wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Principles of American Democracy

Total questions: 97

Worksheet time: 51mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the supreme law of the land?

a)

Bill of Rights

b)

Declaration of Independence

c)

Constitution

d)

Articles of Confederation

2.

What does the Constitution do?

a)

Sets up the government

b)

Defines the government

c)

Protects basic rights of Americans

d)

All of the above

3.

The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

a)

We the People

b)

Freedom for All

c)

United We Stand

d)

Liberty and Justice

4.

What is an amendment?

a)

A new law

b)

A change or addition to the Constitution

c)

A political party

d)

A presidential term

5.

The first ten amendments to the Constitution are called:

a)

The Bill of Rights

b)

The Articles of Confederation

c)

The Federalist Papers

d)

The Declaration of Independence

6.

What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?

a)

Right to bear arms

b)

Right to vote

c)

Freedom of speech

7.

How many amendments does the Constitution have?

a)

20

b)

27

c)

30

8.

What did the Declaration of Independence do?

a)

Declared independence from Great Britain

b)

Established the U.S. government

c)

Created the Bill of Rights

9.

What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

a)

A) Life and happiness

b)

B) Liberty and the pursuit of happiness

c)

C) Freedom and justice

10.

What is freedom of religion?

a)

You can practice any religion

b)

You must practice a specific religion

c)

You can't practice any religion

d)

You must pay taxes to support a religion

11.

What is the economic system in the United States?

a)

Socialism

b)

Capitalism

c)

Communism

d)

Feudalism

12.

What is the “rule of law”?

a)

Only the rich have rights

b)

Everyone must follow the law

c)

Laws can be changed by anyone

d)

The government is above the law

13.

Name one branch or part of the government.

a)

Legislative

b)

Executive

c)

Judicial

d)

All of the above

14.

What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

a)

The President

b)

The Vice President

c)

Checks and balances

d)

The Supreme Court

15.

Who is in charge of the executive branch?

a)

The President

b)

The Vice President

c)

The Speaker of the House

d)

The Chief Justice

16.

Who makes federal laws?

a)

The President

b)

Congress

c)

The Supreme Court

d)

The Governor

17.

What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

a)

House of Lords and House of Commons

b)

Senate and Cabinet

c)

Senate and House of Representatives

d)

House of Representatives and Supreme Court

18.

How many U.S. Senators are there?

a)

50

b)

100

c)

435

19.

We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

a)

2

b)

4

c)

6

20.

Who is one of Washington state's U.S. Senators now?

a)

Patty Murray

b)

Nancy Pelosi

c)

Chuck Schumer

21.

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

a)

50

b)

100

c)

435

22.

We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

(a)  

23.

Name the U.S. Representative for District 8 in Washington State.

a)

Kim Schrier

b)

Nancy Pelosi

c)

Chuck Schumer

d)

Mitch McConnell

24.

Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

a)

The President

b)

The people in the state

c)

The House of Representatives

d)

The Supreme Court

25.

Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

a)

Population

b)

Geographic size

c)

Wealth

d)

Age of the state

26.

We elect a President for how many years?

a)

2

b)

4

c)

6

d)

8

27.

In what month do we vote for President?

a)

January

b)

April

c)

September

d)

November

28.

What is the name of the President of the United States now?

a)

Donald Trump

b)

Joe Biden

c)

Barack Obama

d)

George W. Bush

29.

What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?

a)

Mike Pence

b)

Kamala Harris

c)

JD Vance

d)

Elon Musk

30.

If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

a)

Speaker of the House

b)

Vice President

c)

Secretary of State

d)

Chief Justice

31.

If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

a)

Speaker of the House

b)

Vice President

c)

Secretary of State

32.

Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

a)

Secretary of Defense

b)

Vice President

c)

President

d)

Chief Justice

33.

Who signs bills to become laws?

a)

The President

b)

The Vice President

c)

The Speaker of the House

d)

The Chief Justice

34.

Who vetoes bills?

a)

The President

b)

The Vice President

c)

The Speaker of the House

d)

The Chief Justice

35.

The President’s Cabinet is responsible for:

a)

Advising the President on various matters

b)

Making laws

c)

Judging legal cases

d)

Running the military

36.

What are two Cabinet-level positions?

a)

Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury

b)

Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Education

c)

Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security

d)

All of the above

37.

What does the judicial branch do?

a)

Interprets laws

b)

Makes laws

c)

Enforces laws

d)

Collects taxes

38.

What is the highest court in the United States?

a)

Supreme Court

b)

Court of Appeals

c)

District Court

d)

Circuit Court

39.

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

a)

7

b)

8

c)

9

d)

10

40.

Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

a)

To print money

b)

To issue driver's licenses

c)

To establish local governments

d)

To conduct elections

41.

Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?

a)

To print money

b)

To declare war

c)

To provide schooling and education

d)

To create an army

42.

The current Governor of Washington state is:

a)

Governor Bob Ferguson

b)

Governor Bill Lee

c)

Governor Dave Reichert

d)

Governor Jay Inslee

43.

What is the capital of

washington state?

a)

Seattle

b)

Renton

c)

Olympia

d)

Tacoma

44.

The two major political parties in the United States are:

a)

Democratic and Republican

b)

Labour and Conservative

c)

Liberal and National

d)

Green and Libertarian

45.

What is the political party of the President now?

a)

Democratic Party

b)

Republican Party

c)

Independent

d)

Green Party

46.

The name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now is:

a)

Mike Johnson

b)

Nancy Pelosi

c)

John Boehner

d)

Paul Ryan

47.

Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

a)

Secretary of Defense

b)

Vice President

c)

President

d)

Chief Justice

48.

Who signs bills to become laws?

a)

The President

b)

The Vice President

c)

The Speaker of the House

d)

The Chief Justice

49.

Who vetoes bills?

a)

The President

b)

The Vice President

c)

The Speaker of the House

d)

The Chief Justice

50.

What does the President’s Cabinet do?

a)

Writes laws

b)

Advises the President

c)

Enforces laws

d)

Interprets laws

51.

What are two Cabinet-level positions?

a)

Secretary of State and Secretary of Education

b)

Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Commerce

c)

Secretary of Defense and Attorney General

d)

Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of the Interior

52.

What does the judicial branch do?

(a)  

53.

What is the highest court in the United States?

a)

District Court

b)

Court of Appeals

c)

Supreme Court

d)

Constitutional Court

54.

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

a)

5

b)

7

c)

9

d)

11

55.

Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

a)

Public education

b)

Issuing driver's licenses

c)

Printing money

d)

Police departments

56.

Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?

a)

Declare war

b)

Regulate interstate commerce

c)

Coin money

d)

Establish schools

57.

Who is the Governor of your state now?

(a)  

58.

What is the capital of your state?

a)

Olympia

b)

Sacramento

c)

Austin

d)

Albany

59.

What are the two major political parties in the United States?

a)

Democratic and Republican

b)

Liberal and Conservative

c)

Green and Libertarian

d)

Socialist and Communist

60.

What is the political party of the President now?

a)

Democratic

b)

Republican

c)

Independent

61.

What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

a)

Nancy Pelosi

b)

Mitch McConnell

c)

Chuck Schumer

d)

Mike Johnson

62.

What is one reason colonists came to America?

a)

To find gold

b)

To escape religious persecution

c)

To establish a monarchy

d)

To explore new lands

63.

Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

a)

Pilgrims

b)

Vikings

c)

Native Americans

d)

Spanish explorers

64.

What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?

a)

Native Americans

b)

Europeans

c)

Africans

d)

Asians

65.

Why did the colonists fight the British?

a)

To gain independence

b)

To establish trade routes

c)

To explore new lands

d)

To find gold

66.

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

a)

Thomas Jefferson

b)

George Washington

c)

John Adams

d)

Benjamin Franklin

67.

When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

a)

1774

b)

1775

c)

1776

d)

1787

68.

There were 13 original states. Name three.

a)

New York, New Jersey, Connecticut

b)

Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland

c)

Pennsylvania, Delaware, Georgia

d)

Rhode Island, North Carolina, South Carolina

69.

What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

a)

Declaration of Independence was signed

b)

The Constitution was written

c)

Bill of Rights was adopted

d)

The Revolutionary War began

70.

When was the Constitution written?

a)

1774

b)

1776

c)

1787

d)

1791

71.

The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

a)

Thomas Jefferson

b)

George Washington

c)

Alexander Hamilton

d)

Benjamin Franklin

72.

What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

4 lines
73.

Who is the "Father of Our Country"?

a)

Thomas Jefferson

b)

George Washington

c)

John Adams

d)

Benjamin Franklin

74.

Who was the first President?

a)

Thomas Jefferson

b)

George Washington

c)

John Adams

d)

James Madison

75.

What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

a)

A) Louisiana Purchase

b)

B) Alaska Purchase

c)

C) Gadsden Purchase

d)

D) Oregon Territory

76.

Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.

a)

Revolutionary War

b)

War of 1812

c)

Civil War

d)

World War I

77.

Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.

a)

War of Independence

b)

Revolutionary War

c)

Civil War

d)

War of 1812

78.

One problem that led to the Civil War was:

a)

Slavery

b)

Industrialization

c)

Immigration

d)

Women's suffrage

79.

What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?

a)

Led the Civil Rights Movement

b)

Signed the Emancipation Proclamation

c)

Founded the first colony

d)

Wrote the Constitution

80.

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

a)

Freed the slaves in the Confederacy

b)

Freed the slaves in the entire United States

c)

Abolished slavery

d)

Established civil rights for all

81.

What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

a)

Women's Suffrage Movement

b)

Civil Rights Movement

c)

Prohibition Movement

d)

Labor Movement

82.

What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?

a)

Boston Tea Party

b)

Declaration of Independence

c)

Attack on the World Trade Center (the US)

d)

Signing of the Emancipation Proclamation

83.

Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

a)

Navajo

b)

Maasai

c)

Zulu

d)

Aboriginal

84.

What were the differences that led to the Civil War?

a)

Religious differences

b)

Economic differences

c)

Slavery

d)

Language differences

85.

Which of the following is a Native American tribe?

a)

Cherokee

b)

Apache

c)

Iroquois

d)

Sioux

86.

Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.

a)

Mississippi River

b)

Colorado River

c)

Missouri River

d)

Rio Grande

87.

What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?

a)

Atlantic Ocean

b)

Gulf of Mexico

c)

Pacific Ocean

d)

Indian Ocean

88.

What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

a)

Pacific Ocean

b)

Gulf of Mexico

c)

Atlantic Ocean

d)

Indian Ocean

89.

Name one state that borders Canada.

a)

California

b)

Texas

c)

New York

d)

Florida

90.

Which state is known as the "Empire State"?

a)

California

b)

Texas

c)

New York

d)

Florida

91.

Name one state that borders Mexico.

a)

California

b)

Texas

c)

New York

d)

Florida

92.

What is the capital of the United States?

a)

New York City

b)

Los Angeles

c)

Washington, D.C.

d)

Chicago

93.

Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

a)

For the original 13 colonies

b)

For the 13 original states

c)

For the 13 founding fathers

d)

For the 13 Bill of Rights

94.

Why does the flag have 50 stars?

a)

For the 50 states

b)

For the 50 founding fathers

c)

For the 50 major cities

d)

For the 50 senators

95.

What is the name of the national anthem?

a)

America the Beautiful

b)

God Bless America

c)

The Star-Spangled Banner

d)

My Country, 'Tis of Thee

96.

When do we celebrate Independence Day?

a)

July 1st

b)

July 4th

c)

July 14th

d)

June 14th

97.

Name two national U.S. holidays.

a)

Thanksgiving and Christmas

b)

Easter and Halloween

c)

Memorial Day and Labor Day

d)

New Year's Day and Valentine's Day