FL CIVIC LITERACY EXAM 2025

STUDY

Which of the following agent civilizations established a republican form of government?
A. Roman.
B. Egyptian.
C. Greek.
D. Persian.

A. Roman.

During the sixth century, B.C.E., the ancient Athenian is divided the powers of the government between two assemblies and guaranteed certain political rights to all male citizens. How do these political reforms best illustrate how societies develop?
A. By limiting government authority.
B. By choosing government leaders.
C. By improving government services.
D. By reducing government expenditures.

A. By limiting the government authority.

A certain country is characterized by the following traits:

1. Power achieved through inheritance.
2. Same ruling family over a century.
3. Finite freedoms and rights.
4. Hierarchical social status.
5. Single establish state religion.

The establishment and maintenance of these traits is based on which of the following principles?
A. Popular sovereignty.
B. Due process of law.
C. Social contract theory.
D. Divine right of kings.

D. Divine right of kings.

Which modern democratic concept practice in the United States is most likely the democratic process of ancient Greece?
A. The referendum.
B. The presidential election.
C. The primary election.
D. The nominating convention.

A. The referendum

What is the principal function of a written constitution?
A. Resolving disagreements between competing parties.
B. Confirming resistance to civil disobedience.
C. Declaring independence of a state.
D. Outlining the structure and powers of a government.

D. Outlining the structure and powers of a government.

Which of the following objects best describes the purpose of a system of checks and balances, as defined in the US Constitution?
A. Establishing accountability for the government when levying taxes.
B. Maintaining a healthy economy, and establishing trade with other governments.
C. Keeping anyone of the three branches of government from becoming too powerful.
D. Assure him that the government spends only as much money as it takes him.

C. Keeping any one of these three branches of government from becoming too powerful.

Which modern process would be supported by the ancient Greeks?
A. Electing governors.
B. Hiring press secretaries.
C. Nominating an ambassador.
D. Appointing a majority leader.

A. Electing governors.

Laws against defamation, including libel and slander, property damage and breach of contract represent which legal concern underlying most Western nations?
A. Criminal law.
B. Military law.
C. Civil law.
D. Juvenile law.

C. Civil law.

Use the passage below, from an exchange between former President Nixon, on a television, interview her to answer the question that follows:

"Well, when the president does it, that means it is not illegal" - Richard M. Nixon.

Which constitutional principle does the statement from President Nixon contradict?
A. Separation of powers.
B. Republicanism.
C. Rule of law.
D. Equality.

C. Rule of law.

Which form of government is based on popular sovereignty?
A. Communism.
B. Dictatorship.
C. Monarchy.
D. Republic.

D. Republic.

Use the provided preamble to the United States Constitution to answer the question.

" We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves, and our prosperity, do ordain and establish the Constitution for the United States of America."

Which of the following statement best describes the preamble of the US Constitution ?
A. Governments are accountable to the citizens over whom they rule.
B. State won sure that all citizens are granted certain freedoms.
C. People allow representatives to speak on behalf of all citizens.
D. Courts will elect officials to represent the people and ensure liberty.

A. Governments are accountable to the citizens over whom they rule.

The US Congress fulfilled which of the following purposes of government when it declared war on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor?
A. Ensuring domestic tranquility.
B. Promoting the general welfare.
C. Providing the common defense.
D. Establishing a system of justice.

C. Providing the common defense.

Which circumstance would require a search warrant?
A. Searching persons with reasonable suspicion.
B. Examining evidence that is in plain view.
C. Searching school lockers for contraband.
D. Examining the contents of a hotel room.

D. Examining the contents of a hotel room.

In the United States, which of the following is permitted to citizens by the right of the freedom of assembly?
A. The right to demonstrate.
B. The right to riot
C. The right to immigrate.
D. The right to work

A. The right to demonstrate.

A man is walking down a public street window-shopping. A robbery is reported in that same area police officers stop and search the man who is shopping on. What constitutional grounds could this man contest the search as a violation of his rights?
A. Second amendment.
B. Third amendment.
C. Fourth amendment.
D. Fifth amendment.

C. Fourth amendment.

In the United States, how are conflicts between state, laws and federal laws generally resolved?
A. The conflict must be resolved by the US Attorney General.
B. The conflict must be resolved by the national referendum.
C. The conflict must be resolved using the supremacy clause.
D. The complex must be resolved using the 10th amendment.

C. The conflict in the spirit of using the supremacy clause.

Which article of the US constitution grants, power to coin, money, make treaties, and Levi import duties?
A. Article I
B. Article II
C. Article III
D. Article IV

A. Article I

Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows:

I suspect is accused of a crime in one state and fleas to another state, where they are apprehended. The state is very slow and returning the suspect to the state of origin and keep them imprisoned.

Which of the following represents a suitable petition for the suspect in this situation, in regard to the constitutional rights?
A. Petition for a writ of extradition.
B. Petition for a writ of habeas corpus.
C. Petition for release into their custody.
D. Petition for overturning of the charges.

B. Petition for a writ of habeas corpus.

Which phrase best describes the power of impeachment?
A. The ability of the US house to charge federal officers with a crime or violation.
B. The ability of the US Supreme Court to determine constitutionality of laws.
C. The power of the US senate to remove federal officers for a crime or violation.
D. The power of the US president to enforce decision of federal courts.

A. The ability of the US house to charge federal officers with a crime or violation.

Use the excerpt below from the declaration of independence to answer the question that follows.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislatures.

Which constitutional provision was inspired by the above complaint?
A. The president has the power to declare war under Article II.
B. The second amendment ensures that citizens have the right to keep and bear arms.
C. The third amendment limits the quartering of soldiers to specific circumstances.
D. The president has the power to determine the deployment and use of soldiers under Article. II.

C. The third amendment limits the quartering of soldiers to specific circumstances.

Use the passage below from a historical document to answer the question that follows.

" we the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure, domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves, and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America."

Which philosophical movement best reflects the ideals in this passage?
A. Transcendentalism.
B. Reformation.
C. Progressivism.
D. Enlightenment.

D. Enlightenment

Use the passage below, which was included in the declaration of sentiments adopted at the Seneca falls convention in 1848 to answer the question that follows.

"we hold these truths to be self evident: that all men and women are created equal

that they are endowed by their Creator, with certain in alienable rights

that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"

Which of the following documents, influenced the aims and strategies of the authors of the declaration of sentiments?
A. Northwest ordinance.
B. Articles of confederation.
C. US Constitution.
D. Declaration of Independence.

D. Declaration of independence.

Which political philosophers idea our best represented in the Declaration of Independence?
A. Thomas Hobbes.
B. Ethan Allen.
C. John Locke.
D. James Madison.

C. John Locke.

Why did the colonist living under the British rule protest British tax policies?
A. The colonies clean that the tax policy is violated their political rights.
B. The colonist cleaned at the monetary policies, prohibitive them from developing industries.
C. The colonist cleaned up the commercial policies, hindered Westword expansion of the colonies.
D. The colonies clean that the regulatory policies caused widespread criminal activity in the colonies.

A. The colonist cleaned out the tax policy is violated their political rights.

In the Mayflower Compact, Plymouth settlers pledge to unite into "a civil body politic" and agreed to make an abide by laws that "insured, the general good on the colony." What founding document did this set a precedent for?
A. Declaration of independence.
B. US Constitution.
C. Magna Carta.
D. Bill of Rights.

B. U.S. Constitution.

Which person is considered to be the principal author of the US Constitution?
A. Thomas Jefferson.
B. Richard Henry Lee.
C. Benjamin Franklin.
D. James Madison.

D. James Madison.

Government by the people, and the separation of powers are the main principles of which founding government?
A. Bill of Rights
B. US Constitution.
C. Mayflower compact.
D. Northwest ordinances.

B. US Constitution.

Use the excerpt below from the 13th amendment to answer the question that follows.

" neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

Which of the following contains a clause that may have served as an inspiration for the above language?
A. Declaration of independence.
B. Articles of confederation.
C. Northwest ordinances.
D. Federalist papers.

C. Northwest ordinances.

The mayflower compact includes a pledge to ensure that all citizens lookout for the general good of the colony. Based on this, what impact has the mayflower compact had on a modern understanding of the purpose of government in the United States?
A. The government should protect the property of influential citizens.
B. The government should provide equal protection under the law.
C. The government should advance the goals of the elite.
D. The government should establish religious unity.

B. The government provide equal protection under the law.

At the constitutional convention, there was a major debate between large states and small states about representation in the new congress. This debate was resolved by the great compromise. What was the result of this compromise?
A. The number of citizens in a state will determine how many seats that state hide in Congress, but slaves and other non-citizens would not be counted for this purpose.
B. Congress would have two houses, one in which the state representation was based on the population, and one in which all states had equal representation.
C. The number of seats each state would have in both houses of Congress would be based on the states population.
D. Congress would be made up of two houses in which Allstate had equal number of representatives in each house.

B. Congress would have two houses, one in which the state representation was based on population, and one in which all states had equal representation.

Which of the following reflects the most important consequence of the Watergate Break-in?
A. Legalization of capital punishment.
B. Creation of levees around coastal cities.
C. Resignation of the President of the United States.
D. Integration of surveillance technology in society.

C. Resignation of the President of the United States.

Which legislation reflects federal efforts to regulate transportation?
A. Interstate commerce act.
B. Sherman Anti-trust act.
C. Bland-Allison act
D. Pendleton act.

A. Interstate commerce act.

The US Supreme Court, enabled which government practices to continue in it's ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson?
A. Prohibiting, monopoly formation.
B. Segregating public facilities
C. Establishing immigration quotas.
D. Regulating financial markets.

B. Segregating public facilities.

Which of the following statements regarding the Monroe doctrine is accurate?
A. The Monroe doctrine prohibited future European colonization in the western hemisphere.
B. Debates over the Monroe doctrine height sectional divisions in the United States
C. The United States use the Monroe doctrine to justify the annexation of overseas territories.
D. Great Britain's opposition to the Monroe doctrine was a major cause of the War of 1812

A. The Monroe doctrine prohibited future European colonization in the western hemisphere.

By what process for 18 year olds fully granted to right to vote?
A. Resolution of Congress.
B. Voter initiative.
C. Supreme Court decision.
D. Constitutional amendment.

D. Constitutional amendment.

Use the passage below, taken from the presidential nomination speech to answer the question that follows.

" what do the people of America want more than anything else? To my mind, they want to things: work,… and with work, a reasonable measure of security…"

Based on the passage, which government program with the speaker support
A. Great society.
B. Fair deal.
C. New deal.
D. Brain trust

C. New deal.

In order to attract investment and business and reduce expenses, a state legislator proposes, passing a law that removes the need for certain federal regulatory features relating to office and factory environments. Which legislative action would most likely caused the US Supreme Court to decide that this violated the supremacy clause?
A. Pendleton act.
B. Fair Housing act.
C. Social Security act.
D. Occupational safety and health act.

D. Occupational safety and health act.

Use the passage below from a landmark Supreme Court case opinion to answer the question that follows

" so if a law be in opposition to the constitution

if both the law and the constitution, apply to a particular case, so that the court must either decide that case conformably to the law, disregarding the constitution

or conformably to the constitution, disregarding the law

the court must determine which of these conflicting rules governs the case"

Which supreme court case established the precedent described in the opinion?
A. Bush v. Gore.
B. Miranda v.Arizona.
C. Marbury v. Madison
D. Dred Scott v. Sanford.

C. Marbury v. Madison

Which of the following cases resulted in a decision that undermined civil rights and liberties in prioritization of national security?
A. Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
B. Brown v. Board of Education.
C. District of Columbia v. Heller
D. Korematsu v. United States.

D. Korematsu v. United States.

A person is charged with a felony, breaking an entering. During the court proceedings, the defendant request an attorney and was denied the right to counsel. Which Supreme Court case, overturn, the trials, courts, decision, due to lack of council?
A. Miranda v. Arizona.
B. Plessy v. Ferguson.
C. McCulloch v. Maryland.
D. Gideon v. Wainwright

D. Gideon v. Wainwright

What is the supreme law of the land?

U.S. 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 or addition to the Constitution

What do we call the first 10 amendments to the constitution?

Bill of Rights

What is the one right or freedom of the first amendment?

Freedom of 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 the 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 " 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 the 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
• US or national legislature

What are the two parts of US Congress?

The senate and the house of representatives

How many US senators are there?

100

We elect a US senator, for how many years?

Six

Who is one of your states US senators now?

Marco Rubio

The house of representatives has how many voting members?

435

We elect a US representative for how many years?

Two

Name your US representative.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Who does a US senator represent?

All people of the state

Why do some states have more representatives than other states?

• The states population
• They have more people
• Some states have more people

We elect a president for how many years?

4

In what month do we vote for the president?

November

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

Joe Biden

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

Kamala Harris

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 bills?

The president

What does the presidents 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 Veterans Affairs
• Attorney General
• Vice president

What does the judicial branch do?

• reviews laws
• Explain laws
• Resolves disputes
• Decide if a law goes against the constitution

What is the highest court in the United States?

Supreme Court

How many justices are on the supreme court?

9, one chief justice and eight associate justices

Who is the chief justice of the United States now?

John G. Roberts., Jr.

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

• provide schooling and education
• Provide protection
• Provide safety
• Give a drivers 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?

Democratic Party

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

Kevin McCarthy

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 to vote
• Any citizen can vote
• A male citizen of any race

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 the United States citizen.

• vote in a federal election
• Run for federal office

What are two rights for 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 can 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 US military if needed
• Serve the nation if needed
• Be loyal to United States

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

18

What are two ways that Americans can participate in the 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