Civics Test! Flashcards
1
Q
what is the supreme law of the land?
A
the constitution
2
Q
what does the constitution do?
A
- sets up the government
2. guarantees basic right of Americans
3
Q
the idea of self-government is in the first three words of the constitution. what are these words?
A
We the people
4
Q
what is an amendment
A
a change or addition to the constitution
5
Q
what do we call the first ten amendments to the constitution?
A
the bill of rights
6
Q
what is one right or freedom from the firs amendment.
A
- speech
- religion
- assembly
- press
- petition the government
7
Q
how many amendments does the constitution have?
A
twenty seven (27)
8
Q
what did the Declaration of independence do?
A
declared out independence from Great Britain
9
Q
what are two liberties in the Declaration of Independence?
A
- life
- liberty
- the pursuit of happiness
10
Q
what is freedom of religion?
A
you can practice any religion, or not practice religion.
11
Q
what is the economic system in the united states?
A
- capitalist economy
2. market economy
12
Q
what is the rule of law?
A
everyone must follow the law including leaders and the government
13
Q
name one branch of the government
A
- executive
- judicial
- legislative
14
Q
what keeps one branch f government from being too powerful?
A
- checks and balances
2. separation of powers
15
Q
who is in charge of the executive branch?
A
the President
16
Q
who makes federal laws?
A
congress
17
Q
what are the two parts of the U.S. congress?
A
the Senate and the House of Rre[representatives
18
Q
how many U.S. senators are there?
A
one hundred (100)
19
Q
we select a U.S. senator for how many years?
A
six (6)
20
Q
who is one of our state’s U.S. senators now?
A
- Lamar Alexander
2. Marsha Blackburn
21
Q
the House of Representatives has how many voting members?
A
four hundred thirty five (435)
22
Q
we elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
A
two (2)
23
Q
Name Your U.S. Representative.
A
Mark E. Green
24
Q
who does a U.S. senator represent?
A
all people of the state
25
why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
the states population
26
we elect a President for how many years?
four (4)
27
in what month do we vote for president?
November
28
who is the current President of the U.S.?
Joe Biden
29
who is the current Vice President?
Kamala Harris
30
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
Vice President
31
if both President and Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
the Speaker of the House
32
who is Commander and Chief of the military?
the President
33
who signs bills to become laws?
the President
34
who vetoes bills?
the President
35
what does the President's Cabinet do?
advise the president
36
what are two Cabinet-level positions?
```
▪Secretary of Agriculture
▪ Secretary of Commerce
▪ Secretary of Defense
▪ Secretary of Education
▪ Secretary of Energy
▪ Secretary of Health and Human Services
▪ Secretary of Homeland Security
▪ Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
▪ Secretary of the Interior
▪ Secretary of Labor
▪ Secretary of State
▪ Secretary of Transportation
▪ Secretary of the Treasury
▪ Secretary of Veterans Affairs
▪ Attorney General
▪ Vice President
```
37
what does the Judicial branch do?
decides if the law goes against the Constution or not
38
what is the highest court in the United States?
the Supreme Court
39
how many justices are on the supreme court?
nine (9)
40
who is currently Chief Justice of the United States?
John G. Roberts
41
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is
one power of the federal government?
▪ to print money
▪ to declare war
▪ to create an army
▪ to make treaties
42
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of
the states?
```
▪ provide schooling and education
▪ provide protection [e.g. police]
▪ provide safety [e.g. fire departments]
▪ issue a driver’s license
▪ approve zoning and land use
```
43
who is the governor of Tennessee?
Bill Lee
44
what is the capital of Tennessee?
Nashville
45
What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Democratic and Republican
46
who is currently the Speaker of the House of Representatives?
Nalcy Pelosi
47
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one
of them.
▪ Citizens eighteen [18] and older can vote.
▪ You don’t have to pay a poll tax to vote.
▪ Any citizen can vote. Both Women and men can vote.
▪ A male citizen of any race can vote.
48
. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
▪ serve on a jury
| ▪ vote in a federal election
49
name one right only for United States citizens
▪ vote in a federal election
| ▪ run for federal office
50
what are two rights for everyone living in the united states?
```
▪ freedom of expression
▪ freedom of speech
▪ freedom of assembly
▪ freedom to petition the government
▪ freedom of worship
▪ the right to bear arms
```
51
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
the United States
52
what is one promise you make as a United States citizen?
▪ 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]
▪ do important work for the nation [if needed]
▪ be loyal to the United States
53
how old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
eighteen (18)
54
what are two ways Americans can participate in Democracy?
▪ vote
▪ join a political party
▪ help with a campaign
▪ join a civic group
▪ join a community group
▪ give an elected official their opinion on an issue
▪ call Senators and Representatives
▪ publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
▪ run for office
▪ protest against policies they disagree with
55
when is the last day you can send in federal tax forms?
April 15
56
when must all men register for selective service?
at age eighteen (18)
57
what is one reason colonists came to America?
```
▪ freedom
▪ political liberty
▪ religious freedom
▪ economic opportunity
▪ escape persecution
```
58
who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
Native Americans
59
what group of people were taken to America and sold as slaves?
Africans
60
why did the colonists fight the British?
because they didn't have self-government
61
who wrote the Declaration of Independense?
Thomas Jefferson
62
when was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
July 4, 1776
63
there are thirteen (13) original states. name three (3)
```
▪ New Hampshire
▪ Massachusetts
▪ Rhode Island
▪ Connecticut
▪ New York
▪ New Jersey
▪ Pennsylvania
▪ Delaware
▪ Maryland
▪ Virginia
▪ North Carolina
▪ South Carolina
▪ Georgia
```
64
what happened at the Constitutional Convention?
the Constitution was written
65
when was the constitution written?
1787
66
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of
the writers.
▪ James Madison
▪ Alexander Hamilton
▪ John Jay
▪ Publius
67
what is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
▪ 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
▪ being an inventor, writer, scientist
68
who is the "Father of the Country"?
George Washington
69
who was the first president?
George Washington
70
what territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
Louisiana
71
name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
▪ War of 1812
▪ Mexican-American War
▪ Civil War
▪ Spanish-American War
72
name the U.S. war between the North and South
Civil War
73
name one problem that led to the Civil War
▪ slavery
▪ economic reasons
▪ states’ rights
74
what is one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
▪ freed the slaves
▪ Emancipation Proclamation
▪ saved [or preserved] the Union
▪ led the United States during the Civil War
75
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
freed the slaves
76
what did Susan B. Anthony do?
fought for women's rights
77
name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s
```
▪ World War I
▪ World War II
▪ Korean War
▪ Vietnam War
▪ Persian Gulf War
```
78
who was President during World War 1?
Woodrow Wilson
79
who was President during the Great Depression and World War 2?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
80
who did the United States fight in World War 2?
Germany, Japan, and Italy
81
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he the
commanding general?
World War 2
82
during the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States
Communism
83
what movement tried to end racial discrimination?
Civil Rights Movement
84
What did Martin Luther King Jr. do?
fought for Civil Rights
85
what major event happened in the United States on September 11, 2001?
Terrorists attaches the United States
86
Name one Native American tribe in the United States
```
▪ Cherokee
▪ Navajo
▪ Sioux
▪ Chippewa
▪ Choctaw
▪ Pueblo
▪ Apache
▪ Iroquois
▪ Creek
▪ Blackfeet
▪ Seminole
▪ Cheyenne
▪ Arawak
▪ Shawnee
▪ Mohegan
▪ Huron
▪ Oneida
▪ Lakota
▪ Crow
▪ Teton
▪ Hopi
▪ Inuit
```
87
name one of the two longest rivers in the United States
1. Missouri River
| 2. Mississippi River
88
what ocean is on the west coast of the United States?
Pacific Ocean
89
what ocean is on the east coast of the United States?
Atlantic Ocean
90
name one U.S. territory
```
▪ Puerto Rico
▪ U.S. Virgin Islands
▪ American Samoa
▪ Northern Mariana Islands
▪ Guam
```
91
name one state that boarders Canada
```
▪ Maine
▪ New Hampshire
▪ Vermont
▪ New York
▪ Pennsylvania
▪ Ohio
▪ Michigan
▪ Minnesota
▪ North Dakota
▪ Montana
▪ Idaho
▪ Washington
▪ Alaska
```
92
name one state that boarders Mexico
▪ California
▪ Arizona
▪ New Mexico
▪ Texas
93
what is the capital of the United States?
Washington D.C.
94
where is the statue of Liberty?
New York City
95
why does the flag have 13 stripes?
because the represent the original colonies
96
why does the flag have 50 stars?
because there is a star for each state
97
what is the name of the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled Banner
98
when do we celebrate Independence day?
July 4
99
name two U.S. holidays
```
▪ New Year’s Day
▪ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
▪ Presidents’ Day
▪ Memorial Day
▪ Independence Day
▪ Labor Day
▪ Columbus Day
▪ Veterans Day
▪ Thanksgiving
▪ Christmas
```
100
what is the political party of the united states
Democratic
