Citizenship Study Guide 1
The Constitution & Foundations
Ask a friend to read you these questions out loud. Practice the answers without looking at the paper.
- 1. What is the form of government of the United States? (128 #1)
- 2. What is the supreme law of the land? (128 #2)
- 3. Name one thing the U.S. Constitution does. (128 #3)
- 4. The U.S. Constitution starts with the words "We the People." What does "We the People" mean? (128 #4)
- 5. How are changes made to the U.S. Constitution? (128 #5)
- 6. What does the Bill of Rights protect? (128 #6)
- 7. How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have? (128 #7)
- 8. What is the rule of law? (128 #13)
- 9. There are three branches of government. Why? (128 #15)
- 10. Name the three branches of government. (128 #16)
- 11. The President of the United States is in charge of which branch of government? (128 #17)
- 12. What part of the federal government writes laws? (128 #18)
- 13. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? (128 #19)
Answers: 1. Republic · constitution-based federal republic · representative democracy 2. The (U.S.) Constitution 3. Forms the government · defines powers of government · defines the parts of government · protects the rights of the people 4. Self-government · popular sovereignty · consent of the governed · people should govern themselves · social contract 5. Amendments · the amendment process 6. The basic rights of Americans · the basic rights of people living in the United States 7. Twenty-seven (27) 8. Everyone must follow the law · leaders must obey the law · government must obey the law · no one is above the law 9. So one part does not become too powerful · checks and balances · separation of powers 10. Legislative, executive, and judicial · Congress, president, and the courts 11. The executive branch 12. (U.S.) Congress · (U.S. or national) legislature · legislative branch 13. The Senate and House (of Representatives)
Read Aloud
Practice reading this sentence out loud. You DO NOT need to know the answer.
Name one right in the Bill of Rights.
Dictation
Copy the sentence 10 times. Then ask a friend to test you by reading the sentence to you, while you write it.
Freedom of speech is a right.
Your Interview
Practice with a friend.
- Have you ever…
- claimed to be a U.S. citizen?
- lied to an immigration officer? Or lied on an immigration application? (example: to get a green card)
- lied on your tax returns? (example: saying that you are not a U.S. resident, so you don't have to pay)
- failed to pay taxes? Do you owe any taxes?
- registered to vote in the U.S.? Voted in a U.S. election?
- been declared legally incompetent or confined to a mental institution?
- Have you ever…
- committed a crime (whether you were arrested or not)?
- been arrested, cited, or detained by the police?
- been charged or convicted of a crime? Been in jail?