Documents
What is the supreme law of the United States?
A) Declaration of Independence
B) The Constitution
C) Bill of Rights
D) Articles of Confederation
B) The Constitution
Which three branches make up the U.S. government?
A) Legislative, Administrative, Military
B) Executive, Judicial, Military
C) Legislative, Executive, Judicial
D) Judicial, Parliamentary, Executive
C) Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Who signs bills into law or vetoes them?
A) Congress
B) The President
C) The Supreme Court
D) The Vice President
B) The President
Which of these is a right guaranteed by the First Amendment?
A) Right to bear arms
B) Freedom of speech
C) No taxes without representation
D) Right to vote
B) Freedom of speech
Which of the following describes federalism?
A) One person rules everything
B) Power is shared between national and state governments
C) There are only local governments
D) The Supreme Court makes all decisions
B) Power is shared between national and state governments
What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution called?
A) The Preamble
B) The Federalist Papers
C) The Bill of Rights
D) The Articles
C) The Bill of Rights
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
A) The Supreme Court
B) The President
C) Congress
D) The Vice President
B) The President
Which power does Congress not have?
A) Declare war
B) Make federal budget
C) Choose state governors
D) Write laws
C) Choose state governors
What does “freedom of religion” mean under the Constitution?
A) You must follow one religion chosen by the government
B) You can’t practice any religion at all
C) You can practice any religion, or choose not to practice one
D) Only Congress can decide which religion is allowed
C) You can practice any religion, or choose not to practice one
What is the “rule of law”?
A) Only judges can make laws
B) The law changes depending on the person
C) Everyone must follow the law, including leaders
D) Only Congress must follow laws
C) Everyone must follow the law, including leaders
The idea of “self-government” is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are they?
A) “One Nation Under”
B) “We the People”
C) “Life, Liberty, and”
D) “In Order to”
B) “We the People”
Which branch of government interprets laws?
A) Legislative
B) Executive
C) Judicial
D) Administrative
C) Judicial
Who makes federal laws in the United States?
A) The Supreme Court
B) Congress
C) The President
D) The States
B) Congress
Which of these is not a right explicitly guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution (Bill of Rights)?
A) Freedom of speech
B) Right to a jury trial in civil cases
C) The right to drive a car
D) Protection against cruel and unusual punishment
C) The right to drive a car
What is an amendment?
A) A new law
B) A change or addition to the Constitution
C) A court decision
D) A government agency
B) A change or addition to the Constitution
Which document was written before the U.S. Constitution and had weaknesses?
A) Declaration of Independence
B) Bill of Rights
C) Articles of Confederation
D) Federalist Papers
C) Articles of Confederation
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
A) Majority rule
B) Checks and balances
C) The Bill of Rights
D) Supreme law
B) Checks and balances
Which power belongs to the federal government under the Constitution?
A) Giving driver’s licenses
B) Providing schooling
C) Printing money
D) Operating local police
C) Printing money
What does the 10th Amendment say about the powers of the federal government?
A) The federal government has all powers not explicitly denied to it.
B) All powers not given to the federal government by the Constitution belong to the states or the people.
C) The federal government can override state laws at any time.
D) The federal government controls all matters of public safety.
B) All powers not given to the federal government by the Constitution belong to the states or the people.
Which principle means citizens elect representatives to make decisions for them?
A) Direct democracy
B) Representative government
C) Monarchy
D) Theocracy
Representative government
How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution currently have?
A) 10
B) 27
C) 33
D) 45
B) 27
Which branch of government is described in Article I of the U.S. Constitution?
A) Executive
B) Judicial
C) Legislative
D) Local
C) Legislative
What is one power that belongs to U.S. states?
A) Declare war
B) Make treaties
C) Provide public safety (e.g. police)
D) Print money
C) Provide public safety (e.g. police)
What is the Equal Protection Clause, as stated in the 14th Amendment?
A) It gives the President power to protect everyone equally
B) It requires that the law treat all people the same
C) It allows states to make their own individual protection laws
D) It gives Congress power to pass equal pay laws only
B) It requires that the law treat all people the same
Which of the following best describes “constitutionalism”?
A) The belief that a government should be based on unlimited monarchal power
B) The idea that governments should operate according to a written or agreed-upon constitution
C) The practice of holding referendums for every law made
D) The principle that all political decisions should be made by the majority without any laws
C — The right to drive a car is not listed in the Constitution.