The Rulebook for Government

Civics & Economics · Government · ages 11-14

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Why is a constitution usually harder to change than an ordinary law?
- Any single official can change it right away
- It needs a much bigger vote and often takes years
- It can never be changed by anyone
What is a constitution?
- The basic rulebook that sets up and limits a government
- A single law about taxes
- A speech a leader gives every year
A court striking down a law is an example of one branch checking another.
Circle one: True False
In a presidential system, voters elect the president directly. In a parliamentary system, who usually becomes the leader?
- Whoever the legislature chooses, often the head of the largest party
- A judge appointed by the courts
- Whoever has served longest in government
A legislature votes to remove a leader from office for breaking the law. What is this an example of?
- A branch losing its power forever
- A change to an ordinary law
- One branch checking another
Because a constitution is written down, any single official can rewrite it overnight without anyone else's approval.
Circle one: True False
Country A has a king who cannot be voted out and whose word is final law. Country B elects its leaders and limits their power with a written constitution. Which country is a republic with separation of powers?
- Neither, because both have leaders
- Country A
- Country B
A student says: checks and balances mean one branch ends up with all the power, so it can do whatever it wants. What is wrong with this idea?
- Checks and balances only apply to kings and queens
- Checks and balances split power so no single branch can act completely alone
- Checks and balances means courts write every law

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

The Rulebook for Government W1-mt_kxIAbYuR5i-s1

It needs a much bigger vote and often takes years · Most constitutions require a large supermajority, and sometimes more than one election, before they can change.
The basic rulebook that sets up and limits a government · A constitution is the document that creates a government and sets limits on its power.
True · The legislature made the law, and the court used its own power to stop it. That is a check.
Whoever the legislature chooses, often the head of the largest party · In a parliamentary system, the legislature itself picks the leader instead of a separate direct vote for president.
One branch checking another · Removing a leader is a power the legislature holds specifically to check the executive branch.
False · Being written down is what makes it hard to change on a whim. Changing it needs a large vote, not one person's decision.
Country B · Country B elects its leaders and limits them by law, which is what makes it a republic with separated powers. Country A concentrates final say in one unelected person.
Checks and balances split power so no single branch can act completely alone · The whole point of checks and balances is the opposite: it spreads power out so no branch is unstoppable.