US constitution key words

• legislative branch (congress)


  makes laws, imposes taxes and declares war
• house of representatives (lower house)

  435 voting members called congressmen (number based on states population)
• senate (upper house)


  100 members called senators (2 from each state)
• Qualifications to be in congress

  live in the state you represent

  be a citizen (senator - 9 years; representative - 7 year)

  be 30 or older (sen)

  be 25 or older (rep)
• impeach 


  to bring charges of wrongdoing against a federal official
• senate jobs 


  ratify treaties

  review presidential appointments

  act as jury in impeachment hearings
• congressional terms of office

  senate - 6 years

  house - 2 years
• bill 


  a proposed law under consideration by congress
• house duties 


  taxes

  impeach officials

  regulate commerce

  (all finance bills start in the house then go to the senate)
• what do the senate approve

  approves supreme court justices
• judicial review/ supreme court

  power to declare laws unconsitutional
• main job of the supreme court

  interpret the constitution
• executive branch responsibility 


  carries out the law (passed by congress)
• cabinet 


  advises the president on policy (for farming education foreign affairs etc)
• 6 principles of the constitution

  limited government

  separation of powers

  checks and balances

  federalism

  judicial review

  popular sovereignty
• federalism 


  division of powers between states and a central (federal government)
• bill of rights 


  first 10 amendments to the constitution
• judicial review 


  power of the supreme court to call laws/ acts of legislature or executive unconstitutional