Practice Questions Flashcards
Which of the following ancient civilizations established a republican form of
government?
A. Roman
B. Egyptian
C. Greek
D. Persian
A. Roman
During the 6th century B.C.E., the ancient Athenians divided the powers of their
government between two assemblies and guaranteed certain political rights to all
male citizens. How do these political reforms best illustrate how societies develop?
A. by limiting government authority
B. by choosing government leaders
C. by improving government services
D. by reducing government expenditures
A. by limiting government authority
A certain country is characterized by the following traits:
1. power achieved through inheritance
2. same ruling family for over a century
3. finite freedoms and rights
4. hierarchical social status
5. single established state religion
The establishment and maintenance of these traits is based on which of the
following principles?
A. popular sovereignty
B. due process of law
C. social contract theory
D. divine right of kings
D. divine right of kings
Which modern democratic concept practiced in the United States is most like the
democratic process of ancient Greece?
A. the referendum
B. the presidential election
C. the primary election
D. the nominating convention
A. the referendum
What is the principal function of a written constitution?
A. resolving disagreements between competing parties
B. confirming resistance to civil disobedience
C. declaring the independence of a state
D. outlining the structure and powers of a government
D. outlining the structure and powers of a government
Which of the following objectives best describes the purpose of the system of checks
and balances, as defined in the U.S. Constitution?
A. establishing accountability for the government when levying taxes
B. maintaining a healthy economy and establishing trade with other governments
C. keeping any one of the three branches of government from becoming too
powerful
D. assuring that the government spends only as much money as it takes in
C. keeping any one of the three branches of government from becoming too
powerful
Which modern process would be supported by the ancient Greeks?
A. electing governors
B. hiring press secretaries
C. nominating an ambassador
D. appointing a majority leader
A. electing governors
Laws against defamation, including libel and slander, property damage and breach
of contract represent which legal concern underlying most Western nations?
A. criminal law
B. military law
C. civil law
D. juvenile law
C. civil law
Use the passage below, from an exchange between former president Nixon and a
television interviewer, to answer the question that follows.
“Well, when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal”–Richard M. Nixon
Source: The Washington Post, June 5, 1977
Which constitutional principle does the statement from President Nixon contradict?
A. separation of powers
B. republicanism
C. rule of law
D. equality
C. rule of law
Which form of government is based on popular sovereignty?
A. communism
B. dictatorship
C. monarchy
D. republic
D. republic
Use the provided Preamble to the United States Constitution to answer the question.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common deference,
promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and
our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of
America.”
Source: National Archives and Records Administration
Which of the following statements best describes the Preamble of the U.S.
Constitution?
A. Governments are accountable to the citizens over whom they rule.
B. States will ensure that all citizens are granted certain freedoms.
C. People allow representatives to speak on behalf of all citizens.
D. Courts will elect officials to represent the people and ensure liberty
A. Governments are accountable to the citizens over whom they rule.
The U.S. Congress fulfilled which of the following purposes of government when it
declared war on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor?
A. ensuring domestic tranquillity
B. promoting the general welfare
C. providing for the common defense
D. establishing a system of justice
C. providing for the common defense
Which circumstance would require a search warrant?
A. searching persons with reasonable suspicion
B. examining evidence that is in plain view
C. searching school lockers for contraband
D. examining the contents of a hotel room
D. examining the contents of a hotel room
In the United States, which of the following is permitted to citizens by the right of
freedom of assembly?
A. the right to demonstrate
B. the right to riot
C. the right to immigrate
D. the right to work
A. the right to demonstrate
A man is walking down a public street window-shopping. A robbery is reported in
that same area. Police officers stop and search the man who is shopping. On what
Constitutional grounds could this man contest this search as a violation of his rights?
A. Second Amendment
B. Third Amendment
C. Fourth Amendment
D. Fifth Amendment
C. Fourth Amendment
In the United States, how are conflicts between state laws and federal laws generally
resolved?
A. The conflict must be resolved by the U.S. attorney general.
B. The conflict must be resolved by a national referendum.
C. The conflict must be resolved using the Supremacy Clause.
D. The conflict must be resolved using the Tenth Amendment.
C. The conflict must be resolved using the Supremacy Clause.
Which article of the U.S. Constitution grants the power to coin money, make treaties,
and levy import duties?
A. Article I
B. Article II
C. Article III
D. Article IV
A. Article I
.Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.
Which of the following represents a suitable petition for the suspect in this situation,
in regard to their constitutional rights?
A. petition for a writ of extradition
B. petition for a writ of habeas corpus
C. petition for release into their custody
D. petition for overturning of the charges
B. petition for a writ of habeas corpus
Which phrase best describes the power of impeachment?
A. the ability of the U.S. House to charge federal officers with a crime or violation
B. the ability of the U.S. Supreme Court to determine constitutionality of laws
C. the power of the U.S. Senate to remove federal officers for a crime or violation
D. the power of the U.S. President to enforce decisions of federal courts
A. the ability of the U.S. House to charge federal officers with a crime or violation
Use the excerpt below, from the Declaration of Independence, to answer the
question that follows.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of
our legislatures.
Source: National Archives and Records Administration
Which constitutional provision was inspired by the above complaint?
A. The president has the power to declare war under Article II.
B. The Second Amendment ensures that citizens have the right to keep and bear
arms.
C. The Third Amendment limits the quartering of soldiers to specific circumstances.
D. The president has the power to determine the deployment and use of soldiers
under Article II.
C. The Third Amendment limits the quartering of soldiers to specific circumstances.
.Use the passage below, from a historical document, to answer the question that
follows.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence,
promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and
our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of
America.”
Source: The U.S. Constitution, National Archives and Records Administration
Which philosophical movement best reflects the ideals in the passage?
A. Transcendentalism
B. Reformation
C. Progressivism
D. Enlightenment
D. Enlightenment
Use the passage below, which was included in the Declaration of Sentiments
adopted at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, to answer the question that
follows.
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal;
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among
these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Source: Cady Stanton, E. (2006). Declaration of sentiments. In M. Boezi (Ed.), Voices of the
American people (Vol. 1, p. 173). New York: Pearson Longman. From E. Cady Stanton, S. B.
Anthony, & M. J. Gage (Eds.) (1881), History of woman suffrage (Vol. 1, pp. 67–94).
Rochester, NY: Charles Mann. (Original work published 1848)
Which of the following documents influenced the aims and strategies of the authors
of the Declaration of Sentiments?
A. Northwest Ordinance
B. Articles of Confederation
C. U.S. Constitution
D. Declaration of Independence
D. Declaration of Independence
Which political philosopher’s ideas are best represented in the Declaration of
Independence?
A. Thomas Hobbes
B. Ethan Allen
C. John Locke
D. James Madison
C. John Locke
Why did colonists living under British rule protest British tax policies?
A. The colonists claimed that the tax policies violated their political rights.
B. The colonists claimed that the monetary policies prohibited them from developing
industries.
C. The colonists claimed that the commercial policies hindered westward expansion
of the colonies.
D. The colonists claimed that the regulatory policies caused widespread criminal
activity in the colonies.
A. The colonists claimed that the tax policies violated their political rights.
