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Constitution Q & A's
For the Constitution test on June 17th
Question | Answer |
---|---|
What was the name of the United States first form of government? | The Articles of Confederation |
Why was America's first form of government a failure? | The Articles of Confederation gave too much power to the state governments and not enough to the federal government which included the right to tax for and coin money. |
What was the goal of the Constitutional Convention? | To revise and improve the Articles of Confederation |
What was the New Jersey Plan? | A plan brought up by New Jersey to have the legislative branch have one chamber and each state have one vote in Congress. This plan favors small states. |
What was the Virginian Plan? | A plan brought up by Virginia to have the legislative branch have two chambers and have the number of votes in Congress depend on the state's population. This favors large states. |
What was the Great Compromise? | A compromise made by the framers of the constitution taking ideas from both the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. Congress would be bicameral, in the Senate, states get 2 votes no matter it's size. In the H.o.R the # of votes depend on population |
What was the 3/5 Compromise? | |
Who was the main author of the Constitution? | James Madison |
What is the Preamble? | It is the introductory paragraph at the beginning of the Constitution. It's job is to introduce the Constitution, explain what it's meant to do, and describe the purpose of the new government. |
What does the word "bicameral" mean? | Congress is bicameral which means it's split into two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives |
What is the primary role of the Legislative branch? | To make the laws of the land or to create laws for the country |
What is the primary role of the Executive branch? | To carry out the laws made by Congress |
What is the primary role of the Judicial branch? | To explain the meaning of the laws made by Congress and decide whether or not those laws follow the rules of the Comstitution or are unconstitutional |
What are the requirements to be a member of the House of Representatives? | The Represnetative must be at least 25 years old, must have been a U.S citizen for at least 7 years, and must live in the district they represent |
What are the requirements to be a Senator? | The Senator must be at least 30 years old, must have been a U.S citizen for at least 9 years, and must live in the state they represent |
What are the requirements to be President? | The President must be at least 35 years old, must be a native-born citizen or born in the U.S, and must have lived in the U.S for at least 14 years |
What are the powers of Congress? | |
How long is a House of Representative's term? | They represent a district for a term of 2 years |
How long is a Senator's term? | They represent a state for a term of 6 years |
How long is a President's term? | 4 years but can be re-elected for a second term of 4 years |
How many Supreme Court Justices are there? | 9 |
How long is a Supreme Court Justice's term? | For life or until they retire |
What is the main job of the Supreme Court? | To interpret the laws made by Congress and see if they follow the Constitution |
Why are the Supreme Court Justice's terms so long? | |
Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? | John Roberts |
What are the three levels of the federal court system? | |
What does the word "appeal" mean? | To ask a higher court to |
What part of government has to approve all Supreme Court Justices? | While the President nominates the Justices, the Senate must approve of them for them to begin their term as a Supreme Court Justice |
What is Judicial Review? | The power of the courts to determine whether the acts of other branches of government are in accordance with, or following the rules of, the Constitution |
What does the 1st Amendment protect? | The freedom of Religion, of Speech, of the Press, of Assembly, and of Petition |
What does the 2nd Amendment protect? | The right to bear arms (the right to own guns) |
What does the 3rd Amendment protect? | To prevent soldiers from quartering in your house |
What does the 4th Amendment protect? | |
The 5th, 6th, and 7th Amendments protect your rights in.... | |
What does the 8th Amendment protect? | It protects defendants from cruel or unusual punishments |
What does the 9th Amendment claim? | |
What type of government does the 10th Amendment protect? | State governments; the 10th amendment states that |
What is the Bill of Rights? | The first 10 amendments to the Constitution |
What are the powers of the President? | |
Who is the President of the United States of America? | Barack Obama |
Who is the Vice President of the United States? | Joe Biden |
Who represents Massachusetts in the United States Senate? | Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey |
Who represents Wellesley (4th Congressional District) in the House of Representatives? | Joseph P. Kennedy III |
Who is the Governor of Massachusetts? | Deval Patrick |
What are the two ways to amend the Constitution? | The proposed amendment must have a 2/3 vote in the House of Representatives as well as in the Senate. After the amendment is passed onto the states after the approval of Congress, 3/4 of the states must ratify the amendment for it to pass. |
What does it mean to "amend" the Constitution? | To add another amendment to the Constitution |
What are the three levels of government in the United States? (hint: our President is the Chief Executive of one of these levels) | The Federal government, the State Governments, and the Local governments |
The 1st Amendment protects the freedom of speech unless.... | That speech is endangering the people around you like threats, or yelling out false information like screaming "fire!" in a movie theatre when there is none |
What is another name for the Executive Departments? | The Cabinet |
What is the main job of the Executive Departments? | To execute the laws made by Congress and advise the President |
What does the Department of Defense oversee? | It oversees the armed forces like the army, navy, and airforce |
What does the State Department oversee? | It oversees foreign affairs and manages our relationships with other countries |
What does the Treasury department oversee? | Oversees the collection of taxes, prints money, and deal's with the nation's finances |
What does the Department of Interior oversee? | Oversees the protection of natural resources and wildlife and protects the nation's public lands |
What does the Department of Homeland Security oversee? | Oversees the protection of the U.S from terrorist attacks and minimize damage from those attacks as well as from natural disasters |
What does the Justice Department oversee? | Oversees the enforcement of the U.S government's laws like the police force and runs the federal court system |
Explain Congress's commerce clause | The clause that says that Congress has the power to manage business between states |
Explain Congress's elastic clause | The power of Congress |
What is federalism? | |
What is the President in charge of as Commander in Chief? | He controls the military |
What is the President in charge of as Chief Diplomat? | He keeps up relations with other countries |
What is the President in charge of as Chief Economic Adviser? | Making sure the country's economy runs smoothly |
What is double jeopardy and what amendment protects us from it? | Being tried for a trial more than once and is protected by the 5th amendment |
What does it mean to plead the 5th? | |
What is eminent domain? | The right that the government can take private property that will be used for public use |