| A | B |
|---|
| Proposing an amendment to the Constitution takes...? | 2/3 majority in both houses of congress |
| Who can propose a new bill in Congress | any member of the House or Senate |
| What are the two lower (inferior) courts? | district and appellate courts |
| How many electors does a state have in the electoral college? | the number of representatives + senators they have in Congress |
| If both the House and Senate approve a bill where does it go? | president |
| Which branch can: decide how tax money is spent, raise an army or navy, declare war, pay government debts, and grant citizenship | legislative branch |
| which house of congress is more independent and looks at the overall country | senate |
| who is responsible for protecting the constitution | the judicial branch |
| After a president is impeached in the house what is the next step | trial in the senate |
| if you are unhappy with a district courts decision where to you appeal | the appellate courts |
| what 2 instances will cause a case to go straight to the supreme court | if it involves a state or ambassador to another country |
| to pass a proposed amendment to the constitution how many states must approve | 3/4 |
| what did the constitution get divided into to make is eaiser to understand and support | articles |
| any powers not specified in the constitution are automatically given to whom | the states |
| what is judicial review | the power for the judicial branch to decide if the laws and actions of the legislative and executive branches are constitutional |
| how is the constitution a living document | it is strong and flexible |
| why will the supreme court decide to hear a case | if it involves the constitution or a federal law |
| how can congress override a president's veto | with a 2/3 majority in both houses of congress |
| define popular sovereignty | idea that the authority of the government comes from the people |
| checks and balances | system that allows each branch of government to limit the power of the other branches |
| amendment | a change to the constitution |
| bill | a proposed law |
| federalism | constitutional system that divides the power between the national and state governments |
| how do we count a state's population | with a census every 10 years |
| how many senators does each state have | 2 |
| which branch can: be commander in chief of the military, make treaties, nominate ambassadors and justices, grant pardons | executive branch |
| what were created in order to help organize the executive branch and its responsibilities | departments |
| do other states have to accept each other's laws | YES |
| what do state constitutions, laws, and court decisions have to agree with | the constitution |
| what does the preamble tell us | why we need a new government |
| no laws or actions can conflict with what | the constitution |
| what system enables each of the branches to limit the power of the other branches | checks and balances |
| what courts have the power to resolve issues with national laws, federal government, and states | federal courts |
| head of the executive branch is the...? | president OR chief executive |
| which house of congress is more responsive to the changing wishes of the voters | house of representatives |
| the number of representatives a state has in the house depends on what | population |
| congress has limited the size of the supreme court to what? | 9 justices |
| the first ten amendments to the constitution are known as...? | the bill of rights |
