Civics Test - Study Guide - Las Vegas/Henderson, Nevada 2025

What is the supreme law of the land?

The Constitution

What does the Constitution do?

• Gives rights

• Sets up government

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?

An addition to the Constitution

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

Bill of Rights

What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?

• Freedom of speech

• Freedom of press

• Freedom of assembly

• Freedom of religion

• Freedom to petition

How many amendments does the Constitution have?

27

What did the Declaration of Independence do?

Made the US a sovereign nation

What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

• Right to life

• Right to liberty

• Right to pursuit of happiness

What is freedom of religion?

Right to practice any or no religion

What is the economic system in the United States?

Capitalist/market economy

What is the “rule of law?”

Nobody is above the law

Name one branch or part of the government

• Executive branch

  • President & the Cabinet

• Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court

• Legislative branch

  • Congress

    • House of Representatives

    • Senate

What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

Checks & balances

Who is in charge of the executive branch?

The President

Who makes federal laws?

Congress

What are the two parts of the US Congress?

• House of Representatives

• Senate

How many US Senators are there?

100

We elect a US Senator for how many years?

6 years

Who is one of Nevada’s Senators now?

Catherine Cortez Masto; Jacky Rosen

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

435

We elect a US Representative for how many years?

2 years

Name your US Representative

• Dina Titus

• Susie Lee

Who does a US Senator represent?

Their entire state

Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

Due to population

We elect a President for how many years?

4 years

In what month do we vote for President?

November

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

Donald Trump

What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?

JD Vance

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

Vice President

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

Speaker of the House

Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

The President

Who signs bills to become laws?

The President

Who vetoes bills?

The President

What does the President’s Cabinet do?

Advises the President

What are two Cabinet-level positions?

• Secretary of State

• Secretary of the Treasury

• Secretary of Defense

• Secretary of the Interior

• Secretary of Agriculture

• Secretary of Commerce

• Secretary of Labor

• Secretary of Health and Human Services

• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

• Secretary of Transportation

• Secretary of Energy

• Secretary of Education

• Secretary of Veterans Affairs

• Secretary of Homeland Security

What does the judicial branch do?

Interprets laws

What is the highest court in the United States?

Supreme Court

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

9

Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

John Roberts

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

• Declaring war

• Creating an army

• Printing/coining money

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

• Education

• licenses

• Providing safety/protection

Who is the Governor of Nevada now?

Joe Lombardo

What is the capital of your state now?

Carson City

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

Republicans, Democrats

What is the political party of the President now?

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.

• Right to vote, regardless of race

• Right to vote, regardless of gender

• Minimum age to vote lowered to 18

• Poll tax abolished

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

• Voting

• Serving on a jury

• Running for federal office

Name one right only for United States citizens.

• Voting

• Serving on a jury

• Running for federal office

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

• Right to keep and bear arms

• Freedom of religion

• Freedom of assembly

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

The United States flag

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

Swearing loyalty

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

18

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

• Voting

• Taking a government class

• Donating

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

April 15th

When must all men register for the Selective Service?

18-26

What is one reason colonists came to America?

• To look for spices

• To look for a faster way to India

Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

Native Americans

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

Africans

Why did the colonists fight the British?

For independence

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson

When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

July 4th, 1776

There were 13 original states. Name three.

• Massachusetts

• Georgia

• Virginia

• The Carolinas (North and South)

• New Hampshire

• Rhode Island

• Connecticut

• New York

• New Jersey

• Pennsylvania

• Delaware

• Maryland

What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

The Constitution was written

When was the Constitution written?

1787

The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the US Constitution. Name one of the writers.

• Alexander Hamilton

• James Madison

• John Jay

What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

• Writing “A Poor Man’s Almanac”

• Was a Founding Father of the United States

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?

Louisiana

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

• Civil War

• Spanish-American War

• Mexican-American War

• War of 1812

Name the US war between the North and the South.

Civil War

Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

• Slavery

What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?

• Lead the US through the Civil War; preserved the Union

• Supported 13th Amendment

• Wrote the Emancipation Proclamation

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

• Freed slaves

• Made slavery illegal

What did Susan B. Anthony do?

• Fought for women’s rights

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

• WWI

• WWII

• Korean War

• Vietnam War

• Persian Gulf War

Who was President during WWI?

Woodrow Wilson

Who was President during the Great Depression and WWII?

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)

Who did the United States fight in WWII?

Italy, Japan, Germany (Axis Powers)

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

WWII

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

Communism

What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

Civil Rights Movement

What did Martin Luther King, Jr do?

Fought for equal rights

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

9/11 attack

Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

• Cherokee

• Navajo

• Iroquois

• Apache

• Sioux

Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.

• Mississippi

• Missouri

What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?

Pacific Ocean

What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

Atlantic Ocean

Name one US territory.

• Guam

• Northern Mariana Islands

• Puerto Rico

• American Samoa

• US Virgin Islands

Name one state that borders Canada.

• Washington

• Idaho

• Montana

• North Dakota

• Minnesota

• Michigan

• Ohio

• Pennsylvania

• New York

• Vermont

• New Hampshire

• Maine

• Alaska

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?

Liberty Island, New York Harbor, New York

Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Represents the 13 colonies

Why does the flag have 50 stars?

Represents the amount of states

What is the name of the national anthem?

Star-Spangled Banner

When do we celebrate Independence Day?

July 4th

Name two national US holidays.

• Independence Day

• Thanksgiving