U.S.

Government Cheat Sheet

Separation of Powers Federalism

Executive Branch Judicial Branch National Government
(Carries out the laws) (Interprets the laws) (Delegated Powers)
Membership Membership • Coin money
• President—George W. Bush • Supreme Court—9 members • Maintain armed forces
• Declare war
• Vice President—Dick Cheney • Chief Justice—John Roberts
• Regulate interstate & foreign commerce
• Cabinet Term
• Make all laws “necessary & proper” for carrying out delegated
Requirements for President & VP • Life powers
• At least 35 years old Powers & Duties
State Government
• Natural-born US citizen • Exercise Judicial Review (Reserved Powers)
• US resident for 14 years prior Landmark Decisions • Conduct elections
Term for President • Marbury v. Madison—Judicial Review • Establish schools
• 4 years, 2 term maximum • Regulate businesses within a state
Powers & Duties of President
• McCulloch v. Maryland—National Supremacy • Establish local governments

• Appoint officials (Requires approval) • Dred Scott . Sandford--Citizenship • Make marriage laws

• Sign or veto bills • Plessy v. Ferguson—Separate but Equal • Assume other powers not given to the national government
or denied to the states
• Wage war (Requires approval) • Korematsu v. US—Wartime Powers
• Joint Government
Negotiate treaties (Requires approval) • Brown v. Board of Education—Desegregation (Concurrent Powers)
• Grant pardons
• Call Special Sessions of Congress
• Mapp v. Ohio—Search Warrants • Enforce laws
• Establish courts
• Gideon v. Wainwright—Right to Counsel • Borrow money
• Miranda v. Arizona—Self-Incrimination • Protect public safety
• Punish criminals
Legislative •Branch
Reynolds v. Sim—One man, One Vote • Build roads
(Makes the laws)
Congress Amendments
Write bills, Tax, Declare war, Override vetoes, Propose amendments 1. Rights Retained by the People
3. Freedom of Religion, Speech, 2. Powers Reserved to the States
Senate House of Representatives 4.
Press, Assembly, & Petition
Right to Bear Arms
13. Abolition of Slavery
14. Citizenship
Membership Membership 5. Quartering of Troops 15. Suffrage—Race
• 100 members, 2 per state • 435 members, based on state population 6. Searches & Seizures 17. Direct Election of Senators
• KY—Mitch McConnell & Jim Bunning • KY—6, Ron Lewis 7. Criminal Proceedings; Due 19.
22.
Suffrage—Gender
Presidential Term Limits
Requirements Process; Eminent Domain
Requirements 8. Criminal Proceedings 24. Poll Taxes
• At least 30 years old • At least 25 years old 9. Civil Trials 25. Presidential Succession
26. Suffrage—Age
Term Term 10. Cruel & Unusual Punishment
• 6 years, unlimited • 2 years, unlimited
Powers & Duties Powers & Duties
• Approve presidential appointments • Make impeachments Constitutional Principles
• Approve treaties Leadership Limited Government
• Try impeachments • Speaker of the House—Nancy Pelosi Separation of Powers
Leadership Checks & Balances
• President pro Tempore—Robert C. Byrd Popular Sovereignty
Individual Rights
 Presidential Elections Learning Targets
1. I can compare & contrast various forms of government in the world & evaluate how effective they have been in establishing order,
Political Parties & Ideologies providing security & accomplishing common goals.
• Democrats—Liberals
2. I can explain & give examples of how democratic governments preserve & protect the rights & liberties of their constituents through
different sources.
• Republicans—Conservatives 3. I can analyze how powers of government are distributed & shared among levels & branches & evaluate how this distribution of powers
protects the "common good".
• Third Parties 4. I can interpret the principles of limited government & evaluate how these principles protect individual rights & promote the "common good.”
o Green Party
o Libertarian Party 5. I can explain & give examples of how the rights of one individual may, at times, be in conflict with the rights of another.
o Reform Party 6. I can explain how the rights of an individual may, at times, be in conflict with the responsibility of the government to protect the "common
good".
Primaries & Caucuses—January to May 7. I can evaluate the impact citizens have on the functioning of a democratic government by assuming responsibilities and duties.
• st
1 Primary—New Hampshire

• 1st Caucus—Iowa
How a Bill Becomes a Law Key Terms
National Convention—Summer Amendment
• Nominate candidate Bill of Rights
• Approve party platform Census
Checks & Balances
General Campaign—Summer to November Citizen
• Raise money Civil Liberties
• Conduct opinion polls Civil Rights
• Make appearances Common Good
• Produce commercials Conservative
• Debate opponents Constitutionalism
Declaration of Independence
Election Day—November Delegated Powers
Democracy
Electoral College—December Dictatorship
• 538 total electoral votes Double Jeopardy
• 270 needed to win presidency Due Process
• KY—8 Equal Representation
• Winner-Take-All & Minority Presidents Executive Branch
o 1824—John Q Adams v. Andrew Jackson Federalism
o 1876—Rutherford Hayes v. Samuel Tilden Ideology
o 1888—Benjamin Harrison v. Grover Cleveland Implied Powers
o 2000—George W. Bush v. Al Gore Judicial Branch
Judicial Review
What If No One Wins? Jurisdiction
• House of Representatives chooses President
Legislative Branch
Legitimacy
• Senate chooses Vice President Liberal
Limited Government
Magna Carta
Presidential Roles Monarchy
Commander-in-Chief Chief Diplomat Natural Rights
Chief Executive Party Leader Naturalization
Legislative Leader Chief of State Political Participation
Power
Popular Sovereignty
Proportional Representation
Key Individuals Public Policy
Republic
John Locke Franklin Roosevelt Rule of Law
Baron de Montesquieu Richard Nixon Separation of Powers
Thomas Jefferson John Marshall Sovereignty
James Madison Earl Warren Suffrage
Abraham Lincoln Susan B. Anthony Tyranny
Andrew Johnson Martin Luther King, Jr. US Constitution
Writ of Habeas Corpus