the nation’s highest-ranking civilian military authority.
What is commander in chief?
Federal judges and Supreme Court justices generally hold office under this tenure, provided they maintain good behavior.
What is life tenure?