U.S. Civics Test – Constitution and Government

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).

An amendment to the Constitution is a change or addition.

The House of Representatives has 435 voting members. The House of Representatives is the larger chamber of Congress. Since 1912, the House of Representatives has had 435 voting members. Each state must have at least one representative in the House.

The rule of law is vague, and its meaning can vary. Generally, however, it can be understood that everyone must follow the law, even the government and that no one is above the law. John Adams was one of the Founding Fathers and the second president of the United States. He wrote that our country is a government of laws and not of men. The U.S. Constitution is the foundation for the rule of law in the United States.

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 of the United States divides government power between the national government and state governments. The name for this division of power is federalism. Federalism is an essential idea in the Constitution. We call the Founding Fathers who wrote the Constitution the Framers of the Constitution. The Framers wanted to limit the powers of the government, so they separated them into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The Constitution explains the power of each branch. The Constitution also includes changes and additions, called amendments. The first ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights established the individual rights and liberties of all Americans.

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."

Freedom of religion means that you can practice any religion, or not practice a religion. It is a civil right guaranteed by the first amendment to the Constitution.

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.

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.