Civics test Flashcards
What is the supreme law of the land?
- The constitution
What does the constitution do?
- Sets up the government
- Defines the government
- Protects the basic rights of Americans
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
- We the people
What is an amendment?
- A change (to the constitution)
- An addition (to the constitution)
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
- The Bill of Rights
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
- Speech
- Religion
- Assembly
- Press
- Petition the government
How many amendments does the Constituion have?
twenty-seven (27)
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
- Announced our independence (from Great Britain)
- Declared our independence (from Great Britain)
- Said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
- Life
- Liberty
- Pursuit of happiness
What is freedom of religion?
- You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion
What is the economic system in the United States?
- Capitalist economy
- Market economy
What is the “rule of law”
- Everyone must follow the law.
- Leaders must obey the law.
- Government must obey the law.
- No one is above the law.
Name one branch or part of the government.
- Congress
- Legislative
- President
- Executive
- The Courts
- Judicial
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
- Check and balances
- Separation of powers
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
- The President
Who makes federal laws?
- Congress
- Senate and House (of Representatives)
- (U.S. or national) legislature
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
- The Senate and the House (of Representatives)
How many U.S. Senators are there?
- one hundred (100)
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
- six (6)
Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?
- Johnny Isakson
- David Perdue
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
- Four hundred thirty-five (435)
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
- Two (2)
Name your U.S. Representative
- Jody B. Hice
Representative for Georgia’s 10th congressional district
Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
- All people of the state
Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
- (because of) the state’s population
- (because) they have more people
- (because) some states have more people
We elect a President for how many years?
- four (4)
In what month do we vote for President?
- November
What is the name of the President of the United States now?
- Donald J. Trump
- Donald Trump
- Trump
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
- Michael R. Pence
- Mike Pence
- Pence
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes president?
- the Vice President
- If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes president?
- The Speaker of the House
Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
- The President
Who signs the bills to become laws?
- The President
Who vetoes bills?
- The President
What does the President’s Cabinet do?
- Advises the President
What are 2 Cabinet-level position?
- 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 the Interior
- Secretary of Labor
- Secretary of State
- Secretary of Transportation
- Secretary of the Treasury
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- Attorney General
- Vice President
What does the judicial branch do?
- Reviews laws
- Explains laws
- Resolves disputes )(disagreements)
- Decides if a law goes against the Constitution
What is the highest court in the United States?
- The Supreme Court
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
- nine (9)
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
- John Roberts
- John G. Roberts, Jr.
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
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
- Provide schooling and education
- Provide protection (police)
- Provide safety (fire departments)
- Give a driver’s license
- Approve zoning and land use
Who is the governor of your state now?
- Brian P. Kemp
What is the capital of your state?
- Atlanta
What are the two major political parties in the United States?
- Democratic and Republican
What is the political party of the President now?
- Republican (party)
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
- Nancy Pelosi
- Pelosi
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who an 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 (women and men can vote).
- A male citizen of any race (can vote)
What is one RESPONSIBILITY that is only for United States citizens?
- Serve on a jury
- Vote in a federal election
Name one RIGHT only for United States citizens
- Vote in a federal election
- Run for federal office
What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
- Freedom of expression
- Freedom of Speech
- Freedom of assembly
- Freedom to petition the government
- Freedom of religion
- The right to bear arms
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance
- The United States
- The flag
What is one promise you make when you become 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)
- Serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
- Be loyal to the United States
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
- eighteen (18) and older
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy
- Vote
- Join a political party
- Help with a campaign
- Join a civic group
- Join a community group
- give an elected official your opinion
- call Senators and Representatives
- Publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
- Run for office
- Write to a newspaper
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
- April 15
When must all men register for the Selective Service?
- At age eighteen (18)
- Between 18 and 26
What is one reason colonists came to America?
- Freedom
- Political liberty
- Religious freedom
- Economic opportunity
- Practice their religion
- Escape persecution
Who lived in American before the Europeans arrived?
- American Indians
- Native Americans
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
- Africans
- People form Africa
Why did the colonists fight the British?
- Because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
- Because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
- Because they didn’t have self-government
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
- (Thomas) Jefferson
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
- July 4, 1776
There were 13 original states. Name three.
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- New York
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Delaware
- Maryland
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Georgia
What happened at the Constitutional Convention
- The Constitution was written
- The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution
When was the Constitution written?
- 1787
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
- (James) Madison
- (Alexander) Hamilton
- (John) Jay
- Publius
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
Who is the “Father of our Country”?
- (George) Washington
Who was the first President?
- (George) Washington
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
- The Louisiana Territory
- Louisiana
Name one war fought by the United States in teh 1800s
- War of 1812
- Mexican-American War
- Civil War
- Spanish- American War
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South
- The Civil War
- The War between States
Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
- Slavery
- Economic Reasons
- States’ rights
What was 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
What was the Emancipation Proclamation?
- freed the slaves
- freed slaves in the Confederacy
- Freed slaves in the Confederate states
- freed slaves in most Southern States
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
- fought for women’s rights
- fought for civil rights
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
- World War I
- World War II
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
- (Persian) Gulf War
Who was president during World War I?
- (Woodrow) Wilson
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
- (Franklin) Roosevelt
Who did the United States fight in World War II?
- Japan, Germany, and Italy
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
- World War II
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
- Communism
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
- Civil rights (movement)
What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
- fought for civil rights
- worked for equality for all Americans
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
- Terrorists attacked the United States
Name one American Indian 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
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States
- Missouri (River)
- Mississippi (River)
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
- Pacific (ocean)
What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
- Atlantic (ocean)
Name one U.S. territory
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Guam
Name one state that borders Canada
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Ohio
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- North Dakota
- Montana
- Idaho
- Washington
- Alaska
Name one state that borders Mexico.
- California
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Texas
What is the capital of the United States?
- Washington, D.C.
Where is the Statue of LIberty?
- New York (Harbor)
- Liberty Island
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
- Because there were 13 original colonies
- Because the stripes represent the original colonies
Why does the flag have 50 stars?
- Because there is one star for each state
- Because each star represents a state
- Because there are 50 states
What is the name of the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled Banner
When do we celebrate Independence day?
July 4
Name two national U.S. Holidays
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- President’s day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas