Civics & Citizenship
This is the primary reason the government collects taxes from citizens.
What is to pay for public services/goods.
This document declared independence from Great Britain and outlined the natural rights of "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."
What is the Declaration of Independence?
This group of advisors heads the 15 executive departments and counsels the President.
What is the Cabinet?
A member of the House of Representatives serves a term of this length.
What is two years?
The Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison established this foundational power of the judicial branch.
What is judicial review?
This term describes the social roles expected of a citizen, such as obeying laws and paying taxes.
What are duties or responsibilities?
The first three articles of the U.S. Constitution establish these three branches of government.
What are the legislative, executive, and judicial branches?
The President has the power to issue these, which carry the weight of law without congressional approval but can be challenged in court.
What are executive orders?
The leader of the House of Representatives holds this influential position.
What is the Speaker of the House?
Federal judges and Supreme Court justices serve for this duration, provided they maintain "good behavior."
What is life (or until retirement/impeachment)?
While resident aliens must obey U.S. laws, they are not allowed to participate in this specific civic activity.
What is voting (in federal elections)?
The First Amendment protects these five fundamental freedoms.
What are speech, religion, the press, assembly, and petition?
This is the minimum age a person must be to be eligible for the presidency, along with being a natural-born citizen and a 14-year resident.
What is 35 years old?
This specific type of committee is created to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of the same bill.
What is a conference committee?
This type of jurisdiction refers to the power of a court to be the first to hear a case (e.g., a trial court).
What is original jurisdiction?
The 14th Amendment defines citizenship primarily through birth within the U.S. borders, a concept known by this Latin legal term.
What is jus soli (right of the soil)?
This compromise during the Constitutional Convention resolved the dispute between large and small states regarding representation in the new Congress.
What is the Great Compromise (or Connecticut Compromise)?
The President is responsible for nominating federal judges and ambassadors, but these appointments require the "advice and consent" (approval) of this congressional body.
What is the Senate?
This tactic is used in the Senate to indefinitely delay a vote on a bill, and it can only be ended by a vote for cloture.
What is a filibuster?
When the Supreme Court agrees to hear a case, it issues this formal document to request the records from the lower court.
What is a writ of certiorari?
Before taking the Oath of Allegiance and completing naturalization, an applicant must pass a test covering these two subjects.
What are English (language proficiency) and U.S. civics/history?
This specific clause, found in Article VI of the Constitution, establishes that federal law takes precedence over state law when they conflict.
What is the Supremacy Clause?
If the President and Vice President are both unable to serve, this officer is next in the line of succession.
Who is the Speaker of the House (of Representatives)?
Only the House of Representatives has the sole power to initiate this process, which formally accuses a federal official of wrongdoing.
What is impeachment?
A justice who agrees with the majority decision but for different legal reasons may write this specific type of opinion.
What is a concurring opinion?