Civics Test Flashcards
1
Q
What is the supreme law of the land?
A
U.S. Constitution
2
Q
What does the Constitution do?
A
Sets up the government
Defines the government
Protects basic rights 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 (to the Constitution)
An 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 First Amendment?
A
Speech
Religion
Assembly
Press
Petition the government
7
Q
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
A
27
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)
9
Q
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
A
Life
Liberty
Pursuit of happiness
10
Q
What is freedom of religion?
A
You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.
11
Q
What is the economic system of the U.S.?
A
Capitalism
Free market economy
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.
13
Q
Name one branch or part of the government.
A
Congress
Legislative
President
Executive
The courts
Judicial
14
Q
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
A
Checks and balances
Separation of powers
15
Q
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
A
The President
16
Q
Who makes federal laws?
A
Congress
Senate and House (of Representatives)
(U.S. or national) legislature
17
Q
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
A
The Senate and House (of Representatives)
18
Q
How many U.S. Senators are there?
A
100
19
Q
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
A
6
20
Q
Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?
A
D.C. does not have any senators
21
Q
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
A
435
22
Q
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
A
2
23
Q
Name your U.S. Representative.
A
Eleanor Holmes Norton - non-voting Delegate
D.C. does not have any voting members in Congress
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?
(Because of) the state’s population
(Because) they have more people
(Because) some states have more people
26
We elect a President for how many years?
4
27
In what month do we vote for President?
November
28
What is the name of the President of the United States now?
Joe Biden
29
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
Kamala Harris
30
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
The VP
31
If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
The Speaker of the House
32
Who is the Commander in 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?
Advises the President
36
What are two Cabinet-level positions?
Attorney General
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
Vice President
37
What does the judicial branch do?
Reviews laws
Explains laws
Resolves disputes (disagreements)
Decides if a law goes against the Constitution
38
What is the highest court in the United States?
The Supreme Court
39
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
9
40
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
John G. Roberts Jr.
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 (police)
Provide safety (fire departments)
Give a driver’s license
Approve zoning and land use
43
Who is the Governor of your state now?
DC does not have a Governor
44
What is the capital of your state?
D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital.
45
What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Democratic and Republican
46
What is the political party of the President now?
Democratic
47
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
Nancy Pelosi
48
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. (Women and men can vote.)
A male citizen of any race (can vote).
49
What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
Serve on a jury
Vote in a federal election
50
Name one right only for United States citizens.
Vote in a federal election
Run for federal office
51
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
52
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of
Allegiance?
The United States
The flag
53
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
54
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
18 and older
55
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 on an issue
Call Senators and Representatives
Publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
Run for office
Write to a newspaper
56
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
April 15
57
When must all men register for the Selective Service?
At age eighteen (18)
Between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)
58
What is one reason colonists came to America?
Freedom
Political liberty
Religious freedom
Economic opportunity
Practice their religion
Escape persecution
59
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
American Indians
Native Americans
60
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
Africans
People from Africa
61
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
62
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
(Thomas) Jefferson
63
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
July 4, 1776
64
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
65
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
The Constitution was written.
The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
66
When was the Constitution written?
1787
67
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
(James) Madison
(Alexander) Hamilton
(John) Jay
Publius
68
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
Founded the first free public libraries
First Postmaster General of the United States
Helped write the Declaration of Independence
Inventor
U.S. diplomat
69
Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
(George) Washington
70
Who was the first President?
(George) Washington
71
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
The Louisiana Territory
Louisiana
72
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
War of 1812
Mexican-American War
Civil War
Spanish-American War
73
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
The Civil War
The War between the States
74
Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
Slavery
Economic reasons
States’ rights
75
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
76
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
Freed the slaves
Freed slaves in the Confederacy
Freed slaves in the Confederate states
Freed slaves in most Southern states
77
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
Fought for women’s rights
Fought for civil rights
78
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
World War I
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
(Persian) Gulf War
79
Who was President during World War I?
(Woodrow) Wilson
80
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
(Franklin) Roosevelt
81
Who did the United States fight in World War II?
Japan, Germany, and Italy
82
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
World War II
83
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
Communism
84
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
Civil rights (movement)
85
What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
Fought for civil rights
Worked for equality for all Americans
86
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
Terrorists attacked the United States.
87
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
Cherokee
Navajo
Sioux
Chippewa
Choctaw
Pueblo
Arawak
Shawnee
Mohegan
Huron
Oneida
Lakota
Apache
Iroquois
Creek
Blackfeet
Seminole
Cheyenne
Crow
Teton
Hopi
Inuit
88
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
Missouri (River)
Mississippi (River)
89
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
Pacific (Ocean)
90
What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
Atlantic (Ocean)
91
Name one U.S. territory.
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands
American Samoa
Northern Mariana Islands
Guam
92
Name one state that borders Canada.
Maine
New Hampshire
Vermont
New York
Pennsylvania
Ohio
Michigan
Minnesota
North Dakota
Montana
Idaho
Washington
Alaska
93
Name one state that borders Mexico.
California
Arizona
New Mexico
Texas
94
What is the capital of the United States?
Washington, D.C.
95
Where is the Statue of Liberty?
New York (Harbor)
Liberty Island
96
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
Because there were 13 original colonies
Because the stripes represent the original colonies
97
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
98
What is the name of the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled Banner
99
When do we celebrate Independence Day?
July 4th
100
Name two national 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
