government final test

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414 Terms

1
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What is the supreme law of the land?

The constitution

2
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What does the Constitution do?

  • sets up the government

  • defines the government

  • protects basic rights of Americans

3
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The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

we the people

4
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What is an amendment?

  • a change (to the Constitution)

  • an addition (to the Constitution)

5
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What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

The Bill of rights

6
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What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?

speech

religion

assembly

press

petition the government

7
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How many amendments does the Constitution have?

27

8
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What did the Declaration of Independence do?

  • announced our independence (from Great Britain)

  • declared our independence (from Great Britain)

  • said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)

9
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What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

life

liberty

pursuit of happiness

10
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What is freedom of religion?

You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion

11
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What is the economic system in the United States?

capitalist economy

market economy

12
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What is the “rule of law”?

Everyone must follow the law.

Leaders must obey the law. Government must obey the law. No one is above the law.

13
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Name one branch or part of the government.

Congress

legislative

President

executive

the courts

judicial

14
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What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

checks and balances

separation of powers

15
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Who is in charge of the executive branch?

the President

16
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Who makes federal laws?

Congress

Senate and House (of Representatives)

(U.S. or national) legislature

17
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What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

the Senate and House (of Representatives)

18
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How many U.S. Senators are there?

one hundred (100)

19
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We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

six (6)

20
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The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

four hundred thirty-five (435)

21
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We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

two

22
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We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

all people of the state

23
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Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

(because of) the state’s population

(because) they have more people

(because) some states have more people

24
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We elect a President for how many years?

four years

25
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In what month do we vote for President?

November

26
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If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

the Vice president

27
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If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

the Speaker of the House

28
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Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

The president

29
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Who signs bills to become laws?

The president

30
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Who vetoes bills?

the president

31
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What does the president’s cabinet do?

advises the president

32
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What are two Cabinet-level positions?

Secretary of Agriculture

Secretary of Commerce

Secretary of Defense

Secretary of Education

Secretary of Energy

Secretary of Health and Human Services

Secretary of Homeland Security

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Secretary of the Interior

Secretary of Labor

Secretary of State

Secretary of Transportation

Secretary of the Treasury

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Attorney General

Vice President

33
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What does the judicial branch do?

reviews laws

explains laws

resolves disputes (disagreements)

decides if a law goes against the Constitution

34
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What is the highest court in the United States?

the supreme court

35
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How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

9 justices

36
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Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

to print money

to declare war

to create an army

to make treaties

37
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Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?

provide schooling and education

provide protection (police)

provide safety (fire departments)

give a driver’s license

approve zoning and land use

38
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What are the two major political parties in the United States?

Democratic and Republican

39
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There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).

You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.

Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)

A male citizen of any race (can vote).

40
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What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?

serve on a jury

vote in a federal election

41
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Name one right only for United States citizens.

vote in a federal election

run for federal office

42
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What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

freedom of expression

freedom of speech

freedom of assembly

freedom to petition the government

freedom of religion

the right to bear arms

43
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What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

the United States

the flag

44
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What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?

give up loyalty to other countries

defend the Constitution and laws of the United States

obey the laws of the United States

serve in the U.S. military (if needed)

serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)

be loyal to the United States

45
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How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?

eighteen (18) and older

46
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What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

vote

join a political party

help with a campaign

join a civic group

join a community group

give an elected official your opinion on an issue

call Senators and Representatives

publicly support or oppose an issue or policy

run for office

write to a newspaper

47
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When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?

April 15

48
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When must all men register for the Selective Service?

at age eighteen (18)

between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)

49
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What rights does the sixth amendment guarantee?

The right to a trial by jury in a criminal trial

50
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Who sits in the presidential cabinet?

  • Secretary of State

  • Attorney General

  • Secretary of Defense

  • Vice-President

51
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What is a super-majority?

A 66.6% majority

52
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The seventh amendment guarantees what right?

The right to a trial by jury in a civil trial

53
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How long is a representative's term in the House of Representatives?

2 years

54
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What is the role of the vice president in Congress?

The vice president acts as a tie breaker if there is a tie in the Senate.

55
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What does it take to put a referendum, initiative or recall proposal on a state ballot?

  • Enough eligible voters must sign a petition

  • The state has to make sure the names/addresses on the petitions match the information of eligible voters

56
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What did the 13th amendment end?

All forms of enslavement (except as a punishment for being convicted of a crime)

57
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Which article is about the Legislative Branch?

Article 1

58
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How does a bill become law?

It must pass through the House of Representatives and the Senate and be signed by the President.

59
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Justice Department

The lawyers for the federal Government

60
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Social Contract Theory

People voluntarily agreed to create a state and give up to the government just enough power to promote the safety and well-being of all

61
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Divine Right Theory

A higher power created the state and gave those of royal birth the right to rule.

62
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Constitutional Monarchy

the King/Queen is not all powerful as the nation has a constitution and a democratically elected parliament

63
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Evolutionary Theory

The state evolved from the early families that united to form clans

64
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Force Theory

The state was born when one person or a small group took control over people in an area

65
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State

A body of people living in a defined political territory

66
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Theocracy

A system of government ruled by religious leaders

67
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Dictatorship

A country ruled by an unelected leader/political party

68
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Democracy

A government in which supreme authority rests with the people

69
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Anarchy

a society organized on the basis of voluntary cooperation, without political institutions or hierarchical government

70
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Sovereign

Having supreme and absolute authority over a territory

71
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How many houses are in Congress?

Two

72
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Which article of the Constitution is about the ratification process?

Article 7

73
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An absolute monarchy is based on which theory of government?

Divine Right Theory

74
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Which of the following things can Congress NOT do?

  • They cannot punish people by denying their right to a trial.

  • They cannot make it illegal to have done something in the past back when it was legal

75
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What is the fifth article of the Constitution about?

How to amend the Constitution

76
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Which amendment(s) expanded voting rights?

The 15th amendment

77
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Which amendment protects people from having their home searched without a warrant?

The Fourth Amendment

78
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Recall

A proposal to get rid of a state official

79
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Initiative

A proposal for a new law that everybody gets to vote on

80
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Referendum

A proposal to get rid of an existing state law

81
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Executive Order

A directive written by the president instructing federal agencies how to enforce existing law

82
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Presidential Cabinet

A formal group of the president’s advisors, all of whom must be approved by the senate.

83
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What do Electors in the Electoral College do?

They vote for President (typically based on what the majority of voters in their state want)

84
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In what part of the federal government does each state get two representatives?

The Senate

85
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What is the second article of the Constitution about?

The Executive Branch

86
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The fifth amendment protects against

  • Being forced to testify against oneself

  • Being charged twice for the same crime

87
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What does the emoluments clause of the Constitution say?

While in office, the president and members of Congress cannot use their power to enrich themselves.

88
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Which of the following statements is FALSE?

The highest ranking member of Congress is Commander in Chief of the army.

89
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The Constitution can be amended by

a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate

90
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The Second Amendment has been most recently interpreted by the Supreme Court to say that

There is a broad individual right to bear arms

91
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Presidential government

The executive and legislative branches of the government are separate and coequal

92
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Federal government

A government that divides powers between central and state/local governments

93
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Unitary Government

A centralized government holds all governmental power

94
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Confederation

An alliance of independent states

95
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Parliamentary Government

The executive is a prime minister who is the leader of the majority party

96
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Oligarchy

A government in which the power to rule is held by a small elite

97
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Autocracy

A government in which a single person holds unlimited power

98
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What did the 18th amendment do?

It prohibited the sale, distribution, and manufacturing of alcohol

99
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What amendment says that people have even more rights than those listed in the Constitution?

The 9th amendment

100
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Which of the following powers does Congress NOT have?

The power to put taxes on goods that go from one state to another