Social Studies - US History and Civics Flashcards

What document established the framework of the United States federal government?

Answer: The U.S. Constitution

The U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1788, created the structure of the federal government including its three branches.

What are the three branches of the U.S. federal government?

Answer: Legislative, Executive, Judicial

The three branches are the Legislative (Congress), Executive (President), and Judicial (courts) branches.

What is the purpose of the system of checks and balances in the U.S. government?

Answer: To prevent any one branch from gaining too much power

Checks and balances ensure each branch can limit the others, preventing any single branch from becoming too powerful.

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s–60s primarily sought to:

Answer: End racial segregation and secure equal rights for African Americans

The Civil Rights Movement used nonviolent protest and legal challenges to dismantle racial segregation and discrimination.

What was the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation (1863)?

Answer: It declared enslaved people in Confederate states to be free

Issued by President Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation declared enslaved people in rebel states free, shifting the Civil War's purpose.

What does 'popular sovereignty' mean in U.S. democracy?

Answer: Government power comes from the consent of the governed (the people)

Popular sovereignty means that the people are the ultimate source of governmental authority, expressed through elections and participation.