The Constitution divided the national government into three parts known as what?
branches
What keeps a person or group from having too much control or power of the government?
the branches have the same amount of power and have to work together.
The Constitution makes the government leaders fulfill their responsibilities without abusing their power by doing what?
limiting the powers of each part of the government
The legislative branch is made up of what two groups?
Senate and House of Representatives
Together the Senate and House of Representatives are called what?
the Congress
Why was the legislative branch divided into two parts?
because the small states were afraid they would be overpowered by the large states.
Why was the Senate created?
to make the small states happy
How many senators in total are there? and how many come from each state?
100 total, two from each state
Why was the House of Representatives created?
To make the large states happy
How many people make up the House of Representatives?
435
How are the number of representatives decided on for each state for the House of Representatives?
by how many people live in the state.
The legislative branch is responsible for what?
making laws
Who has to follow the laws created by Congress?
everyone
Who is responsible for deciding how much money the government can spend and how much it can collect in taxes?
Congress
What is the chief officer of the House of Representatives called?
Speaker of the House
Who gets to choose the speaker of the house for the House of Representatives?
the political party with the majority of seats in the House.
a group of people who have similar ideas about government
political party
What are the two major political parties known today?
Republicans and Democrats
Who is the chief officer of the Senate and what is the only thing he can vote on?
the Vice President, can only vote to break a tie.
Who is really in charge of the Senate?
The Majority Leader
Who gets to select the Majority Leader of the Senate?
the party that holds the most seats in the Senate
What are the three requirements to be a representative of Congress?
1. 25 years old
2. been a citizen of the U.S. for 7 years
3. live in the state they represent
What is the length of the term spent as a Representative?
two years
What are the three requirements to be a Senator?
1. 30 years old
2. been a citizen of the U.S. for 9 years
3. live in the state they represent
How many times can Senators and Representatives be elected?
as many times as the voters choose.
Which branch approves the laws passed by Congress and makes sure that the laws are carried out?
The executive branch
Which branch is responsible for spending tax money the way Congress says it should be spent?
The executive branch
Which branch oversees the following: collect taxes, help with schools, care for the poor, inspect foods sold in stores, airplanes and factory inspections, build bridges and highways, national parks, discover new medicines, and learn about outer space?
The departments of the executive branch.
Who is the leader of the executive branch?
the president of the U.S.
Who does the president get help from?
the Vice President and the Cabinet
What is another name for the president?
Head of State or Commander-in-Chief
agreements with other countries
treaties
Who is in charge of all of the military?
The president
How long is the president's term in office?
four years
What are the three requirements to become president of the U.S.?
1. natural-born citizen of U.S.
2. 35 years old
3. lived in U.S. for 14 years
In 1951 the 22nd amendment limited the number of terms a president could serve. How many is it?
two terms (eight years)
Which branch decides what the laws mean and if the laws are fair and follow the Constitution?
the judicial branch
Who is in charge of the court system?
the judicial branch
The highest court in the nation is what?
The Supreme Court
How many judges serve on the Supreme Court and what is their title?
9 judges, Justices
The leader of the supreme court is called what?
Chief Justice
Who said that schools couldn't separate children by their race in 1954? What was the name of the decision made by the courts?
the Supreme Court, Brown versus the Board of Education