American Basics
The current President and Vice President of the United States.
Who are Donald Trump and J.D. Vance?
The President leads the executive branch and is the head of state and government. The Vice President's most important constitutional role is serving as President of the Senate and replacing the President if necessary.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known by this name.
What is the Bill of Rights?
Ratified in 1791, the Bill of Rights protects individual freedoms such as speech, religion, and fair trials.
The three branches of the American government. (You can give me this answer in German.)
What are the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches?
Just like Switzerland, the United States separates power among different institutions. The idea is to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
The two major political parties in the United States.
What are the Democratic Party and Republican Party?
Although smaller parties exist, nearly all presidents and members of Congress belong to one of these two parties. (I belong to the Democratic Party.)
The first President of the United States.
Who is George Washington?
Washington served from 1789 to 1797 and is often called the “Father of His Country.” However, he never wanted to be President.
This city is the capital of the United States.
What is Washington, D.C.?
Washington, D.C. is not a state! It's a federal district governed jointly by a locally elected mayor and city council, and the U.S. Congress. The White House, Capitol Building, and Supreme Court are all located there.
This amendment guarantees freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly, and petition.
What is the 1st Amendment?
Americans often consider the 1st Amendment one of their most important rights because it protects political criticism and public debate.
The branch headed by the President.
What is the Executive Branch?
The executive branch enforces laws and includes the President, Vice President, and federal agencies. Recently, political scientists have noted that the power of the executive branch has greatly increased.
Americans vote for this office every four years.
What is the Presidency?
Presidential elections are held in years divisible by four, such as 2024, 2028, and 2032. Donald Trump won in 2016 and 2024, while Joe Biden won in 2020.
This President issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War.
Who is Abraham Lincoln?
Lincoln led the Union during the Civil War and is remembered for preserving the United States and helping to end slavery. He was eventually assassinated.
Americans celebrate their Independence Day – marking the country's independence from Britain – on this date.
What is July 4th?
The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. Americans often celebrate with fireworks, parades, and barbecues.
This amendment (supposedly) guarantees American citizens the right to bear arms.
What is the 2nd Amendment?
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Americans disagree strongly about how this should be interpreted today.
The two chambers of Congress.
What are the House of Representatives and the Senate?
Congress writes federal laws. The House is based on population, while every state gets two senators.
The group of electors that officially chooses the President after Election Day.
What is the Electoral College?
A candidate can win the presidency without winning the national popular vote, which has happened several times (most recently with Hillary Clinton v. Donald Trump in 2016).
The 1970s political scandal that forced President Richard Nixon to resign.
What is the Watergate scandal?
Watergate involved spying and a break-in at Democratic Party headquarters and attempts to cover it up. Nixon resigned in 1974.
The U.S. founding document that begins with the words “We the People.”
What is the U.S. Constitution?
Written in 1787, the Constitution is the supreme law of the U.S. It establishes the structure of the federal government and protects certain rights. It contains the Preamble (goals of the document), 7 Articles (structure and powers of government), and 27 Amendments (individual rights)
This amendment abolished slavery in the United States.
What is the 13th Amendment?
It was ratified in 1865 after the Civil War between the North (the Union) and South (the Confederacy) and formally ended slavery throughout the United States.
This court has the final say on whether laws are constitutional.
What is the Supreme Court?
The Supreme Court has nine justices who serve for life unless they resign, retire, or are removed. There are currently 3 liberal justices and 6 conservative ones.
The election held halfway through a president's four-year term.
What are the midterm elections?
Midterms (which are happening this November 2026) often determine whether the President's party keeps control of Congress.
On January 6, 2021, supporters of President Donald Trump stormed this building while Congress was certifying the presidential election results.
What is the January 6 United States Capitol Attack?
The attack interrupted the certification of Joe Biden after the 2020 election and led to investigations, prosecutions, and ongoing debates about election legitimacy, political violence, and democracy in the United States.
This state is debated to have produced more U.S. presidents than Ohio. (William Henry Harrison was not born in Ohio, but he served as an Ohio congressman in the House and Senator and spent most of his life in Ohio.)
What is Virginia?
Virginia is known as the “Mother of Presidents” because it was the birthplace of eight presidents, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.
This amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
What is the 26th Amendment?
It was ratified in 1971 during the Vietnam War. Many argued that if 18-year-olds could be drafted into the military, they should also be able to vote. (What about a beer?! Driving a car?)
This is the only branch of government whose members are not directly elected by voters.
What is the Judicial Branch?
Federal judges, including Supreme Court justices, are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They serve for life, which is intended to keep them independent from political pressure since they don't have to worry about reelection.
Candidates compete in these elections to become their party's nominee for President.
What are primaries?
Primary elections allow voters to help choose which candidate will represent their party in the general election. However, important party leaders often have a lot of influence.
This landmark 1954 Supreme Court case declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
What is Brown v. Board of Education?
This landmark decision helped launch the modern Civil Rights Movement and overturned the idea of “separate but equal” schools.