WorksheetsU.S. Government and Politics Quiz
Total questions: 99
Worksheet time: 50mins
Why is the Senate called a "continuous body"?
All seats are never up for election
All seats are up for election every two years
Half of the seats are up for election every year
The Senate meets continuously without breaks
What does apportion mean?
To divide and allocate
To gather and collect
To dismiss and dissolve
To create and establish
What does prorogue mean?
To end a session
To begin a session
To extend a session
To cancel a session
When a member of Congress votes as a "delegate," how are they voting?
Based on their own judgment
According to party lines
Based on the wishes of their constituents
According to the President's wishes
What qualification for the House of Representatives is not in the Constitution?
Must be at least 25 years old
Must be a U.S. citizen for 7 years
Must live in the district they represent
Must be a natural-born citizen
When are congressional elections held?
The first Tuesday in November
The first Monday in November
The Tuesday following the first Monday in November
The last Tuesday in November
Senators are elected to serve how many years?
2 years
4 years
6 years
8 years
What is a direct tax?
A tax paid directly to the government
A tax paid indirectly through businesses
A tax on imported goods
A tax on exported goods
What is the second limitation on Congress's power to tax?
Congress cannot tax exports
Congress cannot tax imports
Congress cannot tax income
Congress cannot tax property
How long is a term for a member of the House of Representatives?
1 year
2 years
4 years
6 years
What are the 3 formal qualifications for a person running for President of the U.S.?
Natural-born citizen, 35 years old, 14-year residency
Naturalized citizen, 30 years old, 10-year residency
Natural-born citizen, 40 years old, 20-year residency
Naturalized citizen, 35 years old, 14-year residency
According to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, who follows the Vice President in the line of Presidential succession?
Secretary of State
Speaker of the House
President pro tempore of the Senate
Secretary of Defense
The framers of the Constitution called for the President to be elected by what method?
Popular vote
Electoral College
State legislatures
Congress
What is an executive agreement?
A treaty approved by the Senate
A pact between the President and a foreign head of state
A formal declaration of war
A legislative bill
The President appoints cabinet members with the consent of which body?
House of Representatives
Supreme Court
Senate
State Governors
What does it mean to "Balance the ticket"?
Choosing a Vice President to appeal to a broader audience
Ensuring equal representation in Congress
Balancing the federal budget
Distributing electoral votes evenly
What happened during the election of 1800, and what group decided who would be the next President of the U.S.?
A tie, decided by the House of Representatives
A landslide victory, decided by the Senate
A contested election, decided by the Supreme Court
A unanimous decision, decided by the Electoral College
What is an executive order?
A legislative proposal
A directive rule or regulation issued by the President
A judicial decision
A military command
What type of pardon is used to forgive a group of people for a crime?
Clemency
Reprieve
Amnesty
Commutation
Which part of the Constitution established the office of the President?
Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
What has the President used to resolve foreign conflicts since WWII?
Military intervention
Congressional resolution
Diplomatic negotiations
Executive orders
Where does the largest source of federal revenue come from?
Sales tax
Property tax
Income tax
Tariffs
What is an excise tax?
Tax on property
Tax on income
Tax laid on manufacture, sale, or consumption of goods
Tax on imports
What is deficit financing?
Spending less than the revenue
Balancing the budget
Spending more than is taken in
Saving surplus funds
What are progressive taxes?
Taxes levied at a flat rate
Higher income, higher tax rate
Taxes on luxury goods
Taxes on imports
What are regressive taxes?
Taxes levied at a flat rate
Higher income, higher tax rate
Taxes on luxury goods
Taxes on imports
What are proportional taxes?
Tax in which everyone pays the same percentage, regardless of their income
Tax rates that increase as income increases
Tax rates that decrease as income increases
Tax rates that vary based on location
What are most corporate and individual income tax rates set at?
Proportional
Regressive
Progressive
Flat
What is the current national debt measured in?
Thousands
Millions
Billions
Trillions
Two of the largest categories of federal spending are:
Education and healthcare
Social security and interest on the public debt
Defense and infrastructure
Agriculture and transportation
What is a continuing resolution?
A permanent law passed by Congress
A temporary measure used by Congress to fund the government
A resolution to amend the Constitution
A decision made by the Supreme Court
The foreign policy used by the U.S. before and after WWII can best be described as a shift from:
Isolationism to interventionism
Interventionism to isolationism
Neutrality to aggression
Diplomacy to militarism
The congressional power to borrow money is limited by:
The President's approval
The Supreme Court's decision
Nothing, Congress has unlimited power to borrow money
The Federal Reserve's regulations
Why was the draft suspended?
Due to an anti-war sentiment
Due to a lack of funding
Due to a surplus of volunteers
Due to international pressure
The U.S. currently has a trade:
Surplus
Deficit
Balance
Embargo
Tariffs, quotas, and embargoes are all:
Ways to promote trade
Ways to restrict trade
Ways to increase exports
Ways to decrease imports
What is a tariff?
A tax imposed by the government on imports or exports
A subsidy given to domestic producers
A restriction on the quantity of goods that can be imported
A ban on trade with specific countries
Where do states receive most of their funding?
From federal grants
From property taxes
From sales taxes
From income taxes
What is original jurisdiction?
The authority of a court to hear a case first
The authority of a court to review a lower court's decision
The authority of a court to issue a writ of certiorari
The authority of a court to interpret the Constitution
Where do local governments receive most of their funding?
From property taxes
From sales taxes
From federal grants
From income taxes
What is judicial review?
The process by which a court can review the actions of the legislative and executive branches
The process by which a court can issue a writ of certiorari
The process by which a court can interpret the Constitution
The process by which a court can hear a case first
What did Article III of the Constitution create?
The legislative branch
The executive branch
The judicial branch
The federal bureaucracy
Explain the selection procedure for federal judges.
Nomination, Senate review, confirmation hearing
Election by popular vote
Appointment by the President only
Selection by the Supreme Court
Who created the special courts?
Congress
The President
The Supreme Court
State Legislatures
For a case to be heard in the Supreme Court, the "rule of four" applies. What is the "rule of four"?
At least four justices must agree to grant a writ of certiorari
Four lawyers must present the case
Four judges must be absent
Four witnesses must testify
What does the Free Exercise Clause give people the right to do?
Practice religion freely
Vote in elections
Bear arms
Assemble peacefully
What is seditious speech?
Plans to overthrow the government
Criticism of public officials
Support for political candidates
Discussion of foreign policy
What does the 2nd amendment allow each State to establish?
Right to bear arms
Freedom of speech
Right to privacy
Freedom of the press
Explain the writ of habeas corpus.
Protection against unreasonable imprisonment
Right to a speedy trial
Freedom from excessive bail
Right to legal counsel
What is habeas corpus intended to prevent?
Unnecessary trials
Unlawful detention
Excessive fines
Double jeopardy
What is probable cause?
A reason for search/arrest
A legal defense
A type of evidence
A court ruling
What is the only crime specifically mentioned in the Constitution?
Treason
Murder
Theft
Fraud
What is affirmative action?
Policies favoring those discriminated against
Laws against discrimination
Equal employment opportunities
Tax incentives for businesses
What do finance charges and APR have in common?
Both tell you the cost of a loan
Both are interest rates
Both are monthly fees
Both are penalties
How are finance charges and APR different?
Finance charges are expressed in dollar amount and APR is shown in percentage
Finance charges are annual fees and APR is monthly
Finance charges are penalties and APR is interest
Finance charges are taxes and APR is a discount
How many Senators represent each State in Congress?
1
2
3
4
What are the characteristics of an "average" member of Congress?
Young female, diverse
White male, middle-aged
Elderly male, diverse
Young male, diverse
Before the 17th amendment was adopted, how were senators chosen?
By popular vote
By state legislatures
By the President
By the House of Representatives
Under the Constitution, who has the sole power to declare war?
The President
The Supreme Court
Congress
The Secretary of Defense
Who has the power to impeach?
The Senate
The President
The House of Representatives
The Supreme Court
What is gerrymandering?
Drawing district lines
Voting in a partisan way
Impeaching a senator
Declaring war
How many members make up Congress?
100
435
535
600
The people that Senators represent are often called:
Voters
Constituents
Citizens
Electors
What usually happens in Congress during off-year elections?
The President's party gains seats
The President's party loses seats
No change in seats
All seats are re-elected
If a member of Congress is voting in a partisan way, what are they doing?
Voting independently
Voting in line with their political party
Voting against their political party
Abstaining from voting
Printing money is one way the Federal Reserve prints money, what is the other?
Gold standard
Fractional reserve banking
Cryptocurrency
Bartering
If a person makes a deposit into a checking account, what percentage must the bank keep on hand?
5%
10%
15%
20%
What are the 3 major flaws in the Electoral College?
Winner of popular vote, electors don't vote, House of Representatives votes
Winner of popular vote, Senate votes, electors don't vote
Electors vote, House of Representatives votes, Senate votes
Winner of popular vote, electors vote, Senate votes
What is a treaty?
Informal agreement between two individuals
Formal agreement between two states
Verbal agreement between two countries
Informal agreement between two countries
If a person receives a gift of $10,000 or more, what tax must they pay?
Income tax
Sales tax
Gift tax
Property tax
Do entitlements fall into mandatory or discretionary spending?
Discretionary
Mandatory
Optional
Voluntary
What is the term of a Constitutional court judge?
10 years
Lifetime
5 years
20 years
What is concurrent jurisdiction?
Only state courts hear the case
Only federal courts hear the case
Both state and federal courts hear the case
Neither state nor federal courts hear the case
In a court case, the person who initiates a suit is called:
Defendant
Plaintiff
Witness
Juror
How many justices serve on the Supreme Court?
7
9
11
13
What is the head of the Supreme Court called?
Chief Justice
President
Speaker
Chancellor
What type of jurisdiction does the Supreme Court have?
Appellate jurisdiction
Original jurisdiction
Concurrent jurisdiction
Exclusive jurisdiction
If a Supreme Court justice disagrees with the majority opinion, what can they do?
Write a concurring opinion
Write a dissenting opinion
Write a majority opinion
Write a unanimous opinion
What are briefs?
Oral arguments presented in court
Written documents filed before oral arguments
Verbal agreements between parties
Informal notes taken during trial
What does a grand jury decide?
Whether there is enough evidence to indict a person and proceed to trial
The guilt or innocence of a defendant
The sentence for a convicted individual
The legality of a law
What is the goal of the 6th amendment's guarantee of a speedy and public trial?
To ensure a fair trial by preventing prolonged detention and keeping the process transparent
To allow the media to cover all trials
To reduce the number of trials in the court system
To ensure all trials are held in private
What does protection against double jeopardy mean?
A person cannot be tried twice for the same crime
A person can be tried twice if new evidence is found
A person can be tried in both state and federal courts
A person can be tried twice if the jury is hung
What does the 4th amendment protect against?
Unreasonable search and seizure
Cruel and unusual punishment
Self-incrimination
Double jeopardy
What does the 3rd Amendment protect against?
The forced quartering of soldiers in private homes
The right to bear arms
Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
What is isolationism, and what world event ended the U.S. policy of isolationism?
Isolationism is a policy that avoids foreign affairs; ended by World War II
Isolationism is a trade policy; ended by the Great Depression
Isolationism is a military strategy; ended by the Vietnam War
Isolationism is an economic policy; ended by the Cold War
Sales tax is an example of what type of tax structure?
Progressive
Regressive
Proportional
Flat
What is absolute advantage?
Ability to produce goods at a lower opportunity cost
Ability to produce more goods with the same resources
Ability to produce goods with fewer resources
Ability to produce goods at a higher quality
What is comparative advantage?
Ability to produce goods at a lower opportunity cost
Ability to produce more goods with the same resources
Ability to produce goods with fewer resources
Ability to produce goods at a higher quality
What is the European Union?
A military alliance
A trading union
A cultural organization
A political party
What is the WTO?
World Trade Organization
World Tax Organization
World Travel Organization
World Technology Organization
If a nation’s currency decreases in value, how will that affect the nation’s exports?
Exports will increase
Exports will decrease
Exports will remain the same
Exports will stop
What is devaluation?
Increase in currency value
Reduction in currency value
Stabilization of currency value
Fluctuation of currency value
Where are crimes that take place in U.S. territories tried?
State court
Federal court
International court
Local court
Explain the Truth in Lending Act.
Requires lenders to disclose all loan terms
Allows lenders to hide loan terms
Prohibits lenders from charging interest
Requires lenders to offer fixed interest rates
Explain the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.
Lenders cannot discriminate based on sex, origin, race, color
Lenders can charge any interest rate
Lenders must offer loans to everyone
Lenders can choose clients based on credit score
What was the first major Supreme Court case to challenge affirmative action?
Brown v. Board of Education
University of California v. Bakke
Roe v. Wade
Plessy v. Ferguson
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prevent?
Discrimination
Tax evasion
Environmental pollution
Monopolies
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1968 prevent?
Discrimination in housing
Discrimination in employment
Discrimination in education
Discrimination in voting
What landmark Supreme Court case helped to end segregation in public schools?
Roe v. Wade
Brown v. Board of Education
Plessy v. Ferguson
Marbury v. Madison
