Government Practice Test

Which type of government is ruled by a king or queen?

• Democracy

• Monarchy

• Dictatorship

• Republic

In a direct democracy, laws are made by:

• All citizens voting directly

• Representatives elected by the people

• A single ruler

• Judges in a court

The main purpose of checks and balances is to:

• Keep one branch of government from becoming too powerful

• Allow the military to control the government

• Give the Supreme Court more authority

• Make sure only the president can pass laws

Which branch of the U.S. government enforces laws?

• Executive

• Legislative

• Judicial

• None of the Above

Which level of government is responsible for building interstate highways and printing money?

• Federal

• Local

• State

• County

Two purposes of the government (Federal, State, or Local) are:

• To maintain order and provide public services

• To increase personal wealth and avoid laws

• To promote only private businesses and ignore citizens

• To eliminate all forms of authority

A key difference between a dictatorship and a democracy is:

• In a dictatorship, power is held by one person or a small group, while in a democracy, power is held by the people.

• In a dictatorship, everyone votes on all decisions, while in a democracy, only one person decides.

• A dictatorship allows for free and fair elections, while a democracy does not.

• In a democracy, there are no laws, while in a dictatorship, laws are strictly enforced.

One example of how the LEGISLATIVE Branch can check the EXECUTIVE Branch is:

• Overriding a presidential veto

• Appointing Supreme Court justices

• Declaring laws unconstitutional

• Granting pardons

The U.S. is an example of a representative democracy.

• True

• False

Only the judicial branch can declare a law unconstitutional.

• True

• False