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U.S. Congress Mastery Quiz

Total questions: 52

Worksheet time: 28mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

How many houses are there in the U.S. Congress?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

2.

What are the two houses of the U.S. Congress called?

a)

Senate and House of Representatives

b)

Senate and Parliament

c)

House of Lords and House of Commons

d)

Assembly and Senate

3.

How many Senators does each state have in the U.S. Senate?

a)

Based on population

b)

2

c)

4

d)

Varies by state size

4.

What is the term length for a U.S. Senator?

a)

2 years

b)

4 years

c)

6 years

d)

8 years

5.

What is the term length for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives?

a)

2 years

b)

4 years

c)

6 years

d)

8 years

6.

Which power is exclusively granted to the House of Representatives?

a)

To ratify treaties

b)

To declare war

c)

To initiate revenue bills

d)

To appoint Supreme Court Justices

7.

Which power is exclusively granted to the Senate?

a)

To impeach federal officials

b)

To approve treaties

c)

To initiate revenue bills

d)

To elect the President in case of an electoral tie

8.

What is the first step in the legislative process for a bill to become a law?

a)

The President signs the bill

b)

The bill is introduced in either house

c)

The bill is reviewed by the Supreme Court

d)

The bill is voted on by both houses

9.

Who can veto a bill?

a)

The Vice President

b)

The Speaker of the House

c)

The President

d)

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

10.

How can Congress override a presidential veto?

a)

By a simple majority vote in both houses

b)

By a two-thirds majority vote in both houses

c)

By a three-fourths majority vote in both houses

d)

By a unanimous vote in both houses

11.

What is the role of the Speaker of the House?

a)

To preside over the Senate

b)

To preside over the House of Representatives

c)

To appoint Supreme Court Justices

d)

To serve as the President's chief advisor

12.

Which of the following is a check that Congress has over the executive branch?

a)

Appointing federal judges

b)

Declaring executive actions unconstitutional

c)

Impeachment and removal from office

d)

Granting pardons

13.

Which of the following is a check that Congress has over the judicial branch?

a)

Overruling court decisions

b)

Appointing judges

c)

Impeachment and removal of judges

d)

Both B and C

14.

What is required for Congress to convene a special session?

a)

A simple majority vote in either house

b)

A two-thirds vote in both houses

c)

A proclamation by the President

d)

A unanimous vote in both houses

15.

Which of the following is a duty of Congress related to foreign policy?

a)

Appointing ambassadors

b)

Conducting diplomacy

c)

Declaring war

d)

Negotiating treaties

16.

What are the branches of government? Select all that apply:

a)

Legislative

b)

Judicial

c)

Executive

d)

Congressional

17.

Name the French philosopher who is credited with the idea of "separation of powers" that we see in our Constitution:

a)

Locke

b)

Montesquieu

c)

Lafayette

d)

Napoleon

18.

What is the primary responsibility of the legislative branch?

a)

interpreting laws

b)

enforcing laws

c)

creating laws

d)

none of the above

19.

What is the primary responsibility of the judicial branch?

a)

create the laws

b)

execute the laws

c)

all of the above

d)

interpret the laws

20.

What is the primary responsibility of the executive branch?

a)

enforce the law

b)

interpret the law

c)

create the law

d)

create AND enforce the law

21.

How is representation determined in the House of Representatives? In other words, how do we figure out how many representatives each state has in the House?

a)

A lottery determines the number for each state.

b)

Each state has an equal number of representatives.

c)

Representation is based upon the population of each state.

d)

States always have had the same number of representatives as they did in 1921.

22.

Who is your representative in the House of Representatives? He represents NJ's 1st Congressional District:

a)

Booker

b)

Norcross

c)

Menendez

d)

Danenza

23.

Who are your U.S. Senators from NJ? (Select Two)

a)

Booker

b)

Menendez

c)

Norcross

d)

Houck

24.

As of this date, your current members of Congress (3) are members of what political party?

a)

Republican

b)

Democrat

c)

Green

d)

Communist

25.

A plan of action designed to achieve a certain goal:

a)

policy

b)

census

c)

filibuster

d)

budget

26.

The people a member of Congress represents are called:

a)

citizens

b)

Americans

c)

constituents

d)

minions

27.

A proposed law is called a:

a)

policy

b)

bill

c)

veto

d)

committee

28.

A group of people who work together for similar goals:

a)

friends

b)

EGSS Scholars

c)

interest groups

d)

lobbyists

29.

An official count of the population:

a)

census

b)

populism

c)

representation

d)

poll

30.

People who work on behalf of interest groups by bringing their concerns to the attention of Congress:

a)

constituents

b)

interest groups

c)

lobbyists

d)

citizens

31.

The area a representative of Congress represents:

a)

county

b)

legislative districts

c)

congressional districts

d)

state

32.

A plan for raising and spending money:

a)

policy

b)

budget

c)

economy

d)

census

33.

Who is the highest ranking (most powerful) member of the House of Representatives?

a)

Majority Leader

b)

Majority Whip

c)

President Pro Tem

d)

Speaker of the House

34.

Who presides over the Senate when the Senate President is absent?

a)

Majority Leader

b)

Majority Whip

c)

Speaker of the House

d)

President Pro Tem

35.

What do we call the chief officers of each party in Congress? Select each that applies:

a)

Floor Leaders

b)

Whips

c)

Presidents

d)

Chiefs

36.

What is the title given to the assistant floor leaders?

a)

Whips

b)

President Pro Tem

c)

Assistants

d)

Speakers

37.

Another way for the President to stop a bill when he/she keeps the bill for ten days, during which time Congress' session ends:

a)

Veto

b)

Pocket Veto

c)

Fillibuster

d)

Automatic Bill

38.

The use of long speeches to prevent passage of a bill:

a)

Cloture

b)

Pocket Veto

c)

Fillibuster

d)

Committee

39.

Agreement to end debate on a bill and bring it to a vote by the full Senate:

a)

Cloture

b)

Filibuster

c)

Pocket Veto

d)

Veto Override

40.

Which part of the government can approve treaties with other nations?

a)

Supreme Court

b)

House of Representatives

c)

Senate

d)

President

41.

Select each of the requirements to be a Senator:

a)

30 years old

b)

9 years a citizen

c)

Live in the state you represent

d)

25 years old

42.

Select each of the requirements to be a Representative:

a)

25 years old

b)

7 years a citizen

c)

Live in the state you represent

d)

21 years old

43.

What vote is necessary to end a filibuster in 2024?

a)

3/5

b)

2/3

c)

67

d)

60

44.

What vote of Congress is necessary to override a veto?

a)

3/5

b)

2/3

c)

3/4

d)

Congress cannot override a veto

45.

What is the first step in a bill becoming a law?

a)

Introduction to either the Senate or the House

b)

Committee

c)

Full Floor of the House or the Senate

d)

Pigeon Hole

46.

When can a bill get pigeon holed?

a)

Committee

b)

Floor

c)

Conference Committee

d)

At any time

47.

A bill that was introduced in the House passes the House of Representatives, and then goes to what step in the lawmaking process?

a)

The bill moves on to the Senate

b)

The bill becomes a law!

c)

The Bill goes to the President to be vetoed or signed.

d)

The bill moves to committee in the House.

48.

In order to be put to a full vote in the House or the Senate, a bill must first pass through what part of the lawmaking process?

a)

Committee

b)

Introduction

c)

Conference Committee

d)

Filibuster

49.

Where can a filibuster take place?

a)

Senate Floor

b)

House Floor

c)

Senate Committee

d)

President

50.

Who is Haddon Heights representative in the House (Representing the 1st Congressional District of NJ)?

a)

Booker

b)

Menendez

c)

Norcross

d)

Murphy

51.

Who are NJ's U.S. Senators (select two)?

a)

Booker

b)

Menendez

c)

Norcross

d)

Murphy

52.

What is the total number of members of Congress (add the Senate + the House of Representatives)?

a)

535

b)

235

c)

100

d)

765