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Branches of the United States Government and the Constitution

Total questions: 45

Worksheet time: 23mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which branch of the United States government was established by Article I of the Constitution?

a)

Legislative branch

b)

Executive branch

c)

Judicial branch

d)

Military branch

2.

How many total members are in the United States Senate?

a)

50

b)

100

c)

435

d)

200

3.

Who is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces according to the Constitution?

a)

Speaker of the House

b)

Chief Justice

c)

President

d)

Vice President

4.

Which article of the Constitution established the executive branch?

a)

Article I

b)

Article II

c)

Article III

d)

Article IV

5.

Who appoints the heads of federal agencies?

a)

Congress

b)

The President

c)

The Supreme Court

d)

The Vice President

6.

Which branch of government is responsible for interpreting the law and the constitutionality of laws?

a)

Legislative branch

b)

Executive branch

c)

Judicial branch

d)

Military branch

7.

Who confirms the appointments of members of the judiciary branch?

a)

The President

b)

The Senate

c)

The House of Representatives

d)

The Vice President

8.

Which branch has the power to borrow money on behalf of the U.S. government?

a)

Executive branch

b)

Judicial branch

c)

Legislative branch

d)

State governments

9.

Who serves as the President’s key advisement team?

a)

The Senate

b)

The Cabinet

c)

The Supreme Court

d)

The House of Representatives

10.

Who nominates the members of the Cabinet?

a)

The Senate

b)

The President

c)

The House of Representatives

d)

The Supreme Court

11.

What is the main idea of James Madison’s quote in Federalist #51?

a)

The President should have all the power

b)

Separation of powers is necessary to prevent concentration of power

c)

Congress should control the judiciary

d)

The military should be independent

12.

What is the function of the Vice President in the executive branch?

a)

Head of the Supreme Court

b)

Member of the President’s advisement team

c)

Speaker of the House

d)

Chief Justice

13.

What does the system of checks and balances help to protect?

a)

The liberties granted in the Constitution

b)

The power of the President only

c)

The authority of the military

d)

The rights of the states only

14.

Who has the authority to determine the number of Supreme Court justices?

a)

The President

b)

The Congress

c)

The Supreme Court

d)

The Vice President

15.

What is the main purpose of the separation of powers?

a)

To combine all government powers

b)

To prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful

c)

To give all power to the President

d)

To eliminate the judiciary

16.

What is the legislative authority of Congress related to the budget?

a)

Approving Presidential appointments

b)

Establishment of the annual budget for the United States government

c)

Commanding the military

d)

Interpreting laws

17.

Who approves Presidential appointments and treaties?

a)

Legislative Branch

b)

Executive Branch

c)

Judicial Branch

d)

Military Branch

18.

Which branch can declare war?

a)

Legislative Branch

b)

Executive Branch

c)

Judicial Branch

d)

Treasury Branch

19.

Which branch has the power of impeachment?

a)

Legislative Branch

b)

Executive Branch

c)

Judicial Branch

d)

State Branch

20.

Who can initiate constitutional amendments?

a)

Legislative Branch

b)

Executive Branch

c)

Judicial Branch

d)

State Branch

21.

Who is the President of the Senate?

a)

Vice President

b)

Speaker of the House

c)

Chief Justice

d)

Secretary of State

22.

Who is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces?

a)

President

b)

Chief Justice

c)

Speaker of the House

d)

Secretary of Defense

23.

What is the main check of the judicial branch over the other branches?

a)

Judicial review

b)

Veto power

c)

Impeachment

d)

Appointment of judges

24.

Who can call Congress into an emergency session?

a)

Executive Branch

b)

Legislative Branch

c)

Judicial Branch

d)

State Branch

25.

Who has the power to pardon?

a)

Executive Branch

b)

Legislative Branch

c)

Judicial Branch

d)

State Branch

26.

Which branch can appoint federal judges?

a)

Executive Branch

b)

Legislative Branch

c)

Judicial Branch

d)

State Branch

27.

What is the main check of the judicial branch over the legislative and executive branches?

a)

Judicial review

b)

Veto power

c)

Impeachment

d)

Appointment of judges

28.

Who can approve the appointment of federal judges?

a)

Legislative Branch

b)

Executive Branch

c)

Judicial Branch

d)

State Branch

29.

Who is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces?

a)

President

b)

Chief Justice

c)

Speaker of the House

d)

Secretary of Defense

30.

Which three branches of government are represented in the diagram?

a)

Legislative, Executive, Judicial

b)

Legislative, State, Military

c)

Executive, Judicial, Treasury

d)

Judicial, State, Military

31.

. "The ______ shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State."

 

- Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution

 

What word should go in the blank?

a)

senate

b)

States

c)

President

d)

Congress

32.

A government principle by which the legislative, judicial, and executive powers are essentially held by different groups and people is called

a)
executive privilege
b)
judicial review
c)
concentration of powers
d)
separation of powers
33.

A government in which powers are divided between a national government and state governments with the national government being supreme is called

a)
Monarchical government
b)
Federal government
c)
Confederate government
d)
Unitary government
34.

Using your knowledge of governmental powers, which of these would be considered an enumerated power of the federal government only?

a)

Creating an additional year for students to go to school

b)

Creating a new currency

c)

hiring additional people for the fire department

d)
Set marriage laws
35.

The Supreme Law of the Land is the

a)
Declaration of Independence
b)
Bill of Rights
c)
Federalist Papers
d)
U.S. Constitution
36.

Once a national amendment has been proposed, the amendment has to be ratified before it becomes law. Who has the authority to ratify national amendments?

a)
State legislatures or state conventions.
b)
The President of the United States
c)
Congress as a whole
d)
The Supreme Court of the United States
37.

"Powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are _______ to the states respectively, or to the people."

-Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution

What word BEST completes this principle of the United States government?

a)
transferred
b)
allocated
c)
granted
d)
reserved
38.

The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution was established to counter weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation. Chose two aspects of the Articles of Confederation that contributed to the creation of the Supremacy Clause.

a)

Congress created the Northwest Ordinance

b)

States could regulate commerce within their borders

c)

States could wage war without Congressional approval if they were invaded

d)

States could send a receive ambassadors from foreign nations

39.

Which power would be classified as an enumerated power according to the US Constitution?

a)

regulate education in the state

b)

maintain armed forces

c)

pass marriage laws

d)

establish Schools

40.

Which part of the Federal government is MOST involved in the amendment process?

a)
Congress
b)
Supreme Court
c)
President
d)
Federal Bureau of Investigation
41.

The "elastic clause" in the US Constitution

a)

expands the powers of Congress

b)

expanded suffrage in the United States

c)

outlines the powers of the executive branch

d)

established a federal system for the United States

42.

Why does the government have checks and balances?

a)

To stop one branch from getting too powerful.

b)

To prevent the president from acting like a king/queen.

c)

To prevent laws that are unfair/unconstitutional.

d)

All of the above.

43.

.Which of these is a power that the President of the United States can exercise?

a)
Appoint Supreme Court justices without confirmation
b)
Veto legislation
c)
Declare war
d)

overturn an unconstitutional state law

44.

Which BEST illustrates the principle of checks and balances?

a)
The process of voting in a general election.
b)

Senate confirmation of presidential appointments

c)

the military powers of the president

d)
The role of the President in making laws.
45.

The structure of the government of the United States allows for the Legislative Branch to write laws, the Executive Branch to enforce laws, and the Judicial Branch to interpret laws. Collectively, this process is called

a)
checks and balances
b)
division of authority
c)
federalism
d)
separation of powers