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9th grade · Social Studies · Unit 5 of 7

How the Nation Governs

Congress, the President, the courts and your rights

What your child practices

The United States government: the three articles that set up Congress, the presidency and the courts, terms and powers, checks and balances, the Bill of Rights and later amendments, landmark cases, and how the US system compares with a parliamentary one.

Maine Learning Results learning standard: Civics & Government 1; Civics & Government 2 · the purpose, structures and processes of the American political system, and the rights in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and landmark cases

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Separation of powers splits government into three branches: Article I Congress, Article II the president, Article III the courts.
  2. A president serves 4 years. The House impeaches and the Senate holds the trial.
  3. Unlike a parliamentary system, the US elects its president separately from Congress.

Example: Which article of the US Constitution sets up the federal courts? Article I is Congress; Article II the president. Article III sets up the courts. Answer: Article III

How the Nation Governs in Maine

In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 5 of 7 in 9th grade Social Studies, after Governing Maine and before Money Smarts.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Maine Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Which amendment guaranteed women the right to vote?

    • the 19th Amendment
    • the 26th Amendment
    • the 13th Amendment

  2. Question 2

    The idea that the people are the source of government's power is…

    • separation of powers
    • judicial review
    • popular sovereignty

  3. Question 3

    Which article of the US Constitution sets up the presidency?

    • Article I
    • Article II
    • Article III

  4. Question 4

    A federal law passes Congress when…

    • one committee approves it
    • both the House and Senate pass the same bill
    • only the House passes it

  5. Question 5

    Which amendment lets a person refuse to testify against themselves?

    • the First Amendment
    • the Tenth Amendment
    • the Fifth Amendment

  6. Question 6

    The Great Compromise created…

    • the Electoral College only
    • the Bill of Rights
    • a Senate with equal seats and a House by population

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