This document provides an overview and review of topics covered in a civics unit on the federal system in the United States. It includes summaries of five topics: federalism, the legislative branch and congressional powers, the lawmaking process, an overview of the executive branch, and ways the executive branch influences policymaking. For each topic, it outlines what was covered in class, activities, important concepts to know, and sample multiple choice questions.

1. Unit 5: The Federal System

2. Overview

 On these slides is an overview of what we did
during the unit and the topics we’ve covered. I’ve
also included a multiple choice question for each
topic to help you see what kinds of question I may be
asking about that topic on the test.

3. Topic #1: Federalism

 What we did in class: We talked about relationships
that we have in our own lives-with friends, family,
girlfriends/boyfriends, students, teachers- to
understand the meaning of relationship. We then
took this idea to talk about civics and the
relationship that the national government has with
state governments.

4. Topic #1: Federalism

 Activities in class:
 School House Rock Clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLQg7G3hkGY
 Practice with which powers belong to the national
govt, which belong to the state govts, or both

5. Topic #1: Federalism

 What you need to know:
 The U.S. Constitution created a federal system in which
the national government is supreme or has the authority
over state govts (with some limits)
 Powers that aren’t given to the national govt are given to
state govts in the 10th Amendment in the U.S. Constitution
 National and state govts are not allowed to do certain
things (national govt can’t violate your freedoms in the
Bill of Rights; states cannot make treaties with other
countries)

6. Topic #1: Federalism

 What you need to know, part deux:
 Primary responsibilities of each level of government
•National: Conducts foreign policy, regulates
commerce, and provides for the common defense
•State: Promotes public health, safety, and welfare
 Sometimes the national govt, since it is supreme over state
govts, can make states do things (called federal
mandates). The relationship between state govts and
national govt can get AWKWARD if the national govt
doesn’t give the states enough money to do what it has
asked of them. These are called unfunded mandates.

7. Topic #1: Federalism

 Sample multiple choice:
The United States government is considered a federal
system because:
a. the people elect national officials
b. both national and state governments exist within the
nation
c. foreign policy is handled by state governments
d. each state has equal representation in the United
States Senate

8. Topic #1: Federalism

 The correct answer is B. Remember, the definition of
federalism is that there’s a division of power
between the national and state govts, so both of
those govts exist in the system.
 A is true, but it doesn’t have anything to do with the
question. C is false, foreign policy is handled by
national govt. D is true, but it doesn’t have anything
to do with the question either.

9. Topic #2: Legislative Branch &
Congressional Powers

 What we did in class: We took notes on what the
legislative branch looks like by describing Congress.
We also learned about the qualifications to be a
Senator or a member in the House of
Representatives. We played “Senator or
Representative?!” with my beloved laminated cards.
We also learned about the powers that Congress has.

10. Topic #2: Legislative Branch &
Congressional Powers

 Activities we did in class:
 Notes
 Senator or Representative?!
 In some classes, American Idol with congressional
powers
 In some classes, illustrations of the powers of
Congress

11. Topic #2: Legislative Branch &
Congressional Powers

 What you need to know:
The legislative branch
 Consists of the Congress, a bicameral legislature consisting
of the House of Representatives (435 members, based upon
populations of the states) and the Senate (100 members—
two per state) **KNOW THE QUALIFICATIONS TO BE IN
THE SENATE OR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES**
 Makes the laws of the nation
 Approves the annual budget
 Confirms presidential appointments
 Raises revenue through taxes and other levies
 Regulates interstate and foreign trade
 Declares war

12. Topic #2: Legislative Branch &
Congressional Powers

 What you need to know:
Legislative powers
 Expressed: Specifically listed in the Constitution of the
United States
 Implied: Not written in the Constitution; used to carry
out expressed powers
 The formal powers of Congress are limited by the
Constitution of the United States.

13. Topic #2: Legislative Branch &
Congressional Powers

 Multiple choice example:
Congress does NOT have the power
a. to declare laws unconstitutional
b. to regulate commerce with other countries
c. to raise money through taxes
d. to declare war

14. Topic #2: Legislative Branch &
Congressional Powers

 The answer is A. We know from our list of
congressional powers that Congress CAN do b, c,
and d. And of course, we know that it’s only the
judicial branch that can declare laws to be
unconstitutional.

15. Topic #3: Legislative Branch &
Lawmaking

 What we did in class: We took notes on how a bill
becomes a law and watched the School House Rock
video clip of the process. The video clip is awesome,
and I recommend watching it over and over again to
understand how the process works. It can be found
at this address:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-
oQ/

16. Topic #3: Legislative Branch &
Lawmaking

 What you need to know:
Steps in the lawmaking process in Congress:
 Introducing a bill by a Senator or Representative
 Working in committees
 Debating the bill on the floor of each house
 Voting on the bill in each house
 Sending the bill to the president to sign into law
Elected officials in Congress write laws and take action in response
to problems or issues.
Individuals (normal people) and interest groups (like the National
Rifle Association) help shape legislation.

17. Topic #3: Legislative Branch &
Lawmaking

 Multiple choice example:
Elected officials write laws for all of the following
reasons EXCEPT
a. to revise the Bill of Rights
b. because of information from interest groups
c. in response to issues
d. as solutions to problems

18. Topic #3: Legislative Branch &
Lawmaking

 The correct answer is A. First of all, the Bill of Rights
declares our freedoms that the government can’t take
away…so why would anyone want to write a bill
about that? Secondly, the other 3 choices are ones
that are on the “what-you-need-to-know” slide. Bills
are written because solutions/responses are needed
to problems and issues. Citizens and interest groups
often propose bill ideas to their congressmen.

19. Topic #4: Executive Branch
Overview

 What we did in class: Ms. Mitchem wasn’t here on
this day, but Mr. Criscione gave you all your quiz on
the legislative branch. He also started on the notes on
the executive branch and your booklet assignment
where you drew out the roles the president has.

20. Topic #4: Executive Branch
Overview

 What you need to know:
The executive branch
 Headed by the president of the United States, the chief
executive officer of the nation
Duties:
 Executes the laws of the land
 Prepares the annual budget for congressional action
 Appoints cabinet officers, ambassadors, and federal
judges
 Administers the federal bureaucracy

21. Topic #4: Executive Branch
Overview

 What you need to know:
The roles of the president:
 chief of state: Ceremonial head of the government
 chief executive: Head of the executive branch of government
 chief legislator: Proposer of the legislative agenda
 commander-in-chief: Head of the nation’s armed forces
 chief diplomat: Architect of American foreign policy
 chief of party: Leader of the political party that controls the
executive branch
 chief citizen: Representative of all of the people.
 Presidential power has grown in the years since the
Constitution was ratified

22. Topic #4: Executive Branch
Overview

 Multiple choice example:
All of the following are part of the job of the President
of the United States EXCEPT
a. vetoing bills passed by Congress
b. commanding the armed forces
c. sentencing criminals to jail
d. appointing Supreme Court justices

23. Topic #4: Executive Branch
Overview

 The correct answer is C. All of the other choices are
things the president can or does do. Review the
“what-you-need-to-know” slides if that one was a bit
tricky. Also, the judicial branch is sentencing
criminals, not the executive branch.

24. Topic #5: Executive Branch &
Influencing Lawmaking

 What we did in class: We watched the greatest video
clip ever made by Ms. Mitchem that went through a
very thorough overview of the executive branch.
Please watch it again, it’s on the blog!! We watched
another video from CBS’s 60 Minutes that talked
about the poor leadership in the Middle East and
how that has sparked a wave of revolutions. We also
took some notes about the ways that the president in
the executive branch influences the lawmaking
process.

25. Topic #5: Executive Branch &
Influencing Lawmaking

 What you need to know:
Ways the executive branch influences policymaking
 Proposing legislation in an annual speech to Congress (State
of the Union Address)
 Appealing directly to the people
 Approving or vetoing legislation
 Appointing officials who carry out the laws
 Cabinet departments, agencies, and regulatory groups
interpret and execute the laws.
 Presidential power has grown in the years since the
Constitution was ratified.

26. Topic #5: Executive Branch &
Influencing Lawmaking

 Multiple choice example:
One way the President influences the policymaking
process is by
a. introducing bills on the Senate floor
b. declaring bills unconstitutional
c. removing federal judges
d. giving the State of the Union Address

27. Topic #5: Executive Branch &
Influencing Lawmaking

 The correct answer is D. The State of the Union
Address is a speech the president gives once a year
to Congress that is televised so that the people can
also watch it. In it, the president will discuss what
laws he would like to see passed over the next year.
A & B are not true, and C is true but has nothing to
do with policy or lawmaking.

28. Topic #6: Organization of the
Judicial Branch

 What we did in class: We started with a brief reading
on the judicial branch and how it is independent
from the other branches. In some classes, we met a
special guest from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Afterwards, we took notes on the structure of the
court system (S-A-D) and played “quel (what)
court.”

29. Topic #6: Organization of the
Judicial Branch

 What you need to know:
 The organization of the judicial system in the U.S.
includes 2 court systems, state and federal, that report to
the U.S. Supreme Court
 The organization and jurisdiction come from the
Constitution of the United States and federal laws.
 U.S. Supreme Court: Justices, no jury; appellate
jurisdiction; limited original jurisdiction
 U.S. Court of Appeals: Judges, no jury; appellate
jurisdiction
 U.S. District Court: Judge, with or without jury; original
jurisdiction

30. Topic #6: Organization of the
Judicial Branch

 What you need to know:
Courts in the FEDERAL SYSTEM:
 U.S. Supreme Court: Justices, no jury; appellate
jurisdiction; limited original jurisdiction
 U.S. Court of Appeals: Judges, no jury; appellate
jurisdiction
 U.S. District Court: Judge, with or without jury;
original jurisdiction

31. Topic #6: Organization of the
Judicial Branch

 What you need to know:
The judicial branch
 Consists of the federal courts, including the Supreme
Court, the highest court in the land
 The federal courts try cases involving federal law and
questions involving interpretation of the Constitution
of the United States.

32. Topic #6: Organization of the
Judicial Branch

 Multiple choice example:
Which federal court uses a jury to determine the
outcome of a case?
a. United States Court of Appeals
b. United States Maritime Court
c. United States Supreme Court
d. United States District Court

33. Topic #6: Organization of the
Judicial Branch

 The correct answer is D. We’ve never talked about B,
so you can cross that off immediately. C only has 9
Supreme Court justices that make the decisions, and
A has 6-28 judges depending on the particular
appeals court.

34. Topic #7: Civil v. Criminal Cases

 What we did in class: We did a short reading and a t-
chart on the differences between civil and criminal
cases. This was the class that we did a mad-lib to
take a closer look at civil and criminal cases.

35. Topic #7: Civil v. Criminal Cases

 What you need to know:
 Both types of cases can go through the federal and
state court systems.
 In a civil case, the key word is “suing” or “lawsuit.”
 In a criminal case, a CRIME (murder, robbery, other
violence) has happened.

36. Topic #7: Civil v. Criminal Cases

 What you need to know:
Criminal case:
•In a criminal case, a court determines whether a person accused of breaking
the law is guilty or not guilty of a misdemeanor or a felony.
Procedure for criminal cases:
•A person accused of a crime may be arrested if the police have probable
cause.
•The accused may be committed to jail or released on bail.
•The case proceeds to an arraignment where probable cause is reviewed, an
attorney may be appointed for the defendant, and a plea is entered.
•A court date is set, and a trial is conducted.
•A guilty verdict may be appealed.

37. Topic #7: Civil v. Criminal Cases

What you need to know:
Civil case:
•In a civil case, a court settles a disagreement between two
parties to recover damages or receive compensation.
Procedure for civil cases
•The plaintiff files a complaint to recover damages or receive
compensation.
•Cases can be heard by a judge or a jury.
•Cases can be appealed.

38. Topic #7: Civil v. Criminal Cases

Multiple choice example:
Last summer, Maria Bennett was involved in an automobile
accident on the road near her home. A driver ran into her
car while she was stopped at a stop sign. She had only
minor injuries, but there was a great deal of damage to her
car. She has not been able to get the driver to pay for the
damages and has decided to go to court to get her money.
This is known as what type of case?
a. criminal
b. felony
c. civil
d. misdemeanor

39. Topic #7: Civil v. Criminal Cases

Multiple choice example:
The correct answer is C because Megan is suing the
other person to get money to pay for her damaged car.
We’ve never really talked about B or D, so you could
immediately cross those off.

40. Topic #8: Judicial Review

 What we did in class: We learned about the court
case of Marbury v. Madison with an activity involving
Twitter (in some classes) and note-taking. Then we
played “Sustained or Overruled!”

41. Topic #8: Judicial Review

 What you need to know:
The U.S. Supreme Court determines the constitutionality of
laws and acts of the executive branch of government. This
means that the court can declare laws of Congress or the
president’s actions unconstitutional. This power is called
“judicial review.”
•Marbury v. Madison established the principle of judicial
review at the national level.
•The Constitution of the United States of America is the
supreme law of the land.

42. Topic #8: Judicial Review

 Multiple choice example:
The decision in Marbury v. Madison argues that the
judiciary should serve as
a. a check on the power of the military
b. a check on the power of Congress
c. an independent lawmaking body
d. an institution that enhances the power of the
President

43. Topic #8: Judicial Review

 The correct answer is B. In the court case Marbury v.
Madison, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that William
Marbury was using a section of the Judiciary Act of
1789 that was unconstitutional. Thus, the justices
were ruling that the act, which was a law passed by
Congress, was unconstitutional. The tempting choice
might be C. The judicial branch is independent from
the other branches, but it does NOT make the laws.

44. Helpful Studying Resources

 How a Bill Becomes a Law (School House Rock):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ
 3 Ring Circus-Branches of Govt (School House Rock):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLQg7G3hkGY&fea
ture=related
 Executive Branch (A Ms. Mitchem Production):
http://msmitchem.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-24-
2011.html
 Branches of Govt Rap (Smart Songs):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCB8EOY5d48
 Welcome to Washington (Smart Songs):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOGE0FzBEbs&feat
ure=related

45. Tuesday Test

 Good luck studying!! Please visit me before or after
school Monday and Tuesday if you have questions!