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Civics Quarter 1 Questions

Total questions: 90

Worksheet time: 45mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Why does the government require qualified 18-year-old males to register for selective service?

a)

to allow the government to quickly draft them in times of crisis

b)

to ensure that they are also registered to vote

c)

to provide jobs for more people

d)

to provide money to pay for government services

2.

Which of the following terms is defined as the legal process of becoming a U.S. citizen?

a)

Adoption

b)

Assimilation

c)

Immigration

d)

Naturalization

3.

Pay taxes, attend school until 16, defend the nation, obey laws

Which obligation is missing?

a)

Vote

b)

Serve on juries

c)

Volunteer

d)

Stay informed

4.

What practice is part of the obligation of a U. S. citizen to help defend the nation?

a)

Serve on a jury

b)

Vote in national elections

c)

Register for Selective Service

d)

Keep informed about national issues

5.

Which of the following is a citizen responsibility rather than an obligation?

a)

Obeying the law

b)

Paying taxes

c)

Attending civic meetings

d)

Registering for Selective Service

6.

Be of good moral character, read/write/speak English, pass Civics/History test, been lawfully admitted to the US.

Which requirement for naturalization is missing?

a)

Pay federal income taxes

b)

Have an annual income of $20,000 or more

c)

Have resided in the US for five years

d)

Have a close relative who is a US citizen

7.

Apply for citizenship >> Get fingerprints taken >> ????? >> Take oath of allegiance

a)

Be interviewed and pass citizenship tests

b)

Complete a background check

c)

Receive appointment letter

d)

Wait five years

8.

Why is it important to pay your taxes?

a)

To make sure people are good citizens

b)

To pay for private universities

c)

To make sure that laws are up-to-date

d)

To provide money to pay for government services

9.

Which of the following best describes the term citizen?

a)

An individual that exercises political authority over another

b)

An individual who is able to vote in elections

c)

A legally recognized member of a country

d)

A person who is loyal to and proud of his country

10.

Why is attending school considered a “civic duty?

a)

Educated citizens are vital to the success of our democracy

b)

The more education a person has, the more money he or she is likely to earn

c)

School districts depend on having a certain number of students

d)

Today’s high-tech society needs educated employees

11.

Why are citizens obligated to respond to such documents as Jury summons?

a)

to guarantee court hearings remain

b)

to guarantee courts provide probable cause

c)

to protect the constitutional right to be tried by one’s peers

d)

to protect the constitutional right to confront one’s accuser

12.

 “I…declare…that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States…against all enemies, foreign and domestic; [and] that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law.”

-Oath of Citizenship

 

Which of the following citizen obligations reflected in the excerpt above is adhered to by lawful permanent residents?

a)

obeying the law

b)

voting

c)

serving on juries

d)

serving in elected office

13.

“And that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law,” refers specifically to which citizen obligation?

a)

defending the nation

b)

obeying the law

c)

serving on juries

d)

supporting arms

14.

Which of the following adheres to swearing allegiance to support and defend the U.S. Constitution and the laws of the United States against all enemies?

a)

all residents

b)

lawful permanent residents

c)

naturalized citizens only

d)

native-born citizens only

15.

Why is it important for people to volunteer?

a)

To look good on college applications

b)

because it is required by law

c)

they help volunteers earn money

d)

they can make a positive impact on their community

16.

Which of the following is a U.S. Citizen?

a)

Mike was born in Canada and has been working in the U.S. the past 3 years

b)

Cecilia is seventeen and is going to high school in Los Angeles

c)

Josh was born in Spain to two U. S. citizens

d)

Julie moved to the United States when she was three years old. She moved back to Mexico when she was 12

17.

Tommy lives in Japan and wants to move to the United States. What is the first step to living here legally?

a)

filling out an application for citizenship

b)

obtaining a visa

c)

taking a civics/English exam

d)

being of "good moral character"

18.

What would be a consequence if citizens did not carry out their responsibilities?

a)

people would have more free time

b)

the government could lower taxes

c)

people would find out that they were not needed

d)

people would risk losing their rights

19.

The list below identifies several activities:

·      Attending a school board meeting

·      Voting in a primary election

·      Helping on a phone bank for a mayoral candidate

·      Putting a candidate’s sign in your yard

·      Registering voters at a community college

What do these activities illustrate?

a)

Ways that citizens can run for political office

b)

Opportunities for citizens to participate in national elections

c)

Opportunities for citizens to influence political action committees

d)

Ways in which citizens actively participate in the political process

20.

Which civic duty involves the receiving of a summons in the mail?

a)

To guarantee our right to confront witnesses

b)

To preserve constitutional limits on governmental power

c)

To guarantee our right to be judged by a jury of our peers

d)

To protect our right to petition for a writ of habeas corpus

21.

. Ester Tua Caballa became a citizen in the US District Court in Pensacola, Florida, in June 2014. What are three of the requirements she had to fulfill for this accomplishment?

a)

Reside in the United States for five years; be of “good character”; pass a US history test

b)

Be of “good character”; pass a test of general knowledge; have a high school diploma

c)

Be of “good character”; enter the United States lawfully; earn more than $20,000 annually

d)

Reside in the United States for five years; enter the United States lawfully; serve in the armed forces

22.

What is the impact of volunteering?

a)

They enable volunteers to earn more money

b)

They often lead to friction between volunteer groups

c)

They increase government involvement in people’s lives

d)

They can make a positive difference in the lives of those they help

23.

What would be the most likely consequence to society if citizens began refusing to fulfill their citizenship responsibilities?

a)

People would face the threat of losing their individual rights and freedoms

b)

People would have more free time because they would have fewer social obligations

c)

People would benefit from the direction of strong leaders who would guard their freedoms

d)

People would find that society was able to look after itself with the help of civic participation

24.

Which of these is a legal obligation of US citizenship?

a)

to reside in the United States

b)

to save money for retirement

c)

to vote in presidential elections

d)

to serve on a jury when summoned

25.

Which of these is part of the legal means of becoming a US citizen?

a)

registering to vote

b)

paying income taxes

c)

having relatives in the United States

d)

living in the United States at least four years

26.

Which of these individuals would NOT be considered a US citizen?

a)

John was born in Guatemala and his mother is a US citizen while his father is a Guatemalan citizen

b)

Neither of Henry’s parents are US citizens and he was born in Puerto Rico

c)

Terry was born in Nicaragua to Nicaraguan parents, and he moved to the United States when he was two years old

d)

George’s mother became a naturalized US citizen when George was eight years old

27.

According to John Locke, which agreement did individuals enter into to form their own society?

a)

Constitution

b)

Social contract

c)

Mayflower Compact

d)

English Bill of Rights

28.

The statement below is from the Magna Carta:

“No freeman shall be taken or imprisoned or disseised or exiled or any way destroyed, nor will we go upon him nor send upon him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land"

Which right was guaranteed in this excerpt?

a)

Trial by jury

b)

No taxation without representation

c)

Freedom of the press

d)

Freedom of religion

29.

Which thinker introduced the idea of a separation of powers for effective government?

a)

John Locke

b)

Montesquieu

c)

Thomas Paine

d)

Thomas Jefferson

30.

How was Locke’s social contract theory related to his belief in natural law?

a)

He argued subjects had the right to rebel against a ruler who acted against natural law

b)

He argued that whatever the king did was good according to natural law

c)

He argued that natural law required the colonists to be given their independence

d)

He argued that God had especially chosen kings to rule over their subjects as part of

31.

Which describes an impact of Magna Carta on the American colonists in the 1770s?

a)

They believed they could not be taxed without their consent

b)

They believed they could not be governed by a far-away island

c)

They thought they had the right to overthrow a king who did not protect their rights

d)

They favored a separation of the powers of government into different branches

32.

What most attracted the Founding Fathers to Montesquieu’s explanation of the separation of powers?

a)

Their separation could help prevent the central government from becoming tyrannical and oppressive

b)

Their separation could protect the rights of the nobility from the actions of the king

c)

Their separation could preserve the privileges of the monarch and nobles from popular attack

d)

Their separation raised judicial power to a level of equality with legislative and executive power

33.

Which right was established by the Magna Carta in 1215?

a)

The right to vote in elections

b)

the right to choose the monarch

c)

the right to freedom of speech

d)

the right to trial by jury

34.

Which document confirmed the rights of English subjects after the overthrow of James II in the Glorious Revolution?

a)

Magna Carta

b)

Mayflower Compact

c)

English Bill of Rights

d)

Montesquieu's Spirit of the Laws

35.

Which of the following were most similar?

a)

The Mayflower Compact and John Locke’s social contract theory

b)

The English Bill of Rights and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

c)

The Magna Carta and Montesquieu’s separation of powers

d)

The Mayflower Compact and Montesquieu’s separation of powers

36.

Mayflower Compact >> Self-Government

English Bill of Rights >> ??????

a)

Natural law

b)

Separation of powers

c)

Divine right of kings

d)

Guarantee of certain individual rights

37.

The statements below are from the 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights:

1 - That in all capital or criminal prosecutions a man hath a right to demand…evidence in his favor, and to speedy trial by an impartial jury

2 - That the legislative, executive, and judiciary department shall be separate and distinct

3 - That the freedom of the press is one of the great bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained

4 - That a well-regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state

Which statement guarantees a right first granted by the Magna Carta?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

38.

The separation of powers influenced the US government by providing...

a)

checks and balances

b)

natural rights

c)

natural law

d)

social contract

39.

How did the Magna Carta influence the colonists’ views of government?

a)

It encouraged them to declare their independence from Great Britain

b)

It gave them the idea that everyone is entitled to certain natural rights

c)

It led them to create a government based on a separation of powers among different branches

d)

It granted them rights as English subjects, including the right to a trial by jury and not to be taxed without consent

40.

According to John Locke, where did rights come from?

a)

The government

b)

the Declaration of Independence

c)

God or nature

d)

the king

41.

How did Thomas Jefferson describe the social contract?

a)

natural law

b)

a declaration of independence

c)

consent of the governed

d)

life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

42.

Thomas Jefferson was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence. Which quote from this document shows the influence of the Enlightenment?

a)

“With certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"

b)

“Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves"

c)

“He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States"

d)

“Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation"

43.

"You are not to inquire how your trade may be increased, nor how you are to become a great and powerful people, but how your liberties can be secured; for liberty ought to be the direct end of your Government."—Patrick Henry

According to Founding Father Patrick Henry, the purpose of government is to protect what?

a)

social contract

b)

separation of powers

c)

foreign trade

d)

natural rights

44.

John Locke believed that if government does not protect natural rights, then...

a)

citizens know that the government is working because they have safety

b)

it breaks the social contract, and people can create a new government

c)

citizens should combine the parts of government into a single branch

d)

it must have a good reason for doing so, and citizens should not complain

45.

Imagine your local police arrest a person suspected of robbing many homes and stores. This is an example of how government...

a)

Abuses the powers citizens give to it

b)

Makes laws through representatives

c)

Fulfills its promise in the social contract

d)

Protects citizens’ natural rights

46.

Which of the following quotes best relates to the idea of separation of powers?

a)

"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others."—Thomas Jefferson

b)

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground."—Thomas Jefferson

c)

"You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be repealed."—John Adams

d)

"The judicial power ought to be distinct from both the legislative and executive."—John Adams

47.

Which of the following is not an idea from Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense?

a)

British leaders base decisions on their own interests, not the colonies' interests

b)

American colonists were from all over Europe, not just Britain

c)

The British monarch should be respected as a matter of common sense

d)

The American colonies would do well without any help from Britain

48.

Which of these documents was an agreement among new colonists to follow laws for the common good?

a)

Mayflower Compact

b)

Magna Carta

c)

Paine's Common Sense

d)

English Bill of Rights

49.

Which of these documents listed specific rights that the monarch would have to protect and respect?

a)

English Bill of Rights

b)

US Constitution

c)

Mayflower Compact

d)

Common Sense

50.

"No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions ... except by the lawful judgment of his peers."

This quote from the Magna Carta encouraged American colonists to believe that...

a)

people accused of crimes had certain rights unless found guilty through a legal process

b)

free people should be put in jail for their own safety if threatened by their neighbors

c)

anyone can be arrested, put in jail, and have his or her stuff taken away by peers

d)

only going to court can determine whether a person should get their property returned

51.

Did the Magna Carta influence the American colonists' ideas about government?

a)

No, it was a document read only in England and did not influence the American colonists

b)

No, it was an agreement between some of the American colonists to follow rules when they established their colonies

c)

Yes, it was an example of a limited monarchy in England, and explained that the monarch should not have unrestricted powers

d)

Yes, it was a contract between early English settlers and was used to set up all of the American colonies

52.

What was the main purpose of the tar-and-feathering of British tax collectors?

a)

To protest their being taxed without their consent

b)

To protest the high cost of British manufactured goods

c)

To protest British involvement in the French and Indian War

d)

To protest the quartering of troops in colonists’ own homes

53.

British attempt to tax colonists >> Colonists protest British policies >> ???? >> Declaration of Independence is issued

a)

British give up the attempt to tax the colonists

b)

British apply armed forces against the colonists

c)

British agree to give the colonists their independence

d)

British grant the colonists representation in Parliament

54.

In the 1760s and 1770s, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, Townshend Duties, Tea Act, and Intolerable Acts. What was the impact of these British policies?

a)

Indian tribes were able to keep their land

b)

Colonists began to think of becoming independent

c)

The British government was able to pay off its debts

d)

The French were defeated in the French and Indian War

55.

Which document publicized the concept of “natural rights”, later found in the Declaration of Independence?

a)

Magna Carta

b)

English Bill of Rights

c)

Mayflower Compact

d)

John Locke's explanation of the Social Contract

56.

Why were colonists outraged by taxes imposed by the British government?

a)

Because they denied trials by a jury of their peers

b)

Because they had no representation in Parliament

c)

Because they made British paper products less expensive

d)

Because they had to house British soldiers

57.

Which Enlightenment thinker argued that all people were born equal and had natural rights to life, liberty, and property?

a)

Thomas Hobbes

b)

Montesquieu

c)

Thomas Jefferson

d)

John Locke

58.

Which grievance contributed to the American colonists’ desire for independence?

a)

British policies had made frontier lands too expensive

b)

The King had denied the colonists their freedom of religion

c)

The British government had been too generous to the Indian tribes

d)

The British government had taxed the colonists without their consent

59.

What concerns did colonists have related to representation in Parliament?

a)

They did not have a say in laws or taxes that were passed

b)

They boycotted British goods and services

c)

They paid high taxes on sugar, tea, and stamps

d)

They kept soldiers in their homes as guests

60.

"Every quiet method for peace hath been ineffectual. Our prayers have been rejected with disdain; and only tended to convince us, that nothing flatters vanity, or confirms obstinacy in Kings more than repeated petitioning—and nothing hath contributed more than that very measure to make the Kings of Europe absolute." – Thomas Paine, Common Sense

How did this excerpt motivate colonists to support the creation of the Declaration of Independence?

a)

By reminding them that King George is in charge

b)

By reminding them that King George refuses to respond to their requests

c)

By pointing out the important contributions they have made to Britain

d)

By pointing out times when peaceful methods have worked to resolve conflict

61.

How did the Second Continental Congress respond to British policies?

a)

They started the French and Indian War

b)

They chose a committee to write the Declaration of Independence explaining why the colonies should be free

c)

They passed the Tea Act, allowing a British company to import tea to the colonies without paying taxes

d)

They hired Thomas Paine to write Common Sense

62.

Which newspaper headline reports a British action that angered colonists and led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence?

a)

“Boycott British Goods!"

b)

“The King Grants Independence!"

c)

“British Taxes: Unfair!"

d)

“Angry Colonists Dump Tea!"

63.

What is the correct sequence of events?

1. The Declaration of Independence is issued.

2. British Parliament passes Tea Act.

3. Boston Tea Party staged to protest British policies.

4. First battles of the American Revolution are fought

a)

2,1,4,3

b)

4,2,3,1

c)

2,3,4,1

d)

1,2,4,3

64.

Which pamphlet denounced British rule and fanned the flames of revolution?

a)

Magna Carta

b)

Two Treatises of Government

c)

Mayflower Compact

d)

Common Sense

65.

“THE HORRID MASSACRE IN BOSTON, Perpetrated in the evening of the fifth day of March, 1770, by soldiers of the Twenty-ninth Regiment, which with the Fourteenth Regiment were then quartered there; with some observations on the state of things prior to that catastrophe."

Who most likely wrote this passage and for what reason?

a)

a Redcoat (British soldier), to describe the risks faced by soldiers

b)

a Patriot (American soldier), to raise fears about the British army in the colonies

c)

a Loyalist (American who still supports Britain), to gain support for quartering British troops

d)

a Federalist (supporter of the Constitution), to raise concerns about the Stamp Act

66.

What was the significance of boycotting and protesting the Stamp Act?

a)

It demonstrated that Parliament ignored the colonists’ right to freedom of speech

b)

It represented the colonists’ opposition to English tax policies

c)

It demonstrated that Parliament controlled the colonists’ freedom of speech

d)

It represented the colonists’ fulfillment of English tax policies

67.

Following the _____________, England taxed the colonies to pay its debt and limited westward expansion. Both of these actions angered the colonists

a)

French and Indian War

b)

American Revolution

c)

War of 1812

d)

Civil War

68.

British attempt to tax colonists >> Colonists protest British policies >> ???? >> DOI is issued

a)

Colonial demand for political change increases

b)

Colonial religious devotion increases

c)

Colonial demand for military assistance increases

d)

Colonial agricultural trade increases

69.

Which of these is NOT an English policy that raised concerns with the colonists?

a)

Stamp Act

b)

Civil Rights Act

c)

Intolerable Acts

d)

Sugar Act

70.

Which timeline shows English policies towards the American colonies in correct chronological order?

a)

Townshend Act

Quartering of troops

Stamp Act

Tea Act

b)

Quartering of troops

Townshend Acts

Intolerable Acts

Tea Act

c)

Stamp Act

Quartering of troops

Tea Act

Intolerable Acts

d)

Stamp Act

Townshend Acts

Tea Act

Quartering of troops

71.

What was the impact of the continued fighting between British troops and the Continental Army in Massachusetts and New York in 1775 and 1776?

a)

led to the writing of the DOI

b)

led to increased tensions

c)

led to colonial protests

d)

led to peaceful cooperation

72.

What was the impact of the passage of the Stamp Act by the British Parliament in 1765?

a)

led to the writing of the DOI

b)

led to increased tensions

c)

led to colonial protests

d)

led to peaceful cooperation

73.

Why did colonists dislike how governors were chosen in many colonies?

a)

They did not understand the process

b)

Since governors were named by the king, they favored the king

c)

The colonists did not trust the colonial legislatures

d)

They preferred a system of direct democracy

74.

Which statement identifies an important influence of ancient Greece on the founders of the American constitutional republic?

a)

the founders based their laws on ethical ideas of justice

b)

the founders adopted democratic principles

c)

the founders established a representative form of goverment

d)

the founders created a government with separation of powers

75.

In ancient Athens, all adult male citizens were able to vote in the Assembly, the legislative body that decided on important issues facing the polis. What did this practice illustrate?

a)

separation of powers

b)

rise of democratic principles

c)

representative government

d)

protection of individual rights

76.

Which characteristic did the government of the city-state of Athens in ancient Greece share with the government of ancient Rome?

a)

republicanism

b)

representative government

c)

civic participation

d)

separation of powers

77.

Judeo Christian Tradition --> ???

a)

republicanism

b)

voting rights

c)

separation of powers

d)

ethical ideas of justice

78.

1.     The statement below was made in a speech by Pericles, the leader of Athens, around 430 b.c:

Our government does not copy the laws of our neighbors. Instead, it serves as an example to them. We are called a democracy because our government is in the hands of the many and not of the few ...

How did the example mentioned in this speech influence the founders of the American constitutional republic, 2,500 years later?

a)

they placed the final power of government in ordinary citizens

b)

they designed a system of checks and balances

c)

they gave political power to an all-powerful ruler

d)

they created a government of elected representatives

79.

The passage below was written by John Adams in his book Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America (1787).

The republic of Athens, the school mistress of the whole civilized world, for more than a thousand years in arts, eloquence and philosophy ... was for a short period ... the most democratical commonwealth in Greece.

 

Based on this passage, with which statement about ancient Athens would Adams have agreed?

a)

its govt was based on ethical ideas of justice

b)

its govt protected individual rights

c)

its govt was based on majority rule

d)

its govt was controlled by an all-powerful dictator

80.

The statement below was sent by George Washington to John Burgoyne, a leading British general, during the American Revolution.

The associated armies in America act from the noblest motives, liberty. These same principles [inspired] the arms of Rome in the days of her glory ...

 

Which conclusion can be drawn from this statement

a)

Washington was inspired by the example of ancient Romans who defended republicanism

b)

The Romans created a separation of powers to protect their form of republican govt

c)

Washington hoped to make himself as powerful as the emperors of ancient Rome

d)

he ancient Romans believed all individuals were equal in the eyes of God

81.

Which information completes the table?

a)

popular assemblies make the most important decisions in Rome

b)

popular assemblies claim that human laws come directly from God

c)

popular assemblies include women, slaves, and foreign residents

d)

popular assemblies elect consuls and other officials to make decisions

82.

Which institution today is most similar to a polis in ancient Greece?

a)

an association of independent nations

b)

a state legislature of elected representatives

c)

a self-governing city

d)

a federal system of government

83.

Which is an important difference between the democratic principles of ancient Greece and those of the United States today?

a)

in the US, citizens elect representatives to make laws to govern them

b)

in the US, citizens are guaranteed their individual rights

c)

in the US, citizens participate in govt

d)

in the US, citizens serve as jurors

84.

Which statement describes rule of law in the Roman Empire?

a)

all citizens were subject to the same rules, displayed in public on 12 bronze tablets

b)

most city-states at this time had their own written constitutions

c)

women, children, foreign residents, and enslaved individuals had no rights since they were not considered citizens

d)

rules of conduct were based on ethical ideas of justice about right and wrong

85.

How did the government of ancient Rome differ from that of Athens, a polis in ancient Greece?

a)

the govt of the Roman republic had separation of powers

b)

the govt of the Roman republic had no elected representatives

c)

the govt of the Roman republic guaranteed individual rights

d)

the govt of the Roman republic relied on citizens to serve in its army

86.

Which characteristic was shared by ancient Rome and the Judeo-Christian tradition?

a)

willingness to sacrifice one's life for the city-state

b)

respect for the rule of law

c)

govt based on majority vote

d)

separation of powers in govt

87.

By granting the right to vote, Ancient Athens helped create this concept where “the people” get involved in governing?

a)

separation of powers

b)

civic participation

c)

social engagement

d)

civic manipulation

88.

What did the Ancient Greek word “polis” evolve to mean?

a)

body of citizens in a community

b)

police department

c)

metropolis

d)

separation of powers in govt

89.

In which type of government is power held by the people and their elected representatives?

a)

democracy

b)

republic

c)

direct democracy

d)

oligarchy

90.

According to Article IV, Section 4 of the US Constitution:

 

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.

 

Which classical civilization most influenced the authors of this passage?

a)

the polis of Athens

b)

the Roman monarchy

c)

the Roman republic

d)

the Judeo-Christian tradition