2nd Nine Weeks Civics Study Guide

Answer the following questions on your own sheet of paper. (You MUST answer in complete sentences.)

DUE DATE: _________________________

Chapter 5 New Book (6 old) Legislative Branch

1. What is meant by a bicameral legislature?

2. Describe the House of Representatives.

3. Describe the Senate.

4. Define the following key terms: minority party, majority party, gerrymander, census, constituents, pocket veto, impeach, filibuster, speaker of the house, president pro tempore (DEFINTIONS ONLY).


5. Which part of the Constitution discusses the Legislative Branch?

Chapter 6 New Book (7 old) Executive Branch

6. What are the requirements for President?

7. What is the Electoral College?

8. List the first three people, according the Presidential Succession Act, who would become president if he were to leave office.

9. What is the importance of the 25th amendment?

10. Define the following key terms: embargo, trade sanctions, reprieve, amnesty, executive agreement, foreign aid (DEFINITIONS ONLY).


11. Which part of the Constitution discusses the Executive Branch?

12. What is an executive order?

13. List the seven roles and duties of the President. (LIST ONLY)

14. What is foreign policy? What is the basic goal of foreign policy?

Chapter 7 New Book (8 old) Judicial Branch

15. What is the main goal of the federal court system?

16. Which part of the Constitution discusses the Judicial Branch?

17. What is jurisdiction?

18. In which types of cases does the federal court system have jurisdiction?

19. What are maritime cases?

20. What are the three levels of the federal court system and what type of jurisdiction does each have?

21. Define the following key terms: constitutional, judicial review, plaintiff, defendant, testimony, precedence, majority opinion, concurring opinion, dissenting opinion (DEFINITIONS ONLY).

22. What is the difference between civil and criminal cases?

23. Explain the importance of Marbury v. Madison.



Play by the Rules

24. Define the following terms (Chapters 1 & 2): rule of law, civil law, criminal law, juvenile (DEFINITIONS ONLY).

25. What was the significance of In re Gault?

26. List the three classifications of crimes and explain what each one means. (Chapter 3)

27. Define deadly weapon and deadly instrument. What happens if you bring a weapon or deadly instrument to school? (Chapter 4)

28. Can a teacher or school administrator search your belongings? (Chapter 8)

29. What are some of your rights and responsibilities as a student? (Chapter 8)

30. What are some of your parents’ rights and responsibilities? (Chapter 8)

31. What is truancy? What might happen if you have too many tardies and/or absences? (Chapter 8)

32. Which court case dealt with a student’s 4th amendment rights? Which court case dealt with a student’s 1st amendment rights of free speech? (Chapter 8)

33. What was the outcome of each of these two cases? (Chapter 8)