Questions and Answers
How long is a House of Representative's term?
2 years
How long is a Senator's term?
6 years
How long is a President's term?
4 years
What was the name of the United States' first form of Government?
Signup and view all the answers
Why was America's first form of government a failure?
Signup and view all the answers
What was the goal of the Constitutional Convention?
Signup and view all the answers
What was the New Jersey Plan?
Signup and view all the answers
What was the Virginia Plan?
Signup and view all the answers
What was the Great Compromise?
Signup and view all the answers
What was the 3/5th Compromise?
Signup and view all the answers
Who was the main author of the Constitution?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the Preamble?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the word bicameral mean?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary role of the Legislative branch?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary role of the Executive branch?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary role of the Judicial branch?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the requirements to be a member of the House of Representatives?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the requirements to be a Senator?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the requirements to be President?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the powers of the President?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the powers of Congress?
Signup and view all the answers
How many Supreme Court Justices are there?
Signup and view all the answers
How long is a Supreme Court Justice's term?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the main job of the Supreme Court?
Signup and view all the answers
Why are the Supreme Court Justices' terms so long?
Signup and view all the answers
Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the 3 levels of federal Supreme Court?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the word appeal mean?
Signup and view all the answers
What part of government has to approve all the Supreme Court Justices?
Signup and view all the answers
What is Judicial Review?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the 1st Amendment protect?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the 2nd Amendment protect?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the 3rd Amendment protect?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
House of Representatives and Senate Terms
- House of Representatives serve a term of 2 years.
- Senators serve a term of 6 years.
Presidential Term
- A President's term lasts for 4 years.
Initial Government Structure
- The first form of government in the United States was the Articles of Confederation.
- This initial structure failed due to an imbalance of power, with too much authority granted to states and insufficient power for the central government.
Constitutional Convention Goals
- Established to create a strong central court system.
- Aimed to ensure internal security, form an army, allow for popular leadership choices, protect individual rights, and construct an effective government.
New Jersey and Virginia Plans
- The New Jersey Plan proposed a government with 3 branches and equal representation for each state in Congress.
- The Virginia Plan suggested a 3-branch government with a bicameral Congress, where representatives would be based on state population.
Compromises in Government Formation
- The Great Compromise created a bicameral Congress: each state has 2 Senate representatives, while the House of Representatives is based on state population.
- The 3/5 Compromise counted slaves as 3/5 of a person for state population counts.
Constitution Authors and Structure
- James Madison is known as the main author of the Constitution.
- The Preamble serves as the Constitution's introduction, outlining its purposes.
- Bicameral refers to a legislative body with two houses.
Roles of Government Branches
- The Legislative branch's primary function is to create laws.
- The Executive branch's main role is to enforce and carry out laws.
- The Judicial branch interprets laws.
Qualifications for Government Positions
- House of Representatives members must be at least 25 years old, have been U.S. citizens for 7 years, and reside in their state.
- Senators must be at least 30 years old, U.S. citizens for 9 years, and reside in their state.
- The President must be 35 years old, have lived in the U.S. for 14 years, and be a born citizen.
Presidential Powers
- The President serves as Commander-in-Chief of the military.
- Responsibilities include nominating federal judges, ambassadors, and other officials, negotiating treaties, granting pardons, and representing the U.S. internationally.
Congressional Powers
- Congress can regulate trade, support military raised, declare war, and establish post offices.
Supreme Court Structure
- The Supreme Court consists of 9 justices who serve lifetime terms.
- The primary role is to interpret the Constitution and ensure laws comply with it.
- Supreme Court justices' lengthy terms help them make impartial decisions without job insecurity.
Judiciary Levels and Approval
- The three levels of the federal court system are District Court, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court.
- Appeals involve requesting a higher court to revise a lower court's decision.
- Senate approval is required for all Supreme Court justices.
Judicial Review
- Judicial Review is the Supreme Court's authority to assess the constitutionality of laws.
Constitutional Amendments
- The 1st Amendment protects freedoms of religion, speech, press, petitioning, and assembly.
- The 2nd Amendment ensures the right to keep and bear arms.
- The 3rd Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge of the United States Constitution with these flashcards. This quiz covers key terms related to the terms of office for Representatives, Senators, and the President, as well as historical details about America's first government. It's perfect for students preparing for tests on constitutional topics.