Florida Civic Literacy Exam Study Guide

Florida Civic Literacy Examination Sample Questions

Purpose of Sample Test Materials

  • Aim: To orient faculty and students to the types of questions on the Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE).

  • Not indicative of test length: Sample questions do not demonstrate the actual test's length.

  • Assessment representation: Each of the four outcomes assessed on the test is represented in the same proportion (approximately 25% each) in the sample test.

  • Performance Disclaimer: Student performance on the sample test should not predict actual test performance, nor is it intended to guide classroom instruction.

Sample Test Questions

Question 1:

  1. Which of the following ancient civilizations established a republican form of government?

    • A. Roman

    • B. Egyptian

    • C. Greek

    • D. Persian

Question 2:

  1. During the 6th century B.C.E., the ancient Athenians divided the powers of their 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

Question 3:

  1. A certain country is characterized by the following traits:

    • 1. power achieved through inheritance

    • 2. the same ruling family for over a century

    • 3. finite freedoms and rights

    • 4. hierarchical social status

    • 5. single established 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

Question 4:

  1. Which modern democratic concept practiced in the United States is most like the democratic process of ancient Greece?

    • A. the referendum

    • B. the presidential election

    • C. the primary election

    • D. the nominating convention

Question 5:

  1. What is the principal function of a written constitution?

    • A. resolving disagreements between competing parties

    • B. confirming resistance to civil disobedience

    • C. declaring the independence of a state

    • D. outlining the structure and powers of a government

Question 6:

  1. Which of the following objectives best describes the purpose of the system of checks and balances, as defined in the U.S. Constitution?

    • A. establishing accountability for the government when levying taxes

    • B. maintaining a healthy economy and establishing trade with other governments

    • C. keeping any one of the three branches of government from becoming too powerful

    • D. assuring that the government spends only as much money as it takes in

Question 7:

  1. 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

Question 8:

  1. 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

Question 9:

  1. Use the passage below, from an exchange between former president Nixon and a television interviewer, to answer the question that follows.

    • “Well, when the president does it, that means that 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

Question 10:

  1. Which form of government is based on popular sovereignty?

    • A. communism

    • B. dictatorship

    • C. monarchy

    • D. republic

Question 11:

  1. 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 defence, 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 of the following statements best describes the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution?

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

    • B. States will ensure 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.

Question 12:

  1. The U.S. Congress fulfilled which of the following purposes of government when it declared war on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor?

    • A. ensuring domestic tranquillity

    • B. promoting the general welfare

    • C. providing for the common defense

    • D. establishing a system of justice

Question 13:

  1. 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

Question 14:

  1. In the United States, which of the following is permitted to citizens by the right of freedom of assembly?

    • A. the right to demonstrate

    • B. the right to riot

    • C. the right to immigrate

    • D. the right to work

Question 15:

  1. 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 this search as a violation of his rights?

    • A. Second Amendment

    • B. Third Amendment

    • C. Fourth Amendment

    • D. Fifth Amendment

Question 16:

  1. In the United States, how are conflicts between state laws and federal laws generally resolved?

    • A. The conflict must be resolved by the U.S. attorney general.

    • B. The conflict must be resolved by a national referendum.

    • C. The conflict must be resolved using the Supremacy Clause.

    • D. The conflict must be resolved using the Tenth Amendment.

Question 17:

  1. Which article of the U.S. Constitution grants the power to coin money, make treaties, and levy import duties?

    • A. Article I

    • B. Article II

    • C. Article III

    • D. Article IV

Question 18:

  1. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows. Which of the following represents a suitable petition for the suspect in this situation, in regard to their 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

Question 19:

  1. Which phrase best describes the power of impeachment?

    • A. the ability of the U.S. House to charge federal officers with a crime or violation

    • B. the ability of the U.S. Supreme Court to determine constitutionality of laws

    • C. the power of the U.S. Senate to remove federal officers for a crime or violation

    • D. the power of the U.S. President to enforce decisions of federal courts

Question 20:

  1. 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.

Question 21:

  1. Use the passage below, from the U.S. Constitution 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 defence, 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 the passage?

    • A. Transcendentalism

    • B. Reformation

    • C. Progressivism

    • D. Enlightenment

Question 22:

  1. 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 inalienable 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. U.S. Constitution

    • D. Declaration of Independence

Question 23:

  1. Which political philosopher’s ideas are best represented in the Declaration of Independence?

    • A. Thomas Hobbes

    • B. Ethan Allen

    • C. John Locke

    • D. James Madison

Question 24:

  1. Why did colonists living under British rule protest British tax policies?

    • A. The colonists claimed that the tax policies violated their political rights.

    • B. The colonists claimed that the monetary policies prohibited them from developing industries.

    • C. The colonists claimed that the commercial policies hindered westward expansion of the colonies.

    • D. The colonists claimed that the regulatory policies caused widespread criminal activity in the colonies.

Question 25:

  1. In the Mayflower Compact, Plymouth settlers pledged to unite into "a civil body politic" and agreed to make and abide by laws that "insured the general Good of the Colony." What founding document did this set a precedent for?

    • A. Declaration of Independence

    • B. U.S. Constitution

    • C. Magna Carta

    • D. Bill of Rights

Question 26:

  1. Which person is considered to be the principal author of the U.S. Constitution?

    • A. Thomas Jefferson

    • B. Richard Henry Lee

    • C. Benjamin Franklin

    • D. James Madison

Question 27:

  1. Government by the people and the separation of powers are the main principles of which founding document?

    • A. Bill of Rights

    • B. U.S. Constitution

    • C. Mayflower Compact

    • D. Northwest Ordinances

Question 28:

  1. Use the excerpt below, from the Thirteenth Amendment, to answer the question that follows.

    • “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof 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

Question 29:

  1. The Mayflower Compact includes a pledge to ensure that all citizens look out for the general good of the colony. Based on this, what impact has the Mayflower Compact had on 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.

Question 30:

  1. 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 would determine how many seats that state had in Congress, but slaves and other noncitizens would not be counted for this purpose.

    • B. Congress would have two houses, one in which state representation was based on 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 state's population.

    • D. Congress would be made up of two houses in which all states had an equal number of representatives in each house.

Question 31:

  1. 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

Question 32:

  1. Which legislation reflects federal efforts to regulate transportation?

    • A. Interstate Commerce Act

    • B. Sherman Anti-Trust Act

    • C. Bland-Allison Act

    • D. Pendleton Act

Question 33:

  1. The U.S. Supreme Court enabled which government practices to continue in its ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson?

    • A. prohibiting monopoly formation

    • B. segregating public facilities

    • C. establishing immigration quotas

    • D. regulating financial markets

Question 34:

  1. 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 heightened sectional divisions in the United States.

    • C. The United States used 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.

Question 35:

  1. By what process were eighteen-year-olds fully granted the right to vote?

    • A. resolution of Congress

    • B. voter initiative

    • C. Supreme Court decision

    • D. constitutional amendment

Question 36:

  1. Use the passage below, taken from a 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 two things: work, . . . and with work, a reasonable measure of security . . .”
      Based on the passage, which government program would the speaker support?

    • A. Great Society

    • B. Fair Deal

    • C. New Deal

    • D. Brain Trust

Question 37:

  1. In order to attract investment and business and reduce expenses, a state legislature 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 cause the U.S. 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

Question 38:

  1. 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. Sandford

Question 39:

  1. 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

Question 40:

  1. A person is charged with felony breaking and entering. During the court proceedings, the defendant requested an attorney and was denied the right to counsel. Which Supreme Court case overturned the trial court’s decision, due to lack of counsel?

    • A. Miranda v. Arizona

    • B. Plessy v. Ferguson

    • C. McCulloch v. Maryland

    • D. Gideon v. Wainwright

Key to Sample Items

  • Item Number - Correct Response

    • 1 A

    • 2 A

    • 3 D

    • 4 A

    • 5 D

    • 6 C

    • 7 A

    • 8 C

    • 9 C

    • 10 D

    • 11 A

    • 12 C

    • 13 D

    • 14 A

    • 15 C

    • 16 C

    • 17 A

    • 18 B

    • 19 A

    • 20 C

    • 21 D

    • 22 D

    • 23 C

    • 24 A

    • 25 B

    • 26 D

    • 27 B

    • 28 C

    • 29 B

    • 30 B

    • 31 C

    • 32 A

    • 33 B

    • 34 A

    • 35 D

    • 36 C

    • 37 D

    • 38 C

    • 39 D

    • 40 D

Authorization Information

  • Developed by: Florida Department of Education

  • Authorization for Reproduction: Granted to persons acting in an official capacity within the Florida K-20 education system, as per Section 1000.04, Florida Statutes.

  • Restrictions: Not permitted for distribution or reproduction outside the State system of public education or commercial distribution without written authorization from the Department of Education.