The legislative Branch

What is the principle of separation of powers?

• A system of checks and balances between different branches of government

• The idea that the power to govern should be divided among branches of government so that no one person or branch has too much power

• The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another

• The power of the judicial branch to decide questions of law

Which branch of the United States government is responsible for making laws?

• Executive branch

• Judicial branch

• Legislative branch

• Department of State

Who heads the federal executive branch in the United States?

• The Chief Justice

• The Vice President

• The Speaker of the House

• The President

What does the judicial branch of the U.S. government do?

• Enforces the laws

• Makes the laws

• Decides questions of law

• Provides checks and balances

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

• To ensure that no one branch of government has too much power

• To allow each branch of government to function independently

• To prevent the government from making laws

• To elect government officials

What is the rule of law?

• The power of the government to rule without laws

• The principle that all people, including those who govern, are bound by laws

• The ability of the government to enforce martial law

• The law that governs the election process

What is a writ of habeas corpus?

• A law that allows for the punishment of a person without a trial

• A court order requiring law enforcement to bring a prisoner before a judge to explain why they are being held

• A type of law that makes an act a crime after it has been committed

• A bill that finds a person guilty of a crime and imposes a punishment without a trial

What is an ex post facto law?

• A law that retroactively changes the legal consequences of actions that were committed before the enactment of the law

• A law that imposes a punishment without a trial

• A law that allows for immediate imprisonment without evidence

• A law that grants the president unlimited powers in times of emergency

What is a bill of attainder?

• A legislative act that provides for the appointment of government officials

• A law that establishes new courts

• A law that finds a person guilty of a crime and imposes a punishment without a trial

• A bill that allows for the creation of new states

What rights does the First Amendment protect?

• The right to bear arms and to not quarter soldiers in private homes

• The right to a speedy trial and protection against self-incrimination

• The right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to assemble peacefully

• The right to vote and the right to privacy