U. S. CONSTITUTION
Accused refuses to testify against himself th 5 AMENDMENT
PROTECTS VOTING RIGHTS OF WOMEN TH 19 AMENDMENT
RIGHT OF ALL CITIZENS TO VOTE REGARDLESS OF RACE TH 15 AMENDMENT
Our country s first constitution was called Articles of Confederation
The main reason for wanting to change the Articles of Confederation To form a stronger government
Father of our Constitution James Madison
Goals of the government provided by the Constitution Remember the Preamble: Form a more perfect union Establish justice Insure domestic tranquility Provide for the common defense Promote the general welfare Secure the blessings of liberty
7 Articles Article Article Article Article 1 2 3 4 Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch Relation of State and Federal Government Article 5 Methods for Amending the Constitution Article 6 Supreme law of the land Article 7 Methods of ratifying the Constitution
Bill of Rights Another name for the first 10 amendments
Amendment must be ratified by? to become part of the Constitution of the States By State Legislatures By Special Conventions
Total number of amendments
Number of Senators 100 ( 2 from each state)
Number of representatives per state is determined by Population of the state
Revenue (tax) bills must originate only in the House of Representatives
Only amendment to be repealed 18th Amendment
Length of term for member of the House of Representatives 2 years
Speaker of the House is chosen by House of Representatives
1/3 of the Senators are elected every 2 years
Number of branches in our government 3
Legislative Branch of government responsible for making laws
Supreme Court and U.S. Courts (Branch of government) Judicial
Congress (Senate and House of Representatives) (Branch of government) Legislative
Headed by the President (Branch of government) Executive branch
U. S. Representative from the 18th Congressional district in Illinois Darin LaHood
Date the President takes office (Inauguration Day) January 20
Presidential line of succession Vice President Speaker of the House President Pro-Tempore of the Senate Secretary of State
Court of final authority Supreme Court
Order in which a case moves through the federal courts District Court Court of Appeals Supreme Court
Number of days the President may consider a law 10 days
Number of times a President may be elected 2 (twice)
Where all impeachments are tried Senate
Length of term for a federal court judge Life
Requirements for Senators 30 years old Citizen for 9 years Lives in the state
Number of Senators from each state 2
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts
Longest possible time a person can serve as President 10 years
Main group of Presidential Advisors CABINET
Current President of the U.S. Barack H. Obama
Name of presiding officer of the Senate Joseph Biden
Chief Officer of the U.S. House of Representatives (name) John Boehner Speaker of the House
Length of term of the President 4 years
Congress can override the President s veto with? 2/3 majority in both houses
Length of term of Senators 6 years (with 1/3 being elected every 2 years)
Names of 2 U.S Senators from Illinois Dick Durbin Mark Kirk
Presides over impeachment trial of a President Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Qualifications for President and Vice President 35 years old Natural born citizen Lives in the U.S. for 14 years
ratify To vote in favor of an amendment or treaty
amend To change
veto Chief executive s decision to reject an act of the legislation
compromise To give up part of one s original demands or desires in order to reach an agreement
majority Part of the group that is more than half of the total
quorum Number of legislators who must be present in order to conduct official business
republic A nation whose laws are made by representatives elected by a popular vote
Checks and balances A system by which each branch of government has the power to block or overrule the decisions of the other branches
3 Responsibilities of the President Makes treaties Reports to Congress Meets foreign dignitaries
Number of Presidential electors for each state Number of Senators Plus Number of Representatives
Current U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry
Number of Supreme Court Justices 9
Appoints Supreme Court Justices (with approval of Senate) President
Senators are elected by? The people of the state
Judicial Branch of government responsible for interpreting the law
Executive Branch of government responsible for enforcing the law
Presiding officer in the House of Representatives (title) Speaker of the House
Total Number of House of Representative 435
Requirements for member of the House of Representatives 25 years old Citizen for 7 years Resides in state represented
FEDERALISM Sharing of power by the federal government and state governments
Wrote the Declaration of Independence? Thomas Jefferson
Name for a written plan of government CONSTITUTION
Judicial Review It is the name given to the process by which the courts interpret the meaning of the Constitution and the laws passed under it.