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WorksheetsCC Card Quiz (PC-J)
Total questions: 150
Worksheet time: 1hrs 15mins
What era refers to the intellectual movement which advocated reason as the basis of authority and influenced political changes?
The Enlightenment
The Renaissance
The Industrial Revolution
The Reformation
What were both the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights designed to do?
Limit the power of the monarch
Grant absolute power to the king
Establish overseas colonies
Create a permanent standing army
Name the French philosopher whose belief that powers of government should be separated into branches influenced the Framers of the Constitution.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Voltaire
Montesquieu
Thomas Hobbes
Often referred to as the foundation of the U.S. Constitution, this social contract was the 1st document written by common people for self-government.
The Mayflower Compact
The Articles of Confederation
The Magna Carta
The Declaration of the Rights of Man
In designing the Legislative Branch, the Framers of the Constitution mainly based their ideas on _____________.
English Parliament
The Roman Senate
The Continental Congress
The Iroquois Confederacy Council
What era was a precursor to the War of Independence and what amendment did it eventually influence?
The Great Awakening and the 1st Amendment freedom of religion
The Enlightenment and the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms
The Renaissance and the 10th Amendment states’ rights
The Industrial Revolution and the 3rd Amendment quartering of soldiers
Congress is to the U.S. as ________ is to England.
Parliament
Diet
Duma
Knesset
What ideas of the English philosopher John Locke influenced the Framers of the Constitution that are expressed in the first section of the Declaration of Independence?
Government should protect people’s natural rights
People have the right to reject a government that fails to do so
Kings rule by divine right over their subjects
Slavery is a natural and permanent condition
Three major English parliamentary traditions that influenced our government were:
Magna Carta
English Parliament
English Bill of Rights
Declaration of the Rights of Man
What is considered to be the founding document of the U.S. and who is considered the primary author?
The Declaration of Independence and Thomas Jefferson
The U.S. Constitution and James Madison
The Articles of Confederation and Alexander Hamilton
The Bill of Rights and John Adams
The Declaration of Independence guaranteed all people what three unalienable rights?
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
Life, Property, and Security
Speech, Religion, and Press
Voting, Trial by Jury, and Petition
Once the U.S. had declared its independence, what document was created to rule the new country?
The Articles of Confederation
The U.S. Constitution
The Mayflower Compact
The Treaty of Paris
This compromise in the Constitutional Convention proposed two houses, one based on population and the other based on equal representation.
The Great Compromise
The Missouri Compromise
The Connecticut Compromise on Slavery
The New Jersey Plan
A weakness of the Articles of Confederation was that it gave too much governmental power to what group?
Individual state governments
The national executive
The Supreme Court
Foreign allies
What was the original intention of James Madison’s meeting, which later became known as the Constitutional Convention?
To revise the Articles of Confederation
To write the Bill of Rights
To declare independence from Britain
To elect the first president
This farmer’s revolt caused Americans to evaluate the effectiveness of the Articles of Confederation.
Shays’ Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion
Bacon’s Rebellion
The Boston Tea Party
This compromise during the Constitutional Convention decided that Congress would count 3 of every 5 slaves for representation and taxation.
The 3/5’s Compromise
The Great Compromise
The Commerce Compromise
The Missouri Compromise
What law called for all newly acquired land to be surveyed and divided?
The Land Ordinance of 1785
The Homestead Act
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
The Proclamation of 1763
Who presented the Great Compromise at the Constitutional Convention?
Roger Sherman
James Madison
George Mason
Alexander Hamilton
Under what 3 conditions stated in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 could a state enter the Union?
60,000 free inhabitants with a state constitution and Bill of Rights
Public education for all citizens
Slavery banned
Adoption of a monarchy
An increased price for goods and services combined with the reduced value of money is called ___________?
Inflation
Depression
Recession
Deflation
Direct Democracy, a system of government where ordinary citizens make decisions by voting, is also known as ____________________.
Popular Sovereignty
Judicial Review
Republicanism
Federalism
The division of power between the federal and state governments is called__________.
Federalism
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Delegated Authority
Citizens choosing their representatives to make laws is known as a ______________.
Republic
Direct democracy
Monarchy
Confederation
Who may suggest a bill?
Any concerned citizen
Only members of Congress
Only the President
Only state governors
Which house represents the states?
Senate
House of Representatives
Supreme Court
Cabinet
Representatives must live in the state they represent and meet what two other requirements?
At least 25 years old and a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
At least 21 years old and a resident for 10 years
At least 30 years old and a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years
At least 35 years old and natural-born
What number is a “quorum” in the Senate?
51
50
60
67
Senators must live in the state they represent and meet what two other requirements?
At least 30 years old and a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years
At least 25 years old and a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
At least 35 years old and natural-born
At least 21 years old and a resident for 5 years
How many senators does Minnesota have?
2
1
3
4
How many senators are there?
100
50
435
102
Who is in charge of the Senate?
The Vice President
The Speaker of the House
The Chief Justice
The Majority Leader
How long is a senator’s term of office?
6 years
2 years
4 years
8 years
Where do most bills die?
In committee
On the House floor
During a presidential veto
In the Supreme Court
What is the minimum number of representatives a state must have in the House of Representatives?
1
2
3
5
What does it mean to convene?
To assemble
To adjourn
To delay
To veto
What rule stops a filibuster?
Cloture
Censure
Impeachment
Recess
With only a few exceptions, a bill may be started in either house. Bills involving money must begin in which house?
House of Representatives
Senate
Joint Session
Supreme Court
Can there be a filibuster in the House of Representatives?
No
Yes, with unanimous consent
Only during impeachment
Only on budget bills
If a state has 29 electoral votes, how many representatives does the state have in the House of Representatives?
27
29
2
31
When the V.P. is not available, who is in charge of the Senate?
President Pro Tempore
Speaker of the House
Majority Whip
Chief Justice
What are the three branches of government?
Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Federal, State, Local
Congress, President, Courts
House, Senate, Cabinet
Who is the current President of the Senate?
JD Vance
Kamala Harris
Chuck Schumer
Mike Johnson
Our government is unique because it is both _____ and _____.
Flexible and stable
Strong and hereditary
Centralized and permanent
Rigid and uniform
What is the job of the Legislative Branch of government?
To make laws
To interpret laws
To enforce laws
To elect the President
According to our founding fathers, if your government isn’t serving your needs you have the duty to ______.
Change it
Ignore it
Fund it
Move to another country
What is a one-house legislature called?
Unicameral
Bicameral
Tricameral
Parliamentary
Who is in charge of the House of Representatives?
Speaker of the House
Vice President
Majority Whip
President Pro Tempore
When does Congress convene?
January 3rd
July 4th
First Monday in October
January 20th
Who is the current Speaker of the House?
Mike Johnson (R) LA
Hakeem Jeffries (D) NY
Kevin McCarthy (R) CA
Nancy Pelosi (D) CA
How do we decide how many representatives each state will have?
By the population
Each state gets the same number
By land area
By number of counties
Who are the current CA senators?
Adam Schiff (D) and Alex Padilla (D)
Alex Padilla (D) and Dianne Feinstein (D)
Kevin McCarthy (R) and Adam Schiff (D)
Gavin Newsom (D) and Alex Padilla (D)
Is there a limit on debate in the Senate?
No
Yes—1 hour
Yes—30 minutes
Only during budget votes
What number is a quorum in the House of Representatives?
218
100
435
51
Who is the current President Pro Tempore of the Senate?
Chuck Grassley (R) IA
Patty Murray (D) WA
Mitch McConnell (R) KY
Kamala Harris (D) CA
What is a two-house legislature called?
Bicameral
Unicameral
Parliament
Confederation
How does the President Pro Tempore get his job?
Must be the senior senator of the majority party
Appointed by the President
Chosen by the Supreme Court
Elected by governors
Can the President Pro Tempore vote on Senate issues?
Yes
No
Only to break a tie
Only in committees
Can the Speaker of the House vote on issues in the House?
Yes
No
Only to break a tie
Only in committee
Who succeeds the Vice President as President of the United States?
Speaker of the House
President Pro Tempore
Secretary of State
Chief Justice
Our government is self-governing so we call this country a _______.
Democracy
Monarchy
Oligarchy
Theocracy
What is a filibuster?
When a senator talks endlessly to delay action on a bill
A vote to end debate
A closed committee session
A type of budget bill
What do the initials “P.L.” stand for on a former bill?
Public Law
Private Letter
Procedural List
Proposed Legislation
What does the rules committee do?
Sends a bill to its proper committee and makes specific rules for individual bills
Vetoes bills it dislikes
Appoints Supreme Court justices
Counts electoral votes
Can the Vice President vote on Senate issues?
No—unless there is a tie
Yes—on all issues
Only in committees
Only on budget bills
A representative’s term of office is ____ years.
2
4
6
8
What is a “quorum”?
The number necessary to legally do business (in our government 1 more than half)
A secret meeting
A vote to end debate
A written bill
What are the names of the two houses in our federal government?
House of Representatives and Senate
Parliament and Commons
Executive and Judicial
Assembly and Council
Is there a limit on debate in the House of Representatives?
Yes—1 hour
No limit
Yes—10 minutes
Only during elections
How do we decide how many senators a state has?
Each state has 2
By the population
By land area
By number of districts
How many representatives are in the House of Representatives?
435
100
218
50
The Speaker of the House must always be a member of the ______ party.
Majority
Minority
Independent
Third
What are the two major political parties in the U.S.?
Democrats and Republicans
Federalists and Anti-Federalists
Whigs and Tories
Libertarians and Greens
Which house represents the people?
House of Representatives
Senate
Supreme Court
Executive Office
Does the U.S. Constitution say that we have two political parties?
No
Yes
Only during elections
Only for Congress
When the population of the U.S. is officially counted, we call that count a ______.
Census
Poll
Primary
Survey
For a bill to become a law it must pass both houses, true or false?
True
False
Only if the President agrees
Only during a crisis
A committee consisting of members from both houses is called a ______ committee.
Joint or conference
Select
Standing
Rules
Who elects the Speaker of the House?
Direct vote of the House
The President
The Supreme Court
State legislatures
When a vetoed bill is re-passed by 2/3 of both houses, this is called a veto ______. The bill then becomes a law.
Override
Referral
Sustain
To keep one branch from gaining too much power, we have a system of ______ and ______.
Checks and balances
Rights and duties
Votes and vetoes
Courts and Congress
If Congress adjourns before the President acts on a bill, he may refuse to sign it. This is called a ______ veto.
Line-item
Joint
Standing
What fraction of our senators is elected every 2 years?
1/3
1/2
1/4
2/3
What majority is required to override the President’s veto?
2/3 majority in both houses
Simple majority in the House
3/4 of the states
Unanimous Senate vote
Neither house may adjourn for more than 3 days without what?
Permission of the other house
Approval of the President
Approval of the Supreme Court
A unanimous vote
In our system of government, the U.S. Constitution gets authority from ______.
The people
The President
The states
The military
What is a “caucus”?
A meeting of members
A formal vote
A public hearing
A court order
What is the minimum number of representatives each state must have in Congress?
3 (1 representative and 2 senators)
2 (both senators)
1 (one representative only)
4 (two of each)
What is the supreme law of the land?
The U.S. Constitution
Acts of Congress
Supreme Court opinions
Executive orders
When are elections held for representatives and senators?
The 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November of even numbered years
Every January 3rd
The last Friday in October of odd years
On July 4th every four years
A record of what goes on in Congress is printed in the ____ ____.
Congressional Record
Federal Register
National Archives
House Journal
This gives Congress the power to make all necessary and proper laws.
The elastic clause
The supremacy clause
The commerce clause
The full faith and credit clause
The U.S. Constitution grants all law making powers to whom?
Congress
The President
The Supreme Court
The states
Which article, section, and clause states the House of Representatives will break a tie in the electoral college?
Article II Section 1 Clause 3
Article I Section 8 Clause 18
Article III Section 2 Clause 1
Article II Section 2 Clause 2
Who succeeds the President in the case of death or disqualification from office?
The Vice President
The Speaker of the House
The Chief Justice
The Secretary of State
Who succeeds the Vice President as President if the office becomes vacant?
The Speaker of the House
The President Pro Tempore of the Senate
The Secretary of State
The Chief Justice
Who is the head of the Executive Branch of government?
The President
The Congress
The Supreme Court
The Cabinet
Which set lists the three constitutional requirements to be President of the United States?
Native-born U.S. citizen, at least 35 years old, lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years
U.S. citizen, at least 30 years old, served in the military
Naturalized citizen, at least 35 years old, resident of any state
Native-born citizen, at least 40 years old, college graduate
Who succeeds the Speaker of the House as President in the line of succession?
The President Pro Tempore of the Senate
The Chief Justice
The Secretary of Defense
The Majority Leader of the Senate
Who succeeds the President Pro Tempore of the Senate as President in the line of succession?
The Secretary of State
The Secretary of Defense
The Attorney General
The Speaker of the House
Which federal department is responsible for foreign affairs?
State
Defense
Justice
Homeland Security
Which department is responsible for coining and regulating money?
Treasury
Commerce
Interior
Labor
Under what department would we find the Secret Service?
Homeland Security
Justice
Defense
State
What department is led by the Attorney General?
Justice
Defense
State
Homeland Security
Under what department would we find the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs?
State
Justice
Homeland Security
Defense
What department is responsible for training and organizing U.S. military forces?
War
Defense
Homeland Security
State
What department oversees the F.B.I.?
Justice
Homeland Security
Defense
Interior
Which option correctly lists five federal departments?
State, Treasury, Justice, Interior, Agriculture
Commerce, Library of Congress, Labor, Census, Postal Service
Veterans Affairs, Supreme Court, Transportation, Education, Federal Reserve
Energy, Smithsonian, Parks Service, Coast Guard, Printing Office
Can a naturalized citizen become President?
No
Yes, after 14 years of residency
Yes, if over age 40
Only with Senate approval
A person born in Guam is a native-born citizen. True or False?
True
False
Who actually elects the President of the United States?
The Electoral College
The U.S. Senate
The Supreme Court
The popular vote alone
How long is one presidential term?
4 years
2 years
6 years
8 years
What are the term limits placed on the presidency?
2 terms only
1 term only
No limit
3 terms maximum
On what date does the President take office?
January 20
January 1
March 4
December 15
Who swears in the President of the United States?
The Chief Justice
The Speaker of the House
The Vice President
The Secretary of State
Who must approve all cabinet members, and by what majority?
The Senate by simple majority
The House by two-thirds
The Supreme Court unanimously
The Senate by two-thirds
What title is given to cabinet members?
Secretary
Director
Administrator
Commissioner
The Food and Drug Administration is part of what federal department?
Health and Human Services
Agriculture
Commerce
Interior
What do we call it when a prisoner is released from their sentence?
Pardon
Commutation
Parole
Reprieve
What do we call it when a prisoner’s sentence is delayed or put off?
Reprieve
Pardon
Probation
Bail
Who is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces?
The President
The Secretary of Defense
The Speaker of the House
The Joint Chiefs of Staff
The President can limit personal freedoms during time of what?
National emergency
Election season
Recess of Congress
Cabinet vacancy
What department grades U.S. meat and dairy products?
Agriculture
Commerce
Health and Human Services
Interior
What department oversees the food stamp program?
Agriculture
Labor
Treasury
Housing and Urban Development
What department oversees foreign and domestic trade?
Commerce
Treasury
State
Labor
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is part of what federal department?
Health and Human Services
Homeland Security
Interior
Agriculture
When commerce occurs in a single state, this is an example of what kind of commerce?
Intrastate commerce
Interstate commerce
International commerce
Local commerce
When commerce crosses state lines, what kind of commerce is it?
Interstate commerce
Intrastate commerce
International commerce
Municipal commerce
What department conducts the census?
Commerce
Interior
Treasury
Education
Can the President declare war on another country?
No
Yes, unilaterally
Only with the Chief Justice’s consent
Only after a national referendum
What department would be involved with renovating a city slum?
Housing and Urban Development
Interior
Commerce
Transportation
What department protects the natural environment and public lands?
Interior
Agriculture
Energy
Defense
The National Park Service falls under what federal department?
Interior
Agriculture
Commerce
Homeland Security
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is under what federal department?
Interior
State
Justice
Treasury
What department oversees the U.S. Farm Bureau?
Agriculture
Commerce
Interior
Labor
What power is given to the President concerning legislation?
Veto
Judicial review
Filibuster
Impeachment
Can the President alone make valid treaties with other countries?
No
Yes, without any approval
Yes, with approval of the House only
Yes, after a national referendum
Who validates treaties and by what majority?
The Senate by a two-thirds majority
The House by a simple majority
The Supreme Court by majority vote
The Senate by a simple majority
Who does the CIA directly work for?
The President
The Secretary of Defense
The Speaker of the House
The Chief Justice
Who is directly responsible for the security of the President and his family?
The Secret Service
The FBI
The CIA
The U.S. Marshals Service
Who can declare war on another country?
Congress
The President
The Supreme Court
The Joint Chiefs of Staff
The President may use emergency powers to react to what?
National threats or foreign aggression
Budget deficits
Low voter turnout
Cabinet vacancies
What gives the President the right to call special sessions of Congress?
The unwritten Constitution
The Bill of Rights
A Supreme Court ruling
The War Powers Resolution
Which department is responsible for establishing new oil reserves for America?
Energy
Interior
Commerce
Agriculture
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is part of what federal department?
Transportation
Commerce
Homeland Security
Interior
Who presides at a presidential impeachment trial?
The Chief Justice
The Vice President
The Speaker of the House
The President pro tempore of the Senate
Which department oversees the welfare program in America?
Health and Human Services
Labor
Agriculture
Housing and Urban Development
Who can impeach a government official and by what majority?
House of Representatives by a simple majority
Senate by a two-thirds vote
Supreme Court by unanimous vote
House of Representatives by a two-thirds vote
The process of bringing formal charges against a government official is called what?
Impeachment
Censure
Indictment
Recall
If a person is impeached, he is automatically removed from office and sentenced to jail. True or False?
False
True
