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Civics Test

Total questions: 70

Worksheet time: 24mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
The Supreme Court is the highest court that is found under this Branch of the US Government
a)
Legislative
b)
Judicial
c)
Executive
d)
Congressional
2.
The Governor has authority at the state level and is found in which branch of the government?
a)
Judicial
b)
Monarchy
c)
Legislative
d)
Executive
3.
The House of Representatives and Senate are the 2 bodies that make up Congress. What branch of government to they fall under?
a)
Constitutional
b)
Executive
c)
Judicial
d)
Legislative
4.
To prevent one person or group of people from having too much power, the US has the 3 branches of the government. Having the power of each checked and balanced by the others is an example of what concept?
a)
Democratic Power
b)
Counterbalance of Power 
c)
Division of Power
d)
Separation of Powers
5.

What branch of the government has the ability to declare war, confirm cabinet nominations, and impeach justices?

a)

Judicial Branch

b)

Legislative Branch

c)

Executive Branch

d)

Olive Branch

6.

Which branch of the government carries out (enforces) the laws?

a)

Judicial Branch

b)

Legislative Branch

c)

Treaty Branch

d)

Executive Branch

7.

How many total people are in the U.S. Senate?

a)

435

b)

9

c)

100

d)

50

8.

Which branch has the power to impeach the President and override a veto?

a)

Judicial Branch

b)

Executive Branch

c)

Legislative Branch

d)

Jackson Martin George Branch

9.

How old do you have to be vote?

a)

16

b)

21

c)

13

d)

18

10.

The first attempt at writing a constitution of the United States was called _____________________--

a)

Articles of Confederation

b)

Preamble

c)

Constitution

d)

Declaration of Independence

11.
The beginning part of the Constitution
a)
Article I
b)
Amendments
c)
Bill of Rights
d)
Preamble
12.
Role of the judicial branch
a)
make laws
b)
interpret laws
c)
enforce laws
d)
impeach a president
13.
Name for a Supreme Court judge
a)
bench
b)
jury
c)
judicial review
d)
justice
14.
What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution? 
a)
the Preamble
b)
 the Articles of Confederation
c)
the Declaration of Independence
d)
 the Bill of Rights
15.
Why did some of the delegates refuse to sign the Constitution?
a)
because it didn’t include a bill of rights
b)
 because it didn’t give women the right to vote
c)
because it gave too much power to the states
d)
because it didn’t include the idea of checks and balances
16.
A word which means to change, correct or improve a law.
a)
amend
b)
propose
c)
principle
d)
compromise
17.
Which of the following protects the right of Americans to publish newspapers, magazines, and books?
a)
states' rights
b)
freedom of religion
c)
freedom of the press
d)
separation of powers
18.
Which is not an example of a civic responsibility?
a)
paying taxes
b)
going to church
c)
obeying the law
d)
serving on juries
19.
In a democracy where does its power come from?
a)
the president
b)
the people
c)
the legislators
d)
the courts
20.
Registering to vote, voting at all government levels,
attending government meetings, signing a petition, and contacting representatives are all protected by which Constitutional Amendment?
a)
1st
b)
2nd
c)
13th
d)
14th
21.
The 15th, 19th, and 26th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution are all related to ________.
a)
terrorism
b)
suffrage
c)
federalism
d)
integration
22.
Which is not a requirement to vote in the United States?
a)
You must be a citizen with no felonies.
b)
You must be registered to vote
c)
You must be at least 18 years of age
d)
You must have a valid driver's license
23.
Most elections take place the Tuesday after the first Monday in _______________.
a)
September
b)
October
c)
November
d)
December
24.
You don't have to physically be present to cast your vote.
a)
TRUE
b)
FALSE
25.
When a crime is committed, what type of law is this?
a)
Criminal
b)
Civil
26.

When a disagreement is settled between two people, what type of law is this?

a)

Criminal

b)

Civil

27.
What source of law is the "supreme law" of the country?
a)
Iowa Constitution
b)
US Constitution
c)
US Code
d)
Regulations
28.
The person who files a lawsuit in civil court is called the...
a)
prosecution
b)
defense
c)
plaintiff
29.
Which government office has these requirements?
Be at least 35
A natural born citizen 
Reside in the US for 14 years
a)
Governor of Florida
b)
U.S. Senator
c)
President of the United States
d)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
30.
Which government office has these requirements?
Be at least 30
Citizen at least 9 years 
Reside in the state to be represented
a)
U.S. Senator
b)
Florida Governor
c)
President of the United States
d)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
31.
Which government office has these requirements?

Be at least 25 years old

Be a U.S. citizen at least 7 years
 
Reside in the state to be represented
a)
U.S. Senator
b)
Governor of Florida
c)
President of the United States
d)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
32.
Name the three branches of government in the United Steates
a)
Federal, State, and Local
b)
Legislate, Congress, President
c)
Legislative, Cops, Military
d)
Legislative, Judicial, Executive
33.
Who believed in "Natural Rights"?
a)
Ben Franklin
b)
George Washington
c)
John Locke
34.
When there is NO GOVERNMENT
a)
Natural Rights
b)
State of Nature
c)
Democracy
d)
Oligarchy
35.
Liberty means
a)
Freedom
b)
Property
c)
Voting
d)
Government
36.
When people agree to have a government
a)
Government
b)
Democracy
c)
Oligarchy
d)
Social Contract
37.

Congress is bicameral because the

a)

Framers believed that 535 members would be too many.

b)

Framers intended to make it the most powerful branch of the government.

c)

Framers modeled it after the English Parliament.

d)

Framers sought a compromise on the issue of state representation in Congress.

38.

Congress is considered a bicameral body because

a)

it has 535 members.

b)

it has two parts.

c)

the Great Compromise established equal representation in the House.

d)

the legislative branch is more powerful than the executive branch.

39.

Which of the following is a part of the lawmaking process?

a)

checking the power of the president

b)

debating bills on the floor of Congress

c)

approving presidential appointments

d)

performing casework

40.

After being introduced on the floor, a bill moves to

a)

the appropriate standing committee.

b)

floor debate.

c)

the president’s desk.

d)

a roll-call vote.

41.

The leader of the House of Representatives is the

a)

majority leader.

b)

Speaker of the house

c)

vice president.

d)

whip.

42.

If something happens to the president and the vice president, who is next in line for the office of president?

a)

the majority leader

b)

the Senate’s presiding officer

c)

the Speaker of the House

d)

the whip

43.

If the president takes no action on a bill for ten days while Congress is in session, the bill

a)

dies.

b)

goes back to Congress.

c)

becomes a joint resolution.

d)

becomes law.

44.

During the writing of the Constitution in 1787, delegates from the smaller states wanted

a)

each state to have equal representation.

b)

the judicial branch to be the most powerful of the three branches.

c)

the president to be part of Congress.

d)

votes in Congress to be based on population.

45.

Each term of Congress is divided into

a)

535 members of Congress.

b)

a joint session.

c)

a ten-year census

d)

two sessions.

46.

Representation in the House is based on

a)

financial resources.

b)

geographical area.

c)

population.

d)

the will of the people.

47.

Which house has stricter requirements to run for office?

a)

House

b)

Neither

c)

Senate

d)

They are the same.

48.

One power the Executive Branch has over the Legislative Branch is the power of:

a)

Declaring War

b)

Veto

c)

Creating Laws

d)

Interpreting the Constitution

49.

One power the Legislative Branch has over the Executive Branch is the power to:

a)

Enforce Laws

b)

Interpret Laws

c)

Approve Justices

d)

Makes Laws

50.

One power the Judicial Branch has over the Legislative Branch is the power to:

a)

Appoint Justices

b)

Make Laws

c)

Override a Veto

d)

Decide constitutionality of Laws

51.

What is known as the Lower House

a)

House of Representatives

b)

Senate

c)

Congress

d)

Legislative Branch

52.

What is known as the Upper House

a)

House of Representatives

b)

Senate

c)

Congress

d)

Legislative Branch

53.

The ___ is the highest ranking office in the Executive Branch.

a)

Speaker of the House

b)

Chief Justice

c)

President

d)

President Pro Tempore

54.

Popular Sovereignty is also when:

a)

There are shared powers between the state and federal governments.

b)

We have freedom.

c)

The people have the power.

d)

There is a restriction of power through the Constitution.

55.

Federalism best matches:

a)

The people have the power

b)

Division of authority to specific branches of the government.

c)

Shared powers between the state and federal government

d)

Elected Representatives

56.

Separation of Powers best matches:

a)

Shared powers between the state and federal government

b)

Division of authority to specific branches of the government

c)

Making sure one branch does not have too much power

d)

Restriction through the Constitution

57.

Checks and Balances best matches

a)

Shared powers between the state and federal government

b)

Division of authority to specific branches of the government

c)

Making sure one branch does not have too much power

d)

Restriction of power through the Constitution

58.

The Speaker of the House is to the House of Representatives as __________________ is to the Senate.

a)

Speaker of the House

b)

Majority Whip

c)

Vice-President

d)

Governor

59.

How is the number of representatives in each state determined?

a)

The senate decides

b)

State legislatures decide

c)

The numbers are listed in the US Constitution

d)

The number is based on the census results

60.

When members of Congress override a presidential veto, they are exercising

a)

balance of powers

b)

separation of powers

c)

checks and balances

d)

concurrent powers

61.

What kind of powers are specifically given to Congress and written in the Constitution?

a)

implied powers

b)

concurrent powers

c)

reserved powers

d)

expressed powers

62.

Which sentence in the Constitution gives Congress its implied powers?

a)

the Preamble

b)

the Elastic Clause

c)

the Supremacy Clause

d)

the Bill of Rights

63.

Which article in the Constitution describes the structure of the Legislative Branch?

a)

The Preamble

b)

Article 1

c)

Article 7

d)

the Bill of rights

64.

What do interest groups use to try to influence the government?

a)

citizens

b)

lobbyists

c)

Congressmen

d)

the president

65.

Congress is described as bicameral because

a)

It makes laws

b)

It has 100 Senators

c)

It has two houses

d)

It is the head of the legislative Branch

66.

If Congress really felt that the bill should be a law, what can they do after the president vetoes it?

a)

Nothing, it's a done deal

b)

Override the veto with a majority vote by the Senate

c)

Override the veto with a 2/3 vote by both houses

d)

Have the Supreme Court make the President sign the bill

67.
I a social contract, both parties agree to do what?
a)
Give up all their property
b)
Fend for yourself
c)
Serve the government for life
d)
Give up some of their rights to protect everyone's rights
68.

How many amendments are there?

a)

27

b)

24

c)

18

d)

36

69.

How many members are in the U.S. House of Representatives?

a)

100

b)

365

c)

435

d)

280

70.
What evidence from the U.S. Constitution proves it is self-governed?
a)
"shall be the supreme law of the land"
b)
"we the people of the U.S."
c)
"The U.S. Constitution created 3 branches"
d)
"No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property…"