| A | B |
|---|
| What is the supreme law of the land? | The Constitution |
| What does the Constitution do? | Sets up the government, defines the government, protects basic rights of Americans. |
| The idea of self-government is in the first 3 words of the Constitution. What are these words? | We the people |
| What do we call a change or addition to the Constitution? | An amendment. |
| What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? | The Bill of Rights |
| What is ONE right or freedom from the First Amendment? | speech, religion, assembly, press, petition |
| How many amendments does the Constitution have? | 27 |
| What did the Declaration of Independence do? | Announced our separation from Britain as one of its colonies, plus our reasons for doing so. |
| Name TWO rights listed in the Declaration of Independence: | Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness |
| What is freedom of religion? | You can practice any religion, or NOT practice a religion. |
| What is the economic system in the United States? | Capitalist, market economy |
| What is the idea of the "rule of law?" | That everyone, even leaders and our own government must follow the law. No one is above the law. |
| Name one branch or part of the government: | Congress (legislative), President (executive), the courts (judicial) |
| What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? | checks and balances, or separation of powers |
| Who is in charge of the executive branch? | The President |
| Who makes federal laws? | Congress (Senate and House of Representatives) |
| Name the two parts of the US Congress: | The Senate and the House of Representatives |
| How many US Senators are there? | 100 |
| We elect a US Senator for how many years? | 6 |
| Who is one of your state's US senators right now? | Ted Budd and Thom Tillis (2023) |
| The House of Representatives has how many voting members? | 435 |
| We elect US Representatives for how many years? | 2 |
| Name your district's US Representative: | Virginia Foxx |
| Who does a US Senator Represent? | Their entire state |
| Why do some states have more representatives than other states? | Because of differences in population. |
| We elect a President for how many years? | 4 |
| In what month do we vote for President? | November |
| What is the name of the president of the United States? | Joseph R. Biden |
| What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? | Kamala Harris |
| If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? | The Vice President |
| If both the President and Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? | the Speaker of the House |
| Who is the Commander in Chief of the military? | the President |
| Who signs bills to become laws? | the President |
| Who can veto bills? | the President |
| This is the group of advisors to the President: | the Presidential Cabinet |
| Name TWO cabinet positions: | Secretary of: Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, Attorney General, Vice President |
| This branch reviews and explains laws, resolves disputes, and decides if a law goes against the Constitution: | the Judicial Branch |
| What is the highest court in the United States? | The Supreme Court |
| How many justoces are on the Supreme Court? | 9 |
| Who is the Chief Justoce of the United States now? | John Roberts (2023) |
| Name a power the only the federal government has? | to print money, decalre war, create an army, make treaties |
| Name a power that is left for only states to have: | prvide schooling and education, police protection, fire departments, driving laws and licenses, zoning and land use |
| Who is the Governor of your state right now? | Roy Cooper (2023) |
| What is the capital of your state? | Raleigh, NC |
| What are the two major political parties in the United States? | Democratic and Republican |
| What is the political party of the President now? | Democratic |
| There are 4 amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe ONE of them: | Citizens 18 and older can vote, you don't have to pay to vote (no poll tax), women can vote, a male citizen of any race can vote |
| What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? | serve on a jury, vote in a federal election |
| Name one right only for United States citizens: | vote in federal elections, run for federal office |
| What are TWO rights of everyone living in the United States? | Freedom of expression, speech, assembly, petition, religion, bear arms |
| What do we show loyalty to when we say the pledge of allegience? | The United States, the flag |
| What is ONE promise you make when you become a United States citizen? | give up loyalty to other countries, defend the Consitution and US laws, Obey US laws, serve in the military if needed, be loyal to the United States |
| How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? | 18 and older |
| What are TWO ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? | vote, join a political party, help a campaign, join a civic group, join a community group, give an elected official your opiniion on an issue, cal senators or representatives, publically support or oppose an issue or policy, run for office, write to a newspaper |
| When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? | April 15 |
| When must all men register for the Selective Service? | at age 18 (or up to age 26) |
| What is ONE reason colonists came to America? | freedom, political liberty, religious freedom, economic opportunity, escape persecution |
| Who lived in America before Europeans arrived? | American Indians, Native Americans |
| What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves? | Africans |
| When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? | July 4, 1776 |
| There were 13 original states. Name THREE: | New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia |
| What happened at the Constitutional Convention? | The Constitution was written |
| In what year was the Constitution written? | 1787 |
| The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the US Constitution. Name ONE of the writers: | James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, "Publius" (pen-name) |
| What is ONE thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for? | US diplomat, oldest member of Constitutional Convention, first Postmaster General of the United States, wrote "Poor Richard's Almanac," started the first free libraries |
| Who is the "Father of Our Country?" | George Washington |
| Who was the first President? | George Washington |
| What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? | the Louisiana Territory, Louisiana |
| Name ONE war fought by the US in the 1800's: | War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War |
| Name the US war between the North and South: | The Civil War, the War Between the States |
| Name ONE problem that led to the Civil War: | Slavery |
| What was ONE important thing that Abraham Lincoln did? | freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation), saved the Union, led the US during the Civil War |
| What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? | Freed the slaves in Southern states |
| What did Susan B. Anthony do? | Fought for women's rights, fought for civil rights |
| Name ONE war fought by the US in the 1900's: | World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War |
| Who was President during World War I? | Woodrow Wilson |
| Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II? | Franklin Roosevelt |
| Who did the US fight in World War II? | Japan, Germany and Italy |
| Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. Which war was he in? | World War II |
| During the COld War, what was the main concern of the United States? | Communism |
| What movement tried to end racial discrimination? | The Civil Rights Movement |
| What did Martin Luther King do? | fought fo civil rights, worked for equality of all Americans |
| What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States? | Terrorists attacked the United States |
| Name ONE American Indian tribe in the United States: | Cherokee, Navajo, Sioux, Chippewa, Choctaw, Pueblo, Apache, Iriquios, Creek, Blackfeet, Seminole, Cheyenne, Arawak, Shawnee, Mohegan, Huron, Oneida, Lakota, Crow, Teton, Hopi, Inuit |
| Name ONE of the two longest rivers in the United States: | Missouri River, Mississippi River |
| What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States? | Pacific Ocean |
| What ocean is on the east coast of the United States? | Atlantic Ocean |
| Name ONE US territory: | Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, |
| Name ONE state that borders Canada: | Main, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Alaska |
| Name ONE state that borders Mexico: | California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas |
| What is the capital of the United Staes? | Washington DC |
| Where is the Statue Of Liberty? | New York Harbor, Liberty Island |
| Why does the flag have 13 stripes? | because there were 13 original colonies |
| Why does the flag have 50 stars? | There is one star fr each US state |
| What is the name of the National Anthem? | The Star-Spangled Banner |
| When do we celebrate Independence Day? | July 4th |
| Name TWO national Holidays: | New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas |
| Why did the colonists fight the British? | high taxes (without representation), British troops were staying in their houses (boarding, quartering), because they didn't have self-government |
| Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? | Thomas Jefferson |
