A change or an addition to the US Constitution is called a what?
Amendment
What defines the idea of "self government" in the US Constitution?
We the People.....
What do we call the first ten amendments to the US Constitution?
Bill of Rights
Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press and Assembly are in what Amendment to the US Constitution?
First Amendment
How many amendments does the US Constitution have?
27
What is the economic system in the United States?
Capitalist or Market Economy
What keeps one branch of the United States government from becoming too powerful?
Checks and Balances or Separation of Powers
What are the three main branches of United States government?
Legislative (Congress)
Executive (President)
Judicial (Supreme Court)
Who makes the federal laws?
Congress
(Senate;House of Representitives or the Legislature)
What are the two bodies of Congress?
Senate and House of Representitives
How many US Senators are there?
100 (two from each state)
One term of a US Senator is how many years?
Six
Who are the current senators representing Texas?
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) and John Cornyn (R)
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
435
We elect a U. S. Representative for how many years?
Two
How many Texas U S Representatives represent Harris County?
Nine
(Sheila Jackson Lee, Ron Paul, Michael T McCaul, Kevin Brady, Al Green, Gene Green, Pete Olson, John Culberson, Ted Poe)
How does each state determine the number of United States Representatives?
By population and number of districts
Who acts as the President of the United States if the President and the Vice President cannot serve?
Speaker of the House
Who is the current Speaker of the House?
John Boehner (R)
Ohio
What does the president's Cabinet do?
They advise the President
How many presidential cabinet posts are there?
Fifteen
(State, treasury, defense, justice, interior, agriculture, commerce, labor, health and human services, housing and urban development, transportation, energy, education, veterans affairs, homeland security)
How many Texas U S Representatives are there?
32 (nine represent Harris County)
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
Nine
Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?
John G Roberts Jr
How old do you have to be in order to vote in an election?
18
Who was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
When was the US Constitution written?
1787
The first paragraph (introduction) of the US Constitution is known as what?
Preamble (We the people....)
How many members make up the Houston City Council?
14
(nine elected from council districts and five at-large)
The term for a Houston City Council member is how long?
Two Years (odd-numbered years)
What amendment to the US Constitution guards against unreasonable searches and seizures?
Fourth
(requires search and arrest warrants be supported by probable cause)
How many states are needed to ratify a constitutional amendment?
3/4 of the states (38 States)
What Amendment to the US Constitution pertains to the congressional salaries?
27 (1992)
Which amendment to the constitution deals with grand juries, capital offenses, double jeopardy, self incrimination, due process, eminent domain and just compensation?
Fifth
A meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement is known as what?
Caucas
How many non-voting members of the House of Representatives are there?
Six
American Samoa
District of Columbia
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands
What do they call a non-voting member of the US House of Representatives who is elected from a US territory or from Washington DC to a two year term?
Delegate
T or F: Delegates serve exclusively in the House of Representatives-the Senate does not include any counterpart official from US areas that do not possess statehood status?
