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President Criteria

Total questions: 22

Worksheet time: 13mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

To become a president, a person must

a)

be a U.S. resident for at least 14 years.

b)

be a U.S. citizen for at least 14 years.

c)

be at least 30 years of age.

d)

have always lived in the U.S.

2.

The Framers of the Constitution established the Electoral College because they

a)

had doubts about the average person's ability to select a candidate.

b)

highly trusted the average voter's judgment.

c)

knew that voters would research candidates.

d)

wanted Congress to have a say in presidential elections.

3.

What was the purpose of the Twelfth Amendment?

a)

to allow more electors to be added to the Electoral College

b)

to change how people voted for the president and vice president

c)

to give more power to individual voters in national elections

d)

to make sure all elector votes in a state would go to the same candidate

4.

Which might be classified as a reason to keep the Electoral College as is?

a)

effects it may have on a third-party candidate

b)

some elections are decided by the House of Representatives

c)

its use for more than 200 years

d)

winner-takes-all outcome

5.

What was the effect of George Washington's decision not to run for a third term?

a)

All presidents would serve for two terms.

b)

People declared that the Constitution needed revision.

c)

Political parties were successful.

d)

Power was transferred peacefully.

6.

If the Twenty-second Amendment is repealed,

a)

a president might gain too much power.

b)

eighteen-year-olds would lose the right to vote.

c)

senators would no longer be elected directly by the people.

d)

non-citizens could be elected president.

7.

The current vice president is responsible for

a)

handling ceremonial tasks only.

b)

presiding over the Senate.

c)

solely making succession decisions.

d)

taking part in most Senate votes.

8.

Which leader is second in line of succession to the presidency?

a)

President pro tempore of the Senate

b)

Secretary of State

c)

Speaker of the House of Representatives

d)

Vice president

9.

A vice president can become president through presidential disability, the death of a president, or

a)

through a Senate confirmation hearing.

b)

when the Cabinet deems it necessary.

c)

after the president is impeached.

d)

when nominated by a political party.

10.

Which series shows the correct sequence of steps to becoming president?

a)

convention, primary, general election, inauguration

b)

primary, convention, general election, Electoral College vote

c)

primary, Electoral College vote, general election, convention

d)

primary, general election, inauguration, Electoral College vote

11.

Which characteristic has made winning a presidential election more difficult?

a)

being from the middle class

b)

having European heritage

c)

holding extreme political beliefs

d)

serving in the U.S. military

12.

What is the purpose of the Federal Elections Commission?

a)

It certifies the results of federal elections reported by states.

b)

It verifies that presidential and vice-presidential candidates meet the formal requirements for the office.

c)

It runs the meeting of the Electoral College.

d)

It regulates campaign finance legislation.

13.

President Woodrow Wilson's actions involving the League of Nations BEST illustrates

a)

that a successful president must know when the time is right to introduce a new policy.

b)

how the office of the presidency has become much stronger than the Founders ever intended.

c)

the importance of political courage.

d)

how important it is for a president to be able to compromise.

14.

Why is Richard Nixon's opening of diplomatic relations with China often cited as an example of political courage?

a)

There was a chance that he would have been taken hostage by Chinese radicals during his visit to China.

b)

At the time, China was a much more powerful country than the United States.

c)

His action was unpopular with both his party and the public.

d)

Because he changed his own views about China to match those held by other Republicans.

15.

The amount of compensation a president receives is determined by

a)

the Congress.

b)

the Supreme Court.

c)

the Constitution.

d)

the state legislatures.

16.

If the office of vice president is vacant, how is the position filled?

a)

The president nominates a candidate who must then receive a majority of votes in both houses of Congress.

b)

The Senate selects a candidate who must be confirmed by a majority vote in the House of Representatives.

c)

The position remains open until the next presidential election.

d)

The Electoral College is called back to select a new vice president.

17.

In addition to a salary, which of the following is a benefit received by the president of the United States?

a)

lifetime Secret Service protection

b)

free tutors for his or her children

c)

lifetime rent-free lodging at Camp David in Maryland

d)

providing foreign policy advice and recommendations

18.

How many electors is each state allowed in the Electoral College?

a)

one for each county in the state

b)

one for each member it has in the U.S. Senate

c)

the same as the number of senators and representatives it has in Congress

d)

one for each member it has in the House of Representatives

19.

How many votes in the Electoral College are required for a presidential candidate to secure victory?

a)

51

b)

218

c)

270

d)

301

20.

What is a winner-take-all system in a presidential election?

a)

If a candidate secures 60 percent or more of the total popular vote, no Electoral College vote is needed.

b)

If a candidate secures over 50 percent of the popular vote in the country, he or she wins the Electoral College vote.

c)

If a candidate secures enough states in the eastern and central time zones on Election Day, voting will be stopped in the mountain and western states when victory is declared.

d)

If a candidate receives the most votes in a state, he or she receives all the state's electors to the Electoral College.

21.

After a presidential election in November, when does the new president take office?

a)

exactly one year after Election Day

b)

the following March

c)

immediately after the electors meet in December to cast their votes in the Electoral College

d)

the following January

22.

Why are presidential primaries and caucuses held?

a)

They are part of the process of securing a party's nomination for the general election.

b)

These are fund-raising events to raise money for the general election.

c)

They help candidates solidify their positions on important issues and develop campaign slogans.

d)

Candidates use them to determine if they have a chance to win election before officially declaring their candidacies.