Chapter 11: Congress 

1. What is a bill and how does it become a law? 

A bill is a proposed legislation. It only becomes a law when it is reviewed by the 

legislature, and approved by the executive. 

2. What are the main differences between the House of Representatives 

and the Senate? 

The House of Representatives supports the voice of the masses, while the 
Senate protects the interests of the elites. 

3. Explain the four types of Congressional Committees. 

The standing committees handle bills in different policy areas. Joint committees 
are only in a few policy areas, such as economy and taxation, and get their 
members from both the Senate and the House. Conference committees are only 
made when the Senate and the House of Representatives pass different 
versions of the same bill. This committee consists of members of each house and 
make a compromise between both of the similar bills. Select committees are 
either temporary or permanent and usually focus on something specific. 

Chapter 12: The Presidency 

1. What are the Constitutional requirements for being President? 

Be a natural-born citizen of the United States, at least 35 years old, and be a 

resident in the United States for at least 14 years. 

2. What are the Constitutional Powers of the President? 

There are a lot, but some of them include: Serve as commander in chief of the 
armed forces, make treaties with other nations, subject to the agreement of 
two-thirds of the Senate, Present information on the state of the union to 
Congress, veto legislation, Execute federal laws, Nominate officials as provided 
for by Congress and with the agreement of a majority of the Senate, Grant 
pardons for federal offenses, and Nominate federal judges, who are confirmed 
by a majority of the Senate. 

3. How many presidents have been impeached? 

Two- Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton 

Chapter 13: The Budget 

1. What are the major sources of federal revenue? 

Personal income taxes, corporate income taxes, and social insurance taxes. 

2. Explain the 16​th​ Amendment and why it was added. 

The 16th Amendment permits Congress to levy an income tax. This was added 
because the income tax at the time was declared unconstitutional in ​Pollock v. 
Farmer’s Loan and Trust Co. ​This then pushed the government to create the 16th 
Amendment. 

3. What is the largest social policy of the federal government? 

Social Security 

4. Explain the budget process. 

First, the President submits a budget request to Congress. Then, Congress pass 
the budget resolutions. House and Senate subcommittees then revise 
appropriations bills. House and Senate then vote on appropriations bills and 
coordinate and work out the differences. Lastly, the President signs each 
appropriations bill and the bills become laws. 
Chapter 14: The Federal Bureaucracy 

1. Who are bureaucrats and what do they do? 

Bureaucrats are people that work for the government, and provide many public 
resources. The generalization of what they do is that they implement 
government policy- to take the laws and decisions made by government officials 
and put them into practice. 

2. What are some of the most come myths about 

bureaucrats/bureaucracies? 

Americans dislike bureaucrats, bureaucracies are growing bigger each year, 

most federal bureaucrats work in Washington D.C, and bureaucracies are 
ineffective, inefficient, and always mired in red tape 

3. Explain the merit principle? 

The merit principle is when the government uses entrance exams and 
promotion ratings to reward qualified individuals. This is intended to produce an 
administration of people with talent and skill. 

4. What is the Pendleton Civil Service Act? What is the Hatch Act? 

The Pendleton Civil Service Act created the federal civil service. The Hatch Act 
prohibits civil service employees from actively participating in partisan politics 
while on duty. 

5. How is the federal bureaucracy organized? 

The President is at the top, and underneath the President is the Department of 
State, Department of the Treasury, Department of Defense, and the 
Department of Justice. Then, underneath that, is the Department of the 
Interior, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of 
Labor, and the Department of Transportation. Then, at the bottom of the 
Executive Branch, is the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 
Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Energy, Department 
of Education, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of 
Homeland Security. 

Chapter 15: The Courts 

1. What is the purpose of the judiciary system? 

It serves as a place where two parties can bring their conflict before a judge. 

2. How are the courts organized? 

At the top is the Supreme Court. Underneath are the 12 Courts of Appeals and 
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which both appeal to the Supreme 
Court. Underneath the 12 Courts of Appeals, are the Independent Regulatory 
Commissions, and the 91 District Courts. Both of these appeal to the 12 Courts 
of Appeals. Underneath the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is the 
Legislative Courts (Courts of Military Appeals, etc.) which appeal to both the 
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Supreme Court. 

3. What is the role of the Supreme Court? Why did the founding fathers feel 
that a Supreme Court was necessary? 

Among deciding individual cases, it also resolves conflicts among the states and 
maintaining national supremacy in the law. It also ensures uniformity in the 
interpretation of the national laws. The founding fathers felt that a Supreme 
Court was necessary because they needed an overruling court that could 
maintain the interpretation of the national laws and that could handle the 
bigger cases.  

4. Why do Supreme Court Justices serve lifetime appointments? 

Supreme Court Justices serve lifetime appointments because this way they can 
issue rulings based on the law, rather than political favor.