Virginia & US Government Flashcards

What is the minimum voting age in the United States?

Answer: 18 years old

The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the minimum voting age to 18, recognizing that those eligible for military service should have the right to vote.

Which constitutional amendment granted women the right to vote?

Answer: 19th Amendment

The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, prohibited denying the right to vote based on sex, enfranchising millions of American women.

What is the purpose of the system of checks and balances in the U.S. government?

Answer: To prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful

Checks and balances distribute power among the three branches so each branch can limit the powers of the others, preventing tyranny.

What does the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protect?

Answer: Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition

The First Amendment protects five fundamental freedoms: speech, religion, press, peaceful assembly, and the right to petition the government.

What is a primary election?

Answer: An election where voters select their party's candidate to compete in the general election

A primary election is held within political parties to determine which candidate will represent the party in the subsequent general election.

Which of the following is a civic obligation (legally required duty) for eligible U.S. citizens?

Answer: Serving on a jury when summoned

Jury duty is a legal obligation for eligible citizens, not merely a voluntary civic activity, ensuring the right to a trial by peers guaranteed in the Constitution.

In Virginia, who primarily sets the academic standards that the SOL (Standards of Learning) tests are based on?

Answer: The Virginia Board of Education at the state level

The Virginia Board of Education establishes the SOL academic standards for the Commonwealth, which local school divisions are then responsible for teaching.