Question | Answer |
Voters | electors |
An official count, such as a census | enumeration |
The process of accusing a public official of wrongdoing | impeachment |
A written statement issued by a grand jury charging a person with a crime | indictment |
The minimum number of members that must be present for official business to take place | quorum |
Income a government collects to cover expenses | revenue |
A way to give full citizenship to a person of foreign birth | naturalization |
courts | tribunals |
serious crimes | felonies |
public funds set aside for a specific purpose | appropriation |
Income a government collects to cover expenses | revenue |
A way to give full citizenship to a person of foreign birth | naturalization |
courts | tribunals |
Serious crimes | felonies |
Public funds set aside for a specific purpose | appropriation |
A law that condemns a person without a trial in court | bill of attainder |
money | tender |
A statement declaring that something is true | affirmation |
Delays in cancellations or punishment | reprieves |
Call together | convene |
Nickname for Amendment 20 | lame duck |
President's salary | 400,000 |
Salary for senators and representatives | 136,700 |
Salary for Speaker of the House | 174,000 |
Senate or House of Representatives | Congress |
A motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end. Also called closure. | Cloture |
Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. | 26th |
Protects a citizen’s right to keep and bear arms. | 2nd |
Protects against unlawful searches and seizures. | 4th |
Prevents the quartering of troops in private homes. | 3rd |
Ensured that no tax could be charged to vote for any federal office. | 24th |
Protects citizens from cruel and unusual punishment and excessive fines. | 8th |
Protects the enumerated rights of citizens not specifically stated in the Constitution. | 9th |
Protects the rights of the accused including a public and speedy trial by a jury of one’s peers. | 6th |
Changed the choosing of senators from the state legislatures to the people of the states. | 17th |
Protects a citizen’s right to the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. | 1st |
Authorizes the United States to collect income tax without regard to the population of the states. | 16th |
Sets the limit on a presidential term of office to 2-four-year terms or 10 years maximum. | 22nd |
Outlawed the making, selling, transporting, importing, or exporting of alcohol in the United States. | 18th |
Abolishes slavery and forbids the practice of slavery in the United States and any area under its control. | 13th |
Ensures that gender cannot be used as a criteria for voting, thus granting women the right to vote. | 19th |
Redefines how the President and Vice-President are chosen by the Electoral College, making the two positions cooperative, rather than first and second highest vote-getters. | 12th |
Requires that any law that increased the pay of legislators may not take effect until after an election. | 27th |
Reserves all those powers not specifically given to the national government to the state governments. | 10th |
Grants the District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) the right to three electors in Presidential elections. | 23rd |
Ensures the right to a trial by jury in any civil case in a federal court if the amount of money involved exceeds $20. | 7th |
Forbids the state from denying anyone the right to vote based on “race, color, or previous condition of servitude”. | 15th |
States are immune from being sued in federal court by other states, foreign countries, or citizens from that state. | 11th |
Repealed the 18th Amendment and allowed each state the power to regulate the making, selling, transporting, importing, or exporting of alcohol. | 21st |
Set new start dates for the terms of the Congress and the President, and clarifies how the deaths of Presidents before swearing-in would be handled. | 20th |
Clarifies even further the line of succession to the Presidency, and establishes rules for a President who becomes unable to perform his duties while in office. | 25th |
Protects citizens in criminal proceedings including the restriction of self-incrimination and double jeopardy; also ensures the due process of law and eminent domain. | 5th |
All persons born or naturalized in the United States are in fact citizens of the United States and the state wherein they reside; ensured that all citizens of all states enjoyed not only rights on the federal level, but on the state level, too. | 14th |
Create a nation in which states cooperate | "Form a more perfect Union" |
Make just laws and set up fair courts | "Establish justice" |
Maintain peace within the country | "Insure domestic tranquility" |
Protect that country against attack | "Provide for the common defense" |
Contribute to the happiness and well being of all people | "Promote the general welfare" |
Make sure all citizens remain free | "Secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity" |
List National powers | maintain military, declare war, establish postal system, set standards for weights and measures, protect copyrights and patents |
List Shared powers | collect taxes, establish courts, regulate interstate commerce, regulate banks, borrow money, provide for the general welfare, punish criminals |
List State powers | establish local governments, set up schools, regulate state commerce, make regulations for marriage, establish and regulate corportations |
List term, age, residency and citizenship for House of Representatives | 2 years, 25 yrs. old, state which elected, 7 years |
List term, age, residency and citizenship for Senate | 6 years, 30 yrs. old, state in which elected, 9 years |
List term, age, residency and citizenship for President | 4 years (max. 2), 35 yrs. old, 14 years in the US prior to running, Natural-born |
List term, age, residency and citizenship for Supreme Court (9 justices) | unlimited (free from Executive Control) Selected by President and approved by Senate (2/3), No age restriction, no residency restriction, No citizenship restriction |
Government gets its power/consent from the people | Popular Sovereignty |
Representative Democracy-people elect their representatives to make laws | Republicanism |
E Pluribus Unum power is shared between federal and the states(federal has more power) | Federalism |
Framers gave each branch its own power so that none are too powerful, lessons efficiency but it guards against abuse. | Separation of powers |
President in charge of branch, Enforces laws | Executive Branch |
This branch makes laws, Congress is in charge | Legislative Branch |
This branch interprets laws, Supreme Court is in charge | Judicial Branch |
Each branch has the authority to check the other | Checks and Balances |
Most Americans were afraid of a President that would act like a King, Everyone must obey the law | Limited Government |
There are certain rights protected by Bill of Rights that cannot be taken away | Individual Rights |
Judicial Branch- Checks on President | Can declare executive acts unconstitutional, Judges are appointed for life, Free from executive control |
Judicial Branch- Checks on Congress | Judicial review-can declare acts of Congress unconstitutional |
Executive Branch- Checks on Courts | Appoints federal judges, Can grant reprieves and pardons for federal crimes |
Executive Branch- Checks on Congress | Can veto acts of Congress, Can call special sessions of Congress, Can suggest laws and send messages to Congress |
Legislative Branch- Checks of President | Can impeach and remove the president, Can override veto, Controls spending of money, Senate can refuse to confirm presidential appointments and to ratify treaties |
Legislative Branch- Checks on Court | Can impeach and remove federal judges, Establishes lower federal courts, Can refuse to confirm judicial appointments |
List Seven Principles of the Constitution | Republicanism, Separation of Powers, Limited Government, Popular Sovereignty, Federalism, Checks and Balances, Individual Rights |
People who live in a region should determine for themselves the nature of their government. | popular sovereignty |
For the time being | pro tempore |
A written statement issued by a grand jury charging a person with a crime | indictment |
An emergency military force, such as National Guard, that is not part of the regular army | militia |
A law that would make an act a criminal offense after it was committed | ex post facto law |
A citizen born in the US,or US Commonwealth, or to parents who are US citizens living outside the country | natural-born citizen |
Delays or cancellations of punishment | reprieves |
Call together | convene |
Violations of the law | misdemeanors |
Courts with less authority than the supreme court | inferior courts |
Having power to review court decisions | appellate |
Legal protections | immunities |
Right to vote | suffrage |
Official approval | ratification |
Complete agreement | unanimous consent |
reducing | abridging |
Given a place to stay | quartered |
Fair treatment under the law | due process of the law |
Required procedure | compulsory process |
Lawyer | counsel |
A system of law developed in England, based on customs and previous court decisions | common law |
Money paid by arrested persons to guarantee they will return to trial | bail |
A system of justice court not covered under common law | equity |
Being under the authority of an owner or master | servitude |
Granted nationality | naturalized |
Revolt against authority | insurrection |
Rewards | bounties |
Who takes over if the president dies or is unable to serve? List the top five. | Vice-President,Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, Secretary of State, and Secretary of the Treasury |
No longer in force | inoperative |
An election in which registered members of a political party nominate candidates for office | primary |
What is the least amount of witnesses needed to testify for treason? | two |
Extending a debate to prevent a vote on a given proposal | filibuster |
A legislative maneuver in United States federal lawmaking that allows the President to veto a bill indirectly. | Pocket veto |
The US Constitution and federal laws and treaties that adhere to the Constitution officially became the ___________. | "supreme law of the land" |
Detainees can seek relief from unlawful imprisonment | Writs of habeas corpus |
Steps for a bill to become a law | Bill introduced, Committee action, Floor action, Final approval, Enactment |
The legal requirement that the state must respect all of the legal rights that are owed to a person | due process |
Power of the Supreme Court to review decisions and change outcomes of decisions of lower courts | appellate jurisdiction |
Presidential Duties | Chief of State, Chief Executive, Chief Diplomat, Commander-In-Chief, Chief Legislator, Chief of Party, Chief Guardian of the Economy |
Who gives information to Congress of the State of the Union? | President |
To confirm by expressing consent, approval, or formal sanction | ratify |