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Important Documents in American Government
Branches and Levels of the United States Government
The President of the United States
Duties and Responsibilities of a Citizen of the United States
The Political Process
100
This document was ratified on July 4, 1776. It states that "all men are created equal". It explains the purpose of government.
What is The Declaration of Independence?
100

This system divides power between the national government and state governments, which means there are now two levels of government that can tell you what to do and tax you.

Federalism

100
The length of his or her term in office.
What is four years?
100
In preparation to be an independent citizen, our government requires all children to do this.
What is attend school?
100

This is an organization that tries to elect its members to public office so that its views can become public policy...

What is a political party?

200

This plan of government was created after the Articles of Confederation failed.

What is The U.S. Constitution?

200

This legal doctrine says courts should follow previously decided cases when ruling on similar issues. It keeps the law predictable and stable, except when the Supreme Court decides it doesn't anymore.

Precedent (stare decisis)

200
The president's opposition to a proposed bill is known as this.
What is veto?
200

Guilty or Not Guilty? You can decide if you are called upon for this civic responsibility.

Serve on a Jury (Jury Duty)

200

Rather than electing the president directly, Americans vote for members of this body, which officially casts votes for president based on each state's popular vote results.

Electoral College

300
The first ten amendments that guarantee individual rights.
What is The Bill of Rights?
300

A senator can use this procedural tactic to talk for as long as they want on the Senate floor to delay or kill a vote. The record is over twenty-four hours. The topic was civil rights legislation.

Filibuster 

300

The president's power to issue these directives carries the force of law without requiring Congressional approval, though they can be overturned by Congress or the courts

Executive orders

300
On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, candidates for all offices urge you to go out and do this, if you are registered to do so that is.
What is vote?
300

An electoral system where whoever gets the most votes wins the election.

What is a winner-take-all system/ First Past the post?

400

This pre-Constitution governing document, ratified in 1781, created a weak central government with no executive branch and no power to tax, and was ultimately replaced because of those weaknesses.

The Articles of Confederation

400

The Tenth Amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people. These powers are commonly referred to by this term.

Reserved powers

400
The president holds this title in regards to the United States Armed Forces.
What is the Commander-in-Chief?
400

The government can tell you a lot of things, but it cannot tell you what to believe, what to say, or who to pray to. These protected freedoms have this name.

Civil liberties

400

The process whereby the major political parties form new support coalitions that endure for a long period.

What is party realignment?

500

Part of a series of essays. This was written primarily by James Madison, and argued for ratification of the Constitution and argued that the dangers of factions could decimate a republic....

Federalist No. 10 (Federalist Papers)

500

This doctrine, established in Marbury v. Madison, gives the Supreme Court the power to strike down laws that violate the Constitution.

judicial review

500
After a bill becomes law, it is the president's job to do this.
What is enforce the laws?
500

This amendment, ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and is the constitutional basis for birthright citizenship.

Fourteenth Amendment

500

This practice is named after Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry, whose 1812 district was shaped so strangely that a newspaper compared it to a salamander. The name stuck. So did the practice.

Gerrymandering