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U.S. Government Quiz

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 25mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

How is the President of the United States elected?

a)

The People of the United States

b)

The Articles of Confederation

c)

U.S. Constitution

d)

The Electoral College

2.

What Amendment to the U.S. Constitution makes people born in the U.S. citizens of the U.S.?

a)

11th

b)

12th

c)

13th

d)

14th

3.

What branch of government makes U.S. law?

a)

Executive

b)

Legislative

c)

Judicial

d)

Supreme Court

4.

What branch of government enforces U.S. law?

a)

Executive

b)

Legislative

c)

Judicial

d)

Congress

5.

What branch of government interprets U.S. law?

a)

Executive

b)

Legislative

c)

Judicial

d)

Congress

6.

Which Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects you from cruel and unusual punishment?

a)

6th

b)

7th

c)

8th

d)

9th

7.

Which Amendment to U.S. Constitution protects African-American men from voter discrimination?

a)

15th

b)

16th

c)

17th

d)

18th

8.

What Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects you from “unreasonable searches and seizures”?

a)

4th

b)

5th

c)

6th

d)

7th

9.

What Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery?

a)

11th

b)

12th

c)

13th

d)

14th

10.

What Amendment to the U.S. Constitution banned the sale, use and distribution of alcoholic beverages?

a)

17th

b)

18th

c)

19th

d)

20th

11.

What fraction of the U.S. Congress does it take to override a presidential veto?

a)

1/2

b)

1/3

c)

3/4

d)

2/3

12.

What fraction of Congress does it take to propose an amendment?

a)

1/2

b)

2/3

c)

3/4

d)

1/3

13.

Which of the following is NOT true about the U.S. Congress?

a)

The House approves treaties that the President begins.

b)

The Senate approves executive appointments made by the President.

c)

The House starts all revenue or spending bills.

d)

If the President and the Vice President were to both die, the Speaker of the House would take over.

14.

Mason thinks he has a great idea for a law. What is the best action for Mason to take to get the law passed?

a)

Post his opinions on a website

b)

Talk with his best friend about his idea

c)

Write a letter to the editor of the local paper

d)

Contact his representative in Congress about his idea

15.

What reason best explains why the Bill of Rights was ratified?

a)

To help raise revenues for the government

b)

To protect the individual liberties of U.S. citizens

c)

To ensure the U.S. government was powerful enough to accomplish its tasks

d)

To calm down the Federalists, who believed the government was becoming too powerful

16.

How many terms can a President of the United States serve?

a)

2

b)

4

c)

6

d)

1

17.

“It is equally evident, that the members of each department should be as little dependent as possible on those of the others . . . . Were the executive magistrate, or the judges, not independent of the legislature in this particular, their independence in every other would be merely nominal.” —Federalist No. 51. Which constitutional principle is described in the quotation?

a)

Federalism

b)

Due process

c)

Judicial review

d)

Separation of powers

18.

Which Amendment to the U.S. Constitution declares that you don’t have to quarter troops in your home during times of peace without your consent?

a)

1st

b)

2nd

c)

3rd

d)

4th

19.

What U.S. Amendment gave women the right to vote?

a)

15th

b)

19th

c)

24th

d)

26th

20.

If the U.S. House of Representatives passes a bill, where does it go next?

a)

The President

b)

A conference committee

c)

The U.S. Senate

d)

A select committee

21.

True or False – The writ of habeas corpus can never be suspended.

a)

True

b)

False

22.

Which of the following is NOT a check the U.S. President has on the Congress?

a)

veto

b)

call a special session

c)

judicial review

d)

nominating federal judges

23.

Chris challenged the law in his home state that allowed the chief of police to identify him as “a dangerous driver” based on observation. This classification denied him the right to renew his driver’s license. Chris argued that he was entitled to a hearing before the state could post his name on the dangerous driver list. Which constitutional principle does the scenario represent?

a)

Judicial review

b)

Due process of law

c)

Popular sovereignty

d)

Checks and balances

24.

The sharing of power between the states and the national government is called what?

a)

federalism

b)

checks and balances

c)

separation of powers

d)

impeachment

25.

Giving each U.S. branch of government some oversight/control over the other branches is called what?

a)

federalism

b)

checks and balances

c)

social contract

d)

confederacy

26.

Which Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees you the right in a criminal case to an attorney and a speedy trial with an impartial jury?

a)

9th

b)

8th

c)

7th

d)

6th

27.

What amendment would best defend a citizen who believes his freedom to conduct a nonviolent political protest was violated?

a)

8

b)

27

c)

1

d)

15

28.

Which of the following is NOT in the Preamble of the Constitution?

a)

form a more perfect union

b)

establish justice

c)

limit states’ rights

d)

provide for the common defense

29.

Which of the following is NOT a power/responsibility of the president?

a)

declare war

b)

commander in chief of military

c)

preparing a budget for Congress to review

d)

pardoning individuals for their crimes

30.

According to this clause in the U.S. Constitution, states must recognize the laws of other states.

a)

Full faith and credit

b)

Privileges and immunities

c)

Extradition

d)

Supremacy

31.

Which Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that everyone is equally protected under the law?

a)

13th

b)

14th

c)

15th

d)

23rd

32.

Which of the following is NOT a power of Congress?

a)

Granting patents/copyrights

b)

Raising the army and navy

c)

Declaring laws unconstitutional

d)

Coining money

33.

How long is the term of a U.S. Representative?

a)

2 years

b)

6 years

c)

4 years

d)

5 years

34.

Which of the following is NOT a qualification to be a U.S. Representative?

a)

Must be at least 25-years old

b)

Must have been a U.S. citizen for 7 years

c)

Must be at least 30-years old

d)

Must live in the state you represent

35.

What Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to be free from self-incrimination?

a)

3rd

b)

4th

c)

5th

d)

6th

36.

What Amendment to the U.S. Constitution declared that 18-year olds had the right to vote?

a)

26th

b)

27th

c)

28th

d)

29th

37.

How many branches of government does the Constitution include?

a)

6

b)

21

c)

7

d)

3

38.

What context best explains giving 18-year-olds the right to vote?

a)

Watergate

b)

The Vietnam War

c)

The American Revolutionary War

d)

Women’s Suffrage

39.

What Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides for the direct election of U.S. Senators?

a)

14th

b)

15th

c)

16th

d)

17th

40.

How long is a term of office for a U.S. Supreme Court Justice?

a)

2 years

b)

4 years

c)

6 years

d)

For life

41.

A federal law is different than a state law, and the state law is being challenged in court. What is likely to happen?

a)

The federal law will win because federal laws are supreme to state laws

b)

It will be directly sent to the U.S. Supreme Court

c)

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote to see which law is more powerful

d)

The state law will win because state laws are supreme to federal law

42.

What amendment would best defend a woman who believes police officers violated her privacy when they searched her cell phone without a warrant?

a)

4

b)

14

c)

24

d)

34

43.

Who elects U.S. Senators?

a)

State Legislatures

b)

The House of Representatives

c)

State Electors

d)

American Voters

44.

How long is the term of a U.S. Senator?

a)

2 years

b)

4 years

c)

6 years

d)

8 years

45.

The U.S. President vetoes a bill sent to him by the U.S. Congress. What best explains this situation?

a)

The Social Contract

b)

Separation of Powers

c)

Checks & Balances

d)

Judicial Review

46.

Who is the president of the U.S. Senate?

a)

The Oldest Senator

b)

An Elected Senator

c)

The Chief Justice

d)

The Vice-President of the United States

47.

What did the Supreme Court’s rule in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District (1969)?

a)

Violent speech could be banned in the classroom.

b)

Speech could be banned if it failed the “clear and present danger” test.

c)

It was allowed in the classroom as long as it passed the disruption test.

d)

Teachers could not participate in school-sponsored, religious activities.

48.

What does the U.S. Constitution forbid/ban?

a)

a veto

b)

an oath

c)

a preamble

d)

ex post facto laws

49.

What kind of vote finds an impeached man guilty?

a)

The Entire Congress

b)

A Simple Majority of the U.S. Senate

c)

The Entire US. Senate

d)

Two-Thirds of U.S. Senators

50.

How many senators are required to constitute a quorum in the U.S. Congress?

a)

At least Three-Fourths of Members

b)

At least Two-Thirds of Members

c)

At least One-Half of Members

d)

All Members