Practice Exam Flashcards
What is the highest federal court in the United States?
the Supreme Court
Which of the following pairs of cases focused on the rights of public school students?
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) and Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988)
Who signs proposed bills into federal laws?
the President of the United States
What is an example of federalism?
the principle that the national and state governments share power
Which action is an example of petitioning the government?
lobbying officials
Which United States Supreme Court case established the power of judicial review?
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Which United States Supreme Court decision was based on the First Amendment?
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
What is the “rule of law”?
No one is above the law.
Which right from the English Bill of Rights is reflected in the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment?
“to petition the king”
Which of the following cases impacted interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment?
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
In what 1620 document do the writers form a “civil body politic”?
the Mayflower Compact
Which phrase from a letter written by Sarah Grimké in 1837 is reflected in the Fourteenth Amendment?
“I ask no favors for my sex. I surrender not our claim to equality.”
Which document was adopted by the newly independent United States to organize the national government after declaring independence?
the Articles of Confederation
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
the President
What is one responsibility of only U.S. citizens?
serving on a jury
Why does Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution require that tax bills be introduced in the House of Representatives?
because the original English colonists were taxed without their consent
Which of the following represents the principle of consent of the governed?
Individuals elect members of the House of Representatives.
Which United States Supreme Court decision focused on how states count popular votes for president and vice president?
Bush v. Gore (2000)
Which United States Supreme Court case focused on whether an enslaved person, having lived in free territory, should be free?
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
Which is a core theme of the Federalist Papers?
The proposed Constitution should be ratified.
What is one power of the U.S. Senate?
ratify international treaties
Which scenario represents a violation of the Equal Protection Clause?
A state law establishes a higher minimum wage for men than for women.
What is an example of representation?
The Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court writes a majority opinion.
Which structure found in the U.S. Constitution was included as a response to a concern expressed in the Declaration of Independence?
separation of powers
Which document represents the supreme law of the land?
the U.S. Constitution
Which of the following correctly pairs a document with a core theme of that document?
Magna Carta - Established the principle of rule of law
How many U.S. Senators represent each state?
Two
Which United States Supreme Court decision was based on the Necessary and Proper Clause?
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
How did the holding in the United States Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) impact criminal defendants?
It established that defendants had the right to counsel.
What does the U.S. Constitution do?
It sets up a federal government.
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
declared independence from Great Britain
What is an example of a democratic process?
The people elect a Governor.
What are two natural rights identified in the Declaration of Independence?
life and liberty
How did the U.S. Constitution resolve the dispute between slave and free states over representation?
Three-Fifths Compromise
Which United States Supreme Court decision resulted in reduced power for state governments?
Roe v. Wade (1973)
How did the holding in the United States Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona (1966) impact criminal defendants?
It established that defendants were protected against self-incrimination.
What is a purpose of civil rights movements?
to secure equalities
Which United States Supreme Court decision was based on the Free Exercise Clause?
West Virginia v. Barnette (1943)
Which of the following was established by a constitutional amendment?
The President may serve no more than two elected terms.
According to the authors of the Declaration of Independence, who is responsible for protecting natural rights?
the government
Which phrase in the U.S. Constitution addresses the power to seize property?
eminent domain
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
checks and balances
What is an example of judicial review?
the power of the Supreme Court to find laws unconstitutional
Which United States Supreme Court holding impacted the way that religious practice was approached in public schools?
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
Which part of the U.S. Constitution protects the freedom of religion?
the Bill of Rights
Why did many colonists fight the British during the American Revolution?
because they opposed taxation without representation
What is the minimum number of members of the U.S. House of Representatives representing each state?
one
Which of the following pairs of United States Supreme Court cases resulted in limiting the power for local governments?
Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)
What is popular sovereignty?
rule by the people
How did District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) impact states’ rights?
It reduced the ability of states to place restrictions on Second Amendment rights.
What is one qualification to serve as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives?
be at least 25 years old
What is the purpose of the Selective Service System?
to draft for compulsory military service
Which phrase from the English Bill of Rights (1689) is reflected in the U.S. Constitution’s Third Amendment?
“That the . . .power of suspending the laws . . .without consent of Parliament is illegal
What is the purpose of the Seventeenth Amendment?
to promote democratic participation
Which phrase from a letter written by President Thomas Jefferson in 1802 reflects a freedom in the Bill of Rights?
“building a wall of separation between Church & State”
Which statement from the English Bill of Rights is reflected in the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment?
“That excessive bail ought not to be required . . .nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted;”
Which of the following documents provided a rationale for the Declaration of Independence?
Common Sense
Who is Commander in Chief of the military?
the President
Which is a core theme of the Anti-Federalist Papers?
Government should support enumerated individual rights.
What is an example of a power reserved to the states?
creating school systems
Which right did the colonists consider “inalienable” in the Declaration of Independence?
pursuit of happiness
What is one chamber of the U.S. Congress?
Senate
Which United States Supreme Court decision was based on the Equal Protection Clause?
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Which is a shared power in the federal system?
collecting taxes
What is the first phrase of the U.S. Constitution?
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union”
What is one branch of the U.S. federal government?
legislative
Which of the following cases reinforced the federal government’s authority to run a federal institution without interference by a state?
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Which phrase is included in the Declaration of Independence?
“all men are created equal”
Which of the following cases reinforced the power of the courts?
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
What is the social contract?
The people give up some liberty to receive governmental protection.
Which of the following cases held that reproductive rights were an element of the right to privacy under the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment?
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Which phrase from a letter written by Abigail Adams to her husband John Adams in 1776 is reflected in the Nineteenth Amendment?
“I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them”
Which point of view is reflected in Common Sense?
Representatives should be elected.
Which of the following is a right reserved for U.S. citizens only?
running for federal office
Which of the following documents provided an outline for a state-centered government?
Articles of Confederation
The U.S. Constitution requires that the President be elected by whom?
the Electoral College
Which United States Supreme Court case focused on executive privilege?
U.S. v. Nixon (1974)
Which two steps are required in order for someone to become Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court?
nomination by the President, confirmation by the Senate
What is due process?
fair treatment in judicial proceedings
What are the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence called?
the Preamble
Which of the following pairs of cases limited the rights of African Americans?
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
Which government officials are elected by the people?
mayors
What is the length of a U.S. Representative’s elected term?
two years
Which of the following cases impacted Fourth Amendment protections at the state level?
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
What is one right included in the First Amendment?
free speech
If both the U.S. President and the U.S. Vice President are unable to serve, who acts as president?
the Speaker of the House
Based on the U.S. Constitution, which part of government was intended to hold the least power?
the judiciary
How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution currently have?
27
Which of the following pairs of cases impacted First Amendment rights?
Texas v. Johnson (1989) and Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988)
Which United States Supreme Court case held that persons accused of crimes must be advised of their Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights upon their arrest?
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
What is the length of a U.S. Senator’s elected term?
six years
Which Supreme Court ruling held that the authors of the U.S. Constitution did not intend for African Americans to be U.S. citizens?
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
the residents of a single state
Which of the following represents the goal of the Supremacy Clause?
States may not pass laws that conflict with federal laws.
What is the length of a U.S. President’s elected term?
four years
What are the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution called?
the Bill of Rights
The colonists used a political cartoon with the caption “Join or Die” to support which action?
forming their own government
Which United States Supreme Court case is correctly paired with the constitutional amendment on which it focused?
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) - First Amendment
Who has the power to veto bills?
the president
Which part of government was created to reflect the colonists’ position that governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed?
the legislature
