The Constitution
This document, written in 1787, is the supreme law of the United States.
What is the Constitution?
Federalism is the division of power between these two levels of government.
What are the national and state governments?
This branch of government is responsible for making laws.
What is the legislative branch?
The First Amendment protects this freedom to express opinions.
What is freedom of speech?
This is the process by which citizens select their leaders.
What is voting?
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known by this name.
What is the Bill of Rights?
Powers shared by both the federal and state governments are called this.
What are concurrent powers?
The President has the power to reject a bill passed by Congress using this action
What is a veto?
The 14th Amendment includes this clause used to extend rights to the states.
What is the Due Process Clause?
This term describes someone’s consistent set of political beliefs.
What is political ideology?
This compromise at the Constitutional Convention created a bicameral legislature.
What is the Great Compromise?
This 1819 Supreme Court case upheld federal supremacy over the states.
What is McCulloch v. Maryland?
The Senate has this exclusive power in the impeachment process.
What is to conduct the trial and remove officials from office?
This 1966 Supreme Court case established the requirement to inform suspects of their rights.
What is Miranda v. Arizona?
This group officially casts votes for President in December after the general election.
What is the Electoral College?
This principle divides power among legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
What is separation of powers?
This type of federalism is often described as a “marble cake.”
What is cooperative federalism?
This permanent committee in Congress deals with specific policy areas.
What is a standing committee?
This law, passed in 1964, banned segregation in public places.
What is the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
This Supreme Court case allowed unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations
What is Citizens United v. FEC?
This clause in Article I allows Congress to pass all laws “necessary and proper.”
What is the Elastic Clause?
This doctrine was used by Southern states to resist federal desegregation mandates.
What is the doctrine of nullification?
This doctrine gives the Supreme Court power to declare laws unconstitutional.
What is judicial review?
This Supreme Court case established the "separate but equal" doctrine, later overturned by Brown v. Board of Education.
What is Plessy v. Ferguson?
These elections, often with lower turnout, determine party nominees for the general election.
What are primary elections?