Civics Master Exam 2025

What is lobbying?

• Where they sell popcorn at the movies.

• The way organizations try influence government.

• The way Congress vetos laws.

• When the Supreme Court declares a law Unconstitutional.

Answer explanation

Lobbyists are people, usually from large corporations, who try to get legislators to vote in ways that benefit their businesses.

This can be seen as good, or bad.

What is a Federal System?

• The way the Supreme Court reviews a law's Constitutionality.

• The way power is shared between the central government and states.

• The way the states are more powerful than local governments.

Answer explanation

A federal system is just like the government in the USA where power is split between the states and the central government. The states make some laws (usually smaller things) and the central government makes other laws (usually bigger things).

What is the way one branch of government limits or checks the power of the others called?

• Separation of powers

• Checks and balances

• Differences and similarities

• Writes and wrongs.

Answer explanation

This "check" has branches of government compete against each other for power, thereby limiting it or keeping the other branches "in check."

What was added to the Constitution to protect individual liberties?

• Declaration of Independence

• The Communist Manifesto

• The Bill of Rights

• Articles of Confederation

Answer explanation

The Bill of Rights is the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution and was created to make sure government knew it's limits and stayed within them.

What are the first ten amendments (changes) to the Constitution called?

• The Ten Commandments

• The Articles of Confederation

• The Declaration of Independence.

• The Bill of Rights

Answer explanation

Amendments are changes, but in the case of the Bill of Rights, they are more like clarifications limiting the power government has over individuals.

How many states are there in the United States of America?

• 49

• 50

• 51

• 52

Keeping in mind Hawaii, Alaska & Puerto Rico, how many states are there?

• 50

• 51

• 52

• 53

Answer explanation

Sorry, but this was a trick question. There are 50 states no matter what is in your mind.....

If there are two Senators from each state, how many Senators are there?

• 50

• 100

• 270

• 435

Answer explanation

If there are 50 states and each state has 2 senators, then the total is 100, 2 X 50 = 100.

How many Representatives are there in the House of Representatives?

• 50

• 100

• 270

• 435

Answer explanation

The amount of representatives each state has is based on it's population. The larger the population, the more representatives it has.

435 is just a fixed number. They capped the number of Congressmen/women there. It's an odd number, but you just have to remember it.

270 is how many electoral votes needed to become President.

Who's vote has more power, a Senator or a Representative in the House?

• A Senator, because there is LESS of them (100).

• A Representative, because there is more of them (435).

Answer explanation

This is like the law of supply and demand, the more voters there are, the less each vote is worth. The less voters there are, the MORE each vote is worth.