| Question | Answer |
| What is the supreme law of
the land? | the constitution |
| What does the
Constitution do? | 1.sets up the government
2.defines the government
3.protects basic rights of
Americans |
| The idea of self-government is
in the first three words of the
Constitution. What are these
words? | We the people |
| What is an amendment? | 1.a change (to the Constitution)
2.an addition (to the Constitution) |
| What do we call the first
ten amendments to the
Constitution? | Bill of Rights |
| What is one right or
freedom from the
First Amendment? | 1.speech
2.religion
3.assembly
4.press
5.petition the government |
| How many amendments
does the Constitution have? | 27 |
| What did the
Declaration of
Independence do? | 1.announced our independence (from Great Britain)
2.declared our independence (from Great Britain)
3.said that the United States is free (from Great Britain) |
| What are two rights in the
Declaration of Independence | 1.life
2.liberty
3.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? | 1.capitalist economy
2.market economy |
| What is the “rule of law”? | 1.Everyone must follow the law.
2.Leaders must obey the law.
3.Government must obey the law.
4.No one is above the law. |
| Name one branch or part of
the government. | 1.Congress
2.legislative
3.President
4.executive
5.the courts
6.judicial |
| What stops one branch of
government from becoming
too powerful? | 1.checks and balances
2. separation of powers |
| Who is in charge of the
executive branch? | The president |
| Who makes federal laws? | 1.Congress
2.Senate and House (of Representatives)
3.(U.S. or national) legislature |
| What are the two parts of the
U.S. Congress? | the Senate and House (of Representatives) |
| How many U.S. Senators
are there? | 100 |
| We elect a U.S. Senator for
how many years? | 6 |
| Who is one of your state’s
U.S. Senators now?* | 1.Elizabeth Warren
2.Ed Markey |
| The House of Representatives
has how many voting
members? | 435 |
| We elect a U.S.
Representative for how
many years? | 2 |
| Name your
U.S. Representative. | James "Jim" McGovern |
| Who does a U.S. Senator
represent? | All people of the state |
| Why do some states have
more Representatives than
other states? | 1.(because of) the state’s population
2.(because) they have more people
3.(because) some states have more people |
| 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 now? | Barack Obama |
| What is the name of the
Vice President of the United
States now? | Joe Biden |
| If the President can no
longer serve, who becomes
President? | The Vice President |
| If both the President and
the 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 vetoes bills? | The President |
| What does the President’s
Cabinet do? | advises the President |
| What are two Cabinet-level
positions? | 1.Secretary of Agriculture
2.Secretary of Commerce
3.Secretary of Defense
4.Secretary of Education
5.Secretary of Energy
6.Secretary of Health and Human Services
7.Secretary of Homeland Security
8.Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
9.Secre |
| What does the judicial
branch do? | 1.reviews laws
2.explains laws
3.resolves disputes (disagreements)
4.decides if a law goes against the Constitution |
| What is the highest court in
the United States? | The Supreme Court |
| How many justices are on the
Supreme Court? | 9 |
| Who is the Chief Justice of
the United States now? | John Roberts |
| Under our Constitution,
some powers belong to the
federal government. What is
one power of the federal
government? | 1.to print money
2.to declare war
3.to create an army
4.to make treaties |
| Under our Constitution, some
powers belong to the states.
What is one power of the
states? | 1.provide schooling and education
2.provide protection (police)
3.provide safety (fire departments)
4.give a driver’s license
5.approve zoning and land use |
| Who is the Governor of your
state now? | Charlie Baker |
| What is the capital of your
state? | Boston |
| What are the two major
political parties in the
United States? | Democratic and Republican |
| What is the political party of
the President now? | Democratic |
| What is the name of the
Speaker of the House of
Representatives now? | John Bohener |
| There are four amendments
to the Constitution about
who can vote. Describe one
of them. | 1.Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
2.You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
3.Any citizen can vote.(Women and men can vote.)
4.A male citizen of any race (can vote). |
| What is one responsibility
that is only for United States
citizens? | 1.serve on a jury
2.vote in a federal election |
| Name one right only for
United States citizens. | 1.Vote in a Federal Election
2.Run for Federal Office |
| What are two rights of
everyone living in the
United States? | 1.freedom of expression
2.freedom of speech
3.freedom of assembly
4.freedom to petition the government
5.freedom of worship
6.the right to bear arms |
| What do we show loyalty to
when we say the Pledge of
Allegiance? | 1. The United States
2. The Flag |
| What is one promise you
make when you become a
United States citizen? | 1.give up loyalty to other countries
2.defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
3.obey the laws of the United States
4.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? | 1.vote
2.join a political party
3.help with a campaign
4.give an elected official
5.your opinion on an issue
6.call Senators and Representatives
7.publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
8.run for office
9.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? | 1.at age eighteen (18)
2.between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26) |
| What is one reason colonists
came to America? | 1.freedom
2.political liberty
3.religious freedom
4.economic opportunity
5.practice their religion
6.escape persecution |
| Who lived in America before
the Europeans arrived? | Native Americans |
| What group of people was
taken to America and sold
as slaves? | Africans |
| Why did the colonists fight
the British? | 1.because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
2.because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
3.because they didn’t have self-government |
| Who wrote the Declaration of
Independence? | Thomas Jefferson |
| When was the Declaration of
Independence adopted? | July 4, 1776 |
| There were 13 original states.
Name three. | 1.New Hampshire
2.Massachusetts
3.Rhode Island
4.Connecticut
5.New York
6.New Jersey
7.Pennsylvania
8.Delaware
9.Maryland
10.Virginia
11.North Carolina
12.South Carolina
13.Georgia |
| What happened at the
Constitutional Convention? | The Constitution was written |
| When was the Constitution
written? | 1787 |
| The Federalist Papers
supported the passage of
the U.S. Constitution.
Name one of the writers. | 1.James Madison
2.Alexander Hamilton
3.John Jay
4.Publius |
| What is one thing Benjamin
Franklin is famous for? | 1.U.S. diplomat
2.oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
3.first Postmaster General of the United States
4.writer of “Poor Richard’s Almanac”
5.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 |
| Name one war fought by the
United States in the 1800s. | 1.War of 1812
2.Mexican-American War
3.Civil War
4.Spanish-American War |
| Name the U.S. war between
the North and the South. | The Civil War |
| Name one problem that led to
the Civil War. | Slavery |
| What was one important
thing that Abraham Lincoln
did? | 1.freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
2.saved (or preserved) the Union
3.led the United States during the Civil War |
| What did the Emancipation
Proclamation do? | Freed the Slaves |
| What did Susan B. Anthony
do? | Fought For Women's Rights |
| Name one war fought by the
United States in the 1900s. | 1.World War I
2.World War II
3.Korean War
4.Vietnam War
5.(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 United States
fight in World War II? | Japan, Germany and Italy |
| Before he was President,
Eisenhower was a general.
What 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? | Civil Rights Movement |
| What did Martin Luther King,
Jr. do? | 1.fought for civil rights
2.worked for equality for 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 |
| Name one of the two longest
rivers in the United States. | 1.Missouri River
2.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 U.S. territory. | Puerto Rico |
| Name one state that borders
Canada. | 1.Maine
2.New Hampshire
3.Vermont
4.New York
5.Pennsylvania |
| Name one state that borders
Mexico. | 1.California
2.Arizona
3.New Mexico
4.Texas |
| What is the capital of the
United States? | Washington D.C. |
| Where is the Statue of
Liberty? | 1. New York Harbor
2. Liberty Island |
| Why does the flag have
13 stripes? | Because there were 13 original colonies |
| Why does the flag have
50 stars? | There is 1 star for each state and there are 50 states |
| What is the name of the
national anthem? | The Star Spangled Banner |
| When do we celebrate
Independence Day? | July 4 |
| Name two national U.S.
holidays. | 1.New Year’s Day
2.Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
3.Presidents’ Day
4.Memorial Day
5.Independence Day
6.Labor Day
7.Columbus Day
8.Veterans Day
9.Thanksgiving
10.Christmas |
