Civic Life, Politics, and Government

Question 1

What is private life in the context of citizenship?

Answer 1

Private life refers to a citizen’s right to privacy and the pursuit of personal interests and activities outside of government involvement.

Question 2

How is civic life different from private life?

Answer 2

Civic life involves a citizen’s participation in the public affairs of their community and nation, such as voting, community service, or public advocacy.

Question 3

What does limited government mean?

Answer 3

It means that the government has only the powers granted to it by the Constitution and must operate within those constraints.

Question 4

How does the rule of law support limited government?

Answer 4

The rule of law ensures that everyone, including government officials, must follow established and accepted laws, preventing the abuse of power.

central to the constitution

Question 5

What is the purpose of checks and balances?

Answer 5

To prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful by allowing each branch to limit or block the actions of the others.

Question 6

Give an example of checks and balances in action.

Answer 6

The President can veto a bill passed by Congress, or the Supreme Court can declare a law unconstitutional.

Question 7

What does the separation of powers refer to in the U.S. Constitution?

Answer 7

It refers to dividing the government into three branches—executive, legislative, and judicial—each with its own powers and responsibilities.

Executive: enforces laws
Judicial: interprets laws
Legislative: makes laws

Question 8

Why is separation of powers important in a democracy?

Answer 8

It prevents any one branch from controlling the government by distributing authority equally among all three.