47. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
Paul D. Ryan (Paul) Ryan The current speaker of the House of Representatives is Paul D. Ryan. He has represented Wisconsin’s First Congressional District in the House of Representatives since 1999. As speaker, he presides over the House of Representatives and leads the majority political party in the House, the Republican Party. The speaker is […]
46. What is the political party of the President now?
Republican (Party) The two major political parties in the United States today are the Democratic and Republican parties. The current president, Donald Trump, is a member of the Republican Party. Other notable Republican presidents include Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Warren Harding, Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush. […]
45. What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Democratic and Republican The Constitution did not establish political parties. President George Washington specifically warned against them. But early in U.S. history, two political groups developed. They were the Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists. Today, the two major political parties are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. President Andrew Jackson created the Democratic Party from […]
44. What is the capital of your state?
Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of the territory.] To learn the capital of your state or territory, go to http://www.census.gov/schools/facts. Each state or territory has its own capital. The state capital is where the […]
43. Who is the Governor of your state now?
Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a Governor.] To learn the name of the governor of your state or territory, go to www.nga.org/governors. Similar to the federal government, most states have three branches of government. The branches are executive, legislative, and judicial. The governor is the chief […]
42. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
provide schooling and education provide protection (police) provide safety (fire departments) give a driver’s license approve zoning and land use In the United States, the federal and state governments both hold power. Before the Constitution, the 13 colonies governed themselves individually much like state governments. It was not until the Articles of Confederation and then […]
41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
to print money to declare war to create an army to make treaties The powers of government are divided between the federal government and the state governments. The federal government is known as a limited government. Its powers are restricted to those described in the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution gives the federal government the power […]
40. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
John Roberts (John G. Roberts, Jr.) John G. Roberts, Jr. is the 17th chief justice of the United States. After the death of former chief justice William Rehnquist in September 2005, President George W. Bush nominated Roberts for this position. Judge Roberts became chief justice when he was 50. He is the youngest chief justice […]
39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
nine (9) The Constitution does not establish the number of justices on the Supreme Court. In the past, there have been as many as 10 and as few as six justices. Now, there are nine justices on the Supreme Court: eight associate justices and one chief justice. The Constitution gives the president the power to […]
38. What is the highest court in the United States?
the Supreme Court The U.S. Supreme Court has complete authority over all federal courts. Its rulings have a significant effect. A Supreme Court ruling can affect the outcome of many cases in the lower courts. The Supreme Court’s interpretations of federal laws and of the Constitution are final. The Supreme Court is limited in its […]