1. From the Greeks, we stole direct Democracy and jury duty. Next in our crime spree were the Romans, who "donated" representative Democracy, a bicameral legislature, and most of their legal system. Last on the list where Hobbes and Locke and lots of other Enlightenment philosophers. So, really, we're not all that original--just good at stealing stuff and adapting it.

2. The Great Compromise set up how the representation in the Legislative branch would be set up--the Senate with two senators per each state and the House of Representatives based on population. The 3/5 Compromise is way more embarrassing, and not just because it uses fractions--it counted male slaves as 3/5 of a person for determining population. Because it's more important to have power than to make sure everyone is treated as a full human being. Yup. But at least they got counted, unlike women, who didn't. Not that I'm bitter.

3. The veto and being Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.

4. When a mommy law and a daddy law love each other very much... Someone proposes a bill, then it gets debated in a committee (or four) on the side of the Legislature of the person who proposed it, then they get it perfect and vote, then there's more debating and a lot of erasing, and when they finally have it the way they want it, it gets sent over to the other side and the whole process happens again, and then it gets sent back for approval and there's more debate and erasing and this can take years. Then Congress votes. If it passes and the President likes the bill and it will help him get re-elected, he signs it. If not, there's a veto (or pocket veto) and Congress either tries to override it or they don't.

5. Nine. Whatever the president who appointed them tells them to do. They interpret the Constitution and figure out whether a state or federal law violates it, plus they work out differences between states, or between the states and the federal government.

6. Because you won't let them have the good doughnuts.

EC--They're not supposed to be, but between the power of appointment and all the executive agencies and the executive order, not to mention a very visible figurehead who's got way too much power for one person, the executive branch is the most powerful. The legislature gets too bogged down and the judiciary has a limited scope of effect.

Liz did her best to focus on taking the exam and she did handwavily well.

[either an A or an A- for Liz]

Broots did decently. And hey, at least this time he made it to the exam.