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101 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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How many members in the House of Representatives?
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435
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How many members in the Senate?
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100
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What are the Senate and the House known as together?
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The Congress
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In what branch of the government is the Congress?
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Legislative
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How many Senators represent Illinois?
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2
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Which came first, the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution?
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Declaration
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What was the purpose of the Articles of Confederation
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to describe our first government
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How many representatives are there for Illinois in the House?
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18 (as of November 2012)
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How many years does a Senator serve in one term?
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6
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How many years does a representative serve in one term?
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2
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How old does a Representative have to be?
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25
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How old does a Senator have to be?
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30
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How many times can a Representative or Senator be reelected?
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Unlimited
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Which amendments are known as the Bill of Rights?
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1-10 (the first 10)
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Which amendment protects free speech, religion, assembly, press and right to complain to the government?
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1
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Which amendment gives 18-year-olds the right to vote?
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26
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Which amendment says Congress can collect income tax?
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16
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Which amendment gives women the right to vote?
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19
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Which amendment guarantees a speedy and public trial by jury?
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6
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Which amendment limits the President's terms to 2?
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22
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Which amendment established a new date for the President to take office?
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20
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Which amendment outlawed the manufacture and sale of alcohol?
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18
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Which amendment made alcohol legal again?
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21
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Which amendment says you don't have to testify against yourself and you can't be tried for the same crime twice?
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5
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Which amendments outlawed slavery and protected the right to vote among races?
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13-15
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Which amendment protects the right to own weapons?
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2
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Which came first, the Constitution or the Articles of Confederation?
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Articles of Confederation
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Which came first, the Bill of Rights or the Constitution?
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Constitution (the Bill of Rights are added at the end.)
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What article of the Constitution talks about the Legislative Branch?
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Article 1
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What article of the Constitution talks about the Executive Branch?
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Article 2
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Where in the Constitution would you find the Preamble?
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at the beginning (the first paragraph)
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What is the Preamble to the Constitution?
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the first paragraph listing the goals of the document
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Which article of the Constitution describes the Judicial Branch?
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Article 3
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Which branch of the government contains the President, Vice President and Cabinet?
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Executive
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Which branch of the government contains the Supreme Court?
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Judicial
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Which branch makes the laws?
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Legislative
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Which branch carries out or enforces the laws?
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Executive
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Which branch can declare a law "unconstitutional"?
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Judicial
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Which branch has control over the military?
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Executive
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Which branch handles foreign policy (except the approval of treaties)?
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Executive
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Which TWO branches have control over the coining and printing of money?
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Legislative and Executive
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Which TWO branches can invalidate a law after it has been passed by Congress?
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Executive and Judicial
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Who elects or appoints Senators?
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the people of a whole state
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Who elects or appoints Representatives to the House?
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the people in a district of a state
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Who elects or appoints the President and Vice President?
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the Electoral College
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Where does a bill begin its journey towards becoming a law?
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in Congress (in a committee); either the House or the Senate
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After both houses of Congress approve a bill, where does it go immediately?
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to the President for signing (or vetoing)
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If a President vetoes a law, how can it still become a law?
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If 2/3 of Congress vote to override the veto.
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What other title does the Vice President hold?
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President of the Senate
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What is the title of the person who presides over the House of Representatives' meetings?
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Speaker of the House
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Who elects or appoints Cabinet members?
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The President (with Senate approval)
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Who elects or appoints Supreme Court Justices?
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The President (with Senate approval)
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Who is the first in line to take over if a President dies in office?
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The Vice President
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If a President is suspected of committing a crime, who brings the impeachment charge against him/her?
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The House of Representatives
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Who serves as the jury during a President's impeachment trial?
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The Senate
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Who presides over a President's impeachment trial (as a judge)?
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The Chief Justice (of the Supreme Court)
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What Cabinet Department would mediate a strike or suggest legislation about worker's rights?
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Department of Labor
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What Cabinet Department handles foreign affairs?
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Department of State
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What Cabinet Department is in charge of issues involving gasoline or nuclear power?
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Department of Energy
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What Cabinet Department is in charge of the National Park System and Indian affairs?
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Department of the Interior
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How many Supreme Court Justices are there?
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9
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How many years does a President serve in one term?
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4
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What is the maximum number of years an elected President can serve?
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8
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What is the minimum age to be President?
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35
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How many electoral votes does Illinois have?
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20
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What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence?
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To state the reasons we broke from England
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What is the purpose of the Constitution?
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To describe our laws and government
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Why did the framers of the Constitution want to have two houses in the Legislative Branch?
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To compromise between the large states and small states.
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What is the main duty of the Executive Branch?
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To enforce or adminster the laws
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What is the main duty of the Legislative Branch?
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To make the laws
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What is the main duty of the Judicial Branch?
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To interpret or judge the laws
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What branch contains the Senate and the House?
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Legislative
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What branch contains the Cabinet?
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Executive
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What document begins, "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union..."?
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The Constitution
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What document includes the phrase, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..."?
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The Declaration of Independence
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Who used to choose Senators before the 17th amendment was passed?
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State Legislatures
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What was the main weakness under the Articles of Confederation?
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No power to tax
(There are other weaknesses, but this is the one that will be a choice on the test.) |
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What are two reasons the Constitution has lasted so long?
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1. vague language
2. the amendment process |
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If the Congress wants to override a Presidential veto, how many of them need to approve the bill?
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2/3
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What is another job of the Senate besides passing laws?
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Approving Presidential appointments
OR approving treaties |
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What determines how many Representatives each state gets in the house?
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population
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What determines how many Electors a state has in the Electoral College? (it isn't directly population)
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Adding the number of Representatives to the number of Senators in that state.
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Where does the Congress meet (specifically)?
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the Capitol Building
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What part of the Constitution allows Congress to pass laws about things that didn't exist in 1787 (like air travel)?
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the Elastic Clause
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When the government spends more than it takes in (a deficit), what is the usual action taken to raise money?
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Increase taxes
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Which President was most recently impeached?
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Bill Clinton
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Who is the only President to have resigned?
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Richard Nixon
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What position does Chuck Hagel currently hold?
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Secretary of Defense
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What position does John Kerry currently hold?
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Secretary of State
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Who is currently President of the United States?
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Barack Obama
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What position does Joe Biden currently hold?
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Vice President
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What position does John Roberts currently hold?
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Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
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Name the Illinois Representative in the House of Representatives who represents the fifth district (your district)?
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Mike Quigley
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Who are our two Illinois Senators?
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1. Richard Durbin
2. Mark Kirk |
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Identify who is checking whom in the following example:
A bill must be approved by both houses of Congress. |
Legislative Branch checking itself (the House and Senate checking each other)
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Identify who is checking whom in the following example:
Declaring laws unconstitutional |
Judicial Branch checking the other two branches
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Identify who is checking whom in the following example:
Overriding a veto |
Legislative Branch checking the Executive Branch
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Identify who is checking whom in the following example:
Vetoing bills |
Executive Branch checking the Legislative Branch
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Identify who is checking whom in the following example:
The Electoral College chooses the President |
A check on the people
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What happens to someone who is impeached?
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1. They are accused of a crime
2. They are put on trial 3. IF (and only IF) they are found guilty, they are removed from office |
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What are the two biggest political parties in the U.S. and which animals unofficially represent them?
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Republican -- Elephant
Democrat -- Donkey |
