Officer: What is the form of government of the United States? You: Republic.
Officer: What is the supreme law of the land? You: The Constitution.
Officer: Name one thing the U.S. Constitution does. You: Protects basic rights.
Officer: The U.S. Constitution starts with 'We the People.' What does it mean? You: Self-government.
Officer: How are changes made to the Constitution? You: By amendments.
Officer: What does the Bill of Rights protect? You: Rights of Americans.
Officer: How many amendments does the Constitution have? You: 27.
Officer: Why is the Declaration of Independence important? You: It declared our independence from Britain.
Officer: What founding document said the American colonies were free from Britain? You: Declaration of Independence.
Officer: Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. You: Equality and Liberty.
Officer: The words 'Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness' are in what founding document? You: Declaration of Independence.
Officer: What is the economic system of the United States? You: Capitalism.
Officer: What is the rule of law? You: Everyone must follow the law.
Officer: Many documents influenced the U.S. Constitution. Name one. You: Magna Carta.
Officer: There are three branches of government. Why? You: Checks and balances.
Officer: Name the three branches of government. You: Legislative, Executive, Judicial.
Officer: The President is in charge of which branch? You: Executive.
Officer: What part of the federal government writes laws? You: Congress.
Officer: What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? You: Senate and House of Representatives.
Officer: Name one power of the U.S. Congress. You: Writes laws.
Officer: How many U.S. senators are there? You: 100.
Officer: How long is a term for a U.S. senator? You: 6 years.
Officer: Who is one of your state’s U.S. senators now? You: Alex Padilla.
Officer: How many voting members are in the House of Representatives? You: 435.
Officer: How long is a term for a U.S. Representative? You: 2 years.
Officer: Why do U.S. Representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. Senators? You: To follow public opinion.
Officer: How many U.S. Senators does each state have? You: 2.
Officer: Why does each state have two U.S. Senators? You: For equal representation.
Officer: Name your U.S. Representative. You: Mark DeSaulnier.
Officer: What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? You: (Name of current Speaker).
Officer: Who does a U.S. Senator represent? You: All people of the state.
Officer: Who elects U.S. Senators? You: The people of the state.
Officer: Who does a U.S. Representative represent? You: People in their district.
Officer: Who elects U.S. Representatives? You: Citizens in their district.
Officer: Some states have more U.S. Representatives than other states. Why? You: Because of the state’s population.
Officer: The President of the United States is elected for how many years? You: 4 years.
Officer: The President can serve only two terms. Why? You: Because of the 22nd Amendment.
Officer: What is the name of the President of the United States now? You: (Name of current President).
Officer: What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? You: (Name of current Vice President).
Officer: If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? You: The Vice President.
Officer: Name one power of the President of the United States. You: Signs bills into law.
Officer: Who is Commander in Chief of the U.S. military? You: The President.
Officer: Who signs bills to become laws? You: The President.
Officer: Who vetoes bills? You: The President.
Officer: Who appoints federal judges? You: The President.
Officer: Name one part of the executive branch. You: The Cabinet.
Officer: What does the President’s Cabinet do? You: Advises the President.
Officer: Name one Cabinet-level position. You: Secretary of State.
Officer: Why is the Electoral College important? You: It decides who is elected President.
Officer: What is one part of the judicial branch of the United States? You: The Supreme Court.
Officer: What does the judicial branch do? You: Reviews laws.
Officer: What is the highest court in the United States? You: The Supreme Court.
Officer: How many seats are on the Supreme Court? You: Nine.
Officer: How many Supreme Court justices are needed to decide a case? You: Five.
Officer: How long do Supreme Court justices serve? You: For life.
Officer: Why do Supreme Court justices serve for life? You: To be independent of politics.
Officer: Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? You: (Name of current Chief Justice).
Officer: Name one power that is only for the federal government. You: Print money.
Officer: Name one power that is only for the states. You: Give a driver’s license.
Officer: What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment? You: Powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or to the people.
Officer: Who is the governor of your state now? You: Gavin Newsom.
Officer: What is the capital of your state? You: Sacramento.
Officer: Describe one amendment about who can vote. You: Citizens 18 and older can vote.
Officer: Who can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and serve on a jury in the United States? You: U.S. citizens.
Officer: What are three rights of everyone living in the United States? You: Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly.
Officer: What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? You: The United States.
Officer: Name one promise new U.S. citizens make. You: Obey the laws of the United States.
Officer: How can people become United States citizens? You: By naturalization.
Officer: Name one example of civic participation in the United States. You: Vote.
Officer: What is one way Americans can serve their country? You: Serve in the military.
Officer: Why is it important for all men ages 18 through 25 to register for the Selective Service? You: Because it’s required by law.
Officer: Why does the United States have a Selective Service? You: So the government has names in case of a draft.
Officer: Why did the colonists come to America? You: For religious freedom.
Officer: Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? You: Native Americans.
Officer: What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves? You: Africans.
Officer: What war did the Americans fight to win independence from Britain? You: The Revolutionary War.
Officer: Name one reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain. You: Taxation without representation.
Officer: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? You: Thomas Jefferson.
Officer: When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? You: July 4, 1776.
Officer: Name one important event of the American Revolution. You: Battle of Saratoga.
Officer: Name five of the original thirteen states. You: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia.
Officer: What founding document was written at the Constitutional Convention of 1787? You: The Constitution.
Officer: Name one author of the Federalist Papers. You: James Madison.
Officer: Why were the Federalist Papers important? You: They supported the ratification of the Constitution.
Officer: Benjamin Franklin is famous for what? You: U.S. diplomat.
Officer: George Washington is famous for what? You: First President of the United States.
Officer: Thomas Jefferson is famous for what? You: He wrote the Declaration of Independence.
Officer: James Madison is famous for what? You: Father of the Constitution.
Officer: Alexander Hamilton is famous for what? You: First Secretary of the Treasury.
Officer: What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? You: The Louisiana Territory.
Officer: Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s. You: The Civil War.
Officer: Name the U.S. war between the North and the South. You: The Civil War.
Officer: Name one important event of the Civil War. You: The Battle of Gettysburg.
Officer: Abraham Lincoln is famous for what? You: He freed the slaves.
Officer: What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? You: Freed the slaves.
Officer: What U.S. war ended slavery? You: The Civil War.
Officer: Which amendment says that all persons born in the United States are citizens? You: The 14th Amendment.
Officer: When did all men get the right to vote? You: 1870.
Officer: Name one leader of the women’s rights movement in the 1800s. You: Susan B. Anthony.
Officer: Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s. You: World War II.
Officer: Why did the United States enter World War I? You: Because Germany attacked U.S. ships.
Officer: When did all women get the right to vote? You: 1920.
Officer: What was the Great Depression? You: A severe economic downturn in the 1930s.
Officer: When did the Great Depression start? You: 1929.
Officer: Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II? You: Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Officer: Why did the United States enter World War II? You: Because Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.
Officer: Dwight D. Eisenhower is famous for what? You: He was a U.S. General during World War II.
Officer: Who was the main rival of the United States during the Cold War? You: The Soviet Union.
Officer: During the Cold War, what was one main U.S. concern? You: Communism.
Officer: Why did the United States enter the Korean War? You: To stop the spread of communism.
Officer: Why did the United States enter the Vietnam War? You: To stop the spread of communism.
Officer: What did the civil rights movement do? You: Fought to end racial discrimination.
Officer: When did the September 11 terrorist attacks occur in the United States? You: September 11, 2001.
Officer: What war did the United States fight after the September 11 terrorist attacks? You: The War in Afghanistan.
Officer: Name one U.S. military conflict after the September 11 terrorist attacks. You: The Iraq War.
Officer: What is the capital of your state? You: Sacramento. (if you live in California)
Officer: Where is the White House? You: Washington, D.C.
Officer: What is the capital of the United States? You: Washington, D.C.
Officer: Where is the Statue of Liberty? You: New York Harbor.
Officer: Why does the flag have 13 stripes? You: Because there were 13 original colonies.
Officer: Why does the flag have 50 stars? You: Because there are 50 states.
Officer: What is the name of the national anthem? You: The Star-Spangled Banner.
Officer: When do we celebrate Independence Day? You: July 4.
Officer: Name two national U.S. holidays. You: Independence Day and Thanksgiving.
Officer: What is Memorial Day? You: A holiday to honor soldiers who died in military service.
Officer: What is Veterans Day? You: A holiday to honor people who served in the U.S. military.
Officer: What is Labor Day? You: A holiday to honor workers.
Officer: What is Thanksgiving? You: A holiday to give thanks.