Civics questions

What is the supreme law of the land

The constitution

What does the constitution do?

Sets up the government

Defines the government

Protects basic rights of Americans

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

We the people

What is an amendment?

▪ a change (to the Constitution)

▪ an addition (to the Constitution)

What do we call the first ten amendments to the constitution?

The bill of rights

What is one right or freedom from the first amendment?

Speech

Religion

Assembly

Press

Petition the government

How many amendments does the constitution have?

27

What did the declaration of independence do?

Announced our independence

Declared our independence

Said that the United States is free

What are two rights in the declaration of independence?

Life

Liberty

Pursuit of happiness

What is freedom of religion?

You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion

What is the economic system of the United States?

Capitalist economy

Market economy

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

Name one branch or part of the government

Congress

Legislative

President

Executive

The courts

Judicial

What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

Checks and balances

Separation of powers

Who is in charge of the executive branch?

The president

Who makes federal laws

Congress

Senate and house of representatives

(U.S or national) legislature

What are two parts of the U.S congress?

The senate and house of representatives

How many U.S. senators are there?

100

We elect a U.S senator for how many years?

6

Who is one of your state’s U.S senator now?

Mark Kelly

Ruben Gallegos

The house of representatives has how many voting members?

435

We elect a U.S representative for how many years?

2

Name your U.S representative

Who does a U.S senator represent?

All the people of the state

Why do some states have more representatives than other states?

Because of the stat ’s population

Because they have more people

We elect a president for how many years?

4

In what month do we vote for president?

November

What is the name of the president of the United States now?

Donald J Trump

What is the name of the vice president of the United States?

JD Vance

If the president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

The vice president

If both the president and vice president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

The speaker of the house

Who is the commander in chief of the military?

The president

Who signs the bills to become laws

The president

Who vetoes the bills?

The president

What does the president's cabinet do?

Advice the president

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

What does the judicial branch do?

Reviews laws

Explain laws

Resolves disputes (disagreements)

Decides if a law goes against the constitution

What is the highest court in the United States?

The supreme court

How many justices are on the supreme court?

9

Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

John Roberts

John G Roberts Jr

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

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

To provide schooling and education

Provide protection (police)

Provide safety ( fire dept)

Give a driver’s license

Approve zoning and land use

Who is the governor of your state now?

Katie Hobbs

What is the capital of your state?

Phoenix

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

Democratic

Republican

What is the name of the speaker of the house of representatives now?

Mike Johnson

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

Citizens 18 and older

You don’t have to pay

Any Citizen can vote

A male citizen of any race

What is the political party of the president now?

Republican

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

Serve on a jury

Vote in a federal election

Name one right only for united states citizens

Vote in a federal election

Run for federal office

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 rights to bear arms

What do we show loyalty to when we say the pledge of allegiance?

The United States

The flag

What is one promise you make when you become a united state 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 the nation ( if needed)

Be loyal to the United States

How old do citizens have to be to vote for president?

18 or older

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 senator’s and representatives

Publicly support or oppose an issue or policy

Run for office

Write to a newspaper

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

April 15

When must all men register for the selective service?

At 18

Between 18 & 26

What is one reason colonists came to America?

Freedom

Political liberty

Religious freedom

Economic opportunity

Practice their religion

Escape persecution

Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

American Indians

Native Americans

What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?

Africans

People from Africa

Why did the colonists fight the British?

Because of high taxes

Because the British army stayed in their houses

Because they didn’t have self-government

Who wrote the declaration of independence?

Thomas Jefferson

When was the declaration of independence adopted?

July 4, 1776

There were 13 original states. Name 3

New Hampshire

Massachusetts

Rhode island

Connecticut

New York

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Delaware

Maryland

Virginia

North Carolina

South Carolina

Georgia

What happened at the constitutional convention?

The constitution was written

The founding fathers wrote the constitution

When was the constitution written?

1787

The federalist papers supported the passage of the U.S constitution. Name one of the writers

James Madison

Alexander Hamilton

John Jay

Publius

What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

U.S diplomat

Oldest member of the constitutional convention

First postmaster general of the U.S

Writer of “poor richard’s almanac “

Started the first free libraries

Who is the “Father of our country “?

George Washington

Who was the first president?

George Washington

What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

The Louisiana territory

Louisiana

Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800's

War of 1812

Mexican American War

Civil War

Spanish-American war

Name the U.S war between the north and the south

The civil war

The war between the states

Name one problem that led to the civil war

Slavery

Economic reasons

State’s rights

What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?

Freed the slaves

Saved (or preserved) the union

Led the United States during the Civil war

What did the emancipation proclamation do?

Freed the slaves

Freed slaves in the confederacy

Freedom slaves in the confederate states

Freed slaves in most Southern states

What did Susan B. Anthony do?

Fought for women’s rights

Fought for civil rights

Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s

World War 1

World War 2

Korean War

Vietnam War

(Persian) gulf war

Who was president during world War 1?

Woodrow Wilson

Who was president during the great depression and world War 2?

Franklin Roosevelt

Who did the United States fight in world War 2?

Japan, Germany, & Italy

Before he was president, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

World War 2

During the cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?

Communism

What move tried to end racial discrimination?

Civil rights

What did Martin Luther King Jr do?

Fought for civil rights

Worked for equality for all Americans

What major even happened on September 11,2001 in the United States?

Terririst attacked the United States

Name one American Indian tribe in the United States

Cherokee

Navajo

Apache

Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States

Missouri River

Mississippi river

What ocean in on the west coast of the United States?

Pacific

What ocean is on the east coast of the United States?

Atlantic Ocean

Name one U.S. territory

Puerto Rico

U.S Virgin islands

American Samoa

Northern Mariana Island

Guam

Name one state that borders Canada

Maine

New York

Washington

Michigan

Vermont

Name one state that borders Mexico

California

Arizona

New Mexico

Texas

What is the capital of the United States?

Washington D.C

Where is the statue of liberty 🗽?

New York (harbor)

Liberty island

Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Because there were 13 original colonies

Why does the flag have 50 stars?

Because there are 50 states

Because each star represents a state

What is the name of the national anthem?

The star spangled banner

When do we celebrate independence day?

July 4

Name two national U.S holidays

New year’s day

Martin Luther King Jr

Presidents day

Memorial day

Juneteenth

Independence day

Labor day

Columbus day

Veterans day

Thanksgiving

Christmas