U.S. Civics Test – Constitution and Government

The Constitution says: We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. With the words We the People, the Constitution states that the people set up the government. The government works for the people and protects the rights of people. In the United States, the power to govern comes from the people, who are the highest power. This is called popular sovereignty. The people elect representatives to make laws.

An amendment to the Constitution is a change or addition.

The Constitution of the United States currently has 27 amendments. The latest amendment was added in 1992 and deals with how representatives and senators are paid. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights and were added in 1791.

Our federal government has three parts. They are the Executive (President and about 5,000,000 workers), Legislative (Senate and House of Representatives), and Judicial (Supreme Court and lower Courts).

Our federal government has three parts. They are the Executive (President and about 5,000,000 workers), Legislative (Senate and House of Representatives), and Judicial (Supreme Court and lower Courts).

The Constitution separates the government's power into three branches to prevent one person or group from having too much power. Dividing government into three branches creates a system of checks and balances.

Congress makes federal laws. Federal law usually applies to all states and all people in the United States. Either side of Congress, the Senate or the House of Representatives, can propose a bill to address an issue. If both houses approve the bill, it goes to the president. If the president signs the bill, it becomes a federal law.

We elect a U.S. Senator for six years. The Framers of the Constitution wanted senators to be independent from public opinion. They thought a fairly long, six-year term would give them this protection. They also wanted longer Senate terms to balance the shorter two-year terms of the members of the House, who would more closely follow public opinion.

A U.S. Senator represents all people of the state. Senators are elected to serve the people of their state for six years. Each of the two senators represents the entire state."

The President signs bills to become laws. Every law begins as a proposal made by a member of Congress, either a senator (member of the Senate) or representative (member of the House of Representatives). If a majority of the Senate and House vote to pass the bill, it goes to the president. If the president wants the bill to become law, he signs it. If the president does not want the bill to become law, he vetoes it. The president cannot introduce a bill. If he has an idea for a bill, he must ask a member of Congress to introduce it.