The Senate and the Supreme Court

Review: About the Constitution

1. What is the “rule of law”?
2. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*
3. Name one branch or part of the government.*
4. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
5. What is an amendment?
6. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
7. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
8. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
9. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
10. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

Reading and Civics

Congress has two parts: the House and the Senate. The Senate is smaller, but has more power and respect.

Each state has only two senators. Each senator works for all the people in the state.

Who does a U.S. Senator represent? –> All people of the state

Every state has two senators, and we have 50 states. So, we have 100 senators in total.

How many U.S. Senators are there? –> 100

Senators have a lot of respect. For example, we elect representatives for only 2 years. We elect the president for only 4 years. But we elect US senators for 6 years!

We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? –> six

There is one more part or branch of the government: the courts, or judicial branch. Judges review laws and interpret them so we can understand them.

Also, if congress or the president do something against the law of the constitution, the courts can hold them responsible.

What does the judicial branch do? –> Reviews laws / interprets laws

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Every county in every state in the U.S. has a court. There are courts above those courts. And every state has a supreme court, too. We also have federal courts for every state, and courts above those courts.

The highest court in the U.S. is The Supreme Court.

What is the highest court in the United States? –> The Supreme Court

The judges on the supreme court are special, and are called justices. When one retires or dies, the president can choose a new judge. But, congress has to approve the new justice.

Right now, there are nine justices on the Supreme Court. John Roberts is the chief justice.

How many justices are on the Supreme Court? –> nine

Review: The House, the Senate, and the Supreme Court

1. Who makes federal laws?
2. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*
3. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
4. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
5. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
6. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
7. How many U.S. Senators are there?
8. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
9. What does the judicial branch do?
10. What is the highest court in the United States?
11. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?