Are you the kind of person whose soul is stirred by a stirring presentation of “The Star-Spangled Banner”? Maybe it brings to mind the story of the final battle of the Revolutionary War, when …. Whether or not this describes your internal response to the land that we love, understanding the political process–and participating in it–can be important … maybe even satisfying at times, too.
Most of the following information comes from USA.gov. Direct quotes are indicated as such. To read the documents described here, visit Archives.gov.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
The United States of America: The democratic republic located in North America that includes fifty states, several territories and tribal nations, and the District of Columbia (the federal capital city which is not part of any state). Its states are partly self-governing but subject to federal restrictions which are outlined in the federal constitution. Residents of this country’s territories have varying rights and levels of independence. Its government includes three main branches: the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch. Its four main governmental levels are the federal level; the state level; the county level; and the city level. There are also water management districts, fire management districts, library districts and other governmental units.
The Constitution of the United States: The foundational law of the land, which outlines the nation’s governmental structure; its basic laws; its purpose; and the rights of citizens including freedom of speech, press, religion, the right to bear arms and more. Twenty-seven amendments have been added to it over the years concerning such matters as voting rights and term limits, and it is open to interpretation by the Supreme Court as it rules on specific matters.
The Declaration of Independence: The 1776 document that called for independence from Great Britain and marked the beginning of the American Revolution. It was written mostly by Thomas Jefferson and agreed to by the American colonies, and it begins by stating that all people are created equal and have certain inalienable rights, such as the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the Constitution, each of which contains multiple civil rights. In order they appear, they are: freedom of religion, speech, the press, peaceable assembly, government petition; the right to create a militia and bear arms; the right to refuse to house soldiers; the freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures unless there is a warrant with probable cause; the right to a jury trial, freedom from double jeopardy, the right to choose not to testify against onesself (this is called “pleading the fifth”), the right to not be denied life, liberty or property without due process of law and the right to not have property taken for public use without compensation; the right to a speedy trial by an impartial jury, the right to be informed of the accusation, to be confronted by the witnesses against him, to have counsel (a lawyer), and to have the opportunity to find witnesses in his favor; right to a trial by jury in civil cases in the federal court (though this type of case is no longer heard in the federal court system); freedom from excessive bail, excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishment; the retaining of other civil rights not listed in the Constitution; and the rights of states and the people to powers not specifically delegated to the federal government and also not prohibited by it to the states.
The system of checks and balances: The ability of each branch of government to limit the actions of the other branches so that no single branch holds too much power or is able to take control of the others. The executive branch is able to veto legislation created by the legislative branch, a decision the legislature can overturn by a 2/3 majority; the legislative branch is able to confirm or reject the executive branch’s nominees and can even remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances; and the judicial branch can overturn laws created by the legislative branch.
State government: The level of government that oversees the state and is subject to federal laws and limitations. These governments consist of the same three branches as does the federal government: executive, legislative, and judicial. Also like the federal government, they have their own constitutions, legislatures, court systems and codes of laws that can differ from each other. State constitutions can be amended when both the legislature and the citizens vote for the amendment. States are prohibited from forming alliances with foreign governments; declaring war; coining money, and imposing duties on imports or exports. Funding for state budgets comes from income taxes, sales taxes, excise taxes, corporate income taxes, lotteries, business license fees and more.
County: A subdivision of a state. In some states, counties have their own governments, while in others, they are merely geographical splits and the towns and cities provide the government of them
The executive branch: The branch of government tasked with enforcing laws. It is made up of the president, the vice president, and the Cabinet members. It oversees many government agencies, such as the Forest Service and the drug Enforcement Agency, that support its work.
The legislative branch: The branch of government tasked with making laws. It has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives. In addition to making laws, it confirms or rejects the executive branch’s nominations for various agencies and the Supreme Court; declares war; collects taxes; borrows money; and revises and approves the annual budget. It includes many government agencies, such as the Library of Congress, as well.
The judicial branch: The branch of government made up of the Supreme Court and all other federal courts, which is tasked with interpreting and applying federal law
The Congress: The name of the combined Senate and House of Representatives
The Senate: The part of the Congress that is made up of 100 elected officials, two from each state, who are called senators. Senators serve six-year terms.
The House of Representatives: The part of the Congress that is made up of 435 elected officials who are called representatives or Congresspersons. Each state elects a different number of Congresspersons based on its population. Congresspersons serve two-year terms.
The Supreme Court: The highest judicial body in the U.S., which is made up of nine justices (judges) who are nominated by the president and approved by the Senate by a simple majority. All nine hear and vote on each case, and the majority opinion is the decision. Justices write opinions to explain their decisions, but dissenting opinions can also be written. The justices hear federal court cases that have been appealed after being heard by lower federal courts. They also hear some state cases that deal with federal law. They hear a few cases orally and review others on paper.
The president: The member of the executive branch tasked with serving as head of state, director of foreign policy, and commander-in-chief of the U.S. military. They sign the budget and other bills into law and can veto bills Congress decides on. The president serves a four-year term and can be elected no more than twice.
The vice president: The member of the executive branch tasked with supporting the president; serving as the presiding officer of the Senate; and assuming the presidency when and if the president is unable to carry out their duties. The vice president serves a four-year term and can be elected no more than twice.
The Cabinet: The president’s advisors, who include the vice president, heads of executive departments (such as the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of the Treasury) and other high-ranking government officials who are nominated by the president and approved by the Senate. Each Each advises the president in their area of expertise.
Joint Chiefs of Staff: A group of high-ranking military leaders who advise the president and the Secretary of Defense on military matters
The National Security Council (NSC): A collection of security policy experts, including heads of various government agencies such as the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Director of National Intelligence, who advise the president and the Joint Chiefs of Staff on national security issues
The Secretary of State: On the federal level, the head of the U.S. Department of State who is responsible for conducting U.S. foreign policy and managing diplomatic relations with other countries. On the state level, they are the official who maintains and oversees public records and documents, such as corporate filings, election results, official state archives and more. In some states, they are also responsible for managing state-level elections; regulating business activities; overseeing professional licensing; and more.
Governor: The chief executive of the state government. They appoint individuals to various state agencies, boards, and commissions; create and propose the state budget; enforce state laws; manage state agencies; grant pardons and reprieves; serve as commander-in-chief of the state’s National Guard; and veto bills passed by the state legislature (which can be overridden by more than a simple majority). Some also have the power of a line-item veto.
Attorney General: The chief legal official of a state or jurisdiction, who is responsible for representing the government in all court cases as well as providing legal counsel to other government agencies
Auditor: The independent official responsible for ensuring that government funds are spent legally and properly by reviewing documents and the like
Treasurer: The official who is responsible for managing the financial assets and liabilities of a state, municipality, or other government entity. They invest funds, manage cash flow, pay out funds for government expenditures and more.
Superintendent of Public Instruction: The highest-ranking education official on the state level, who is responsible for overseeing the state’s public education system by creating programs, ensuring schools are meeting state and federal standards and more
Mayor: The highest elected official of a town or city. They are usually responsible for managing the city’s budget, making policy decisions, and overseeing the city’s operations.
Republican: A member of the Republican Party, one of the two major U.S. political parties, which values smaller government, lower taxes, a more laissez-faire economy and more freedom from government intervention
Democrat: A member of the Democratic Party, one of the two major U.S. political parties, which values social justice, higher taxes for the wealthy, greater government intervention in business and economic processes and a more robust welfare system
Independent: Individuals who do not belong to or identify with any political party
Third party: Any of many U.S. political parties other than the Democratic or Republican parties. Two examples are the Green Party and the Libertarian Party.
Bill: A proposed law, which is proposed by a representative, sponsored by another representative, and introduced to the House of Representatives. It goes to the proper committee, where changes can be made. After approval by the committee, it is reported to the House floor, debated, and voted on. It is then referred to the Senate, where it goes through a similar process. Finally, it is sent to the President, who either passes or vetoes the bill. If vetoed, it can still become law if both houses pass it with a two-thirds majority.
Petition: A formal request for a legislative action, usually for an initiative to be placed on the ballot for direct vote or for a referendum to be proposed and voted on by the legislature. They are often made by a citizen or group of citizens and usually require a certain number of signatures that varies by issue and location.
Initiative: A bill that is drafted by, proposed by and voted on by citizens, bypassing the legislature
Referendum: A bill that is drafted by the legislature, proposed by either the legislature or by citizens, and voted on by the citizens and that may or may not be binding
Recall: The removal of elected officials from office through a citizen vote
Line-item veto: The power of an executive governmental authority to reject specific provisions of a bill without vetoing the entire bill
General election: The final election in which voters choose from among the candidates nominated by each political party, as well as any independent candidates who have qualified to be on the ballot. To be eligible for public office at the federal level, a candidate must be a resident of their state for a certain number of years, and a presidential candidate must be a natural-born U.S. citizen. Congresspeople must be at least 25 years old, while senators must be at least 30 years old and presidents and vice presidents must be at least 35 years old. Additional requirements apply to state and local public offices.
Primary election: An election prior to the general election in which voters select the candidates who will be named on each party’s ticket. In an open primary, voters do not have to be registered with a political party to vote in that party’s primary. They can choose which party’s primary to vote in on the day of the election. In a closed primary, only voters who are registered members of a particular political party can vote in that party’s primary election.
Midterm election: An election that takes place halfway through the president’s term, in which Congresspersons and some Senators are elected and in which turnout is typically lower than in presidential election years
Presidential primary: A primary election in which presidential candidates for the major parties are chosen. Winners go on to compete in the national party conventions, where the party officially nominates their candidate.
Electoral College: A group of electors from every state called that cast the official votes for the president and vice president. They usually vote according to the popular vote. The number of electors in each state is equal to its number of representatives in both houses of Congress. The candidate who wins a majority of the electoral votes (270 out of 538) becomes the president, and the president and vice president are voted on together.
Office-block ballot: A ballot that groups candidates by office name
Party-column ballot: A ballot that groups candidate by party affiliation
Split-ticket ballot: A ballot that allows for voting for candidates of different parties in the same election
Straight-ticket ballot: A ballot that only allows for voting for candidates who are all of the same party
The federal budget: A detailed spending plan for the following fiscal year that is decided on by the Congress. The money for it comes from taxes (from individuals and businesses); loans from other countries (savings bonds, notes and Treasury bills that are sold); social security payments; and miscellaneous other sources, such as fines and licenses. It outlines spending for lawfully protected agencies (such as Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid); interest on the national debt; discretionary agencies and programs (those Congress is not required by law to support but votes to support in that year’s budget); and national defense. The process of creating it is as follows: the president creates a budget; it is reviewed by Congress, who holds hearings on it; committees and subcommittees make revisions to it; Congress passes it; and the President signs it into law.
Appropriation bills: The twelve bills that Congress proposes and attaches to the federal budget that contain all of the discretionary spending for non-mandatory programs like Social Security and Medicare
Filibuster: A technique used by Senators to prevent the voting on of a bill, even if the bill has a majority approval
The Pledge of Allegiance: A statement made while standing at attention and facing the flag with the right hand over the heart that is meant to show loyalty to the nation. It is as follows: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
The flag’s symbolism: The flag represents the shared values and history of the American people, including the values of liberty, democracy and patriotism. The thirteen red and white stripes represent the thirteen original colonies, while the fifty white stars represent the fifty states. The red color represents valor and bravery. The white color represents purity and innocence, and the blue color represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.
Rules for flag flying: The flag shouldn’t be flown in inclement weather unless it’s an all-weather flag; when displayed at night, the flag should be properly illuminated; at certain times, as in a time of national mourning, the flag should be hung at half-mast; the flag should not be flown upside down unless as a signal of distress; when flown with another flag, it should be placed to your left when crossed; when stored, flag should be folded into a triangle with the union (blue section) visible; if damaged, the flag should be disposed of with dignity, usually by burning; the flag should not touch anything below it or rest on the ground; and the flag should never be used for advertising purposes or as a decoration
Major U.S. welfare programs: Social security; medicare and medicaid; supplemental security income (SSI) (aid to elderly and disabled people who do not qualify for social security benefits); food stamps; the earned income tax credit (EITC); public/subsidized housing; rent vouchers; unemployment benefits
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