100 questions Flashcards
(100 cards)
1
Q
What is the supreme law of the land?
A
the Constitution
2
Q
What does the Constitution do?
A
▪ sets up the government
▪ defines the government
▪ protects basic rights of Americans
3
Q
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
A
▪ We the People
4
Q
What is an amendment?
A
▪ a change (to the Constitution)
▪ an addition (to the Constitution)
5
Q
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
A
▪ the Bill of Rights
6
Q
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
A
▪ speech ▪ religion ▪ assembly ▪ press ▪ petition the government
7
Q
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
A
▪ twenty-seven (27)
8
Q
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
A
▪ announced our independence (from Great Britain)
▪ declared our independence (from Great Britain)
▪ said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)
9
Q
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
A
▪ life
▪ liberty
▪ pursuit of happiness
10
Q
What is freedom of religion?
A
▪ You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.
11
Q
What is the economic system in the United States?*
A
▪ capitalist economy
▪ market economy
12
Q
What is the “rule of law”?
A
▪ Everyone must follow the law.
▪ Leaders must obey the law.
▪ Government must obey the law.
▪ No one is above the law.
13
Q
Name one branch or part of the government.*
A
▪ Congress ▪ legislative ▪ President ▪ executive ▪ the courts ▪ judicial
14
Q
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
A
▪ checks and balances
▪ separation of powers
15
Q
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
A
▪ the President
16
Q
Who makes federal laws?
A
▪ Congress
▪ Senate and House (of Representatives)
▪ (U.S. or national) legislature
17
Q
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*
A
▪ the Senate and House (of Representatives)
18
Q
How many U.S. Senators are there?
A
▪ one hundred (100)
19
Q
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
A
▪ six (6)
20
Q
Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?*
A
▪ Chris Van Hollen (democratic)
▪ Ben Cardin (democrat)
21
Q
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
A
▪ four hundred thirty-five (435)
22
Q
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
A
▪ two (2)
23
Q
Name your U.S. Representatives.
A
▪ Andrew Harris ▪ Dutch Ruppersberger ▪ John Sarbanes ▪ Glen Ivey ▪ Steny Hoyer ▪ David Trone ▪ Kweisi Mfume ▪ Jamie Raskin
24
Q
Who does a U.S. Senator represent?▪▪
A
▪ all people of the state
25
Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
▪ (because of) the state’s population
▪ (because) they have more people
▪ (because) some states have more people
26
We elect a President for how many years?
▪ four (4)
27
In what month do we vote for President?
▪ November
28
What is the name of the President of the United States now?*
▪ Joe Biden
29
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
▪ Kamala Harris
30
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
▪ the Vice President
31
If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
▪ the Speaker of the House
32
Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
▪ the President
33
Who signs bills to become laws?
▪ the President
34
Who vetoes bills?
▪ the President
35
What does the President’s Cabinet do?
▪ advises the President
36
What are two Cabinet-level positions?
```
▪ Secretary of Agriculture
▪ Secretary of Commerce
▪ Secretary of Defense
▪ Secretary of Education
▪ Secretary of Energy
▪ Secretary of Health and Human Services
▪ Secretary of Homeland Security
▪ Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
▪ Secretary of the Interior
▪ Secretary of Labor
▪ Secretary of State
▪ Secretary of Transportation
▪ Secretary of the Treasury
▪ Secretary of Veterans Affairs
▪ Attorney General
▪ Vice President
```
37
What does the judicial branch do?
▪ reviews laws
▪ explains laws
▪ resolves disputes (disagreements)
▪ decides if a law goes against the Constitution
38
What is the highest court in the United States?
▪ The Supreme Court
39
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
▪ Nine (9)
40
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
▪ John Roberts
| ▪ John G. Roberts, Jr.
41
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
▪ to print money
▪ to declare war
▪ to create an army
▪ to make treaties
42
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
```
▪ provide schooling and education
▪ provide protection (police)
▪ provide safety (fire departments)
▪ give a driver’s license
▪ approve zoning and land use
```
43
Who is the Governor of your state now?
▪ New Elected Governor: Wes Moore
44
What is the capital of your state?
▪ Annapolis
45
What are the two major political parties in the United States?*
▪ Democratic and Republican
46
What is the political party of the President now?
▪ Democratic party
47
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
▪ Nancy Pelosi
48
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
▪ Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
▪ You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
▪ Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)
▪ A male citizen of any race (can vote).
49
What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
▪ serve on a jury
| ▪ vote in a federal election
49
Name one right only for United States citizens
▪ vote in a federal election
| ▪ run for federal office
50
What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
```
▪ freedom of expression
▪ freedom of speech
▪ freedom of assembly
▪ freedom to petition the government
▪ freedom of religion
▪ the right to bear arms
```
51
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
▪ the United States
| ▪ the flag
52
What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
▪ give up loyalty to other countries
▪ defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
▪ obey the laws of the United States
▪ serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
▪ serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
▪ be loyal to the United States
53
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?*
▪ eighteen (18) and older
54
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
```
▪ vote
▪ join a political party
▪ help with a campaign
▪ join a civic group
▪ join a community group
▪ give an elected official your opinion on an issue
▪ call Senators and Representatives
▪ publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
▪ run for office
▪ write to a newspaper
```
55
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
▪ April 15
56
When must all men register for the Selective Service?
▪ at age eighteen (18)
| ▪ between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)
57
What is one reason colonists came to America?
```
▪ freedom
▪ political liberty
▪ religious freedom
▪ economic opportunity
▪ practice their religion
▪ escape persecution
```
58
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
▪ American Indians
| ▪ Native Americans
59
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
▪ Africans
| ▪ people from Africa
60
Why did the colonists fight the British?
▪ because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
▪ because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
▪ because they didn’t have self-government
61
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
▪ (Thomas) Jefferson
62
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
▪ July 4, 1776
63
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
```
64
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
▪ The Constitution was written.
| ▪ The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
65
When was the Constitution written?
▪ 1787
66
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
▪ (James) Madison
▪ (Alexander) Hamilton
▪ (John) Jay
▪ Publius
67
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
▪ U.S. diplomat
▪ oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
▪ first Postmaster General of the United States
▪ writer of “Poor Richard’s Almanac”
▪ started the first free libraries
68
Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
▪ (George) Washington
69
Who was the first President?*
▪ (George) Washington
70
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
▪ the Louisiana Territory
| ▪ Louisiana
71
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
▪ War of 1812
▪ Mexican-American War
▪ Civil War
▪ Spanish-American War
72
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
▪ the Civil War
| ▪ the War between the States
73
Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
▪ slavery
▪ economic reasons
▪ states’ rights
74
What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*
▪ freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
▪ saved (or preserved) the Union
▪ led the United States during the Civil War
75
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
▪ freed the slaves
▪ freed slaves in the Confederacy
▪ freed slaves in the Confederate states
▪ freed slaves in most Southern states
76
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
▪ fought for women’s rights
| ▪ fought for civil rights
77
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*
```
▪ World War I
▪ World War II
▪ Korean War
▪ Vietnam War
▪ (Persian) Gulf War
```
78
Who was President during World War I?
▪ (Woodrow) Wilson
79
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
(Franklin) Roosevelt
80
Who did the United States fight in World War II?
▪ Japan, Germany, and Italy
81
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
▪ World War II
82
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
▪ Communism
83
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
▪ civil rights (movement)
84
What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*
▪ fought for civil rights
| ▪ worked for equality for all Americans
85
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
▪ Terrorists attacked the United States.
86
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
```
▪ Cherokee
▪ Navajo
▪ Sioux
▪ Chippewa
▪ Choctaw
▪ Pueblo
▪ Apache
▪ Iroquois
▪ Creek
▪ Blackfeet
▪ Seminole
▪ Cheyenne
▪ Arawak
▪ Shawnee
▪ Mohegan
▪ Huron
▪ Oneida
▪ Lakota
▪ Crow
▪ Teton
▪ Hopi
▪ Inuit
```
87
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
▪ Missouri (River)
| ▪ Mississippi (River)
88
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
▪ Pacific (Ocean)
89
What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
▪ Atlantic (Ocean)
90
Name one U.S. territory.
```
▪ Puerto Rico
▪ U.S. Virgin Islands
▪ American Samoa
▪ Northern Mariana Islands
▪ Guam
```
91
Name one state that borders Canada.
```
▪ Maine
▪ New Hampshire
▪ Vermont
▪ New York
▪ Pennsylvania
▪ Ohio
▪ Michigan
▪ Minnesota
▪ North Dakota
▪ Montana
▪ Idaho
▪ Washington
▪ Alaska
```
92
Name one state that borders Mexico.
▪ California
▪ Arizona
▪ New Mexico
▪ Texas
93
What is the capital of the United States?*
▪ Washington, D.C.
94
Where is the Statue of Liberty?*
▪ New York (Harbor)
▪ Liberty Island
[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).
95
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
▪ because there were 13 original colonies
| ▪ because the stripes represent the original colonies
96
Why does the flag have 50 stars?
▪ because there is one star for each state
▪ because each star represents a state
▪ because there are 50 states
97
What is the name of the national anthem?
▪ The Star-Spangled Banner
98
When do we celebrate Independence Day?*
▪ July 4
99
Name two national U.S. holidays.
```
▪ New Year’s Day
▪ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
▪ Presidents’ Day
▪ Memorial Day
▪ Independence Day
▪ Labor Day
▪ Columbus Day
▪ Veterans Day
▪ Thanksgiving
▪ Christmas
```
