Text of the Unit II Review Game
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