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What is the supreme law of the land? |
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Definition
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Term
What does the Constitution do? |
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Definition
sets up the government defines the government protects basic rights of Americans |
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Term
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? |
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Definition
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Term
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a change or addition to the Constitution |
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What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution? |
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Definition
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What is one right or freedom protected by the First Amendment? |
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Definition
speech religion assembly press petition the government |
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Term
How many amendments does the Constitution have? |
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Definition
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What did the Declaration of Independence do? |
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Definition
announced our independence (from Great Britain) declared our independence (from Great Britain) said that the United States is free (from Great Britain) |
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Term
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence? |
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Definition
life liberty pursuit of happiness |
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Term
What is freedom of religion? |
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Definition
You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion. |
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Term
What is the economic system in the United States? |
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Definition
capitalist or market economy |
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Term
What is the "rule of law?" |
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Definition
Everyone must follow the law. Leaders must obey the law. Government must obey the law. No one is above the law. |
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Term
Name one branch or part of the government. |
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Definition
Congress (legislative) President (executive) the Courts (judicial) |
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Term
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? |
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Definition
checks and balances separation of powers |
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Term
Who is in charge of the executive branch? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? |
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Definition
Senate + House of Representatives |
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Term
How many U.S. Senators are there? |
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Definition
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Term
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? |
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Definition
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Term
Name one of your current U.S. Senators. |
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Definition
Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy |
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Term
The House of Representatives has how many voting members? |
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Definition
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Term
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years? |
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Definition
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Term
Who is your U.S. Representative? |
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Definition
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Term
Who does a U.S. Senator represent? |
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Definition
all the people of the state |
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Term
Why do some states have more Representatives than other states? |
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Definition
The number of representatives is based on population. |
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Term
We elect a President for how many years? |
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Definition
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Term
In what month do we vote for President? |
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Definition
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Term
What is the name of the President of the United States now? |
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Definition
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Term
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? |
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Definition
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Term
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? |
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Definition
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Term
If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? |
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Definition
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Term
Who is the Commander in Chief of the military? |
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Definition
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Who signs bills to become laws? |
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Definition
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Term
What does the President’s Cabinet do? |
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Definition
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Term
Name two Cabinet-level positions. |
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Definition
Secretary of: Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health & Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing & Urban Development, the Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, the Treasury, Veterans Affairs; Attorney General; Vice President |
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Term
What does the judicial branch do? |
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Definition
reviews laws explains laws resolves disputes (disagreements) decides if a law goes against the Constitution |
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Term
What is the highest court in the United States? |
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Definition
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Term
How many justices are on the Supreme Court? |
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Definition
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Term
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? |
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Definition
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Term
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government? |
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Definition
to print money to declare war to create an army to make treaties |
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Term
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states? |
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Definition
provide schooling and education provide protection (police) provide safety (fire departments) give a driver’s license approve zoning and land use |
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Term
Who is Governor of your state now? |
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Definition
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Term
What is the capital of your state? |
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Definition
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Term
What are the two major political parties in the United States? |
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Definition
Democratic and Republican |
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Term
What is the political party of the President now? |
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Definition
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Term
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? |
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Definition
John Boehner (pronounced "BAIN-er") |
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Term
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them. |
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Definition
Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote). You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote. Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.) A male citizen of any race (can vote). |
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Term
What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? |
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Definition
serve on a jury vote in a federal election |
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Term
Name one right only for United States citizens. |
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Definition
vote in a federal election run for federal office |
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Term
What are two rights of everyone living in the United States? |
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Definition
freedom of expression freedom of speech freedom of assembly freedom to petition the government freedom of worship the right to bear arms |
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Term
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? the United States |
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Definition
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Term
What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen? |
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Definition
give up loyalty to other countries defend the Constitution and laws of the United States obey the laws of the United States serve in the U.S. military (if needed) serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed) be loyal to the United States |
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Term
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? |
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Definition
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Term
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? |
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Definition
vote join a political party help with a campaign join a civic group join a community group give an elected official your opinion on an issue call Senators and Representatives publicly support or oppose an issue or policy run for office write to a newspaper |
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Term
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? |
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Definition
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Term
When must all men register for the Selective Service? |
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Definition
at age eighteen or until age 26 |
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Term
What is one reason colonists came to America? |
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Definition
freedom political liberty religious freedom economic opportunity practice their religion escape persecution |
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Term
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? |
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Definition
Native Americans / American Indians |
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Term
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves? |
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Definition
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Term
Why did the colonists fight the British? |
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Definition
because of high taxes (taxation without representation) because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering) because they didn’t have self-government |
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Term
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? |
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Definition
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Term
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? |
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Definition
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Term
Name three of the original 13 states |
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Definition
New Jersey, New York, Connecticut (also New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia) |
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Term
What happened at the Constitutional Convention? |
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Definition
The Constitution was written |
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Term
When was the Constitution written? |
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Definition
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Term
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers. |
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Definition
(James) Madison (Alexander) Hamilton (John) Jay |
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Term
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for? |
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Definition
U.S. diplomat oldest member of the Constitutional Convention first Postmaster General of the United States writer of “Poor Richard’s Almanac” started the first free libraries |
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Term
Who is the “Father of Our Country”? |
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Definition
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Term
Who was the first President? |
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Definition
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Term
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? |
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Definition
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Term
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s. |
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Definition
War of 1812 Mexican-American War Civil War Spanish-American War |
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Term
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South. |
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Definition
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Term
Name one problem that led to the Civil War. |
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Definition
slavery economic reasons states’ rights |
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Term
What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did? |
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Definition
freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation) saved (or preserved) the Union led the United States during the Civil War |
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Term
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? |
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Definition
freed the slaves freed slaves in the Confederacy freed slaves in the Confederate states freed slaves in most Southern states |
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Term
What did Susan B. Anthony do? |
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Definition
fought for women's rights |
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Term
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s. |
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Definition
World War I World War II Korean War Vietnam War (Persian) Gulf War |
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Term
Who was President during World War I? |
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Definition
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Term
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II? |
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Definition
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Term
Who did the United States fight in World War II? |
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Definition
Japan, Germany, and Italy |
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Term
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in? |
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Definition
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Term
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States? |
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Definition
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Term
What movement tried to end racial discrimination? |
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Definition
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Term
What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do? |
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Definition
fought for civil rights worked for equality for all Americans |
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Term
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States? |
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Definition
Terrorists attacked the United States. |
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Term
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States. |
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Definition
Navajo (or whatever other tribe comes to mind) |
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Term
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States. |
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Definition
Mississippi River (longest); Missouri (second longest) |
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Term
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States? |
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Definition
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What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands American Samoa Northern Mariana Islands Guam |
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Term
Name one state that borders Canada. |
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Definition
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Term
Name one state that borders Mexico. |
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Definition
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Term
What is the capital of the United States? |
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Definition
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Term
Where is the Statue of Liberty? |
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Definition
Liberty Island, in the Hudson River between NY and NJ |
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Term
Why does the flag have 13 stripes? |
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Definition
because there were 13 original colonies |
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Term
Why does the flag have 50 stars? |
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Definition
because there is one star for each state |
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Term
What is the name of the national anthem? |
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Definition
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Term
When do we celebrate Independence Day? |
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Definition
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Term
Name 2 national U.S. holidays |
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Definition
New Year’s Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Presidents’ Day Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Christmas |
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