US Law and Government

The House of Representatives is designed to represent the people directly. Therefore, the number of representatives per state is determined by the state's population as measured by the census.

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution are collectively known as the Bill of Rights.

A veto is the constitutional power of the President to reject a bill passed by Congress, thereby preventing it from becoming law.

The President has the power to negotiate treaties, which must then be ratified by a two-thirds vote in the Senate. This power falls under the Executive branch.

The U.S. Constitution is organized into seven articles that define the structure of the government and the powers of each branch.

The Preamble outlines the goals and purposes of the Constitution, such as establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, and promoting the general welfare.

The Legislative branch is made up of the federal Congress (Senate and House of Representatives), not state legislatures. State legislatures are part of state governments.

Checks and balances ensure that no single branch of government becomes too powerful by allowing each branch to limit the actions of the others.

The President serves as the Commander in Chief of the armed forces. This role is established in Article II of the Constitution.

The Cabinet is composed of the heads of the executive departments, such as the Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense. They serve as the primary advisory body to the President.

To appoint someone is to assign them to a position, typically by an authority figure, rather than through a public election process. This is common for federal judges and cabinet members.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, workplaces, and public accommodations.

Poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses were all common tactics used by Southern states to disenfranchise African American voters after the Civil War.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was specifically designed to enforce the 15th Amendment and remove legal barriers that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote.