US Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield US facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. The Due Process Clause appears in which amendments? → 5th and 14th Amendments
2. Which study approach is most effective for Electoral Process material? → Active recall with practice questions
3. The doctrine of 'substantive due process' has been used by the Supreme Court to protect which category of rights? → Fundamental rights not explicitly listed in the Constitution
4. Why is continuing education important in Judicial Review? → To stay current with evolving standards and practices
5. Which constitutional amendment changed the date presidential terms begin? → Twentieth Amendment
6. What does 'ripeness' mean as a jurisdictional requirement for judicial review? → The dispute must be sufficiently developed and immediate for court resolution
7. Under the original Constitution before the 17th Amendment, how were US Senators chosen? → By state legislatures
8. The Federalist Papers were written primarily to persuade which state to ratify the Constitution? → New York
9. Which Supreme Court case held that same-sex couples have a fundamental right to marry under the 14th Amendment? → Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)
10. What is the primary purpose of professional certification in Civil Liberties? → To validate competency and knowledge in the field
11. Which companion case to Brown v. Board of Education applied equal protection principles to the federal government via the 5th Amendment? → Bolling v. Sharpe (1954)
12. What is the relationship between theory and practice in Amendments? → Theory provides the foundation; practice applies it to real situations
13. Block grants differ from categorical grants primarily because block grants: → Give states broad discretion in how to spend the funds
14. Which doctrine allows federal courts to avoid deciding constitutional questions when a case can be resolved on other grounds? → Constitutional avoidance
15. Which New Deal-era constitutional crisis most directly threatened the independence of judicial review? → President Roosevelt's Court-packing plan of 1937
16. In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), the Supreme Court ruled that Maryland could NOT tax the national bank because of which constitutional principle? → Federal supremacy
17. What role does ethics play in Amendments practice? → It guides professional conduct and protects stakeholders
18. Which constitutional amendment was the basis for legalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade, and was later cited in its reversal in Dobbs v. Jackson? → A right to privacy implied in the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
19. Under what circumstances may the President make recess appointments without Senate confirmation? → During a Senate recess of sufficient length, typically at least 10 days
20. Which clause of the Constitution compels states to return fugitives from justice to the state from which they fled? → Extradition Clause
21. Which of the following is NOT considered a 'suspect classification' triggering strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause? → Wealth or economic status
22. Which feature of the Constitution allows it to be updated to reflect changing societal needs? → The amendment process
23. Which founding-era concept held that the people, not the government, are the ultimate source of all political authority? → Popular sovereignty
24. If the President vetoes a bill, what must Congress do to override the veto? → Pass the bill again by a two-thirds majority in both chambers
25. Who presided over the Constitutional Convention of 1787? → George Washington
26. Under the 25th Amendment, who assumes the presidency if the President is unable to discharge their duties? → The Vice President
27. Under Article II, who has the authority to determine how a state's electors are appointed? → The state legislature
28. Under the Seventeenth Amendment, how are vacancies in the Senate typically filled? → By the Governor appointing a temporary Senator until an election
29. Anti-Federalists opposed ratification primarily because the proposed Constitution lacked: → A bill of rights protecting individual liberties
30. Under the principle of judicial review, the Supreme Court can invalidate a law if it determines that law is: → Contrary to the Constitution