Indiana State & Local Government: Main Ideas

Why are states in the United States not the same as individual countries?

• They have their own military forces.

• They are governed by a monarchy.

• They are similar, but the states have given some power to the federal government.

• They have completely independent economies.

Who makes up a state’s executive branch?

• governor, lieutenant governor, departments, and agencies

• president, vice president, departments, and cabinet

• senators and house representatives

• mayors and school board members

How can a state’s citizens impact lawmaking?

• By voting in local elections to choose representatives

• By putting laws on the ballot through the initiative process and voting on referendums to show their opinion on potential laws or proposals

• By attending town hall meetings to express their views

• By petitioning the governor to enact specific laws

Who is the current governor of Indiana?

• Eric Holcomb

• Mike Pence

• Joe Donnelly

• Susan Brooks

What gives a specific list of powers to the federal government?

• the U.S. Constitution

• the Declaration of Independence

• the Bill of Rights

• the Federalist Papers

Where does the state get the money to fund these services?

• Through taxes paid by citizens and federal grants.

• From donations by private organizations.

• By borrowing from international banks.

• Through investments in the stock market.

How are state governments similar to the federal government?

• They both have their own constitutions and laws.

• They both operate under a monarchy.

• They both have the same tax rates.

• They both are governed by a single party.

When a federal and state law conflict, which level of law is superior?

• State laws are always superior to federal laws.

• Federal laws are always superior to state laws.

• Both federal and state laws are equally superior.

• Federal laws are superior only in certain cases.

How is the organization of federal and state governments similar?

• They both have three branches - legislative, executive, and judicial.

• They both have a single branch of government.

• They both operate under a monarchy system.

• They both have a parliamentary system.

How is the Indiana Constitution similar to the United States Constitution?

• Both have a preamble, articles, and a Bill of Rights. Both have been amended numerous times.

• Both were written in the same year and have identical articles.

• Both constitutions were ratified by the same number of states.

• Both constitutions include a section on the duties of the President.