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WorksheetsCivics LEAP Review
Total questions: 100
Worksheet time: 50mins
Which Enlightenment thinker argued that people have natural rights to life, liberty, and property that government must protect?
Thomas Hobbes
John Locke
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Montesquieu
The principle that governmental power should be divided into separate branches to prevent abuse is called:
Federalism
Popular sovereignty
Separation of powers
Judicial review
Which document first established limited government and influenced the U.S. Constitution?
Mayflower Compact
Magna Carta
English Bill of Rights
Federalist Papers
The Supremacy Clause in the U.S. Constitution means:
State law overrides federal law.
Federal law is the highest law of the land when in conflict with state law.
Congress can overrule Supreme Court decisions.
The president can veto state laws.
Which system divides power between a national government and regional governments?
Unitary system
Confederation
Federalism
Parliamentary system
The term "popular sovereignty" means:
The king rules by divine right.
Power ultimately rests with the people.
Judges have final authority on laws.
Military leaders hold power.
Which Founding document formally declared the American colonies’ independence from Britain?
U.S. Constitution
Articles of Confederation
Declaration of Independence
Bill of Rights
Which compromise at the Constitutional Convention solved representation in Congress by creating a bicameral legislature?
Three-Fifths Compromise
Connecticut (Great) Compromise
The Bill of Rights refers to:
The first ten amendments to the Constitution.
The entire Constitution.
The Federalist Papers.
State constitutions.
Judicial review, the power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional, was established by which case?
Marbury v. Madison
McCulloch v. Maryland
Brown v. Board of Education
Gideon v. Wainwright
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) primarily affirmed:
States can tax the federal government.
The federal government has implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause.
Slavery is legal nationwide.
Free speech has no limits.
Which Constitutional amendment guarantees freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition?
First Amendment
Fourth Amendment
Fifth Amendment
Tenth Amendment
Which branch of the federal government is primarily responsible for making laws?
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
Administrative agencies
Which power is unique to the Senate (not the House of Representatives)?
Initiate revenue bills
Confirm presidential appointments and ratify treaties
Impeach federal officials
Elect the Speaker
How does a bill become a law at the federal level?
The president signs it after passing both houses of Congress.
Congress passes it and it's automatically law without presidential action.
The Supreme Court approves it.
The states vote on the bill.
Which role is primarily performed by the president when appointing Cabinet secretaries?
Legislative oversight
Advising the Supreme Court
The "bully pulpit" refers to the president’s ability to:
Use military force.
Influence public opinion through the national platform of the office.
Appoint judges without confirmation.
Write laws directly.
The origin of judicial review is associated with:
The Federalist Papers exclusively.
The Supreme Court asserting its authority in Marbury v. Madison.
Congress passing a law in 1801.
The president’s veto power.
The doctrine of stare decisis means:
Courts should avoid precedent.
Courts should follow previous decisions (precedent).
Legislatures can overturn Supreme Court rulings by simple majority.
The president sets legal precedent.
Brown v. Board of Education (1954) overturned which earlier precedent?
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Plessy v. Ferguson (separate but equal)
Marbury v. Madison
Roe v. Wade
Which amendment abolished slavery in the United States?
Thirteenth Amendment
Fourteenth Amendment
Fifteenth Amendment
Nineteenth Amendment
The Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause primarily addresses:
Freedom of speech.
Protection of individuals from state actions denying equal treatment under the law.
The right to bear arms.
The process of presidential succession.
What was a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
It created a strong executive.
Congress had no power to tax and had limited central authority.
It established a national court system.
It allowed easy amendment.
Which system of government concentrates power in a central national government?
Federal system
Confederate system
Unitary system
Which best describes a constitutional republic?
Leaders are chosen by hereditary right.
Citizens elect representatives and government is limited by a constitution.
All decisions are made directly by citizens on every issue.
There is no rule of law.
Which philosopher emphasized separation of powers and influenced the Constitution?
John Locke
Thomas Hobbes
Montesquieu
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The "right to privacy" in U.S. constitutional law is primarily derived from:
An explicit clause in the Constitution.
Interpretations of several amendments (penumbras) by the Supreme Court.
State constitutions only.
The Bill of Rights Article II.
Which event led to increased federal power and a more active national government in the 1930s?
Civil War
World War I
The Great Depression and New Deal policies
The Louisiana Purchase
Which of the following is an example of an expressed (enumerated) power of Congress?
Issue executive orders
Declare war
Interpret the Constitution
Appoint Supreme Court justices
Gerrymandering is the practice of:
Registering voters by mail.
Drawing legislative district boundaries to favor a political party or group.
Counting votes in a recount.
Passing laws by executive order.
The Electoral College was originally created to:
Provide direct popular election of the president.
Ensure that only Congress selects the president.
Balance influence between populous and less populous states in selecting the president.
Give state governors control over presidential elections.
Which amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18?
19th Amendment
24th Amendment
26th Amendment
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 primarily aimed to:
A. Abolish poll taxes nationwide and remove legal barriers to voting, especially for racial minorities.
B. Require voter ID for all citizens.
C. Limit early voting.
D. Change the Electoral College.
Which Supreme Court case upheld the government's power to limit speech during wartime based on "clear and present danger"?
Tinker v. Des Moines
Schenck v. United States
New York Times Co. v. United States
Miranda v. Arizona
Miranda v. Arizona (1966) established that:
The death penalty is unconstitutional.
Suspects must be informed of their rights (Miranda warnings) before police interrogation.
School prayer is permissible.
Voting rights are protected.
Which court case protected students’ free speech in schools, ruling that students do not shed rights at the schoolhouse gate?
Brown v. Board of Education
Tinker v. Des Moines
Gideon v. Wainwright
Plessy v. Ferguson
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) guaranteed:
Free public education.
The right to counsel for defendants who cannot afford an attorney in felony criminal cases.
Busing to achieve integration.
The right to privacy.
Which case limited executive privilege and required President Nixon to turn over tapes?
Roe v. Wade
United States v. Nixon
Baker v. Carr
Citizens United v. FEC
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) primarily addressed:
The legality of polling place locations.
Corporate and union spending in elections as protected political speech.
The right to counsel.
Voter ID laws.
Which constitutional principle holds that the law applies to everyone, including leaders?
Popular sovereignty
Rule of law
Which is a concurrent power (shared by federal and state governments)?
Coining money
Declaring war
Taxation
Immigration control
A pocket veto occurs when:
The president signs a bill immediately.
The president ignores a bill for 10 days while Congress adjourns, preventing it from becoming law.
The Supreme Court vetoes a law.
The vice president vetoes a bill.
The primary responsibility of the legislative committee system is to:
Execute laws.
Interpret laws.
Consider, amend, and draft legislation before full chamber votes.
Appoint Supreme Court justices.
Which amendment guarantees protection against unreasonable searches and seizures?
First Amendment
Second Amendment
Fourth Amendment
Sixth Amendment
Which case established that states could not tax a federal institution (Maryland trying to tax the Second Bank of the U.S.)?
Marbury v. Madison
McCulloch v. Maryland
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Shaw v. Reno
Which best describes the purpose of the Federalist Papers?
To oppose the Constitution.
To argue in favor of ratifying the Constitution and explain its provisions.
To list the Bill of Rights.
To be a state constitution.
Which system uses citizen votes directly on laws rather than through representatives?
Representative democracy
Constitutional republic
Direct democracy
Oligarchy
The process of amending the U.S. Constitution requires:
Simple majority in both houses of Congress and signature by the president.
A two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.
The term "checks and balances" refers to:
Each branch of government having the power to check the others to prevent overreach.
Federal and state governments balancing budgets.
Political parties balancing power in Congress.
Citizens balancing taxes and spending.
Which U.S. branch has the power to interpret the Constitution and overturn laws as unconstitutional?
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
Administrative
The primary function of the Louisiana State Constitution compared to the U.S. Constitution is to:
Provide national defense.
Establish state government structure, powers, and local policies specific to Louisiana.
Regulate immigration.
Appoint federal judges.
Louisiana’s legal tradition is influenced by which historical code?
English common law only
Napoleonic Code / Civil Law tradition
Roman law directly without intermediaries
Islamic law
A citizen’s duties include:
Running for office only.
Paying taxes, serving on juries, obeying laws, and registering for Selective Service if applicable.
Voting for every election by law.
Serving as president when called.
Naturalization is the process by which:
U.S. citizens lose their citizenship.
Foreign nationals become U.S. citizens through a legal process.
States gain federal status.
Territories become states.
Which is NOT a requirement for U.S. naturalization?
Knowledge of U.S. history and government (civics test)
Oath of allegiance
Being born on U.S. soil
Demonstrating good moral character
Which describes the role of political parties in the U.S.?
They select judges for life.
They organize elections, mobilize voters, and promote policy agendas.
They write the Constitution every four years.
Lobbyists primarily try to:
Run for Congress.
Influence legislators and public policy on behalf of interest groups.
Enforce election laws.
Overrule the president.
The primary goal of campaign finance regulations is to:
Make campaigns more expensive.
Control how money influences elections and promote transparency and fairness.
Give the president power over elections.
Prevent third parties from existing.
Which describes an initiative or referendum?
Mechanisms for citizens to propose or vote on laws at the state or local level.
Federal methods for amending the Constitution.
Process for appointing judges.
Ways to impeach the president.
"At-large" voting means:
Representatives are elected by the entire voting population of a jurisdiction rather than from districts.
Voting only occurs in large cities.
Voters cast ballots at large indoor facilities.
Voters must register at-large.
Shaw v. Reno (1993) addressed:
The constitutionality of school prayer.
Racial gerrymandering and limits on race-based redistricting.
Campaign finance limits.
Executive privilege.
Which best explains how media affects politics?
Media only reports facts without influence.
Media shapes public opinion, frames issues, and provides a channel for public officials to communicate.
Media appoints judges.
Media controls voter registration.
Which is an advantage of technology in politics?
Decreased access to information for voters.
Increased speed of communication and easier mobilization of supporters.
Automatic elimination of misinformation.
Removal of privacy concerns.
An example of domestic policy is:
Trade negotiations with other countries.
Immigration reform within the U.S.
NATO is primarily an example of:
A domestic program.
An international military alliance for mutual defense.
A U.S. federal department.
A trade agreement.
NAFTA (now replaced by USMCA) was primarily about:
Military cooperation.
Free trade and economic cooperation among member countries.
Immigration control.
Cultural exchange only.
Which describes an effect of specialization and trade?
Reduced production efficiency.
Increased production and distribution efficiency through comparative advantage.
Elimination of markets.
Uniform wages worldwide.
Adam Smith argued that markets function best when:
The government controls all prices.
Free markets and competition allow the “invisible hand” to guide resources.
Only guilds set production levels.
There is no private property.
Which system is characterized by most economic decisions made by private individuals and firms?
Socialism
Capitalism (market economy)
Feudalism
Command economy
A monopoly occurs when:
Many firms produce identical products.
One firm dominates the market with no close substitutes.
Firms collude to set low prices.
Consumers have all the market power.
The role of the Federal Reserve primarily includes:
Passing laws.
Conducting monetary policy to influence money supply and interest rates.
Printing laws.
Creating budgets for states.
When government spending exceeds revenue, this results in:
A. A budget surplus.
B. A balanced budget.
C. A budget deficit and possibly increased national debt.
Which is a public good the government often provides because private markets may underprovide it?
Private luxury housing
National defense, public parks, or basic infrastructure
Single-brand consumer electronics
Luxury yachts
Which describes how state and local governments raise revenue?
Only through printing money.
Through taxes (property, sales, income), fees, and federal grants.
By declaring war.
By issuing the constitution.
The concept of federalism requires that:
States have no powers.
Power is shared and divided between national and state governments.
The federal government rules all local governments directly.
Cities are sovereign from states.
Which is an example of a policy area that the federal government usually regulates?
Local zoning laws only
Immigration and national defense
City school board hiring decisions
Local police department uniforms
What is the purpose of a primary election?
To elect the president directly.
To choose a party’s nominee for a general election.
To ratify constitutional amendments.
To recall an elected official.
A recall allows voters to:
Amend the Constitution.
Remove an elected official from office before the end of their term through a vote.
Elect a president.
Approve treaties.
Which federal amendment guarantees no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law?
First Amendment
Fifth Amendment (and Fourteenth at state level)
Tenth Amendment
Second Amendment
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) is historically significant because it:
Granted citizenship to all African Americans.
Held that people of African descent could not be U.S. citizens and further inflamed sectional tensions.
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) upheld:
Segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine.
Integration of schools.
Women's suffrage.
Corporate campaign spending limits.
Brown v. Board of Education reversed "separate but equal" in which context?
Voting laws
Public education (school segregation)
Military service
Freedom of the press
Which amendment granted women the right to vote?
15th Amendment
19th Amendment
24th Amendment
26th Amendment
Which amendment banned the poll tax in federal elections?
15th Amendment
19th Amendment
24th Amendment
26th Amendment
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment (1971) expanded suffrage to citizens who are:
21 years old and older
18 years old and older
Noncitizens
Convicted felons only
Which describes "equal protection" under the law?
The government treats all people exactly the same in every circumstance.
The government must not deny any person within its jurisdiction equal protection of the laws.
Only property owners have legal protections.
The president provides protection to certain groups.
A civil liberty is best defined as:
A privilege granted by the government.
A basic freedom guaranteed by the Constitution, such as speech or religion.
A government program.
A type of tax.
The First Amendment establishment clause prohibits:
The government endorsing or establishing an official religion.
Any public religious practice.
Private prayer.
Which Supreme Court case limited prior restraint on publication (the “Pentagon Papers” case)?
Miranda v. Arizona
New York Times Co. v. United States
Korematsu v. United States
Roe v. Wade
Korematsu v. United States (1944) concerned:
Japanese American internment during WWII and is now widely criticized for upholding wartime internment.
Voting rights.
School prayer.
Free press.
Which is an example of a civil right (as opposed to a civil liberty)?
Freedom of speech
Right to a speedy trial
Protection from discrimination in employment and voting access
Right against self-incrimination
Which entity is primarily responsible for setting local government structure in Louisiana (e.g., police juries, home rule)?
U.S. Congress
Louisiana State Constitution and state law
The U.S. Supreme Court only
City councils in other states
The Chitimacha, Coushatta, Jena Band of Choctaw, and Tunica-Biloxi are examples of:
Federal agencies
Native American tribes recognized in Louisiana with tribal governance and sovereign aspects.
Political parties in Louisiana
County governments
Which best describes what tribal sovereignty means?
Tribes are independent nations in all respects, with no relationship to the U.S.
Tribes possess certain inherent self-governing powers subject to federal law and their own constitutions/tribal law.
Tribes cannot govern their own members.
Tribes are subordinate to local city councils only.
Which Supreme Court case addressed congressional redistricting and the one-person, one-vote principle?
Baker v. Carr
Marbury v. Madison
Plessy v. Ferguson
Roe v. Wade
U.S. foreign policy tools include:
Monetary policy only
Diplomacy, foreign aid, military force, and economic sanctions
State constitutions
Local ordinances
International organizations like the United Nations primarily aim to:
Replace national governments.
Provide a forum for cooperation on global issues such as security, human rights, and development.
Run national elections.
Issue currency for all nations.
A balanced personal budget means:
Spending more than your income regularly.
Income equals or exceeds expenses; planning and saving for goals and emergencies.
Never saving any money.
Investing everything in high-risk assets.
Which is a prudent personal finance practice for avoiding consumer fraud?
Sharing passwords with strangers.
Reading contracts carefully, monitoring accounts, and protecting personal information.
Giving your Social Security number to any caller.
Ignoring bank statements.
Which economic concept explains why competition tends to lower prices and increase options for consumers?
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Free market competition and supply-and-demand dynamics
Command planning
