American Government Principles and Structure Flashcards
6 cards from real US practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 American Government Principles and Structure flashcards as text
What is the supreme law of the United States?
Answer: The Constitution
The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States, establishing the framework of the federal government and its powers.
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
Answer: The Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are collectively known as the Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791 to protect individual liberties.
How many branches does the US federal government have?
Answer: Three
The US federal government has three branches: the legislative (Congress), the executive (President), and the judicial (Supreme Court).
What is the role of the judicial branch?
Answer: To review laws and determine if they are constitutional
The judicial branch reviews laws and determines whether they comply with the Constitution, with the Supreme Court serving as the highest court.
What is the system of checks and balances designed to prevent?
Answer: Any one branch of government from becoming too powerful
Checks and balances prevent any single branch of the federal government from gaining too much power, ensuring a balance of authority.
Under the US Constitution, what is federalism?
Answer: A system where power is shared between national and state governments
Federalism is the constitutional division of power between the national (federal) government and state governments.