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American Gov Final Exam

Total questions: 47

Worksheet time: 24mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the supreme law of the land?

a)

The Declaration of Independence

b)

The Constitution

c)

The Bill of Rights

d)

The Preamble

2.

What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

a)

The upper and lower houses

b)

The House of Commons and the Senate

c)

The Senate and House of Representatives

d)

The Senate and the General Assembly

3.

Which of the following is NOT a right of an accused person under the Constitution?

a)

right to a pardon

b)

right to be considered innocent until proven guilty

c)

right to have a public trial

d)

right to a trial by jury

4.

Whose ideas were the basis for MOST of the ideas in the Declaration of Independence?

a)

Thomas Jefferson

b)

John Locke

c)

The Baron de Montesquieu

d)

Thomas Hobbes

5.

What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

a)

The United States of America

b)

The President of the United States

c)

The Constitution

d)

The Bill of Rights

6.

If a case involves the U.S. Constitution, who hears the case?

a)

federal courts

b)

state courts

c)

maritime courts

d)

state supreme courts

7.

What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

a)

The Articles of Confederation

b)

The Constitution

c)

The Bill of Rights

d)

The Declaration of Independence

8.

What is the highest court in the United States?

a)

the United States District Court

b)

the Federal Court of Appeals

c)

the Georgia Supreme Court

d)

the United States Supreme Court

9.

What did the Declaration of Independence do?

a)

Outlined the basic rights and freedoms that all Americans share

b)

Announced America's separation from Great Britain

c)

Created a treaty between the United States and Great Britain

d)

Declared a cease-fire in the war between the United States and Great Britain

10.

What is the "rule of law"

a)

The idea that the power of the government is limited by the rights of the people

b)

The idea that everyone, including members of the government, must obey the law

c)

The idea that government gets its power from the consent of the people

d)

The idea that people have the right to freedom of religion

11.

We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

a)

2

b)

4

c)

6

d)

8

12.

How many U.S. senators are there?

a)

200

b)

50

c)

435

d)

100

13.

Who approves appointments to the Supreme Court?

a)

the House of Representatives

b)

the President

c)

the Senate

d)

Congress

14.

Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?

a)

Printing money

b)

Making treaties

c)

Creating an army

d)

Providing schooling and education

15.

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

a)

10

b)

12

c)

9

d)

6

16.

What was the purpose of The Federalist (The Federalist Papers)?

a)

To explain America's reasons for separating from Great Britain

b)

To encourage support for ratification of the Constitution

c)

To encourage support for independence from Great Britain

d)

To discourage people from supporting ratification of the Constitution

17.

Who appoints members of the Supreme Court?

a)

the House of Representatives

b)

Congress

c)

the Senate

d)

the President

18.

Which article of the Constitution created the federal court system?

a)

Article III

b)

Article V

c)

Article IV

d)

Article I

19.

What does the President's cabinet do?

a)

Approves treaties

b)

Signs bills into law

c)

Appoints members of the Supreme Court and other federal courts

d)

Advises the president

20.

What is the significance of Marbury vs. Madison?

a)

It was the first Supreme Court case in history

b)

It was the Supreme Court case that created the principle of judicial review.

c)

It was the Supreme Court case that created the federal judicial branch.

d)

It was the Supreme Court case that created the process for choosing judges.

21.

We elect a U.S. Representatives for how many years?

a)

6

b)

4

c)

8

d)

2

22.

What is the main role of the judicial branch?

a)

To make sure the laws are carried out.

b)

To execute the laws.

c)

To write the laws.

d)

To study and interpret the laws.

23.

Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. Which of the following is a

power of the federal government?

a)

Creating laws about marriage and divorce

b)

Declaring war

c)

Creating school laws

d)

Issuing drivers licenses

24.

Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

a)

Half the people of his state

b)

All the people of his state

c)

All people of the United States

d)

The members of his Congressional district

25.

What does the Constitution do?

a)

All of the above

b)

Protects the basic rights of Americans

c)

Defines the government

d)

Sets up the government

26.

If the Supreme Court finds a law in conflict with the Constitution, it

a)

files an injunction.

b)

declares the law unconstitutional.

c)

asks Congress to repeal the law.

d)

changes the Constitution.

27.

Which of the following terms does NOT describe the type of government we have in the United States?

a)

Republican

b)

Federal

c)

Parliamentary

d)

Presidential

28.

What is one right or freedom protected by the First Amendment?

a)

Protection from unreasonable searches and seizures

b)

Freedom of speech

c)

The right to bear arms

d)

The right against self-incrimination

29.

Why do some states have more representatives than other states?

a)

Some states have larger economies

b)

Some states have larger populations

c)

Some states have more registered voters

d)

Some states have more geographical territory

30.

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

a)

100

b)

435

c)

218

d)

200

31.

Who is the leader of the House of Representatives?

a)

The Vice-President of the United States

b)

The Speaker of the House

c)

The president pro tempore

d)

The President of the House

32.

Which of the following is NOT one of the three branches of government in the United States?

a)

Executive

b)

Legislative

c)

Judicial

d)

Congress

33.

What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

a)

Separation of powers and checks and balances

b)

Self-government

c)

Due process

d)

Rule of Law

34.

If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

a)

A new president is elected

b)

The president pro tempore of the Senate

c)

The Speak of the House

d)

The Vice-President of the United States

35.

Who is the Commander-in-Chief of the military?

a)

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

b)

The Secretary of Defense

c)

The President of the United States

d)

The Vice President of the United States.

36.

The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

a)

When in the course of human events

b)

We the people

c)

With liberty and justice for all

d)

Government for the people, by the people

37.

Which of the following is NOT a case that would be heard in federal court?

a)

dispute over child support

b)

cases involving the Defense Department

c)

case involving a violation of the freedom of speech

d)

dispute over patent rights

38.

What constitutional principle states that power is divided between the federal government and state

government?

a)

Judicial review

b)

Limited government

c)

Federalism

d)

Separation of powers

39.

In deciding to incorporate parts of the Bill of Rights into state laws, the Supreme Court has relied on the

due process clause of the __________________.

a)

1 st Amendment

b)

14 th Amendment

c)

26 th Amendment

d)

5 th Amendment

40.

The Constitution grants certain powers to the states. These are known as:

a)

Police powers

b)

Concurrent powers

c)

Reserved powers

d)

Delegated powers

41.

The power to tax is shared by both the federal and the state government. These powers are known as:

a)

Delegated powers

b)

Concurrent powers

c)

Reserved powers

d)

Expressed powers

42.

The requirement that the government must inform an arrested citizen of their constitutional rights was

established in the landmark Supreme Court case:

a)

Marbury v. Madison

b)

Brown v. BoED

c)

Texas v. Johnson

d)

Miranda v. Arizona

43.

Constitutional clause, also known as the elastic clause, that gives congress the power to make law that is

not expressed in the constitution.

a)

Commerce Clause

b)

Reserved powers

c)

Supremacy Clause

d)

Necessary and Proper Clause

44.

Thoughtful and effective participation in civic life is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT:

a)

Paying taxes

b)

Serve on jury if called

c)

Fighting global warming

d)

Participate in the political process

45.

Number of electoral votes needed to win the presidency

a)

235

b)

175

c)

270

d)

100

46.

Where does most of the work on a bill take place in Congress?

a)

On the floor

b)

Special sessions

c)

In Committees

d)

On the campaign trail

47.

If a bill is vetoed by the president it does which of the following:

a)

Dies in committee

b)

Goes back to congress where it can pass with a 2/3 votes of both houses

c)

Goes back to congress where it can pass with a majority vote

d)

Goes to the Supreme Court