American Government Pre/Post Test Overview:
Total Number of Questions: 100
Standards covered: (HS.C2.3)(HS.C2.4)(HS.C3.1)(HS.C4.1)(HS.C2.6)( HA.C3.4)(HS.C3.2)
(HS.C3.3)
[Test Begins]
1.
What English Political ideal(s) is the American Government based on? (HS.C2.3)
a. Ordered government
b. Representative government
c. Limited government
d. All of the above
2. Which of the following best defines Popular sovereignty? (HS.C2.4)
a. The power of government is restricted
b. All people have rights that cannot be taken away
c. The people hold political power and the government only exists with the consent
of the people
d. Political power is divided among various branches of government
3. What are the three “self-evident” truths declared by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration
of Independence? (HS.C3.1)
a. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness
b. Alexander Hamilton is lame
c. Life, Liberty and Property
d. The right to the governed derives from God’s law
4. Which of the following were major sources of ideas for the U.S. Constitution? (HS.C2.3)
a. The writings of John Locke
b. British Tradition
c. The Colonial Experience
d. All of the above
5. Which of the following is NOT guaranteed by the U.S. Bill of Rights? (HS.C3.1)
a. Women’s right to vote
b. Freedom of expression and belief
c. Freedom of the person
d. Fair and equal treatment under the law
6. The major function of a Constitution is to…(HS.C3.1)
a. Set out the processes a government uses
b. Set out the structure of a government
c. Sets out the principles that a government operates on
d. All of the above.
7. What is the Magna Carta? (HS.C2.3)
a. A document in the White House
b. A colonial American document listing people’s rights under the Constitution
c. An English document that limited the powers of the king
d. A plan for a new government of the United States
8. True or False: A sovereign state may be possessed by other states (HS.C1.3)
a. True
b. False
9. In a Democracy, the interests of the few must be elevated above the interests of the many
(HS.C1.3)
a. True
b. False
10. Compromise is vital in the decision-making process of democracy (HS.C1.3)
a. True
b. False
11. Which of the following principles holds that government may do only those things the
people have given it the power to do? (HS.C3.1)
a. Separation of powers
b. Checks and balances
c. Judicial review
d. Limited government
12. The courts’ power to declare a law unconstitutional is called: (HS.C2.3)
a. Writ of certiorari
b. Habeas corpus
c. Judicial review
d. Veto power
13. Which Amendment gives States the power to make laws not outlined in the
Constitution? (HS.C2.3)
a. 10th
b. 14th
c. 19th
d. 26th
14. Which Amendment gave 18-year-olds the right to vote? (HS.C2.3)
a. 10th
b. 14th
c. 19th
d. 26th
15. How many electoral votes are there? (HS.C2.3)
a. 50
b. 270
c. 538
d. 435
16. How many electoral votes are needed to win the presidential election? (HS.C2.3)
a. 270
b. 50
c. 435
d. 538
17. According to the Constitution, if no one wins a majority of electoral votes, who elects the
president? (HS.C2.3)
a. State legislatures
b. Senates
c. House of Representatives
d. Supreme Court
18. Which party is liberal? (HS.C3.3)
a. Republicans
b. Democratic
c.
Independent
d. Green
19. Which party is conservative? (HS.C3.3)
a. Democratic
b. Republican
c.
Independent
d. Green
20. Who is the president of the Senate? (HS.C3.3)
a. President
b. Oldest Senator
c. Vice President
d. Chief Justice
21. Who must approve presidential cabinet appointments? (HS.C3.3)
a. House of Representatives
b. Senate
c. Congress
d. Supreme Court
22. How much of Congress is needed to override a veto? (HS.C3.2)
a. ½
b. ⅔
c. ¼
d. ⅗
23. Who acts as the jury in a presidential impeachment trial? (HS.C3.3)
a) Governors
b) House of Representatives
c) Senate
d) Supreme Court Justices
24. State legislatures can enact any law that does not conflict with: (HS.C2.3)
a) US Constitution
b) The Declaration of Independence
c) Federal Law
d) All of the Above
25. Which of the following is the principle executive officer of a state? (HS.C3.3)
a) Mayor
b) Secretary of State
c) Governor
d) Senator
26. Which of the following is the first to have a presidential primary? (HS.C3.3)
a) New York
b) Virginia
c) New Hampshire
d) Illinois
27. The first national government of the United States was (HS.C2.3)
a) the First Continental Congress
b) the Second Continental Congress
c) the Articles of Confederation
d) the Constitution of the United States
28. Who agreed to ratify the Constitution on the condition that the document would include a
Bill of Rights? (HS.C2.3)
a) the colonists
b) the Federalists
c) the Anti-Federalists
d) the representatives
29. Which of the following is an example of checks and balances? (HS.C3.2)
a) the US Supreme Court declares that a law is unconstitutional
b) power is divided between the Federal government and the States
c) the Senate observes senatorial courtesy
d) Congress passes a law
30. According to the 22nd Amendment, the President (HS.C3.2)
a) may serve a maximum of 10 years
b) may serve a maximum of 8 years
c) may run for a 3rd term only after someone else has been president for 4 years
d) may serve a maximum of 12 years
31. Presidential candidates try to choose vice-presidential candidates who (HS.C3.3)
a) have little political experience
b) do not have great political ambitions
c) will help “balance the ticket” politically
d) have views very different from those of the presidential candidate
32. As commander in chief, the President may (HS.C3.3)
a) call up and command the state militias
b) use the US Army to control domestic uprisings
c) commit American troops abroad for up to 60 days without the consent of Congress
d) all of the above
33. Like the House, all the Senate seats are up for election at the same time. (HS.C3.3)
a) True
b) False
34. Before the adoption of the 17th Amendment in 1913, who chose the Senators? (HS.C3.4)
a) state governors
b) state legislatures
c) State Supreme Courts
d) the people of the state
35. Who has the constitutional power to declare war? (HS.C3.4)
a) only Congress
b) only the President
c) only the Senate
d) Congress with the approval of the president
36. The Senate is the house that practices filibusters. (HS.C3.4)
a) True
b) False
37. Which of the following is a justification of for a state with a small population having the
same number of Senators as state with a large population? (HS.C3.4)
a) people in small states are just as smart as people in large ones
b) small states may have just as many natural resources as large states
c) each Senator represents the same number of people in Congress
d) equal representation allows the states to be represented as coequal members and
partners in the Union
38. The President may not call the Congress into session. (HS.C3.1)
a) True
b) False
39. How many voting members are currently in the House of Representatives? (HS.C3.1)
a) 435
b) 186
c) 242
d) 300
40. Which of the following was NOT a reason for changing the Articles of Confederation in the
mid-1780s? (HS.C3.2)
a) states bickered among themselves
b) economic chaos spread among former colonies
c) violence broke out in several places
d) the Articles allowed slavery to continue
41. The Articles of Confederation set up the three branches of government we have today.
(HS.C3.2)
a) True
b) False
42. As far as Congress was concerned, the main purpose for a 1787 convention in Philadelphia
was to revise the Articles of Confederation. (HS.C3.2)
a) True
b) False
43. Although the Constitution is often called a “bundle of compromises,” nearly all the delegates
were dedicated to the concept of (HS.C2.3)
a) popular sovereignty
b) checks and balances
c) separation of powers
d) all of the above
44. To whom did the 3/5 Compromise refer? (HS.C3.1)
a) enslaved people
b) Native Americans
c) women
d) the poor
45. All states had to ratify the Constitution in order for it to go into effect. (HS.C2.3)
a) True
b) False
46. Why was the ratification of the Constitution crucial in Virginia and New York? (HS.C2.3)
a) they were the home states of Washington and Hamilton
b) they were two of the most populous states
c) they brought with them the Carolinas and Pennsylvania
d) they were principle sites of Revolutionary War battles
47. Amendments to the Constitution have as much legality as the original Constitution.
(HS.C2.3)
a) True
b) False
48. The US has a federal system of government because (HS.C3.1)
a) it is the only form of government that promotes democracy
b) federalism was the traditional form of government in England
c) that system was implied in the Constitution and expressed in the 10th Amendment
d) the majority of the population supports it
49. The Necessary and Proper Clause is called the “Elastic Clause” because (HS.C3.1)
a) like elastic, if stretched too far, it doesn’t work
b) over time it has stretched to cover so many implied powers
c) it has been used to stretch the law to benefit a few people
d) it gives states as much power as they need
50. Over the years, the Constitution has been changed only 10 times.(HS.C3.1)
a) True
b) False
51. Which Amendment protects you from self-incrimination? (HS.C3.1)
a) 3rd
b) 5th
c) 7th
d) 9th
52. Which Amendment protects you from cruel and unusual punishment? (HS.C3.1)
a) 2nd
b) 4th
c) 6th
d) 8th
53. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are called the (HS.C2.3)
a) treaties
b) vetoes
c) Bill of Rights
d) executive actions
54. At the present time, the number of formal amendments to the Constitution is (HS.C2.3)
a) 10
b) 15
c) 27
d) 100
55. The Federal Government gets the bulk of its annual revenues from? (HS.C3.4)
a) individual income taxes
b) corporate income taxes
c) customs duties
d) excise taxes
56. Which institution is constitutionally responsible for appropriating all of the money spent by
the Federal Government? (HS.C3.4)
a) the executive branch
b) the Senate
c) the House
d) Congress
57. Civil liberties are best defined as: (HS.C2.6)
a) election laws
b) positive acts of government that uphold the Constitution
c) all acts of government
d) the freedoms guaranteed to all people
58. Before police officers search a house for evidence, they must have (HS.C2.6)
a) a search warrant
b) a writ of habeas corpus
c) police power
d) a bill of attainder
59. Trying a person for the same crime twice is called: (HS.C2.6)
a) capital punishment
b) presentment
c) bills of attainder
d) double jeopardy
60. Which of the following has been protected by the Supreme Court? (HS.C2.6)
a) picketing
b) seditious speech
c) libel
d) slander
61. Who elects The Speaker of the House of Representatives? ( HS.C4.1)
A. Direct popular vote
B. The Representatives
C. Presidential appointment, confirmed by the Senate
D. The Supreme Court
62. How were Senators originally chosen? (HS.C4.1)
A. Direct popular vote
B. The President pro tem appointed them
C. State governors had the sole power to appoint them
D. State Legislatures appointed them
63. Why was the 12th Amendment adopted? (HS.C3.3)
A. It changed the way Congress was paid
B. There was a tie in the Presidential election
C. It abolished slavery
D. To limit judicial power
64. What was “The Three-fifths Compromise”? (HS.C2.3)
A. The top 60% of the country had to pay taxes
B. No more than 40% of income may be taxed
C. a now-defunct clause in the Constitution which delegates that the population of slaves
in a given state would be counted as three-fifths in total when apportioning
Representatives, as well as Presidential electors and taxes.
D. The concept that larger states only counted 60% of their populations in order to give
every state an equal vote for President.
65. What body has the power of conviction for high crimes and misdemeanors? (HS.C3.4)
A. The House of Representatives
B. The Senate
C. The Department of Justice
D. The Supreme Court
66. The US Constitution consists of three parts. Which of these is not one of them? (HS.C3.1)
A. Amendments
B. Indicia
C. Preamble
D. Articles
67. Which branch of government has the power to declare laws and orders unconstitutional?
(HS.C3.4)
A. Executive
B. Judicial
C. Legislative
D. Presidential
68. Which branch of government is responsible for enforcing the law? (HS.C3.4)
A. Executive
B. Judicial
C. Legislative
D. Presidential
69. Which branch of government is bicameral? (HS.C3.4)
A. Executive
B. Judicial
C. Legislative
D. Presidential
70. Which body has the power of impeachment? (HS.C3.4)
A) The Supreme Court
B. The President
C) The Senate
D) The House of Representatives
71. The vast majority of the Judicial Branch’s power comes from its ability to interpret the
Constitution and overturn laws that violate it. This is known as…(HS.C3.4)
A) Judicial Oversight
B) Adjudication
C) Judicial Veto
D) Judicial Review
72. What part of the Constitution outlines the powers of the President? (HS.C3.4)
A) Article I
B) The Third Indicia
C) Article II
D) The Sixth Amendment
73. What number of Justices of the Supreme Court does the Constitution require? (HS.C3.4)
A) Nine
B) It doesn’t say
C) Five
D) It just has to be an odd number
74. Your driver’s license is valid in every state in the US, due to…(HS.C1.3)
A) “full disclosure”
B) “full faith and credit”
C) The North American Free Trade Agreement
D) The USA Patriot Act
75. The first ten amendments are collectively known as…(HS.C3.1)
A. The Declaration of Independence
B. The Articles
C. The Preamble
D) The Bill of Rights
76. This amendment repealed another. (HS.C2.3)
A. 1st
B. 13th
C. 21st
D. 29th
77. This amendment changed the date for the beginning of a Presidential term to January 20th.
(HS.C2.3)
A. 15th
B. 20th
C. 21st
D. 4rd
78. “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to
the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” This is the text of which
amendment? (HS.C2.3)
A) 10th
B) 1st
C) 9th
D) None; this is stated in the Constitution already
79. Your right to peaceably assemble is guaranteed by which Amendment? (HS.C3.4)
A) 2nd
B) 1st
C) 18th
D) 11th
80. You cannot be compelled to be a witness against yourself in a criminal case due to which
Amendment? (HS.C3.4)
A) 1st
B) 5th
C) 14th
D) 17th
81. This Amendment has four major clauses and is also the basis of the “state actor doctrine.”
(HS.C3.4)
A) 3rd
B) 11th
C) 14th
D) 24th
82. The Arizona Constitution establishes Arizona as a (HS.C2.5):
a) an independent territory
b) a right to work state
c) a limited rights state
d) a duty free state
83. The requirement that government operate under fair policies is called (HS.C3.1):
a) due process
b) involuntary servitude
c) bill of attainder
d) exclusionary rule
84. Which promises equal protection under the law? (HS.C3.1)
a) 1st Amendment
b) 10th Amendment
c) 14th Amendment
d) 19th Amendment
85. How does a democracy serve the varied needs of its citizens when forming public policies?
(HS.C3.1)
a) through random choices
b) through compromise
c) through force
d) through double standards
86. Which of the following is a direct result of the government’s first priority of the general
welfare of its citizens? (HS.C3.1)
a) providing an army
b) establish a state church
c) establish schools
d) resolving disputes between local governments
87. The 9th Amendment protects (HS.C3.1)
a) the right to a jury trial
b) freedom of speech and the press
c) freedom of religion
d) individual rights not enumerated in the Constitution
88 Which of the following is a justification for taxation in a democracy? (HS.C3.3)
a) the government must survive even at the expense of individual freedom
b) the government must be able to provide services for its citizens
c) the government needs to make sure that there are not too many rich people
d) the government must assert its authority over the people
89. The right to freedom of petition is guaranteed by the (HS.C2.2)
a) 1st Amendment
b) 2nd Amendment
c) 5th Amendment
d) 8th Amendment
90. Most lobbyists do all of the following (HS.C4.1):
a) advise legislators on the content and wording of laws
b) try to influence how the courts interpret the laws after they are passed
c) urge strict or lax enforcement of laws that bear on their interest group
d) all of above
91. The impact of the mass media on the public agenda can best be described as its ability to tell
people (HS.C4.1):
a) whom to vote for
b) what issues to think about
c) what opinions to have about issues
d) how to effect needed reform
92. The Establishment Clause prohibits Congress from mandating a state religion. (HS.C3.1)
a) True
b.) False
93. The Miranda Rule states that (HS.C3.1)
a) accused persons have the right to confront the witnesses against them
b) police must inform suspects of their rights prior to questioning them
c) federal criminal trials must begin within 100 days of the defendant’s arrest
d) the press has the same right as the general public to be present in courtrooms
94. Public demonstrations are protected by the right of assembly.(HS.C3.1)
a) True
b) False
95. Most federal appointments to executive offices are made on a partisan basis. (HS.C3.1)
a) True
b) False
96. A political party is a group of persons who join together in order to
a) alert the public to the problems that need government action
b) gain control of the government through electoral processes
c) educated the public about the need for political activism
d) ensure that nominees for public office are of good character
97. The function of informing the public and stimulating political debate is performed by
(HS.C3.3)
a) news media
b) political parties
c) interest groups
d) all of above
98. Which of the following groups would be most likely to support the Democratic party?
(HS.C3.3)
a) the business community
b) Protestants
c) labor unions
d) white males
99. Minor parties are able to play a “spoiler role” in an election by (HS.C3.3)
a) raising issues that the major parties do not want to address
b) taking enough votes away from one of the two major parties to cost its candidate the
election
c) waging “mudslinging” campaigns against both major party candidates
d) attracting voter and media attention away from the major party candidates
100. The fifth and latest expansion of the American electorate came in 1971 when suffrage was
extended to (HS.C3.2)
a) naturalized citizens
b) women
c) persons 18 and older
d) non-English speakers
[Test Ends]
Total Number of Questions: 100
Standards covered: (HS.C2.3)(HS.C2.4)(HS.C3.1)(HS.C4.1)(HS.C2.6)( HA.C3.4)(HS.C3.2)
(HS.C3.3)
[Test Begins]
1.
What English Political ideal(s) is the American Government based on? (HS.C2.3)
a. Ordered government
b. Representative government
c. Limited government
d. All of the above
2. Which of the following best defines Popular sovereignty? (HS.C2.4)
a. The power of government is restricted
b. All people have rights that cannot be taken away
c. The people hold political power and the government only exists with the consent
of the people
d. Political power is divided among various branches of government
3. What are the three “self-evident” truths declared by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration
of Independence? (HS.C3.1)
a. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness
b. Alexander Hamilton is lame
c. Life, Liberty and Property
d. The right to the governed derives from God’s law
4. Which of the following were major sources of ideas for the U.S. Constitution? (HS.C2.3)
a. The writings of John Locke
b. British Tradition
c. The Colonial Experience
d. All of the above
5. Which of the following is NOT guaranteed by the U.S. Bill of Rights? (HS.C3.1)
a. Women’s right to vote
b. Freedom of expression and belief
c. Freedom of the person
d. Fair and equal treatment under the law
6. The major function of a Constitution is to…(HS.C3.1)
a. Set out the processes a government uses
b. Set out the structure of a government
c. Sets out the principles that a government operates on
d. All of the above.
7. What is the Magna Carta? (HS.C2.3)
a. A document in the White House
b. A colonial American document listing people’s rights under the Constitution
c. An English document that limited the powers of the king
d. A plan for a new government of the United States
8. True or False: A sovereign state may be possessed by other states (HS.C1.3)
a. True
b. False
9. In a Democracy, the interests of the few must be elevated above the interests of the many
(HS.C1.3)
a. True
b. False
10. Compromise is vital in the decision-making process of democracy (HS.C1.3)
a. True
b. False
11. Which of the following principles holds that government may do only those things the
people have given it the power to do? (HS.C3.1)
a. Separation of powers
b. Checks and balances
c. Judicial review
d. Limited government
12. The courts’ power to declare a law unconstitutional is called: (HS.C2.3)
a. Writ of certiorari
b. Habeas corpus
c. Judicial review
d. Veto power
13. Which Amendment gives States the power to make laws not outlined in the
Constitution? (HS.C2.3)
a. 10th
b. 14th
c. 19th
d. 26th
14. Which Amendment gave 18-year-olds the right to vote? (HS.C2.3)
a. 10th
b. 14th
c. 19th
d. 26th
15. How many electoral votes are there? (HS.C2.3)
a. 50
b. 270
c. 538
d. 435
16. How many electoral votes are needed to win the presidential election? (HS.C2.3)
a. 270
b. 50
c. 435
d. 538
17. According to the Constitution, if no one wins a majority of electoral votes, who elects the
president? (HS.C2.3)
a. State legislatures
b. Senates
c. House of Representatives
d. Supreme Court
18. Which party is liberal? (HS.C3.3)
a. Republicans
b. Democratic
c.
Independent
d. Green
19. Which party is conservative? (HS.C3.3)
a. Democratic
b. Republican
c.
Independent
d. Green
20. Who is the president of the Senate? (HS.C3.3)
a. President
b. Oldest Senator
c. Vice President
d. Chief Justice
21. Who must approve presidential cabinet appointments? (HS.C3.3)
a. House of Representatives
b. Senate
c. Congress
d. Supreme Court
22. How much of Congress is needed to override a veto? (HS.C3.2)
a. ½
b. ⅔
c. ¼
d. ⅗
23. Who acts as the jury in a presidential impeachment trial? (HS.C3.3)
a) Governors
b) House of Representatives
c) Senate
d) Supreme Court Justices
24. State legislatures can enact any law that does not conflict with: (HS.C2.3)
a) US Constitution
b) The Declaration of Independence
c) Federal Law
d) All of the Above
25. Which of the following is the principle executive officer of a state? (HS.C3.3)
a) Mayor
b) Secretary of State
c) Governor
d) Senator
26. Which of the following is the first to have a presidential primary? (HS.C3.3)
a) New York
b) Virginia
c) New Hampshire
d) Illinois
27. The first national government of the United States was (HS.C2.3)
a) the First Continental Congress
b) the Second Continental Congress
c) the Articles of Confederation
d) the Constitution of the United States
28. Who agreed to ratify the Constitution on the condition that the document would include a
Bill of Rights? (HS.C2.3)
a) the colonists
b) the Federalists
c) the Anti-Federalists
d) the representatives
29. Which of the following is an example of checks and balances? (HS.C3.2)
a) the US Supreme Court declares that a law is unconstitutional
b) power is divided between the Federal government and the States
c) the Senate observes senatorial courtesy
d) Congress passes a law
30. According to the 22nd Amendment, the President (HS.C3.2)
a) may serve a maximum of 10 years
b) may serve a maximum of 8 years
c) may run for a 3rd term only after someone else has been president for 4 years
d) may serve a maximum of 12 years
31. Presidential candidates try to choose vice-presidential candidates who (HS.C3.3)
a) have little political experience
b) do not have great political ambitions
c) will help “balance the ticket” politically
d) have views very different from those of the presidential candidate
32. As commander in chief, the President may (HS.C3.3)
a) call up and command the state militias
b) use the US Army to control domestic uprisings
c) commit American troops abroad for up to 60 days without the consent of Congress
d) all of the above
33. Like the House, all the Senate seats are up for election at the same time. (HS.C3.3)
a) True
b) False
34. Before the adoption of the 17th Amendment in 1913, who chose the Senators? (HS.C3.4)
a) state governors
b) state legislatures
c) State Supreme Courts
d) the people of the state
35. Who has the constitutional power to declare war? (HS.C3.4)
a) only Congress
b) only the President
c) only the Senate
d) Congress with the approval of the president
36. The Senate is the house that practices filibusters. (HS.C3.4)
a) True
b) False
37. Which of the following is a justification of for a state with a small population having the
same number of Senators as state with a large population? (HS.C3.4)
a) people in small states are just as smart as people in large ones
b) small states may have just as many natural resources as large states
c) each Senator represents the same number of people in Congress
d) equal representation allows the states to be represented as coequal members and
partners in the Union
38. The President may not call the Congress into session. (HS.C3.1)
a) True
b) False
39. How many voting members are currently in the House of Representatives? (HS.C3.1)
a) 435
b) 186
c) 242
d) 300
40. Which of the following was NOT a reason for changing the Articles of Confederation in the
mid-1780s? (HS.C3.2)
a) states bickered among themselves
b) economic chaos spread among former colonies
c) violence broke out in several places
d) the Articles allowed slavery to continue
41. The Articles of Confederation set up the three branches of government we have today.
(HS.C3.2)
a) True
b) False
42. As far as Congress was concerned, the main purpose for a 1787 convention in Philadelphia
was to revise the Articles of Confederation. (HS.C3.2)
a) True
b) False
43. Although the Constitution is often called a “bundle of compromises,” nearly all the delegates
were dedicated to the concept of (HS.C2.3)
a) popular sovereignty
b) checks and balances
c) separation of powers
d) all of the above
44. To whom did the 3/5 Compromise refer? (HS.C3.1)
a) enslaved people
b) Native Americans
c) women
d) the poor
45. All states had to ratify the Constitution in order for it to go into effect. (HS.C2.3)
a) True
b) False
46. Why was the ratification of the Constitution crucial in Virginia and New York? (HS.C2.3)
a) they were the home states of Washington and Hamilton
b) they were two of the most populous states
c) they brought with them the Carolinas and Pennsylvania
d) they were principle sites of Revolutionary War battles
47. Amendments to the Constitution have as much legality as the original Constitution.
(HS.C2.3)
a) True
b) False
48. The US has a federal system of government because (HS.C3.1)
a) it is the only form of government that promotes democracy
b) federalism was the traditional form of government in England
c) that system was implied in the Constitution and expressed in the 10th Amendment
d) the majority of the population supports it
49. The Necessary and Proper Clause is called the “Elastic Clause” because (HS.C3.1)
a) like elastic, if stretched too far, it doesn’t work
b) over time it has stretched to cover so many implied powers
c) it has been used to stretch the law to benefit a few people
d) it gives states as much power as they need
50. Over the years, the Constitution has been changed only 10 times.(HS.C3.1)
a) True
b) False
51. Which Amendment protects you from self-incrimination? (HS.C3.1)
a) 3rd
b) 5th
c) 7th
d) 9th
52. Which Amendment protects you from cruel and unusual punishment? (HS.C3.1)
a) 2nd
b) 4th
c) 6th
d) 8th
53. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are called the (HS.C2.3)
a) treaties
b) vetoes
c) Bill of Rights
d) executive actions
54. At the present time, the number of formal amendments to the Constitution is (HS.C2.3)
a) 10
b) 15
c) 27
d) 100
55. The Federal Government gets the bulk of its annual revenues from? (HS.C3.4)
a) individual income taxes
b) corporate income taxes
c) customs duties
d) excise taxes
56. Which institution is constitutionally responsible for appropriating all of the money spent by
the Federal Government? (HS.C3.4)
a) the executive branch
b) the Senate
c) the House
d) Congress
57. Civil liberties are best defined as: (HS.C2.6)
a) election laws
b) positive acts of government that uphold the Constitution
c) all acts of government
d) the freedoms guaranteed to all people
58. Before police officers search a house for evidence, they must have (HS.C2.6)
a) a search warrant
b) a writ of habeas corpus
c) police power
d) a bill of attainder
59. Trying a person for the same crime twice is called: (HS.C2.6)
a) capital punishment
b) presentment
c) bills of attainder
d) double jeopardy
60. Which of the following has been protected by the Supreme Court? (HS.C2.6)
a) picketing
b) seditious speech
c) libel
d) slander
61. Who elects The Speaker of the House of Representatives? ( HS.C4.1)
A. Direct popular vote
B. The Representatives
C. Presidential appointment, confirmed by the Senate
D. The Supreme Court
62. How were Senators originally chosen? (HS.C4.1)
A. Direct popular vote
B. The President pro tem appointed them
C. State governors had the sole power to appoint them
D. State Legislatures appointed them
63. Why was the 12th Amendment adopted? (HS.C3.3)
A. It changed the way Congress was paid
B. There was a tie in the Presidential election
C. It abolished slavery
D. To limit judicial power
64. What was “The Three-fifths Compromise”? (HS.C2.3)
A. The top 60% of the country had to pay taxes
B. No more than 40% of income may be taxed
C. a now-defunct clause in the Constitution which delegates that the population of slaves
in a given state would be counted as three-fifths in total when apportioning
Representatives, as well as Presidential electors and taxes.
D. The concept that larger states only counted 60% of their populations in order to give
every state an equal vote for President.
65. What body has the power of conviction for high crimes and misdemeanors? (HS.C3.4)
A. The House of Representatives
B. The Senate
C. The Department of Justice
D. The Supreme Court
66. The US Constitution consists of three parts. Which of these is not one of them? (HS.C3.1)
A. Amendments
B. Indicia
C. Preamble
D. Articles
67. Which branch of government has the power to declare laws and orders unconstitutional?
(HS.C3.4)
A. Executive
B. Judicial
C. Legislative
D. Presidential
68. Which branch of government is responsible for enforcing the law? (HS.C3.4)
A. Executive
B. Judicial
C. Legislative
D. Presidential
69. Which branch of government is bicameral? (HS.C3.4)
A. Executive
B. Judicial
C. Legislative
D. Presidential
70. Which body has the power of impeachment? (HS.C3.4)
A) The Supreme Court
B. The President
C) The Senate
D) The House of Representatives
71. The vast majority of the Judicial Branch’s power comes from its ability to interpret the
Constitution and overturn laws that violate it. This is known as…(HS.C3.4)
A) Judicial Oversight
B) Adjudication
C) Judicial Veto
D) Judicial Review
72. What part of the Constitution outlines the powers of the President? (HS.C3.4)
A) Article I
B) The Third Indicia
C) Article II
D) The Sixth Amendment
73. What number of Justices of the Supreme Court does the Constitution require? (HS.C3.4)
A) Nine
B) It doesn’t say
C) Five
D) It just has to be an odd number
74. Your driver’s license is valid in every state in the US, due to…(HS.C1.3)
A) “full disclosure”
B) “full faith and credit”
C) The North American Free Trade Agreement
D) The USA Patriot Act
75. The first ten amendments are collectively known as…(HS.C3.1)
A. The Declaration of Independence
B. The Articles
C. The Preamble
D) The Bill of Rights
76. This amendment repealed another. (HS.C2.3)
A. 1st
B. 13th
C. 21st
D. 29th
77. This amendment changed the date for the beginning of a Presidential term to January 20th.
(HS.C2.3)
A. 15th
B. 20th
C. 21st
D. 4rd
78. “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to
the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” This is the text of which
amendment? (HS.C2.3)
A) 10th
B) 1st
C) 9th
D) None; this is stated in the Constitution already
79. Your right to peaceably assemble is guaranteed by which Amendment? (HS.C3.4)
A) 2nd
B) 1st
C) 18th
D) 11th
80. You cannot be compelled to be a witness against yourself in a criminal case due to which
Amendment? (HS.C3.4)
A) 1st
B) 5th
C) 14th
D) 17th
81. This Amendment has four major clauses and is also the basis of the “state actor doctrine.”
(HS.C3.4)
A) 3rd
B) 11th
C) 14th
D) 24th
82. The Arizona Constitution establishes Arizona as a (HS.C2.5):
a) an independent territory
b) a right to work state
c) a limited rights state
d) a duty free state
83. The requirement that government operate under fair policies is called (HS.C3.1):
a) due process
b) involuntary servitude
c) bill of attainder
d) exclusionary rule
84. Which promises equal protection under the law? (HS.C3.1)
a) 1st Amendment
b) 10th Amendment
c) 14th Amendment
d) 19th Amendment
85. How does a democracy serve the varied needs of its citizens when forming public policies?
(HS.C3.1)
a) through random choices
b) through compromise
c) through force
d) through double standards
86. Which of the following is a direct result of the government’s first priority of the general
welfare of its citizens? (HS.C3.1)
a) providing an army
b) establish a state church
c) establish schools
d) resolving disputes between local governments
87. The 9th Amendment protects (HS.C3.1)
a) the right to a jury trial
b) freedom of speech and the press
c) freedom of religion
d) individual rights not enumerated in the Constitution
88 Which of the following is a justification for taxation in a democracy? (HS.C3.3)
a) the government must survive even at the expense of individual freedom
b) the government must be able to provide services for its citizens
c) the government needs to make sure that there are not too many rich people
d) the government must assert its authority over the people
89. The right to freedom of petition is guaranteed by the (HS.C2.2)
a) 1st Amendment
b) 2nd Amendment
c) 5th Amendment
d) 8th Amendment
90. Most lobbyists do all of the following (HS.C4.1):
a) advise legislators on the content and wording of laws
b) try to influence how the courts interpret the laws after they are passed
c) urge strict or lax enforcement of laws that bear on their interest group
d) all of above
91. The impact of the mass media on the public agenda can best be described as its ability to tell
people (HS.C4.1):
a) whom to vote for
b) what issues to think about
c) what opinions to have about issues
d) how to effect needed reform
92. The Establishment Clause prohibits Congress from mandating a state religion. (HS.C3.1)
a) True
b.) False
93. The Miranda Rule states that (HS.C3.1)
a) accused persons have the right to confront the witnesses against them
b) police must inform suspects of their rights prior to questioning them
c) federal criminal trials must begin within 100 days of the defendant’s arrest
d) the press has the same right as the general public to be present in courtrooms
94. Public demonstrations are protected by the right of assembly.(HS.C3.1)
a) True
b) False
95. Most federal appointments to executive offices are made on a partisan basis. (HS.C3.1)
a) True
b) False
96. A political party is a group of persons who join together in order to
a) alert the public to the problems that need government action
b) gain control of the government through electoral processes
c) educated the public about the need for political activism
d) ensure that nominees for public office are of good character
97. The function of informing the public and stimulating political debate is performed by
(HS.C3.3)
a) news media
b) political parties
c) interest groups
d) all of above
98. Which of the following groups would be most likely to support the Democratic party?
(HS.C3.3)
a) the business community
b) Protestants
c) labor unions
d) white males
99. Minor parties are able to play a “spoiler role” in an election by (HS.C3.3)
a) raising issues that the major parties do not want to address
b) taking enough votes away from one of the two major parties to cost its candidate the
election
c) waging “mudslinging” campaigns against both major party candidates
d) attracting voter and media attention away from the major party candidates
100. The fifth and latest expansion of the American electorate came in 1971 when suffrage was
extended to (HS.C3.2)
a) naturalized citizens
b) women
c) persons 18 and older
d) non-English speakers
[Test Ends]