What is the supreme law of the land?: The Constitution
What does the Constitution do?: Sets up the government, defines its powers and protects basic rights
What are the first three words of the Constitution?: We the People
What is an amendment?: A change or addition to the Constitution
What is the Bill of Rights?: The first ten amendments
How many amendments does the Constitution have?: Twenty-seven
What is one right in the First Amendment?: Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly or petition
What is the economic system of the United States?: A mixed market economy based on capitalism
What is the rule of law?: Everyone, including leaders, must follow the law
What are the three branches of government?: Legislative, executive and judicial
Who makes federal laws?: Congress
What are the two parts of Congress?: The Senate and the House of Representatives
How many U.S. senators are there?: One hundred
How long is a senator's term?: Six years
How many voting members are in the House?: Four hundred thirty-five
How long is a House member's term?: Two years
How many senators does each state have?: Two
Who does a member of the House represent?: The people of their district
What stops one branch from becoming too powerful?: Checks and balances and the separation of powers
Who is in charge of the executive branch?: The President
How long is a presidential term?: Four years
How many times can a person be elected president?: Twice; the 22nd Amendment limits it to two elected terms
Who signs bills to become laws?: The President
Who is commander in chief of the military?: The President
What does the President's Cabinet do?: Advises the President
Who becomes president if the president can no longer serve?: The Vice President
What does the judicial branch do?: Reviews laws, explains laws and decides if a law goes against the Constitution
What is the highest court in the United States?: The Supreme Court
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?: Nine
How are Supreme Court justices chosen?: Nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate
What is the capital of the United States?: Washington, D.C.
Where is the Statue of Liberty?: New York Harbor, on Liberty Island
How many states are there?: Fifty
How many stripes are on the flag?: Thirteen, for the original colonies
How many stars are on the flag?: Fifty, one for each state
What are the colors of the flag?: Red, white and blue
What is the national anthem?: The Star-Spangled Banner
What is the Pledge of Allegiance?: A promise of loyalty to the flag and the country
What is the Fourth of July?: Independence Day, celebrating the Declaration of Independence
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?: Thomas Jefferson was its main author
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?: July 4, 1776
What did the Declaration of Independence say?: That the colonies were free of British rule and that people have rights
What are two rights in the Declaration?: Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
Who was the first President?: George Washington
Who was President during the Civil War?: Abraham Lincoln
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?: Declared enslaved people in Confederate-held areas free
Which amendment ended slavery?: The 13th Amendment
Who fought in the Civil War?: The Union (North) and the Confederacy (South)
What was the main reason for the Civil War?: Slavery, along with states' rights and economic differences
What did Susan B. Anthony do?: Fought for women's rights and the right to vote
What did Martin Luther King Jr. do?: Led nonviolent efforts for civil rights and equal treatment
Which amendment gave women the right to vote?: The 19th Amendment
What was the Great Depression?: A severe economic downturn in the 1930s
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Which countries did the U.S. fight in World War II?: Germany, Italy and Japan (the Axis powers)
What was the Cold War?: A long rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union after World War II
Who were the first people living in America?: Native Americans
Why did the Pilgrims come to America?: To seek religious freedom
Who is the 'Father of Our Country'?: George Washington
What was the Louisiana Purchase?: The 1803 purchase of land from France that doubled the country's size
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?: The Constitution was written in 1787
Who wrote the Federalist Papers?: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay
Who was one important Founding Father?: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison or others
What is the capital of your state?: Depends on the state; every state has a capital city
What are the two major political parties?: Democratic and Republican parties
Who can vote in federal elections?: Citizens age 18 and older
What is one way Americans can participate in democracy?: Vote, join a party, run for office, join a community group or contact elected officials
Which amendment lowered the voting age to 18?: The 26th Amendment
What is one responsibility of citizens?: Serving on a jury, paying taxes or obeying laws
What is one right only for citizens?: Voting in federal elections or running for federal office
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge?: The United States and the flag
When must men register for the Selective Service?: At age 18
When are federal taxes due?: Generally by April 15
What is the Electoral College?: The group of electors who choose the President
What is a census?: A count of the population done every ten years
What is a jury?: A group of citizens who decide the facts in a trial
What is the Mayflower?: The ship that carried the Pilgrims to America in 1620
What is the Mississippi River?: One of the longest rivers in the country, flowing to the Gulf of Mexico
Which oceans border the U.S.?: The Atlantic on the east and the Pacific on the west
Which countries border the continental U.S.?: Canada and Mexico
What is Memorial Day?: A day honoring those who died serving in the military
What is Veterans Day?: A day honoring all who have served in the military
What is Labor Day?: A holiday honoring workers, on the first Monday of September
What is Thanksgiving?: A November holiday for giving thanks
What is the bald eagle?: The national bird of the United States
What is the Liberty Bell?: A symbol of American independence, kept in Philadelphia
What is the Great Seal?: The official seal of the United States
What is federalism?: Power shared between national and state governments
What does the 10th Amendment say?: Powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or the people
Who governs a state?: A governor
What is a mayor?: The leader of a city government
What is due process?: Fair treatment under the law
What is freedom of religion?: The right to practice any religion or none
What is the Mayflower Compact?: An agreement to make fair laws for the Plymouth colony
What is naturalization?: The process by which a non-citizen becomes a citizen
What is an immigrant?: A person who moves to a new country to live

Free flashcards from Peabody at peabody.kids/flashcards/tp-us-citizenship-topics