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American Gov unit1-4
combined flashcards for units 1-4 of online American Government
Question | Answer |
---|---|
What is treason? | Declaring war against one's country, and giving aid & comfort to the enemy. |
The President is considered the Head of what two entities? | Head of State, and Head of Government |
What is a term of office for the President of the United States? | 4 years |
Who directly elects the President & Vice President of the United States? | The Electoral College |
What are the qualifications of the President of the United States? | 35 years old, a Natural Born Citizen, and 14 years a resident of the US |
What is the military title of the President of the United States? | Commander-in-Chief |
What checks does the President have on the judicial branch? | Issue a pardon or reprieve, and nominates all federal judges. |
How are treaties made? | The President makes all treaties, but each must be approved by the Senate by two thirds vote. |
Who can the President appoint? | Members of the cabinet, Federal Judges, Ambassadors, and other high offices. |
Who must approve all presidential appointments? | The Senate |
How is the President the "Chief Diplomat?" | President receives and sends all ambassadors. He also makes treaties. |
What is a "special session?" | Special meeting of Congress that is called by the President. |
What are the three reasons the President can be impeached? | Treason, Bribery, and High Crimes & Misdemeanors. |
What is the highest court in the United States? | The Supreme Court |
Who creates all lower federal courts? | Congress |
Who decides the number of judges in all federal courts? | Congress |
How many justices are on the Supreme Court? | 9 |
What is the title of the head of the US Supreme Court? | Chief Justice |
What is the term of office for all federal judges? | Life |
What type of cases are heard in federal courts? | Issues of Federal law or territory, Constitutional questions, issues with public officials, maritime issues, international cases, and Disputes between states. |
What is original jurisdiction? | Jurisdiction of a federal court that would hear a case for the first time. District Courts only have original jurisdiction. |
What is appellate jurisdiction? | Jurisdiction of a federal court that would hear a case as an appeal. Appeals Courts only have appellate jurisdiction. |
What federal court has both original and appellate jurisdiction? | The Supreme Court |
What are the qualification to be a federal judge? | Nominated by the President, and approved by the Senate. |
What is the President required to give Congress at least once a year? | The State of the Union |
How many individuals are elected to the Executive Branch? | Two |
What is a judge on the US Supreme Court called? | A Justice |
What are the levels of Article Three Federal Courts from top to bottom? | The Supreme Court, Appeals Court, and District Court |
What is the purpose of Article Four of the Constitution? | Relationship of states |
What is the purpose of Article Five of the Constitution? | The Amending Process |
What is the purpose of Article Six of the Constitution? | Establishes the Supremacy of National Government |
What is the purpose of Article Seven of the Constitution? | The Ratification process of the Constitution |
What is the meaning of the Supremacy Clause? | Establishes the Constitution and federal law as the Supreme Law of the Land. |
What is the Full Faith and Credit Clause? | States must recognize the validity of the laws, acts, judicial decisions, and public records of other states. |
What is extradition? | Fugitives must be returned to answer for a crime if they escape the state from which the crime originated. |
Who admits new states to the Union? | Congress |
What is the national government obligated to do for the states? | Guarantee a republican form of government, and protect states from violence and invasion |
How many members of Congress are required to propose a Constitutional Amendment? | 2/3 |
How many state legislatures must request a Constitution Convention to take place? | 2/3 |
How many states legislatures are required to ratify an amendment to the US Constitution? | 3/4 |
How many state conventions are required to ratify an amendment to the US Constitution? | 3/4 |
What are all public officials in the United States required to take? | An oath of office to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution |
What is the structure of Congress? | Bicameral |
What is the term of office for a member of the House of Representatives? | Two Years |
What are the qualifications for a member of the House of Representatives? | 25 years old, a US Citizen for 7 years, and live in the state that your represent |
How is representation in the House of Representatives determined per state? | Population |
What is the title of the head of the House of Representatives? | Speaker of the House |
How many members are in the House of Representatives? | 435 |
What is the term of office for a member of the US Senate? | Six Years |
What are the qualifications for a member of the US Senate? | 30 years old, a US Citizen for 9 years, and live in the state that your represent |
How many Senators come from each state? | Two |
What is the title of the head of the US Senate? | President of the Senate |
Who is second in charge of the US Senate? | President Pro Tempore |
What is role of the Head of the US Senate? | Break Ties |
What is a Quorum? | A majority of possible members within the legislature. |
What privileges do members of Congress have? | Members are paid, they are immune from arrest during session, and they are immune from committing slander during debate. |
What are some of the financial powers of Congress? | Make & Collect Taxes, Regulate Trade, Borrow Money, and Create Money |
What are some of the non-financial powers of Congress? | Establish Naturalization rules, Create post offices, Create lower courts, Declare War, Create army & navy, Make the rules for military, and control the District of Columbia. |
What is the executive rule of the Head of the Senate? | The President of the Senate is the Vice President of the United States |
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause? | It gives government implied powers to make laws not directly written in Constitution. It is sometimes called the Elastic Clause |
What is naturalization? | Procedure for making a foreigner a citizen |
How many members are in Congress? | 535 |
Which house of Congress has the sole power of impeachment? | House of Representatives |
Which House tries all impeachments? | The Senate |
Where is the Necessary and Proper Clause in the Constitution? | Article One, Section Eight, Clause 18 |
What can Congress not suspend unless we are in time of war? | Writ of Habeas Corpus |
What is the Congressional restriction of passing ex post facto laws? | Congress cannot make a law that punishes someone for an action before it became a crime |
What is the Congressional restriction of a Bill of Attainder? | A bill declaring a person or group guilty of a crime |
What restriction of Congress prevents a king from existing in the United States? | No Titles of Nobility |
What additional restrictions to states have that differs from the restrictions of Congress? | No armies or navies AND states cannot print money |
What is Government? | An institution through which society makes and enforces laws. |
What is a State? | A group of people, living in a defined territory, with a government that makes and enforces laws. |
What is Sovereignty? | Supreme Power within a territory. |
What is a Unitary System? | A system where a state has only one government. |
What is a Federal System? | A system with a strong national government over weak state governments. |
What is a Confederation? | A system with strong state governments and a weak national government. |
What is a Monarchy? | A government which is owned by a single individual, through heredity. |
What is a Republic? | A government which is owned by the people. |
What is an Absolute Monarchy? | A monarchy where the ruler has absolute power. |
What is a Limited Monarchy? | A monarch has limited or no power within the government. The monarch has a symbolic office. |
What is a Theocracy? | The government is defined by the religion of the state. |
What is a Dictatorship? | A single ruler runs a state, usually by force. |
What is an Oligarchy? | A government where a small group rules a country. |
What is a Democracy? | The citizens has the power to rule a state. |
What is a Direct Democracy? | All citizens have a direct vote for all laws. |
What is a Representative Democracy? | Citizens elect representatives to make their laws. |
What is autocratic rule? | Rule by one person. |
What is democratic rule? | Rule by all the people. |
What is Force Theory? | Rule by force. |
What is Divine Right Theory? | God or gods gave rulers the right to rule the people. |
What is Natural Law Theory? | Only an small, elite group should have the right to rule the country. |
What is Social Contract Theory? | Government is established by the people through written law. |
What civilization first developed democracy? | Greeks |
What civilization started direct democracy? | Greeks |
What civilization adopted representative democracy? | Romans |
What did the Dark Ages, or Middle Ages, do to the development of Democracy? | A period of decline for democracy. |
What was the impact of the Renaissance on the development of Democracy? | The concept of Democracy was reintroduced into Europe |
What was the impact of the European Enlightenment on the development of democracy? | Using reason, ideas about the role of government changed the face of Europe. |
What were the ideas of Machiavelli? | Believed in strong government that could do anything in order to maintain power. |
What were the ideas of Thomas Hobbes? | Believed in strong government with a king, given a mandate from God, who would rule. |
What were the ideas of John Locke? | Government should protect people's life, liberty and property. These are natural rights. |
What were the ideas of Rousseau? | Believed that the people should make their own laws for themselves. |
What were the ideas of Montesquieu? | Creating three separate and equal branches of government |
What are the significant details of the Magna Carta? | First English document to take power away from the King. |
What are the significant details of the Petition of Right? | Enhanced the principle of Due Process. |
What are the significant details of the Habeas Corpus Act? | Strengthen the right of a citizen to have the courts review the lawfulness of detentions by government authorities |
What are the significant details of the English Bill of Rights? | Freedom to petition and no cruel or unusual punishments |
What are the significant details of the Mayflower Compact? | First governing document in the New World from England. |
What are the significant details of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut? | First written Constitution in the New World. |
What are the significant details of the Virginia Declaration of Rights? | Many of the freedoms found in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution |
What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence? | It finalized the break from England. |
Who is the author of the Declaration of Independence? | Thomas Jefferson |
What was necessary for the Declaration to be approved? | A unanimous vote of all the colonies |
Where was the Declaration of Independence written? | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
What was the date of American Independence? | July 4, 1776 |
What were the original 13 colonies? | New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia |
What is the name of the representative body of ancient Rome? | The Senate |
What was the "Shot Heard 'Round the World?" | Beginning of the American Revolution |
Where was the "Shot Heard 'Round the World?" | Lexington and Concord |
What were the purpose and goals of the Second Continental Congress? | Appoint George Washington as Commander-in-Chief, Declare independence, and establish the Articles of Confederation |
What was the name of Thomas Paine's publication calling for Independence? | Common Sense |
What is a Military Junta? | A government that is run my the military. |
What is an Illiberal Democracy? | A government formed by elections, but the people lack civil liberties. |