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)

The Bill of Rights

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

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

"rule of law"

▪ Everyone must follow the law

▪ Leaders must obey the law

▪ Government must obey the law

▪ No one is above the law

▪ Congress

▪ legislative

▪ President

▪ executive

▪ the courts

▪ judicial

Name one branch or part of the government.

▪ checks and balances

▪ separation of powers

What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

Who is in charge of the executive branch?

▪ the President

▪ Congress

▪ Senate and House (of Representatives)

▪ (U.S. or national) legislature

Who makes federal laws?

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

▪ the Senate and House (of Representatives)

100

How many U.S. Senators are there?

6

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

Rick Scott

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

435

The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

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

▪ two (2)

Maxwell Frost

Name your U.S. Representative.

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

Donald J Trump

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

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

▪ Mike Pence

The Vice President

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

The speaker of the House

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

the President

Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

Who signs bills to become laws?

▪ the President

Who vetoes bills?

▪The President

What does the President's Cabinet do?

▪advises the President

Secretary of Defense and Vice President

What are two Cabinet-level positions?

What does the judicial branch do?

▪ reviews laws

▪ explains laws

▪ resolves disputes (disagreements)

▪ decides if a law goes against the Constitution

the Supreme Court

What is the highest court in the United States?

9

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

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

Ron DeSantis

Who is the Governor of your state now?

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

Mike Johnson

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

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)

Serve on a jury

vote in a federal election

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

▪ vote in a federal election

Name one right only for United States citizens.

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

▪The United States

▪The flag

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

▪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

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

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

▪18 and older

▪vote

▪join a political party

▪help with a campaign

▪join a community group

▪join a civic group

▪run for office

▪write to a newspaper

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

April 15

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

18

When must all men register for the Selective Service?

What is one reason colonists came to America?

▪ freedom

▪ political liberty

▪ religious freedom

▪ economic opportunity

▪ practice their religion

▪ escape persecution

▪ American Indians

▪ Native Americans

Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

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

(Thomas) Jefferson

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

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

War of 1812

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

the Civil War

Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.

.▪ slavery

▪ economic reasons

▪ states' rights

Name one problem that led to the Civil War

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

the Emancipation Proclamation

▪ freed the slaves

▪ freed slaves in the Confederacy

▪ freed slaves in the Confederate states

▪ freed slaves in most Southern states

Susan B. Anthony

▪ fought for women's rights

▪ fought for civil rights

▪World War 1

▪World War 2

▪Korean war

▪Vietnam war

▪(Persian) Gulf war

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

Who was President during World War I?

▪ (Woodrow) Wilson

(Franklin) Roosevelt

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

Japan, Germany, and Italy

Who did the United States fight in World War II?

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

civil rights (movement)

What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?

▪ fought for civil rights

▪ worked for equality for all Americans

Terrorists attacked the United States

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

Seminole

Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

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)

Atlantic (ocean)

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

▪ Puerto Rico

▪ U.S. Virgin Islands

▪ American Samoa

▪ Northern Mariana Islands

▪ Guam

Name one U.S. territory.

Name one state that borders Canada.

▪ Maine

▪ New Hampshire

▪ Vermont

▪ New York

▪ Pennsylvania

▪ Ohio

▪ Michigan

▪ Minnesota

▪ North Dakota

▪ Montana

▪ Idaho

▪ Washington

▪ Alaska

▪ California

▪ Arizona

▪ New Mexico

▪ Texas

Name one state that borders Mexico.

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

50 states

why are there 50 stars on the flag

The Star Spangled Banner

What is the name of the national anthem?

When do we celebrate Independence Day?

▪ July 4

▪ New Year's Day

▪ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

▪ Presidents' Day

▪ Memorial Day

▪ Independence Day

▪ Labor Day

▪ Columbus Day

▪ Veterans Day

▪ Thanksgiving

▪ Christmas

Name two national U.S. holidays.