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WorksheetsUnderstanding U.S. Government Basics
Total questions: 56
Worksheet time: 1hrs 2mins
What type of government is ruled by a king or queen?
Monarchy
Democracy
Republic
Dictatorship
Which document begins with the words "We the People"?
Declaration of Independence
United States Constitution
Bill of Rights
Magna Carta
How many branches of government are there in the United States?
One
Two
Three
Four
Which branch of government makes laws?
Executive
Judicial
Legislative
Military
What is the main job of the executive branch?
To interpret laws
To make laws
To enforce laws
To write the Constitution
Which type of government is ruled by a small group of people?
Democracy
Oligarchy
Republic
Anarchy
What is the rule of law?
Laws are made by the king
Everyone must follow the law
Only the president follows the law
Laws are not important
Which document announced the American colonies' independence from Britain?
United States Constitution
Declaration of Independence
Bill of Rights
Magna Carta
What is the main job of the judicial branch?
To make laws
To enforce laws
To interpret laws
To declare war
Which of the following is NOT one of the first 13 colonies?
Virginia
New York
California
Georgia
Which type of government has no rules or leaders?
Anarchy
Republic
Monarchy
Dictatorship
What is the purpose of the preamble to the Constitution?
To declare independence
To state the goals of the government
To list the laws
To name the president
Which article of the Constitution describes the legislative branch?
Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Which concept means that each branch of government can limit the powers of the other branches?
Federalism
Checks and balances
Rule of law
Democracy
Which type of government allows citizens to vote for their leaders?
Dictatorship
Democracy
Monarchy
Oligarchy
Which branch of government is headed by the President?
Legislative
Judicial
Executive
State
Which of the following best describes a republic?
Rule by a king
Rule by elected representatives
Rule by a dictator
Rule by no one
Which article of the Constitution describes the judicial branch?
Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Which concept divides government power among different branches?
Separation of powers
Rule of law
Democracy
Monarchy
Which type of government is ruled by one person with total power?
Democracy
Dictatorship
Republic
Oligarchy
Which of the following is an example of checks and balances?
The President signs a law passed by Congress
The Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional
Congress writes a law
The President gives a speech
How does the rule of law protect citizens?
By allowing only leaders to follow laws
By making sure everyone, including leaders, follows the law
By letting citizens make their own laws
By removing all laws
Why did the colonists write the Declaration of Independence?
To create a new government
To explain why they wanted freedom from Britain
To elect a president
To make new laws
How does separation of powers help prevent abuse of power?
By giving all power to one branch
By dividing power among branches so no one branch is too strong
By removing all laws
By letting citizens rule directly
Which of the following best shows the difference between a democracy and a dictatorship?
In a democracy, people vote; in a dictatorship, one person rules
In a democracy, there are no laws; in a dictatorship, there are many laws
In a democracy, only leaders vote; in a dictatorship, everyone votes
In a democracy, there is a king; in a dictatorship, there is a president
If Congress passes a law, which branch can declare it unconstitutional?
Executive
Judicial
Legislative
Military
Why is the preamble important to the Constitution?
It lists the laws
It explains the goals and reasons for the government
It names the president
It describes the branches
How did the first 13 colonies influence the creation of the United States government?
They showed the need for a strong central government
They had no influence
They wanted to keep British rule
They created a monarchy
Imagine Congress passes a law that the President disagrees with. What can the President do?
Sign the law
Veto the law
Ignore the law
Make a new law
Suppose the Supreme Court finds a law unfair. What is the strategic reason for their decision?
To help the President
To make laws
To protect the Constitution and citizens' rights
To elect new leaders
Executive Branch
President, Vice President and Cabinet
Legislative Branch
Congress: The Senate and House of Representatives
Judicial Branch
Supreme Court and smaller court systems
Match the following
Power to appoint judges, Power to pardon, Power to Veto Bills (laws)
Executive Branch
Impeachment power, Can override vetoes with 2/3 vote, Approves Federal Judges
Legislative Branch
Can declare laws unconstitutional, Can declare presidential acts unconstitutional.
Judicial Branch
Monarchy
A system of government where power belongs to a ruling family
Democracy
A system of government where power comes from the people.
Totalitarianism
A system of government where the rulers have total unchecked control of the nation.
Theocracy
A form of government based on religious law.
Republic
Form of democracy where citizens elect representatives to vote on their behalf
One leader has absolute control over the government and its’ citizens’ lives.
Dictatorship
Where citizens hold the political power (the government does not control the people).
Democracy
A small group of people has all the power (usually the people at the top of the social structure).
Oligarchy
People are not subject to any nation or government rule (rule of no one).
Anarchy
A king or queen rules the nation.
(absolute) Monarchy
The idea that government power should be divided + shared between both National and State governments.
Popular Soverignty
Federalism
Preamble
Posterity
When authority comes from the people it is called...
Popular Soverignty
Federalism
Preamble
Posterity
“in order to form a more perfect Union,” from the Preamble of the Constitution meant...
Americans are acting as 1 country united.
To be better than the Articles of Confederation; actually be united - federalism.
Authority comes from the people.
Have fairness, be ruled by laws.
“Insure domestic tranquility” from the Preamble of the Constitution meant...
Keep peace and order at home in the United States (no rebellions)
To be better than the Articles of Confederation; actually be united - federalism.
One national military to defend US, not 13 different state militias
Have fairness, be ruled by laws.
“Provide for the common defense” from the Preamble of the Constitution meant...
Keep peace and order at home in the United States (no rebellions)
To be better than the Articles of Confederation; actually be united - federalism.
One national military to defend US, not 13 different state militias
Have fairness, be ruled by laws.
“establish justice” from the Preamble of the Constitution meant...
Americans are acting as 1 country united.
To be better than the Articles of Confederation; actually be united - federalism.
Authority comes from the people.
Have fairness, be ruled by laws.
“promote the general welfare” from the Preamble of the Constitution meant...
Keep peace and order at home in the United States (no rebellions)
To take care of the citizens of the United States.
One national military to defend US, not 13 different state militias
Have fairness, be ruled by laws.
“And secure the blessings of liberty
to ourselves and our posterity…” from the Preamble of the Constitution meant...
Keep peace and order at home in the United States (no rebellions)
To take care of the citizens of the United States.
One national military to defend US, not 13 different state militias
Make sure we protect the rights and freedoms of all Americans, present and those in the future.
“Do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America.” from the Preamble of the Constitution meant...
Keep peace and order at home in the United States (no rebellions)
To take care of the citizens of the United States.
To accomplish these purposes (goals), we have written and adopted the Constitution.
Make sure we protect the rights and freedoms of all Americans, present and those in the future.
The Preamble begins with —
When in the course of human events
We the People of the United States
As the People of America
We the citizens need to form
The introduction to the Constitution is called the ___.
Articles of Confederation
Declaration of Independence
Bill of Rights
Preamble
The word tranquility means ___.
peace
freedom
future
purpose
The first three words of the preamble, "We the people..." established the principle of _______________________.
consent of the governed
separation of powers
checks and balances
natural law
Example: United States; citizens vote for representatives on local, state and national levels who make laws.
Monarchy
Anarchy
Theocracy
Representative Democracy
Type of government where the people rule directly by voting; political power comes from the people.
republic
democracy
oligarchy
monarchy
Match the following the main idea of the Constitution with its best description.
Popular Sovereignty
The people can rule themselves.
Limited Government
The government has limits to its powers.
Federalism
Federal and State gov's share the power.
Separation of Powers
The gov is split up into three branches.
The (a) is the basic guidelines and rules for our government.
