Principles of Democracy
What is the supreme law of the land?
The Constitution
Name one branch or part of the United States government.
President, Congress, or the courts
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
Eighteen (18) and older
Who is was the first President, also known as the "Father of Our Country?"
George Washington
Where is the Statue of Liberty currently located?
Liberty Island
New York Harbor
Who was President during World War I?
Woodrow Wilson
What is the capital of the United States?
Washington, D.C.
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
"We the people"
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
The president
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
The United States and the flag
What group of people were taken to America and sold as slaves?
Africans
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
Fought for women's rights and civil rights
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
Franklin Roosevelt
Which ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
The Atlantic ocean
What is an amendment?
A change or addition to the Constitution
Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
All people of the state
What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
To serve on a jury
To vote in a federal election
Who lived in North America before the Europeans arrived?
American Indians/Native Americans
Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
Slavery, economic reasons, and states' rights
Who did the United States fight in World War II?
Japan, Germany, and Italy
Which ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
The Pacific ocean
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
The Bill of Rights
How many U.S. senators are there?
One hundred (100)
Name one right that is only for United States citizens.
Run for federal office
When was the Constitution written?
1787
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
The Louisiana Territory
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
The civil rights movement
What is the name of the United States' national anthem?
The Star-Spangled Banner
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
Twenty-seven
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
Four hundred thirty-five (435)
When must all men register for the Selective Service?
At age eighteen (18) and between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)
What is one reason colonists came to America?
Freedom, economic opportunity, political liberty, religious freedom, and escape from persecution
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
The Civil War OR the War between the States
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
World War I
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
(Persian) Gulf War
Name one state that borders Canada.
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Alaska
What does the Constitution do?
Set up the government
Define the government
Protect the basic rights of Americans
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
April 15
Why did the colonists fight the British?
Because of high taxes (taxation without representation), because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering), and because they didn't have self-government
What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
Saved (or preserved) the Union
Led the United States during the Civil War
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
Communism
Name one U.S. territory.
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands
American Samoa
Northern Mariana Islands
Guam
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
Life
Liberty
Pursuit of happiness
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
Two (2)
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
Citizens eighteen (18) and older can vote.
You don't have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
Any citizen (men AND women) can vote.
A male citizen of ANY race can vote.
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
Freed the slaved in the Confederacy and in most southern states
What did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. do?
Fought for civil rights and worked for equality for all Americans
Name two national U.S. holidays.
New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day (sometimes Indigenous Peoples' Day), Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
Announced/declared the United States' independence from Great Britain
Said that the United States is free from Great Britain
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
Provide schooling and education
Provide safety (fire departments)
Provide protection (police)
Give a driver's license
Approve zoning and land use
What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
Give up loyalty to other countries
Defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
Obey the laws of the United States
Serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
Be loyal to the United States
Serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence and when was it adopted?
Adopted on July 4, 1776
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
The Civil War
The Mexican-American War
The Spanish-American War
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
Cherokee, Navajo, Sioux, Chippewa, Choctaw, Pueblo, Apache, Iroquois, Creek, Blackfeet, Seminole, Cheyenne, Arawak, Shawnee, Mohegan, Huron, Oneida, Lakota, Crow, Teton, Hopi, Inuit
Why does the United States flag have 13 stripes?
To represent the original thirteen colonies
What is the "rule of law?"
Everyone must follow the law
Leaders must obey the law
Government must obey the law
No one is above the law
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
Create an army
Declare war
Make treaties
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
Vote
Join a civic group
Run for office
Give an elected official your opinion on an issue
Publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
Join a political party
Join a community group
Write to a newspaper
Help with a campaign
Call Senators and Representatives
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
He was a U.S. diplomat
He started the first free libraries
He wrote "Poor Richard's Almanac"
He was the oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
He was the first Postmaster General of the United States
Name one state that borders Mexico.
California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. Which war was he in?
World War II
Why does the United States flag have 50 stars?
To represent the fifty states within the United States