REVIEW ACTIVITY #1: BASIC BACKGROUND INFORMATION
I. Identifications: DI = Dec. of Independence C = Constitution
____1. Written in 1787.
____2. Written mostly by Thomas Jefferson.
____3. Written to explain and justify the American colonies’ break from England.
____4. Attempted to correct the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
____5. Written in 1776.
____6. Called for a more powerful central government.
II. Identifications: AC = Articles of Confederation
USC = Constitution
____1. Currently in effect in the USA.
____2. In effect from 1776-1788.
____3. Created the first “central” government for the United Sates.
____4. Written in the attempt to improve the other.
____5. Believed that “order” was more important than “liberty.”
____6. Believed that “liberty” was more important than “order.”
____7. Created a “weak” central / national government.
____8. Created a “stronger” central government.
____9. More likely to require “unanimous” votes for major decisions.
III. Fill-in-the-Blanks.
1. The Constitutional convention was held in 1787 in the city of ________________.
2. The original intention of the 1787 Convention was to ______________________
_____________________________.
3. Those who attended the 1787 Constitutional Convention all believed the central
government had to have _____________ powers / responsibilities.
4. The individual who had the greatest influence at the Constitutional Convention, so
much in fact that he became known as the “Father of the Constitution,” was ______
___________________.
5. The main strategy used to resolve / settle disputes during the writing of the new
Constitution was ________________________________.
IV. The Structure of the Constitution.
A) Amendments B) Articles C) Dec. of Independence D) Preamble
____1. Name given to the introduction to the Constitution.
____2. Name given to the seven original sections of the Constitution.
____3. Name given to the “additions to,” / “changes in” the Constitution.
____4. It is not a part / section of the Constitution.
REVIEW #2: PRINCIPLES OF U.S. GOVERNMENT
I. Identifications:
A) Concurrent Powers C) Reserved Powers
B) Delegated Powers D) Separation of Powers
____1. Powers that remained with the states.
____2. Powers that were taken from the states and assigned to the federal gov’t.
____3. Powers that belong to BOTH the federal government and the states.
____4. Assigns certain powers to one of three branches of government: legislative,
executive, or judicial.
____5. Only principle listed that divides powers within a single government rather than
between different governments.
II. More Identifications:
A) Democracy B) Federal System C) Republic
____1. Plan for government in which powers are divided up among many
governments.
____2. Plan for government in which voters elect representatives who then have the
job / responsibility to enact and enforce laws.
____3. System of government in which every citizen votes on every issue.
____4. Only one of the above principles that is not provided for in the Constitution.
III. Still More Identifications:
A) Amendment Process D) Judicial Review
B) Checks and Balances E) Necessary and Proper Clause
C) Impeachment Process
____1. Allows the Congress to enact very specific laws to carry out its rather vague /
general responsibilities.
____2. Procedure for removing officials who abuse, misuse, or fail to use their
assigned powers.
____3. Allows the federal courts to declare federal and state laws and lower federal
and state court decisions “unconstitutional.”
____4. Procedure for making changes in the Constitution.
____5. Allows each branch of government to limit the actions of the other branches.
REVIEW ACTIVITY #3
I. IDENTIFICATIONS:
E) Executive Branch J) Judicial Branch L) Legislative Branch
____01. Makes laws.
____02. Enforces laws.
____03. Decides the meaning of a law.
____04. Carries out U.S. foreign policy.
____05. Enacts taxes.
____06. Appoints federal administrators.
____07. Removes federal officials from office.
____08. Decides if a law is constitutional.
____09. Appoints federal judges.
II. IDENTIFICATIONS:
D) Delegated powers R) Reserved powers C) Concurrent Powers
____01. Powers that belong only to the states.
____02.Powers that belong only to the federal government.
____03. Powers that are shared by the federal government and the states.
____04. To declare war.
____05. To create a postal system.
____06. To collect taxes.
____07. To conduct elections.
____08. To propose amendments to the Constitution.
____09. To approve / ratify amendments to the Constitution.
____10. To print / coin money.
____11. To regulate “interstate” trade.
____12. To regulate “intrastate” trade.
____13. To enforce laws.
____14. To set marriage and divorce laws.
____15. To set standard weights and measures.
____16. To make treaties with foreign nations.
____17. To establish a system of education.
____18. To establish courts.
Review #4: Checks and Balances
Choices:
L>E = Legislative “checks” Executive
L>J = Legislative “checks” Judicial
E>L = Executive “checks” Legislative
E>J = Executive “checks” Judicial
J>L & E = Judicial “checks” Legislative and Executive
L & states>J = Legislative and states “check” Judicial
_____01. The president vetoes a bill.
_____02. Congress overrides a presidential veto.
_____03. The Supreme Court declares a federal law unconstitutional.
_____04. The president calls a special session of Congress.
_____05. Congress impeaches and tries a federal judge.
_____06. The president “suggests” a new law.
_____07. Congress approves a presidential appointment.
_____08. Congress impeaches and tries the President.
_____09. The president appoints a Supreme Court justice.
_____10. Congress approves a treaty the president negotiated with a foreign country.
_____11. An amendment to the Constitution is adopted to overturn a federal court
ruling.
_____12. The president pardons a person convicted of a crime in federal court.
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VII. Legislative Branch of Government
Identifications: HR) House of Representatives
USS) US Senate
USC) US Congress
_____01. 100 members.
_____02. 435 members.
_____03. 535 members.
_____04. Officially enacts laws.
_____05. Members serve 2 year terms.
_____06. One-third (1/3) of its members are elected every two years.
_____07. Every state has two members in this branch.
_____08. Some states send more law-makers to this branch than do others.
_____09. Its members serve 6 year terms.
_____10. It can be presided over by the Vice-President.
_____11. It is presided over by the “Speaker.”
_____12. It can be presided over by the President Pro-tempore.
_____13. It approves all presidential appointments.
_____14. It impeaches federal officials.
_____15. It declares war.
_____16. It elects the president when the Electoral College fails to do so.
_____17. It approves treaties with foreign nations.
_____18. It governs federal territories.
_____19. All tax bills must start in this branch.
_____20. It tries all impeachment cases.
_____21. It is the only one that can have an entirely new membership after an
election.
_____22. A state’s representation in this body is not affected by the census.
_____23. Richard Durbin represents you in this branch.
_____24. Philip Crane represents you in this branch.
_____25. Peter Fitzgerald represents you in this branch.
_____26. Of the three choices above, the only one Philip Crane does not belong to.
_____27. Of the three choices above, the only one R.Durbin and P.Fitzgerald do not
belong to.
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VIII. Law-Making Procedure
True or False:
___01. A “bill” is another word for a “law.”
___02. “Suggesting a bill” is the same as “introducing” a bill.
___03. Bills can be suggested by anyone.
___04. Bills can be introduced by anyone.
___05. Bills are reviewed by specialized committees before they are considered by
either the House or the Senate.
___06. Bills can be changed after their introduction.
___07. House or Senate committees can submit “substitute” bills for introduced bills.
___08. A bill has to pass only one branch of Congress before a president can sign it
into law.
___09. The president has a choice between a House or Senate version of a bill.
___10. Bills must pass the House and Senate in identical form before they can be
sent to the president.
___11. Differences between a House and Senate version of a bill are resolved by a
House - Senate “Conference” committee.
___12. A two-thirds (2/3s) majority is needed in each branch of Congress before a
bill is sent to the president.
___13. A House or Senate committee can “kill” a bill, thus preventing it from becoming
a new law.
___14. The president legally can take six days to sign a bill into law.
___15. The president legally can take sixteen days to sign a bill into law.
___16. A bill can become a law without the president’s signature.
___17. The president can veto bills.
___18. The House and Senate are powerless to override a presidential veto.
___19. Vetoed bills can still become laws.
___20. A 2/3’s vote is needed in either the House or the Senate to override a
presidential veto.
___21. A 2/3’s vote is needed in both the House and the Senate to override a
presidential veto.
___22. A vetoed bill that receives a 75 % override vote in the House and a 60 %
override vote in the Senate will become a law.
___23. A vetoed bill that receives a 67% override vote in the House and a 80%
override vote in the Senate will become a law.
___24. A vetoed bill that receives 400 override votes in the House and 70 override
votes in the Senate will become a new law.
___25. The US Supreme Court is required by the Constitution to formally rule on the
constitutionality of all new laws passed by the legislative and executive
branches.
Review #7: Executive Branch
I. True OR False:
___01. The Constitution created the office of Vice-President.
___02. The Constitution created the President’s Cabinet.
___03. The Cabinet helps the president enforce laws.
___04. The Cabinet can advise the president.
___05. There are six years in a normal presidential term.
___06. A president can run for reelection.
___07. A president can serve more than eight years.
___08. A president can be elected to more than two full terms.
___09. The president is commander-in-chief of U.S. armed forces.
___10. The president is banned from suggesting new laws.
___11. The president must report to Congress on the State of the Union at least once
a year.
___12. The president has the authority to recommend an annual federal budget.
___13. The president appoints federal judges.
___14. Cabinet members have set, four year terms.
___15. Vacancies in the office of Vice-President are filled.
___16. If something happens to the president, the Speaker of the House becomes
president.
Review #8: The Election of the President
I. Election Year Time line.
A) Pre-November C) Mid-December
B) Early November D) Early January, next calendar year
____01. Voters of a state elect Presidential Electors.
____02. Major parties select their presidential candidates.
____03. Members of the Electoral College cast their ballots for president.
____04. Political parties in each state nominate their candidates for Presidential
Electors.
____05. Parties hold their national party conventions.
____06. The Vice-President counts Presidential Electors’ ballots.
II. Fill in the Blanks:
01. Nationwide, there are total of ______ electoral votes.
02. Illinois currently has ______electoral votes.
03. The state that currently has the most electoral votes is ____________________
04. The fewest number of electoral votes a state can have is ________.
05. A candidate needs to receive _______ electoral votes in the Electoral College
to win the presidency.
06. If the Electoral College fails to elect a president, the new president will be selected
by the _______________________________.
07. The formula for determining the number of electoral votes a state receives is
___________________________________________________________.
III. True OR False:
___01. All states have electoral votes.
___02. All states have the same number of electoral votes.
___03. Awarding a state’s electoral votes is based on a “winner-gets-all” principle.
___04. The president is elected by popular votes.
___05. A candidate’s “% of electoral votes” is based on his “% of popular votes.”
___06. In a state, more people can vote against “Candidate A” than for him and yet
“Candidate A” can receive all the state’s electoral votes.
___07. A presidential candidate who wins the most states automatically wins in the
Electoral College.
___08. The candidate who gets the most electoral votes automatically wins the
presidency.
___09. Presidential electors legally can change their votes.
Review Activity #9: The Amendments
I. Completions:
01. The minimum age for voting in the U.S. is ________________.
02. The Prohibition amendment banned ________________________________.
03. U.S. Senators are elected by _____________________________________.
04. Amendments may be proposed by either _______________ or ____________.
05. Amendments can only be ratified by ____________________.
06. Criminal or civil trials must be p_________ and p_____________.
07. One person may serve a maximum of _________ years as president.
08. The 23rd Amendment gave the residents of the city of ____________________
the right to vote for president.
09. The “suffrage amendment” gave women the right to ________________.
10. The only way to cancel an amendment is to ____________________________.
11. The president is inaugurated on the date of ________________________.
12. The First Amendment guarantees the five freedoms of 1)_________________,
2)_____________________, 3)___________________, 4________________,
and 5)____________________________.
13. The Bill of Rights protects individual citizens from the ____________________.
II. Multiple Choice:
01. Slavery is [ legal OR illegal].
02. Vacancies in the Vice-Presidency [ are filled before OR remain vacant
until ] the next presidential election.
03. Income taxes are [ legal OR illegal ].
04. Immigrants [ can OR cannot ] become citizens of the United States.
05. “Bench” (judge only) trials are [ legal OR illegal ].
06. Citizens [ can be forced to OR can volunteer to ] “quarter” (provide room
and board) military forces in their homes.
07. The Constitution bans [ all searches OR illegal searches ] of suspects.
08. People on trial [ do not have to OR must ] testify against themselves.
09. The charges against a suspect [ can be kept secret OR must be made
public ].
10. The accused [ do OR do not ] have the right to have a lawyer.
11. Witnesses [ can OR cannot ] be compelled to testify for the accused.
12. In most cases, the identify of those who accuse a suspect [ can be kept secret
from OR must be made known to] the suspect.
made known
Review #10: The Flag and Voting
I. The Flag.
01. The “stripes” on our flag represent _______________________________.
02. The “stars” on our flag represent _________________________________.
03. The “blue” region of our flag is called the ______________.
04. Our flag may be flown at night under the condition that ____________________.
05. The proper way to dispose of a flag is to / by___________________________.
06. Flag Display: May Use More than Once
H) Highest L) Left M) Middle R) Right
___a. The “blue” region should be in this upper corner.
___b. To this side of a speaker on a stage.
___c. When displayed with the flags of the states.
___d. When displayed in a group of three.
___e. When displayed with the flags of other nations.
II. Voting.
01. The purpose of a “primary election” is to _____________________________.
02. The purpose of a “general election” is to _____________________________.
03. A “yes” / “no” vote on a specific issue is called a r___________________.
04. Primary elections in Illinois are held in the month of _________________.
05. General elections always occur in the month of _________________________.
06. General elections are always held on this day of the week:_______________.
07. A voter’s assigned voting place is called a p_________________.
08. Voters must “reregister” [ before every general election OR only when
they change their legal residence ].
09. Another name for the “Australian ballot” is the / a _____________ ballot.
10. The two requirements for “paper ballot” voting are 1)_____________________
and 2)_____________________________.
11. The type of voting system currently used in suburban Cook County is the
______________________________.
12. This type of ballot permits people to vote who will be unable to go to their voting
precinct on election day:________________________.
13. When a voter votes for candidates from different parties for different offices he or
she is casting a “_____________” ticket / ballot.
14. When a voter votes only for the candidates of one party, he or she is casting a
“_________________” ticket / ballot.
