Florida Civic Literacy Test 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?

▪ twenty-seven (27)

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)

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 in 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 the 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?

▪ six (6)

Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators now?*

▪ Marco Rubio

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

▪435

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

▪ two (2)

Name yourU.S. Representative.

▪Donna Shalala

Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

▪ all people of the state

Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

▪(because of) the states population

▪(because) they have more people

▪(because) some states have more people

We elect a President for how many years?

▪ four (4)

In what month do we vote for President?*

▪ November

What is the name of the President of theUnited States now?*

▪ Donald J Trump

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

▪ Mike Pence

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

▪ The Vice President

If both the President and the 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 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 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

▪ explains 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?

▪ nine (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?

▪Providing schooling and education

▪Provide protection (police)

▪Provide safety (fire departments)

▪Give a driver's license

▪Approve zoning and land use

Who is the Governor of your state now?

▪Ron DeSantis

What is the capital of your state?*

▪Tallahassee

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

▪Democratic and Republican

What is the political party of the President now?

▪Republican Party

What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

▪ Nancy Pelosi

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

▪Citizen 18 and older

▪ 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)

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 right 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 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

▪ be loyal to the United States

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

▪18 and older

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

▪vote

▪join a political party

▪help with a campaign

▪join a community group

▪join a civic group

▪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 age 18

▪btw 18 and 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 (taxation without representation)

▪ because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)

▪ 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 three.

▪ 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 United States

▪ 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?

▪Louisiana

▪The Louisiana Territory

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

▪Civil war

▪War of 1812

▪Mexican-American 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

▪ states' rights

What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*

▪Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)

▪saved (or preserved) the union

▪led the United States during Civil war

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

▪ freed the slaves

▪ freed slaves in the Confederacy

▪ freed 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 I?

▪ (Woodrow) Wilson

Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?

▪(Franklin) Roosevelt

Who did the United States fight in World War II?

▪ Japan, Germany, and 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 movement tried to end racial discrimination?

▪ civil rights (movement)

What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?

▪ fought for civil rights

▪ worked for equality for all Americans

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

▪Terrorists attacked the United States

Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

▪Cherokee

▪Seminole

▪Crow

▪Navajo

▪Sioux

▪Chippewa

▪Choctaw

▪Pueblo

▪Apache

▪Iroquois

▪Creek

▪Blackfeet

▪Cheyenne

▪Arawak

▪Shawnee

▪Mohegan

▪Huron

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

▪Missouri (river)

▪Mississippi (River)

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 U.S. territory.

▪ Puerto Rico

▪ U.S. Virgin Islands

▪ American Samoa

▪ Northern Mariana Islands

▪ Guam

Name one state that borders Canada.

▪ Maine

▪ New Hampshire

▪ Vermont

▪ New York

▪ Pennsylvania

▪ Ohio

▪ Michigan

▪ Minnesota

▪ North Dakota

▪ Montana

▪ Idaho

▪ Washington

▪ 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?

▪ New York (Harbor)

▪ Liberty Island

[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]

Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

▪ because there were 13 original colonies

▪ because the stripes represent the original colonies

Why does the flag have 50 stars?

▪ because there is one star for each state

▪ because each star represents a state

▪ because there are 50 states

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. Day

▪ Presidents' Day

▪ Memorial Day

▪ Independence Day

▪ Labor Day

▪ Columbus Day

▪ Veterans Day

▪ Thanksgiving

▪ Christmas