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civics test Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the supreme law of the land?

A

the Constitution

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2
Q

What does the Constitution do?

A
  • sets up the government
    ▪ defines the government
    ▪ protects basic rights of Americans
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3
Q

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

What is an amendment?

A

▪ a change (to the Constitution)

▪ an addition (to the Constitution)

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5
Q

What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

A

the Bill of Rights

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6
Q

What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*

A 
▪ speech
▪ religion
▪ assembly
▪ press
▪ petition the government
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7
Q

How many amendments does the Constitution have?

A

▪ twenty-seven (27)

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8
Q

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

What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

A

▪ life
▪ liberty
▪ pursuit of happiness

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10
Q

What is freedom of religion?

A

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

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11
Q

What is the economic system in the United States?*

A

▪ capitalist economy

▪ market economy

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12
Q

What is the “rule of law”?

A

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

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13
Q

Name one branch or part of the government

A 
▪ Congress
▪ legislative
▪ President
▪ executive
▪ the courts
▪ judicial
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14
Q

What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

A

▪ checks and balances

▪ separation of powers

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15
Q

Who is in charge of the executive branch?

A

▪ the President

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16
Q

Who makes federal laws?

A

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

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17
Q

What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*

A

▪ the Senate and House (of Representatives)

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18
Q

How many U.S. Senators are there?

A

▪ one hundred (100)

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19
Q

We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

A

▪ six (6)

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20
Q

Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?*

A
  • Thom Tillis

- Richard Burr

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21
Q

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

A

▪ four hundred thirty-five (435)

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22
Q

We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

A

▪ two (2)

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23
Q

Name your U.S. Representative.

A

David Price

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24
Q

Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

A

▪ all people of the state

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25
Q

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

We elect a President for how many years?

A

4

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27
Q

In what month do we vote for President?*

A

November

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28
Q

What is the name of the President of the United States now?*

A

▪ Donald J. Trump
▪ Donald Trump
▪ Trump

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29
Q

What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?

A

▪ Michael R. Pence
▪ Mike Pence
▪ Pence

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30
Q

If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

A

▪ the Vice President

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31
Q

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

Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

A

▪ the President

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33
Q

Who signs bills to become laws?

A

the President

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34
Q

Who vetoes bills?

A

the President

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35
Q

What does the President’s Cabinet do?

A

advises the President

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36
Q

What are two Cabinet-level positions?

A 
▪ 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
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37
Q

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

What is the highest court in the United States?

A

the Supreme Court

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39
Q

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

A

nine (9)

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40
Q

Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

A

John Roberts (John G. Roberts, Jr.)

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41
Q

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

A

▪ to print money
▪ to declare war
▪ to create an army
▪ to make treaties

42
Q

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

A 
▪ provide schooling and education
▪ provide protection (police)
▪ provide safety (fire departments)
▪ give a driver’s license
▪ approve zoning and land use
43
Q

Who is the Governor of your state now?

A

Roy Cooper

44
Q

What is the capital of your state?*

A

Raleigh, NC

45
Q

What are the two major political parties in the United States?*

A

Democratic and Republican

46
Q

What is the political party of the President now?

A

Republican (Party)

47
Q

What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

A

▪ Nancy pelosi

48
Q

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

What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?*

A

▪ serve on a jury

▪ vote in a federal election

50
Q

Name one right only for United States citizens.

A

▪ vote in a federal election

▪ run for federal office

51
Q

What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

A 
▪ freedom of expression
▪ freedom of speech
▪ freedom of assembly
▪ freedom to petition the government
▪ freedom of religion
▪ the right to bear arms
52
Q

What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

A

▪ the United States

▪ the flag

53
Q

What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?

A

▪ 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)
▪ serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
▪ be loyal to the United States

54
Q

How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?*

A

▪ eighteen (18) and older

55
Q

What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

A 
▪ vote
▪ join a political party
▪ help with a campaign
▪ join a civic group
▪ join a community group
▪ give an elected official your opinion on an issue
▪ call Senators and Representatives
▪ publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
▪ run for office
▪ write to a newspaper
56
Q

When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?*

A

▪ April 15

57
Q

When must all men register for the Selective Service?

A

▪ at age eighteen (18)

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

58
Q

What is one reason colonists came to America?

A 
▪ freedom
▪ political liberty
▪ religious freedom
▪ economic opportunity
▪ practice their religion
▪ escape persecution
59
Q

Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

A

▪ American Indians

▪ Native Americans

60
Q

What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?

A

▪ Africans

▪ people from Africa

61
Q

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

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

A

▪ (Thomas) Jefferson

63
Q

When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

A

▪ July 4, 1776

64
Q

There were 13 original states. Name three.

A 
▪ New Hampshire
▪ Massachusetts
▪ Rhode Island
▪ Connecticut
▪ New York
▪ New Jersey
▪ Pennsylvania
▪ Delaware
▪ Maryland
▪ Virginia
▪ North Carolina
▪ South Carolina
▪ Georgia
65
Q

What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

A

▪ The Constitution was written.

▪ The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.

66
Q

When was the Constitution written?

A

▪ 1787

67
Q

The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

A

▪ (James) Madison
▪ (Alexander) Hamilton
▪ (John) Jay
▪ Publius

68
Q

What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

A

▪ 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

69
Q

Who is the “Father of Our Country”?

A

▪ (George) Washington

70
Q

Who was the first President?*

A

▪ (George) Washington

71
Q

What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

A

▪ the Louisiana Territory

▪ Louisiana

72
Q

Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.

A

▪ War of 1812
▪ Mexican-American War
▪ Civil War
▪ Spanish-American War

73
Q

Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.

A

▪ the Civil War

▪ the War between the States

74
Q

Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

A

▪ slavery
▪ economic reasons
▪ states’ rights

75
Q

What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*

A

▪ freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
▪ saved (or preserved) the Union
▪ led the United States during the Civil War

76
Q

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

A

▪ freed the slaves
▪ freed slaves in the Confederacy
▪ freed slaves in the Confederate states
▪ freed slaves in most Southern states

77
Q

What did Susan B. Anthony do?

A

▪ fought for women’s rights

▪ fought for civil rights

78
Q

Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*

A 
▪ World War I
▪ World War II
▪ Korean War
▪ Vietnam War
▪ (Persian) Gulf War
79
Q

Who was President during World War I?

A

▪ (Woodrow) Wilson

80
Q

Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?

A

(Franklin) Roosevelt

81
Q

Who did the United States fight in World War II?

A

Japan, Germany, and Italy

82
Q

Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

A

World War II

83
Q

During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?

A

▪ Communism

84
Q

What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

A

civil rights (movement)

85
Q

What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*

A

▪ fought for civil rights

▪ worked for equality for all Americans

86
Q

Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

A 
▪ Cherokee
▪ Navajo
▪ Sioux
▪ Chippewa
▪ Choctaw
▪ Pueblo
▪ Apache
▪ Iroquois
▪ Creek
▪ Blackfeet
▪ Seminole
▪ Cheyenne
▪ Arawak
▪ Shawnee
▪ Mohegan
▪ Huron
▪ Oneida
▪ Lakota
▪ Crow
▪ Teton
▪ Hopi
▪ Inuit
87
Q

What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?

A

Terrorists attacked the United States.

88
Q

Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.

A

▪ Missouri (River)

▪ Mississippi (River)

89
Q

What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?

A

Pacific (Ocean)

90
Q

What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

A

▪ Atlantic (Ocean)

91
Q

Name one U.S. territory.

A 
▪ Puerto Rico
▪ U.S. Virgin Islands
▪ American Samoa
▪ Northern Mariana Islands
▪ Guam
92
Q

Name one state that borders Canada.

A 
▪ Maine
▪ New Hampshire
▪ Vermont
▪ New York
▪ Pennsylvania
▪ Ohio
▪ Michigan
▪ Minnesota
▪ North Dakota
▪ Montana
▪ Idaho
▪ Washington
▪ Alaska
93
Q

Name one state that borders Mexico.

A

▪ California
▪ Arizona
▪ New Mexico
▪ Texas

94
Q

What is the capital of the United States?*

A

▪ Washington, D.C.

95
Q

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

Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

A

▪ because there were 13 original colonies

▪ because the stripes represent the original colonies

97
Q

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

What is the name of the national anthem?

A

The Star-Spangled Banner

99
Q

When do we celebrate Independence Day?*

A

▪ July 4

100
Q

Name two national U.S. holidays.

A 
▪ New Year’s Day
▪ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
▪ Presidents’ Day
▪ Memorial Day
▪ Independence Day
▪ Labor Day
▪ Columbus Day
▪ Veterans Day
▪ Thanksgiving
▪ Christmas

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