Who has the power to enforce laws?

President (Executive Branch)

Identify three key types of federal officials that are

appointed by the President.

SC Justices, ambassadors, cabinet members

How long is a President’s term in office? How many terms can one president

serve?

4 years, 2 terms

What are three of the Constitutional requirements

for being President?

35 years of age, natural born citizen of the U.S.,

resident for 14 years

What two types of government offices are held by people who later become

President?

senator & governor

What typically happens to Presidential candidates who

are either very liberal or very conservative? Give an

example.

they are defeated, Goldwater or McGovern

What religious background have all but one of our

Presidents come from? Who was the exception?

Protestant (non-Catholic Christian), JFK

Who are the first two people in line to succeed the

President?

the VP and then the Speaker of the House

Identify two ways the role of the VP has expanded since

Eisenhower.

represent U.S. to foreign countries, serve on the

NSC, play a larger policy shaping role

Who officially elects the President? How do you earn

votes in this system?

the electoral college, if you win the popular vote in a state you win all of the

electoral votes

What is the group of the President’s advisors called?

cabinet

Identify four Cabinet Departments.

Justice, State, HUD, Health and Human Services, Defense, Treasury, Interior, Labor,

Commerce, Transportation, Education, VA

Who approves cabinet appointees, do they

generally accept or reject them?

the Senate, accept

What are the two key factors that limit the role of the

cabinet?

conflicting loyalties with the President and maintaining secrecy with a large group

(14 of them)

Identify three ways the President tries to influence

Congress.

State of the Union, political favors and patronage, use

media to sway public opinion

What was the spoils system?

the idea that the President could appoint all of his

supporters to government posts

What did the Pendleton Act do?

it started the Civil Service system & therefore put an end to the spoils system

Approximately how many people currently work in the

federal bureaucracy?

close to 3 million

Give two examples of government corporations.

FDIC and the Postal Service

Give two examples of government agencies.

CIA, NASA, EP

What is deregulation? What is the most recent example of deregulation gone bad?

lessening the amount of power a regulatory

commission has over an industry, Enron

What SC decision established a precedent for

judicial review?

Marbury v. Madison

What is original jurisdiction? appellate jurisdiction?

original means that you’re the first court to hear the case, appellate means that you’ll

hear the case if it is appealed

Who has the ultimate appellate jurisdiction?

the Supreme Court

What case made segregation legal in the U.S.? what case

reversed it in 1954?

Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown vs. the Board

How many amendments are included in the Bill of Rights? What group pushed for it?

10, Anti-Federalists

What amendment protects you from unlawful search &

seizure?

4th

Which amendment protects your right to bear arms?

2nd

What right do some people feel is violated by the Death

Penalty?

No cruel or unusual punishment (8th)

Who has the power to declares laws/acts unconstitutional?

Judicial Branch/Supreme Court

What amendment protects the rights of the accused?

6th

What amendment protects you from self-incrimination?

5th

What freedoms are guaranteed by the First

Amendment?

Speech, religion, press, assembly, petition

What did the 14th Amendment do?

guaranteed citizenship rights to all citizens

How many justices are there on the Supreme Court? How long can each justice serve?

9, life

What did New Jersey v. TLO say about search and seizure

in schools?

schools can search you for a lesser reason than the

police can

What is the current decision on mandatory school prayer?

it’s illegal

When can religious practices be limited?

when they violate criminal laws

What is the current precedent decision

regarding abortion? What does it say?

Roe v. Wade, states can’t outlaw abortion

What is defamatory speech? Is it protected by the 1st

amendment?

speech that damages another person’s good name or character, no

During what war did the SC strongly limit freedom of

speech?

World War I

What is the only circumstance in which the U.S. government is allowed

to censor the press?

when national security is in danger