Branches of Government — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. When a state law conflicts with a federal law, the Supreme Court decides which one stands.
The Supreme Court has the final word on laws that disagree across levels of government.
2. The Constitution says federal law is the supreme law of the land when there is a conflict.
This rule keeps national laws consistent across every state in the country.
3. If a citizen feels a law is unfair, they may file a lawsuit in a federal court.
Lawsuits let citizens challenge laws and protect their rights through the judicial branch.
4. Cases that question if a law follows the Constitution may be reviewed by Supreme Court Justices.
Only the Supreme Court can decide whether a law violates the Constitution.
5. When the Court strikes down a state law, it is using a power called judicial review.
Judicial review is how the Court checks the legislative and executive branches.
6. When the Supreme Court rules on a case, it sets a legal example called precedent.
Precedent is a Court ruling that guides judges in similar future Grade 5 cases.
7. A federal law that everyone in the country must follow is called the national law.
National laws apply to everyone in the United States regardless of state for Grade 5 readers.
8. Citizens can ask the Supreme Court to hear a case by filing a petition for review.
A petition is a formal written request asking the Court to hear a Grade 5 civics case.
9. When a state and federal law disagree, the federal law usually has priority.
Federal law has priority over state law under the Constitution Supremacy Clause for Grade 5.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
State law
→ A rule that applies only within one state's borders
The supreme written rules that all American laws must follow
Federal law
→ A rule passed by Congress that applies across the entire nation
A rule that applies only within one state's borders
Judicial review
→ The court's power to decide if a law is constitutional
The court's power to decide if a law is constitutional
Constitution
→ The supreme written rules that all American laws must follow
A rule passed by Congress that applies across the entire nation
These terms show how state, federal, and constitutional rules connect through court review.