Branches of Government Quiz

Branches of Government

• The US government has three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Legislative Branch (Congress)

• The legislative branch, or Congress, is bicameral, meaning it has two houses.

Houses of Congress

• The two houses are the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Senate Representation

• Each state, regardless of population, has two senators.

Senator Term Length

• Senators serve six-year terms.

House Representation

• Representation in the House is based on state population.

Representative Term Length

• Representatives serve two-year terms.

House of Representatives Size

• The current House has 435 voting members.

Commander-in-Chief

• The President is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Presidential Term Length

• Presidents serve four-year terms.

Presidential Succession (Disability)

• If the president cannot serve, the Vice President becomes President.

Presidential Succession (Disability of Both President and Vice President)

• If both the president and vice president cannot serve, the Speaker of the House becomes President.

Checks and Balances

• Checks and balances are a system where each branch of government has certain powers over the other branches, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful.

• The legislative branch (Congress) makes federal laws.

• The executive branch (President) signs or vetoes bills to become laws.

Citizen's Rights and Responsibilities

• Citizens have rights and responsibilities, including voting, obeying the law, paying taxes, and participating in civic life.

Naturalization (14th Amendment)

• Naturalization procedures, determined by federal law, allow individuals to become US citizens after meeting certain requirements.

U.S. Government Type

• The U.S. has a republic (representative democracy).

Federalism

• Federalism is a system where power is shared between the federal government and state governments.

U.S. Economic System

• The U.S. has a mixed economy, with both private enterprise and government regulation.

Sovereignty in a Republic

• In a representative democracy, the ultimate power (sovereignty) rests with the people.

Enumerated Powers

• The U.S. Constitution grants certain powers to the federal government. These include declaring war, conducting foreign policy, and coining money.

Powers of the States

• The states usually have powers to regulate local issues such as safety and schooling.

Test your knowledge on the three branches of the US government: legislative, executive, and judicial. Explore details about Congress, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and presidential powers and terms. See how well you understand the structure and functions of these essential branches.