Foundations of Government
What is the main purpose of a constitution?
A) To give the president more power
B) To declare independence
C) To outline how a government is structured and operates
D) To elect members of Congress
C) To outline how a government is structured and operates
Which branch of government interprets the law?
A) Legislative
B) Executive
C) Judicial
D) Federal
C) Judicial
Why is voting considered a civic responsibility?
A) It’s required by law
B) It shows support for the president
C) It lets citizens help choose leaders and influence laws
D) It helps raise taxes
C) It lets citizens help choose leaders and influence laws
Which Enlightenment idea most influenced the concept of "consent of the governed" in the U.S. Constitution?
A) Divine right of kings
B) Separation of church and state
C) Natural rights
D) Social contract
D) Social contract
Which principle of government means people have the power?
A) Rule of Law
B) Checks and Balances
C) Popular Sovereignty
D) Federalism
C) Popular Sovereignty
Who is the head of the executive branch at the national level?
A) Speaker of the House
B) Chief Justice
C) The President
D) The Senate Majority Leader
C) The President
What did the 19th Amendment do?
A) Allowed 18-year-olds to vote
B) Gave women the right to vote
C) Ended poll taxes
D) Gave all men the right to vote
B) Gave women the right to vote
How did John Locke's idea of natural rights impact the Declaration of Independence?
A) It justified a monarchy
B) It led to the creation of the Supreme Court
C) It emphasized the right to life, liberty, and property
D) It reduced individual freedoms
C) It emphasized the right to life, liberty, and property
Why did the Founders create a federal system of government?
A) To give all power to the president
B) To balance power between national and state governments
C) To limit the power of the people
D) To avoid writing a Constitution
B) To balance power between national and state governments
Which branch of government has the power to declare war?
A) Executive
B) Legislative
C) Judicial
D) State
B) Legislative
What is one reason the government holds elections?
A) To make new laws
B) To collect taxes
C) To give citizens a voice in their government
D) To keep officials in office permanently
C) To give citizens a voice in their government
Which Enlightenment thinker most directly influenced the U.S. system of separation of powers?
A) John Locke
B) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
C) Baron de Montesquieu
D) Thomas Hobbes
C) Baron de Montesquieu
What document officially broke ties between the colonies and Great Britain?
A) Articles of Confederation
B) U.S. Constitution
C) Declaration of Independence
D) Bill of Rights
C) Declaration of Independence
What can the president do to check the power of Congress?
A) Pass laws
B) Appoint Senators
C) Veto laws
D) Declare laws unconstitutional
C) Veto laws
Which amendment lowered the voting age to 18?
A) 14th
B) 24th
C) 19th
D) 26th
D) 26th
How are Locke's natural rights and the Bill of Rights similar?
A) Both support total government control
B) Both protect individual freedoms from government overreach
C) Both come from monarchs
D) Both were designed to restrict free speech
B) Both protect individual freedoms from government overreach
Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
A) It gave too much power to the federal government
B) It taxed citizens unfairly
C) It had no power to enforce laws or collect taxes
D) It had a strong executive branch
C) It had no power to enforce laws or collect taxes
How does the judicial branch limit the power of the other branches?
A) By vetoing bills
B) By enforcing laws
C) By declaring laws or actions unconstitutional
D) By collecting taxes
C) By declaring laws or actions unconstitutional
What is the purpose of voter registration?
A) To raise money
B) To track political parties
C) To ensure fair and secure elections
D) To prevent people from voting
C) To ensure fair and secure elections
Why were Enlightenment ideas important to the Founding Fathers?
A) They helped support keeping colonial ties with Britain
B) They encouraged the use of a king to protect rights
C) They offered a framework for creating a limited and fair government
D) They rejected the idea of written laws
C) They offered a framework for creating a limited and fair government