constitution test Flashcards
(21 cards)
Articles 1-7
- Legislative branch
- executive
- Judiciary Branch
- interstate relations, full faith and pretite clause
- The Amendment process
- nations supremacy clause
- ratification
preamble
introduction to the constitution, written by the people for the people, to establish what the constitution will do and explain the purposes
extra credit: recite the preamble
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
amendments 1-10 are called the…..
bill of rights
Legislative branch:
- called the congress
- makes laws
- bicameral, senate and house of reps
house of reps:
- each term is 2 years
- elected by the people of the several states
- at least 25 years old
- citizen of the US for at least 7 years
- resident of the state they are elected into
- amount of reps per state based on population
senate
- each term is 6 years
- voters in state vote for 2 senators per state
- at least 30 years old
- citizen of US for at least 9 years
- resident of the state at the time they are elected
- 2 senators per state
senate:
1. president of senate…
2. president ProTempore….
- vice president
2. senator chosen to preside over senate if VP is absent
quorum level
majority members must be present to hold session.
house: 218/435
how a bill becomes a law
- start with idea
- becomes a bill, idea written in formal way
- committee of reps
- if no then it goes back
- if yes then it goes to the house
- house of reps
- majority say no then goes back
- majority say yes then goes to senate
- senate
- majority no then goes back
- majority yes then goes to president
- president says YES, bill becomes a law
amendment process
- 2/3 house says yes
- 2/3 senate says yes
- 3/4 states says yes
really hard to make amendments
impeachment process
- house says yes -> senate
- senate says yes -> out of office
- senate says no -> president still impeached but is still in office
elastic clause
power of the congress to make many laws and do anything
powers denied to federal government
- habeas corpus: people cant be held by police or arrested with no arrested and or no jury
- “bill of attainder”: cant have punishes without trial
- “ex post facto law”: cant make a act a crime if the act as already been done
powers denied to the states
- cant have own relations with foreign countries
- cant wage war
- cant have own military
- must follow federal laws
- cant tax imports and exports
- cant tax foreign vessels or make treaties
executive branch: president
- each term is 4 years
- 22 amendment limits president from serving more than 2 terms (8 years)
- # electors per state = # reps + 2 senators
- president must be at least 35
- president must be citizen of US
- resident of US for 14 years
- president and all officers can be removed for treason, bribery, and other high crimes
judicial branch
- create supreme and federal courts
- ## supreme court justices serve for life
supremacy clause
when state law is in conflict with federal law, federal law always wins
checks and balances system
- ## used so a specific branch in the government doesn’t get all the power
state vs national powers
state:
- create cooperative laws
- regulate trade within states
- make laws about marriage and divorce
nation:
- regulate interstate and foreign trade
- create and maintain armed forces
- declare war
- create federal courts
share:
- raise taxes
- borrow money
- charter banks
- provide for public welfare
electoral college system
- amendment 12
- 538 electors who cast votes to decide president and vice president
