My kid just wrapped up the Revolutionary War unit and we have just embarked on an unconstitutional war in Iran, so this seemed like as good a time as any to brush up on civics.
Beginner Level
Research and learn the answers to the following questions:
• What is the supreme law of the land? The Constitution of the United States of America
• What does the Constitution do? It is the foundation for the federal government and protects individual rights.
• The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution.
What are they? We the People
• What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution? The Bill of Rights
• Name two rights or two freedoms listed in the First Amendment (five are
possible). Religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
• What did the Declaration of Independence do? Formally severed the 13 American colonies' ties with Great Britain, announcing their separation to the world.
• Name two rights in the Declaration of Independence (three are possible). Life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
• What is freedom of religion? The ability to to believe, worship, and practice their faith without government coercion or discrimination.
• What is the economic system in the United States? Mixed economy. Capitalist private ownership with government intervention to regulate and provide public services.
• What is the “rule of law”? All people, institutions, and government entities are accountable to publicly promulgated, equally enforced, and independently adjudicated laws. No one is above the law.
Intermediate Level
Research and learn the answers to the following questions:
• Name the three branches of government. Legislative, executive, and judicial.
• What keeps one branch of government from becoming too powerful? A system of checks and balances established by the constitution.
• Who is in charge of the executive branch? The president.
• Who makes the federal laws? Congress.
• What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? House of Representatives and Senate.
• How many U.S. Senators are there? 100
• Name one of your state’s U.S. Senators and one of your state’s U.S.
Representatives. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are California's Senators. We have 52 seats in the House of Representatives and Congressman Lou Correa represents our district 46.
• What is the term of a U.S. Senator? 6 year terms that are staggered with no term limits.
• What is the term of a U.S. Representative? 2 year terms with no term limits.
• What is the term of the President? 4 year terms with a 2-term limit (22nd amendment).
• Who is the Commander in Chief of the military? The President, but only Congress can declare war.
• Who signs bills to become laws? The President.
Expert Level
Research and learn the answers to the following questions:
• Who vetoes bills? The President can veto bills. Congress can over-ride the veto with a 2/3 vote in both chambers.
• What does the judicial branch do? Interprets laws, applies them to specific cases, and determines if laws or executive actions violate the U.S. Constitution
• What is the highest court in the United States? The Supreme Court
• How many justices are on the Supreme Court? Nine.
• Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? John Glover Roberts, Jr.
• Under our Constitution, some powers belong solely to the federal government.
Name two (four are possible). Declaring war, printing money, regulating interstate trade, and making treaties.
• Under our Constitution, some powers belong solely to the states. Name two
(five are possible). Education system, intrastate commerce, police powers of safety/health/welfare, conducting elections, and establishing local governments.
• Who is the Governor of your state now? Gavin Newsom
• What is the capital of your state? Sacramento
• What are the two major political parties in the United States? Democrats and Republicans
• What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? Mike Johnson
Extra Credit:
What are the US Territories? Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands. Their members are US citizens but lack voting representation.
How come Arizona has no DST but California is still springing forward years after voting to end it? Uniform Time Act of 1966 allows states to opt out of daylight saving time. This is what Arizona did because the extreme heat would make jobs less safe under DST hours. Hawaii has a similar arrangement. California Proposition 7 passed in 2018 giving California legislature the ability to drop out of observing DST. From there, CA Senate bill 51 was proposed to put California on standard time year round, but it stalled in committee.
What is an executive order? A directive issued by the President to federal agencies which has the force of law but does not need Congressional approval. They can be challenged in court if they exceed constitutional or statutory authority. They can't contradict existing legislation, spend money not appropriated by Congress, or create new taxes. They can be revoked or modified by subsequent presidents. Previous examples of executive orders have been the suspension of habeas corpus (protection against indefinite imprisonment without trial) to address secessionist activities during the civil war and to quell activities of the Ku Klux Klan and creation of internment camps during world war 2.
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