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USA Citizenship civics test > 2008 version of the civics test > Flashcards

2008 version of the civics test Flashcards

1
Q
  1. What is the supreme law of the land?
A

the constitution

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2
Q
  1. What does the Constitution do?
A

▪ sets up and defines the government

▪ protects basic rights of Americans

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3
Q
  1. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
A

we the people

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4
Q
  1. What is an amendment?
A

▪ a change (to the Constitution)

▪ an addition (to the Constitution)

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5
Q
  1. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
A

▪ the Bill of Rights

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6
Q
  1. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*
A

▪ speech

▪ religion
▪ assembly
▪ press
▪ petition the government

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7
Q
  1. How many amendments does the Constitution have?
A

27

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8
Q
  1. What did the Declaration of Independence do?
A

▪ 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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9
Q
  1. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
A

▪ life
▪ liberty
▪ pursuit of happiness

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10
Q
  1. What is freedom of religion?
A

▪ You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.

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11
Q
  1. What is the economic system in the United States?*
A

▪ capitalist economy

▪ market economy

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12
Q
  1. What is the “rule of law”?
A

▪ Everyone must follow the law.
▪ No one is above the law.
▪ Government and leaders must obey the law.

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13
Q
  1. Name one branch or part of the government.*
A

Judicial = ju-dee-sal

Legislative

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14
Q
  1. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
A

▪ checks and balances

▪ separation of powers

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15
Q
  1. Who is in charge of the executive branch?
A

president

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16
Q
  1. Who makes federal laws?
A

▪ Congress
▪ Senate and House (of Representatives)
▪ (U.S. or national) legislature

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17
Q
  1. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*
A

▪ the Senate and House (of Representatives)

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18
Q
  1. How many U.S. Senators are there?
A

100

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19
Q
  1. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
A

6 years

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20
Q
  1. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?*
A

Benjamin Cardin

Chris Van Hollen

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21
Q
  1. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
A

435

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22
Q
  1. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
A

2 years

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23
Q
  1. Name your U.S. Representative.
A

Anthony Brown

Jamie (Jamin) Raskin

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24
Q
  1. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
A

▪ all people of the state

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25
Q
  1. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
A

▪ (because of) the state’s population
▪ (because) they have more people
▪ (because) some states have more people

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26
Q
  1. We elect a President for how many years?
A

4 years

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27
Q
  1. In what month do we vote for President?*
A

November

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28
Q
  1. What is the name of the President of the United States now?*
A

Donald Trump

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29
Q
  1. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
A

Mike Pence

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30
Q
  1. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
A

▪ the Vice President

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31
Q
  1. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
A

▪ the Speaker of the House

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32
Q
  1. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
A

▪ the President

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33
Q
  1. Who signs bills to become laws?
A

▪ the President

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34
Q
  1. Who vetoes bills?
A

▪ the President

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35
Q
  1. What does the President’s Cabinet do?
A

▪ advises the President

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36
Q
  1. What are two Cabinet-level positions?
A

▪ Attorney General
▪ Vice President

▪ Secretary of Defense
▪ Secretary of Education

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37
Q
  1. What does the judicial branch do?
A

▪ reviews laws
▪ explains laws
▪ resolves disputes (disagreements)
▪ decides if a law goes against the Constitution

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38
Q
  1. What is the highest court in the United States?
A

▪ the Supreme Court

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39
Q
  1. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
A

nine

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40
Q
  1. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
A

John Roberts

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41
Q
  1. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
A

to print money

42
Q
  1. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
A

to provide schooling and education

43
Q
  1. Who is the Governor of your state now?
A

Larry Hogan

44
Q
  1. What is the capital of your state?*
45
Q
  1. What are the two major political parties in the United States?*
A

Democratic

Republican

46
Q
  1. What is the political party of the President now?
A

Republican

47
Q
  1. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
A

Nancy Pelosi

48
Q
  1. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
A

▪ 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).

49
Q
  1. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?*
A

▪ serve on a jury

▪ vote in a federal election

50
Q
  1. Name one right only for United States citizens.
A

▪ vote in a federal election

51
Q
  1. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
A

freedom of speech

freedom of religion

52
Q
  1. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
A

the US

the flag

53
Q
  1. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
A

▪ obey the laws of the United States

54
Q
  1. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?*
A

▪ eighteen (18) and older

55
Q
  1. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
A

vote

join a political party

56
Q
  1. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?*
57
Q
  1. When must all men register for the Selective Service?
A

▪ at age eighteen (18)

▪ between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)

58
Q
  1. What is one reason colonists came to America?
59
Q
  1. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
A

▪ Native Americans

▪ American Indians

60
Q
  1. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
A

▪ Africans

▪ people from Africa

61
Q
  1. Why did the colonists fight the British?
A

▪ because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
▪ because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
▪ because they didn’t have self-government

62
Q
  1. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
A

▪ (Thomas) Jefferson

63
Q
  1. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
A

▪ July 4, 1776

64
Q
  1. There were 13 original states. Name three.
A

Maryland
Delaware
Pennsylvania

65
Q
  1. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
A

▪ The Constitution was written.

▪ The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.

66
Q
  1. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
A

Alexander Hamilton

67
Q
  1. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
A

▪ U.S. diplomat

▪ started the first free libraries

68
Q
  1. Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
A

▪ (George) Washington

69
Q
  1. Who was the first President?*
A

▪ (George) Washington

70
Q
  1. When was the Constitution written?
71
Q
  1. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
A

▪ the Louisiana Territory

▪ Louisiana

72
Q
  1. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
73
Q
  1. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
74
Q
  1. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
75
Q
  1. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*
A

▪ freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)

▪ led the United States during the Civil War

76
Q
  1. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
A

▪ freed the slaves

77
Q
  1. What did Susan B. Anthony do?
A

▪ fought for women’s rights

▪ fought for civil rights

78
Q
  1. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*
79
Q
  1. Who was President during World War I?
A

▪ (Woodrow) Wilson

80
Q
  1. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
A

▪ (Franklin) Roosevelt

81
Q
  1. Who did the United States fight in World War II?
A

Japan, italy, germany (JIG)

82
Q
  1. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
83
Q
  1. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
84
Q
  1. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
A

▪ civil rights (movement)

85
Q
  1. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*
A

▪ fought for civil rights

▪ worked for equality for all Americans

86
Q
  1. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
A

▪ Terrorists attacked the United States.

87
Q
  1. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
A

cherokee
inuit
crow

88
Q
  1. Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
A

▪ Missouri (River)

▪ Mississippi (River)

89
Q
  1. What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
A

▪ Pacific (Ocean)

90
Q
  1. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
A

▪ Atlantic (Ocean)

91
Q
  1. Name one U.S. territory.
A

▪ Puerto Rico

▪ U.S. Virgin Islands

92
Q
  1. Name one state that borders Canada.
A

michigan

new york

93
Q
  1. Name one state that borders Mexico.
94
Q
  1. What is the capital of the United States?*
A

washington D.C

95
Q
  1. Where is the Statue of Liberty?*
A

▪ New York (Harbor)
▪ Liberty Island
[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]

96
Q
  1. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
A

▪ because there were 13 original colonies

▪ because the stripes represent the original colonies

97
Q
  1. Why does the flag have 50 stars?*
A

▪ because there is one star for each state
▪ because each star represents a state
▪ because there are 50 states

98
Q
  1. What is the name of the national anthem?
A

▪ The Star-Spangled Banner

99
Q
  1. When do we celebrate Independence Day?*
100
Q
  1. Name two national U.S. holidays.
A

new year’s day

christmas day

USA Citizenship civics test (2 decks)

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