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Name the three branches of the federal government. Legislative, executive and judicial civics-citizenship-government
What is the legislative branch? Congress, which makes the laws civics-citizenship-government
What is the executive branch? The president and agencies that carry out the laws civics-citizenship-government
What is the judicial branch? The courts, which interpret the laws civics-citizenship-government
What keeps one branch from becoming too powerful? Separation of powers and checks and balances civics-citizenship-government
What is a check and balance? A way for one branch to limit the power of another civics-citizenship-government
Who is in charge of the executive branch? The president civics-citizenship-government
Who makes federal laws? Congress civics-citizenship-government
What are the two parts of Congress? The Senate and the House of Representatives civics-citizenship-government
How many US senators are there? One hundred (100) civics-citizenship-government
How many senators does each state have? Two civics-citizenship-government
How long is a senator's term? Six years civics-citizenship-government
How many voting members are in the House of Representatives? Four hundred thirty-five (435) civics-citizenship-government
How long is a House member's term? Two years civics-citizenship-government
Why do some states have more House members than others? Seats are based on each state's population civics-citizenship-government
Who does a senator represent? All the people of their state civics-citizenship-government
Who does a House member represent? The people of their district civics-citizenship-government
Who leads the House of Representatives? The Speaker of the House civics-citizenship-government
Who presides over the Senate? The vice president, who votes only to break a tie civics-citizenship-government
How long is a president's term? Four years civics-citizenship-government
How many terms can a president serve? Two elected terms civics-citizenship-government
Which amendment limited presidents to two terms? The 22nd Amendment civics-citizenship-government
In what month do we vote for president? November civics-citizenship-government
What is the Electoral College? The system of electors who formally choose the president civics-citizenship-government
How many electoral votes does a candidate need to win? At least 270 civics-citizenship-government
What is the minimum age to be president? Thirty-five civics-citizenship-government
What must a president be, by birth? A natural-born citizen civics-citizenship-government
Who takes over if the president can no longer serve? The vice president civics-citizenship-government
If both president and vice president cannot serve, who is next? The Speaker of the House civics-citizenship-government
Who is the commander in chief of the military? The president civics-citizenship-government
Who signs bills into law? The president civics-citizenship-government
Who can veto a bill? The president civics-citizenship-government
Can Congress override a veto? Yes, with a two-thirds vote in both houses civics-citizenship-government
What does the cabinet do? Advises the president; its members head major departments civics-citizenship-government
Name one cabinet department. State, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Education, Labor and others civics-citizenship-government
Who nominates Supreme Court justices? The president civics-citizenship-government
Who confirms the president's nominees for the Supreme Court? The Senate civics-citizenship-government
What does the judicial branch do? Interprets laws, settles disputes and decides if laws follow the Constitution civics-citizenship-government
What is the highest court in the US? The Supreme Court civics-citizenship-government
How many justices are on the Supreme Court? Nine civics-citizenship-government
How long do federal judges serve? For life, unless they resign or are removed civics-citizenship-government
What is judicial review? The courts' power to strike down laws that violate the Constitution civics-citizenship-government
Who declares war? Congress civics-citizenship-government
Who makes treaties? The president, with Senate approval civics-citizenship-government
Who coins and prints money? The federal government civics-citizenship-government
Name one power of the federal government. Print money, declare war, create an army, make treaties, regulate trade between states civics-citizenship-government
Name one power of state governments. Run schools, issue driver's licenses, hold elections, provide police civics-citizenship-government
What is federalism? Sharing power between the national government and states civics-citizenship-government
What does the Tenth Amendment say? Powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or the people civics-citizenship-government
Who is the head of a state's government? The governor civics-citizenship-government
What is the head of a city government often called? The mayor civics-citizenship-government
What is a county? A region within a state with its own local government civics-citizenship-government
What is a state capital? The city where a state's government meets civics-citizenship-government
What is the capital of the United States? Washington, DC civics-citizenship-government
Who gets to vote in a state election? Citizens who are registered and old enough, with state rules civics-citizenship-government
What is a census? A count of the population taken every ten years civics-citizenship-government
What is the purpose of the census? To divide House seats and plan public services civics-citizenship-government
What is a bill? A proposed law civics-citizenship-government
What is a law? A rule made by the government and enforced by courts civics-citizenship-government
What is a tax? Money collected by the government for public services civics-citizenship-government
What does the Senate do with treaties? Approves them by a two-thirds vote civics-citizenship-government
Who can impeach a federal official? The House brings charges; the Senate holds the trial civics-citizenship-government
What is an appeal? Asking a higher court to review a decision civics-citizenship-government
What does the vice president do? Takes over if the president cannot serve, and presides over the Senate civics-citizenship-government
What is the Library of Congress? The nation's largest library, in Washington, DC civics-citizenship-government
What is the Capitol? The building where Congress meets civics-citizenship-government
What is the White House? Home and office of the president civics-citizenship-government
What is the Pentagon? Headquarters of the Department of Defense civics-citizenship-government