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Citizenship Test: How the Government Works
Practice questions on Congress, the president, the courts, states and federal powers, in the style of the US naturalization civics test (our own wording).
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68 cards
- Name the three branches of the federal government.QuestionLegislative, executive and judicial
- What is the legislative branch?QuestionCongress, which makes the laws
- What is the executive branch?QuestionThe president and agencies that carry out the laws
- What is the judicial branch?QuestionThe courts, which interpret the laws
- What keeps one branch from becoming too powerful?QuestionSeparation of powers and checks and balances
- What is a check and balance?QuestionA way for one branch to limit the power of another
- Who is in charge of the executive branch?QuestionThe president
- Who makes federal laws?QuestionCongress
- What are the two parts of Congress?QuestionThe Senate and the House of Representatives
- How many US senators are there?QuestionOne hundred (100)
- How many senators does each state have?QuestionTwo
- How long is a senator's term?QuestionSix years
- How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?QuestionFour hundred thirty-five (435)
- How long is a House member's term?QuestionTwo years
- Why do some states have more House members than others?QuestionSeats are based on each state's population
- Who does a senator represent?QuestionAll the people of their state
- Who does a House member represent?QuestionThe people of their district
- Who leads the House of Representatives?QuestionThe Speaker of the House
- Who presides over the Senate?QuestionThe vice president, who votes only to break a tie
- How long is a president's term?QuestionFour years
- How many terms can a president serve?QuestionTwo elected terms
- Which amendment limited presidents to two terms?QuestionThe 22nd Amendment
- In what month do we vote for president?QuestionNovember
- What is the Electoral College?QuestionThe system of electors who formally choose the president
- How many electoral votes does a candidate need to win?QuestionAt least 270
- What is the minimum age to be president?QuestionThirty-five
- What must a president be, by birth?QuestionA natural-born citizen
- Who takes over if the president can no longer serve?QuestionThe vice president
- If both president and vice president cannot serve, who is next?QuestionThe Speaker of the House
- Who is the commander in chief of the military?QuestionThe president
- Who signs bills into law?QuestionThe president
- Who can veto a bill?QuestionThe president
- Can Congress override a veto?QuestionYes, with a two-thirds vote in both houses
- What does the cabinet do?QuestionAdvises the president; its members head major departments
- Name one cabinet department.QuestionState, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Education, Labor and others
- Who nominates Supreme Court justices?QuestionThe president
- Who confirms the president's nominees for the Supreme Court?QuestionThe Senate
- What does the judicial branch do?QuestionInterprets laws, settles disputes and decides if laws follow the Constitution
- What is the highest court in the US?QuestionThe Supreme Court
- How many justices are on the Supreme Court?QuestionNine
- How long do federal judges serve?QuestionFor life, unless they resign or are removed
- What is judicial review?QuestionThe courts' power to strike down laws that violate the Constitution
- Who declares war?QuestionCongress
- Who makes treaties?QuestionThe president, with Senate approval
- Who coins and prints money?QuestionThe federal government
- Name one power of the federal government.QuestionPrint money, declare war, create an army, make treaties, regulate trade between states
- Name one power of state governments.QuestionRun schools, issue driver's licenses, hold elections, provide police
- What is federalism?QuestionSharing power between the national government and states
- What does the Tenth Amendment say?QuestionPowers not given to the federal government belong to the states or the people
- Who is the head of a state's government?QuestionThe governor
- What is the head of a city government often called?QuestionThe mayor
- What is a county?QuestionA region within a state with its own local government
- What is a state capital?QuestionThe city where a state's government meets
- What is the capital of the United States?QuestionWashington, DC
- Who gets to vote in a state election?QuestionCitizens who are registered and old enough, with state rules
- What is a census?QuestionA count of the population taken every ten years
- What is the purpose of the census?QuestionTo divide House seats and plan public services
- What is a bill?QuestionA proposed law
- What is a law?QuestionA rule made by the government and enforced by courts
- What is a tax?QuestionMoney collected by the government for public services
- What does the Senate do with treaties?QuestionApproves them by a two-thirds vote
- Who can impeach a federal official?QuestionThe House brings charges; the Senate holds the trial
- What is an appeal?QuestionAsking a higher court to review a decision
- What does the vice president do?QuestionTakes over if the president cannot serve, and presides over the Senate
- What is the Library of Congress?QuestionThe nation's largest library, in Washington, DC
- What is the Capitol?QuestionThe building where Congress meets
- What is the White House?QuestionHome and office of the president
- What is the Pentagon?QuestionHeadquarters of the Department of Defense
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