US CONSTITUTION STUDY GUIDE
1. What amendment gave 18 year olds the right to vote? When was if ratified? Why?
2. In the original Constitution, how many times may the president be elected to office? How many times may the President be elected to office today? When did this change take place? Why?
3. What fraction of state legislatures must approve an amendment to the US Constitution?
4. Division of power between national governments and state governments is called what?
5. What courts are parts of the federal court system? Which are not?
6. How many judges are on the Supreme Court today?
7. What is the chief duty of the executive branch?
8. Who appoints executive branch cabinet members?
9. If no candidate for president of the United States receives a majority in the Electoral College, which body decides who will be president, and how do they decide? Has this happened in U.S. History? When?
10. Who is the Commander-In-Chief of the armed forces? When does that person take on the role as Commander-In-Chief?
11. How many amendments have there been to the United States Constitution?
12. In changing the Constitution, what is the usual role of Congress?
13. What are the primary checks the legislative branch has over the judicial branch?
14. What name is given to the process by which a court system interprets the laws and finds them constitutional or unconstitutional?
15. The “full faith and credit” clause would apply mainly to relations between what two parties?
16. What are the primary qualifications to be the President of the United States?
17. How long is the term of the President of the United States?
18. Which cabinet officer is responsible for foreign affairs?
19. What are the most important weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
20. What is the correct chronology for the creation of the following: The Articles of Confederation, The U.S. Constitution, The Bill of Rights, The Declaration of Independence.
21. Who is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives?
22. What is the name given to a type of law that Congress is not allowed to pass? 23. What name is given to the eighteen powers given to Congress in the Constitution?
24. If the president receives a bill that has passed both houses of Congress and he does nothing about the bill, what happens after 10 days. (Congress is still in session.)
25. What is the primary purpose of The Bill of Rights?
26. What are the qualifications for becoming a Senator or Representative?
27. How can Congress override a presidential veto?
28. What is an ex post facto law? What is wrong with
