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US Citizenship Exam 500 Flashcards > Government Structure and Civics > Flashcards

Government Structure and Civics Flashcards

(100 cards)

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1
Q

What is federalism?

A

A system where power is shared between national and state governments

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2
Q

What are concurrent powers?

A

Powers shared by both federal and state governments

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3
Q

What are reserved powers?

A

Powers kept by the states

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4
Q

What are enumerated powers?

A

Powers specifically given to the federal government by the Constitution

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5
Q

What is the supremacy clause?

A

The Constitution is the highest law in the land

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6
Q

What is judicial review?

A

The power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional

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7
Q

What case established judicial review?

A

Marbury v. Madison

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8
Q

What is impeachment?

A

The process to remove government officials for wrongdoing

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9
Q

Who can impeach the President?

A

The House of Representatives

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10
Q

Who tries impeachment cases?

A

The Senate

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11
Q

What vote is needed to convict in an impeachment trial?

A

Two-thirds of the Senate

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12
Q

What is a filibuster?

A

A long speech to delay or prevent a vote in the Senate

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13
Q

How can a filibuster be ended?

A

With a cloture vote requiring 60 senators

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14
Q

What are congressional committees?

A

Small groups of lawmakers who study specific issues

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15
Q

What is a conference committee?

A

A committee that resolves differences between House and Senate versions of a bill

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16
Q

What is gerrymandering?

A

Drawing voting districts to favor one political party

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17
Q

How often are congressional districts redrawn?

A

Every 10 years after the census

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18
Q

What is the Electoral College?

A

The system used to elect the President

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19
Q

How many electoral votes are there total?

A

538

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20
Q

How many electoral votes does a candidate need to win?

A

270

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21
Q

What happens if no candidate gets 270 electoral votes?

A

The House of Representatives chooses the President

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22
Q

What is a primary election?

A

An election to choose a party’s candidate

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23
Q

What is a general election?

A

The main election where voters choose between candidates from different parties

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24
Q

What is a caucus?

A

A meeting where party members choose candidates

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25
What is the difference between a direct and indirect democracy?
Direct democracy: people vote on issues directly; Indirect democracy: people elect representatives
26
What type of democracy is the United States?
A representative republic or indirect democracy
27
What is separation of powers?
Dividing government into three branches with different responsibilities
28
What is a veto?
The President's power to reject a bill passed by Congress
29
How can Congress override a presidential veto?
With a two-thirds vote in both houses
30
What is a pocket veto?
When the President doesn't sign a bill and Congress adjourns
31
What are executive orders?
Directives issued by the President to federal agencies
32
What is executive privilege?
The President's right to keep some communications confidential
33
What is the State of the Union?
An annual speech by the President to Congress
34
What is the President's term of office?
Four years
35
How many terms can a President serve?
Two terms
36
What amendment limits presidential terms?
The 22nd Amendment
37
What is the presidential line of succession?
The order in which officials would become President if needed
38
Who is third in line to the presidency?
The President Pro Tempore of the Senate
39
What is the President's salary?
$400,000 per year
40
What are the requirements to be President?
Natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, lived in the U.S. for 14 years
41
What are the requirements to be a Senator?
At least 30 years old, U.S. citizen for 9 years, resident of the state
42
What are the requirements to be a Representative?
At least 25 years old, U.S. citizen for 7 years, resident of the state
43
How is the number of Representatives determined for each state?
Based on population as counted in the census
44
What is the minimum number of Representatives a state can have?
One
45
How many Senators does each state have?
Two
46
Who presides over the Senate?
The Vice President
47
Who presides over the Senate when the Vice President is absent?
The President Pro Tempore
48
Who presides over the House of Representatives?
The Speaker of the House
49
How is the Speaker of the House chosen?
Elected by the members of the House
50
What is the main job of Congress?
To make laws
51
What is the power of the purse?
Congress's power to control government spending
52
Who has the power to declare war?
Congress
53
Who has the power to coin money?
Congress
54
Who has the power to regulate interstate commerce?
Congress
55
What is the necessary and proper clause?
Gives Congress power to make laws needed to carry out its duties
56
What is another name for the necessary and proper clause?
The elastic clause
57
What is a writ of habeas corpus?
A court order requiring authorities to bring a prisoner to court
58
What is a bill of attainder?
A law that punishes someone without a trial (prohibited by Constitution)
59
What is an ex post facto law?
A law that makes something illegal after it was done (prohibited by Constitution)
60
What is due process?
Fair treatment under the law
61
What are the two types of due process?
Procedural due process and substantive due process
62
What is equal protection?
The government must treat people equally under the law
63
What case established separate but equal?
Plessy v. Ferguson
64
What case overturned separate but equal?
Brown v. Board of Education
65
What is the exclusionary rule?
Evidence obtained illegally cannot be used in court
66
What are Miranda rights?
Rights that must be read to someone when arrested
67
What is double jeopardy?
Being tried twice for the same crime (prohibited by 5th Amendment)
68
What is the right to remain silent?
The right not to testify against yourself
69
What is eminent domain?
The government's power to take private property for public use
70
What must the government provide when taking private property?
Just compensation
71
What is freedom of the press?
The right of media to publish without government censorship
72
What is prior restraint?
Government censorship before publication (generally prohibited)
73
What is symbolic speech?
Actions that express ideas (like flag burning)
74
What is the establishment clause?
Government cannot establish an official religion
75
What is the free exercise clause?
Government cannot prohibit religious practice
76
What is the wall of separation between church and state?
The principle that government and religion should be separate
77
Who coined the phrase wall of separation?
Thomas Jefferson
78
What is the right to petition?
The right to ask government to address grievances
79
What is the right to assembly?
The right to gather peacefully
80
What is the difference between civil rights and civil liberties?
Civil liberties protect from government; civil rights ensure equal treatment
81
What is affirmative action?
Policies to help groups that faced discrimination
82
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act?
A law prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities
83
What is Title IX?
A law prohibiting sex discrimination in education
84
What is the Voting Rights Act?
A law protecting the right to vote
85
What did the 24th Amendment do?
Prohibited poll taxes in federal elections
86
What did the 26th Amendment do?
Lowered the voting age to 18
87
What is voter registration?
The process of signing up to vote
88
What is a swing state?
A state where either major party could win
89
What is a safe state?
A state that reliably votes for one party
90
What is campaign finance?
Money raised and spent on political campaigns
91
What are PACs?
Political Action Committees that raise money for campaigns
92
What are Super PACs?
Groups that can raise unlimited money but cannot coordinate with campaigns
93
What is lobbying?
Trying to influence government decisions
94
What is a lobbyist?
Someone paid to influence government officials
95
What is an interest group?
An organization that tries to influence government policy
96
What is grassroots lobbying?
Getting ordinary citizens to contact their representatives
97
What is astroturf lobbying?
Fake grassroots campaigns organized by special interests
98
What is a caucus in Congress?
A group of lawmakers with shared interests
99
What is a whip in Congress?
A party leader who counts votes and encourages party unity
100
What is partisan politics?
Strong loyalty to one political party

US Citizenship Exam 500 Flashcards (6 decks)

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