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Important National Documents of the United States

Total questions: 56

Worksheet time: 35mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the government of the United States based on?

a)

Specific values

b)

Random choices

c)

Only military rules

d)

Only economic policies

2.

Which document is considered an important national document in the United States?

a)

Declaration of Independence

b)

Magna Carta

c)

Canadian Charter of Rights

d)

French Constitution

3.

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an important document in the United States?

a)

Bill of Rights

b)

Constitution of the United States

c)

Declaration of Independence

d)

The Book of Laws

4.

On what levels can important documents be found in the United States?

a)

Local, state, and national

b)

Only national

c)

Only local

d)

Only state

5.

Which document is NOT listed as a national document in the text?

a)

The Bill of Rights

b)

The Constitution of the United States

c)

The Declaration of Independence

d)

The Emancipation Proclamation

6.

Which king did the colonists send the Declaration of Independence to?

a)

King George III

b)

King Henry VIII

c)

King Louis XVI

d)

King Charles I

7.

What does the Declaration say should happen if a government does not protect people's rights?

a)

The people have the right to change or abolish it.

b)

The people must obey no matter what.

c)

The king will choose a new government.

d)

The government will last forever.

8.

How many years is the term for a member of the House of Representatives?

a)

Four years

b)

Six years

c)

Two years

d)

Eight years

9.

Who is the president of the Senate?

a)

The Speaker of the House

b)

The Chief Justice

c)

The Vice President

d)

The Secretary of State

10.

What is the main purpose of the Bill of Rights?

a)

To declare independence from Britain

b)

To provide rules for the government and protect individual rights

c)

To elect the President

d)

To create new states

11.

What is the meaning of unalienable rights?

a)

Rights that change over time

b)

Rights that cannot be taken away or denied

c)

Rights that only governments can provide

d)

Rights that cannot be defined and protected

12.

Adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776:

a)

The Constitution

b)

The Declaration of Independence

c)

The Continental Army

d)

The Bill of Rights

13.

Which constitutional principle created the three branches of government?

a)

Checks and Balances

b)

Popular sovereignty

c)

Separation of Powers

d)

Federalism

14.

Government by the people and the separation of powers are the main principles of which founding document?

a)

Bill of Rights

b)

U.S. Constitution

c)

Mayflower Compact

d)

Northwest Ordinances

15.

What document establishes the three branches of government?

a)

Bill of Rights

b)

Constitution

c)

Declaration of Independence

d)

Articles of Confederation

16.

What did Thomas Jefferson mean by the phrase "all men are created equal"?

a)

All people had the same abilities

b)

Free citizens were political equals

c)

All people ought to have equal wealth

d)

Women and men should be treated the same

17.

The list above includes rights that are considered-

a)

transferable

b)

legislated

c)

unalienable

d)

inherited

18.

- One of the Seven Principles of Government

- Belief that the people are the ultimate source of power

- "We The People"

a)

Popular Sovereignty

b)

Republicanism

19.

Which principle of U.S. government is most clearly reflected in the amendment below?

a)

Checks and balances

b)

Federalism

c)

Separation of Powers

d)

Due process

20.

The rights listed above were —

a)

established by a series of Supreme Court decisions

b)

defined by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence

c)

established by the ratification of the U.S. Constitution

d)

defined by President George Washington in his Farewell Address

21.

What are the first 10 Amendments called?

a)

The Constitution

b)

Bill of Rights

c)

Magna Carta

d)

Petition of Rights

22.

Which amendment gives you the right to keep weapons or arms?

a)

First Amendment

b)

Second Amendment

c)

Third Amendment

d)

Fourth Amendment

23.

What makes up the Bill of Rights?

a)

Amendments 13-15

b)

Amendments 1-10

c)

Amendments 16-19

d)

Amendments 21-26

24.

Which founding father wrote most of The Constitution and its amendments, known as the Bill of Rights?

a)

James Madison

b)

Thomas Jefferson

c)

George Washington

d)

Abraham Lincoln

25.

Which amendment guarantees that you will have a lawyer to represent you, that you can have a jury, and that you can face the person accusing you of a crime?

a)

The 4th amendment

b)

The 5th amendment

c)

The 6th amendment

d)

the 7th amendment

26.

How many amendments are in the Bill of Rights?

a)

8

b)

12

c)

10

d)

13

27.

Which amendment gives you the right to keep weapons or arms?

a)

First Amendment

b)

Second Amendment

c)

Fourth Amendment

d)

Eighth Amendment

28.

What are the first 10 Amendments called?

a)

The Constitution

b)

Bill of Rights

c)

Magna Carta

d)

Petition of Rights

29.

Freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition.  Which amendment is this?

a)

1st

b)

2nd

c)

3rd

d)

4th

30.

Amendment 8 prevents cruel and unusual punishments

a)

True

b)

False

31.

Amendment 1 protects a person's right to

a)

A trial by jury in civil cases

b)

Right to beat arms

c)

Freedom of Assembly, Press, Speech, Religion and Petition

32.

What is the name of the first 10 amendments?

a)

Constitution

b)

Declaration of Independence

c)

Bill of Rights

d)

Articles of Confederation

33.

When was the Constitution signed?

a)

September 5, 1987

b)

September 17, 1787

c)

July 4, 1776

d)

November 17, 1875

34.

Where is the Constitution stored?

a)

Capitol Buidling

b)

The Pentagon

c)

National Archives Building

d)

Smithsonian Museum

35.

At what temperature are the protective cases kept at to preserve the parchment's quality?

a)

75 degrees

b)

50 degrees

c)

67 degrees

d)

80 degrees

36.

How many amendments have actually been approved by the states?

a)

10

b)

100

c)

45

d)

27

37.

Who were in favor of the Constitution and supported the federal government?

a)

Federalists

b)

Republicans

c)

Democrats

d)

Anti-Federalists

38.

What are the first ten amendments called?

a)

The Bill of Rights

b)

The Branches of our Government

c)

The Preamble

d)

The Articles

39.

How many articles are in the Constitution that help explain the layout of our government?

a)

5

b)

10

c)

3

d)

7

40.

What is the introduction paragraph called in the Constitution?

a)

The Bill of Rights

b)

The Articles

c)

The Preamble

d)

The Framers

41.

What does the Preamble outline?

a)

how the branches of government work

b)

how the voting process works

c)

the basic principles of our democracy

42.

What do the first three articles explain?

a)

how the three branches of government work

b)

the basic principles of our democracy

c)

how the voting process works

43.

_____________ is the sharing of power between national and state governments.

a)

amendment

b)

democracy

c)

federalism

44.

Who was the oldest signer of the Constitution at the age of 81?

a)

James Madison

b)

Thomas Jefferson

c)

George Washington

d)

Benjamin Franklin

45.

Who was the "Father of the Constitution"?

a)

Benjamin Franklin

b)

James Madison

c)

John Jay

d)

Alexander Hamilton

46.

How long did it take to write the Constitution?

a)

6 months

b)

12 months

c)

8 months

d)

3 months

47.

Why is Constitution Day on September 17th?

a)

It is the day the U.S. gained freedom from Britain.

b)

It is the anniversary of when the framers signed the Constitution.

c)

It is the anniversary of when they decided to create the Constitution.

48.

When was the Constitution approved?

a)

1789

b)

1776

c)

1965

d)

1876

49.

What does "we the people of the United States" mean?

a)

all citizens of the U.S.

b)

all men of the U.S.

c)

all federalists of the U.S.

d)

all women of the U.S.

50.

What does "in order to form a more perfect union" mean?

a)

begin fairness for all

b)

to make everything in our country as perfect as possible

c)

care for those in need

51.

What does "establish justice" mean?

a)

approve of and begin the Constitution of the U.S.

b)

promise that everything in our country will be calm and peaceful

c)

begin fairness for all

52.

What does "insure domestic tranquility" mean?

a)

all citizens of the U.S.

b)

care for those in need

c)

promise that everything in our country will be calm and peacful

53.

What does "provide for the common defense" mean?

a)

give protection to everyone with our first responders and military

b)

begin fairness for all

c)

approve of and begin the Constitution of the U.S.

54.

What does "promote the general welfare" mean?

a)

to make everything in our country as perfect as possible

b)

care for those in need

c)

give protection to everyone with our first responders and military

55.

What does "secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity" mean?

a)

make sure freedom and fairness continues for ourselves and all our children

b)

care for those in need

c)

begin fairness for all

56.

What does "do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America" mean?

a)

begin fairness for all

b)

approve of and begin the Constitution of the U.S.

c)

to make everything in our country as perfect as possible