Civics Final Exam Review
November 2012
A naturalized citizen cannot
a)
b)
c)
d)
become President.
vote for President.
hold elected office.
elect representatives.
a)
become President.
To vote in the colonies, you
were not required to
a)
b)
c)
d)
be white.
have an education.
own land.
be a man.
b)
have an education.
Unlike our duties as citizens, our
responsibilities are
a)
b)
c)
d)
limited.
voluntary.
required.
general.
b)
voluntary.
“Consent of the governed” gives
power to
a)
b)
c)
d)
citizens.
Congress.
the President.
judges.
a)
citizens.
Direct democracy was first
practiced in
a)
b)
c)
d)
Greece.
United States.
England.
none of the above.
a)
Greece.
You are legally an American
citizen if you were
a)
b)
c)
d)
under age eighteen when your parents
were naturalized.
naturalized.
born in the United States or its
territories.
any of the above.
d)
any of the above.
Which document outlined the reasons the
colonists separated from England?
a)
b)
c)
d)
First Continental Congress
English Bill of Rights
Declaration of Independence
Committees of Correspondence
c)
Declaration of Independence
Natural rights are people’s
rights to
a)
b)
c)
d)
life.
liberty.
property.
all of the above.
d)
all of the above.
Once you are a citizen, you can
a)
b)
c)
d)
decide to give up citizenship.
have citizenship taken away.
remain a citizen for life.
all of the above.
d)
all of the above.
Citizens have the power to
a)
b)
c)
d)
disobey traffic laws without
punishment.
refuse to pay taxes to local, state, and
federal governments.
decide what government will and will
not do.
make agreements with other
countries.
c)
decide what government will and will
not do.
Both the Magna Carta and the
English Bill of Rights
a)
b)
c)
d)
set up a new government.
made the monarchy stronger.
listed basic freedoms.
limited free speech.
c)
listed basic freedoms.
Writers Locke and Montesquieu
inspired the colonists with the ideas of
a)
b)
c)
d)
republic and direct democracy.
natural rights and separation of
powers.
free speech and free press.
traditions and values.
b)
natural rights and separation of
powers.
Which freedom has its roots in
the colonial period?
a)
b)
c)
d)
freedom of the press
freedom of religion
freedom of speech
all of the above
d)
all of the above
Under the Articles of Confederation,
most of the power remained with the
a)
b)
c)
d)
Congress.
states.
President.
monarch.
b)
states.
Many delegates were afraid that a
strong national government would
a)
b)
c)
d)
share power.
give up power.
hold power.
abuse power.
d)
abuse power.
Duties of citizens of the United
States include
a)
b)
c)
d)
defending the nation.
obeying the laws.
serving on a jury or as a witness.
all of the above.
d)
all of the above.
The Constitution is organized
into
a)
b)
c)
d)
preambles.
laws.
articles.
treaties.
c)
articles.
The first three articles of the
Constitution describe the
a)
b)
c)
d)
goals of government.
branches of government.
rights of citizens.
duties of citizens.
b)
branches of government.
Under the new Constitution, the
President would hold
a)
b)
c)
d)
judicial power.
executive power.
the most power.
all of the above.
b)
executive power.
The Anti-Federalists were troubled because
the Constitution did not include a
a)
b)
c)
d)
legislative branch.
Supreme Court.
bill of rights.
central government.
c)
bill of rights.
The Federalists argued that a strong
federal government would
a)
b)
c)
d)
maintain order.
provide protection.
regulate trade.
all of the above.
d)
all of the above.
The First Amendment protects
a)
b)
c)
d)
persons accused of crimes.
individual freedoms.
citizens from abuse of power.
all of the above.
b)
individual freedoms.
Which does not describe a part
of the Great Compromise?
a)
b)
c)
d)
a House of Representatives based on
state population
including slaves in state population
counts
a Senate with two senators for each
state
a bicameral legislature
b)
including slaves in state population
counts
Which of the following is not a goal of our
government under the Constitution?
a)
b)
c)
d)
to establish justice
to promote the general welfare
to form a more perfect union
to protect against taxation
d)
to protect against taxation
All of the following limit the
government’s power, except
a)
b)
c)
d)
checks and balances.
priority of federal law.
federalism.
separation of powers.
b)
priority of federal law.
Accused persons have a right to
a)
b)
c)
d)
be tried by jury.
put up bail.
remain silent.
all of the above.
d)
all of the above.
The Miranda warning explains a
person’s rights under the
a)
b)
c)
d)
Fifth Amendment.
First Amendment.
Tenth Amendment.
none of the above.
a)
Fifth Amendment.
Which offers protections against the
abuse of power by the government?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Second Amendment
Third Amendment
Fourth Amendment
all of the above
d)
all of the above
Freedom of petition is the right
to
a)
b)
c)
d)
meet together in a group.
ask a government official for help.
express a point of view.
choose your religion.
b)
ask a government official for help.
The Fourth Amendment
protects citizens from
a)
b)
c)
d)
government restrictions on guns.
unreasonable searches and seizures.
having to provide housing for soldiers.
all of the above.
b)
unreasonable searches and seizures.
In the Tinker case, the Supreme
Court ruled that students
a)
b)
c)
d)
have a right to free speech.
have no right to free speech.
must obey school officials.
interfered with others’ rights.
a)
have a right to free speech.
Citizens’ rights are often difficult to
interpret because the Bill of Rights
a)
b)
c)
d)
is not in the Constitution.
was added to the Constitution.
explains how to apply rights.
is a broad description of rights.
d)
is a broad description of rights.
Which has the final say in the
interpretation of the Constitution?
a)
b)
c)
d)
the people
the Congress
the Supreme Court
the President
c)
the Supreme Court
What group pushed for the
Nineteenth Amendment?
a)
b)
c)
d)
suffragists
Hispanic Americans
eighteen year olds
none of the above
a)
suffragists
Plessy v. Ferguson was
overturned by
a)
b)
c)
d)
the Fifteenth Amendment.
Brown v. Board of Education of
Topeka.
the Constitution.
civil rights laws.
b)
Brown v. Board of Education of
Topeka.
The Fourteenth Amendment
a)
b)
c)
d)
abolished slavery.
gave African Americans citizenship.
set separate but equal standards.
outlawed racial discrimination.
b)
gave African Americans citizenship.
The Twenty-Fourth Amendment
ended
a)
b)
c)
d)
racial discrimination.
equal protection.
the poll tax.
all of the above.
c)
the poll tax.
What might be an argument behind the
Twenty-Sixth Amendment?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Government cannot last, half slave and
half free.
Women are part of “we the people.”
If you are old enough to fight, you are
old enough to vote.
None of the above.
c)
If you are old enough to fight, you are
old enough to vote.
The most important job of
Congress is
a)
b)
c)
d)
leading our military forces.
making laws.
governing cities.
helping lobbyists.
b)
making laws.
A member of Congress is
primarily responsible to
a)
b)
c)
d)
the people he or she represents.
special interest groups.
lobbyists.
his or her governor.
a)
the people he or she represents.
The most powerful member of the
House of Representatives is the
a)
b)
c)
d)
Speaker.
U.S. President.
president pro tempore.
majority floor leader.
a)
Speaker.
A filibuster can occur
a)
b)
c)
d)
only in the House.
in either house of Congress.
only in the Senate.
if the majority party agrees.
c)
only in the Senate.
What is a requirement of all
members of Congress?
a)
b)
c)
d)
serve for only two years
live in the state that elects them
at least 30 years old
U.S. citizens for at least nine years
b)
live in the state that elects them
Which statement is true?
a.)
b.)
c)
d)
There are more senators than
representatives in Congress.
Representatives serve for longer terms
than senators.
Representatives focus on the interests
of their whole state.
Senators focus on the interests of their
whole state.
d)
Senators focus on the interests of their
whole state.
Which is an example of a power
of Congress?
a)
b)
c)
d)
regulate commerce
borrow money
declare war
all of the above
d)
all of the above
In order to reach the President,
a bill must pass through
a)
b)
c)
d)
the state legislatures.
only the Senate.
a standing committee.
both houses of Congress.
d)
both houses of Congress.
Congress is made up of
a)
b)
c)
d)
presidents and vice-presidents.
judges and mayors.
interest groups and lobbyists.
representatives and senators.
d)
representatives and senators.
Which of these people could not
serve as President?
a)
b)
c)
d)
a person who is a natural-born U.S.
citizen
a person who has lived in the United
States for 15 years
a person who is 30 years old
a person who has been elected to
office
c)
a person who is 30 years old
A President can
a)
b)
c)
d)
serve more than two terms.
carry out laws.
make laws.
be a U.S. immigrant.
b)
carry out laws.
How many Presidents have been
impeached and convicted?
a)
b)
c)
d)
none
two
three
five
a)
none
Which executive department
carries out foreign policy?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Department of Labor
Department of Justice
Department of State
Department of the Interior
c)
Department of State
The Department of Homeland
Security was created
a)
b)
c)
d)
during the Cold War.
after World War I.
by the Constitution.
after terrorist attacks in 2001.
d)
after terrorist attacks in 2001.
Congress checks the power of
the President by
a)
b)
c)
d)
appointing members of the executive
branch.
ignoring the President’s actions as a
legislative leader.
deciding if the President’s actions are
unconstitutional.
approving many presidential decisions
and appointments.
d)
approving many presidential decisions
and appointments.
Which is an advantage of Presidents
being able to act on their own?
a)
b)
c)
d)
They may exercise weaker judgment in
making decisions.
They may defeat the purpose of checks
and balances.
They may avoid separation of powers.
They may act swiftly in time of crisis.
d)
They may act swiftly in time of crisis.
The major purpose of the
Supreme Court is to
a)
b)
c)
d)
hear cases about kidnapping.
hear cases about foreigners.
conduct special jury trials.
serve as final court of appeals.
d)
serve as final court of appeals.
How does the Supreme Court
decide which cases to hear?
a)
b)
c)
d)
hears all cases
the President decides
hears cases about Constitutional issues
Congress decides by voting
c) Hears cases about Constitutional issues
How do judges come to serve on
special federal courts?
a)
b)
c)
d)
elections
rise from lower courts
appointed by the President
chosen by Congress
c)
appointed by the President
Which courts are the workhorses of the
federal court system?
a)
b)
c)
d)
state appeals courts
state supreme courts
state trial courts
district courts
d)
district courts
The Supreme Court hears cases
involving
a)
b)
c)
d)
disputes between states.
representatives of foreign
governments.
appeals from state and federal courts.
all of the above.
d)
all of the above.
What was the purpose of the
Judiciary Act?
a)
b)
c)
d)
to create Supreme Court seats
to establish lower courts
to set out appeals court procedure
to remove ineffective judges
b)
to establish lower courts
Judicial review gives the judicial
branch
a)
b)
c)
d)
the right to overturn a law.
rights in the Constitution.
the right to study precedents.
the duty to hear disputes among
states.
a)
the right to overturn a law.
How can a precedent help a
judge make a decision?
a)
b)
c)
d)
The judge may find an earlier case
similar to the current case.
A judge may use a precedent to discuss
a current political issue.
A judge may use a precedent to
question people not part of the case.
The judge may use a precedent to keep
secrets from lawyers.
a)
The judge may find an earlier case
similar to the current case.
A Supreme Court opinion
a)
b)
c)
d)
shows how to apply the law.
interprets the Constitution.
is written by a justice.
all of the above.
d)
all of the above.
Who is the defendant in this case: The
People of the State of Florida v. Jones?
a)
b)
c)
d)
The People
The State of Florida
the government
Jones
d)
Jones
Checks and balances help
ensure that government
a)
b)
c)
d)
acts in citizen’s best interests.
officials are not subject to the law.
always protects the President.
has control of all media reports.
a)
acts in citizen’s best interests.
What is an organization of citizens who wish
to influence government by getting their
members elected to office?
a) a political party
b) independent voters
c) a caucus
d) an open primary
a)
a political party
Historically, the purpose of
voter registration was to
a)
b)
c)
d)
prevent fraud.
count voters.
remind people to vote.
none of the above.
a)
prevent fraud.
Which is not a requirement for
voting in a general election?
a)
b)
c)
d)
being at least 18 years old
being a U.S. citizen
being a member of a political party
being a state resident where you vote
c)
being a member of a political party
A voter who agrees with a political
party’s basic positions is likely to
a)
b)
c)
d)
vote for the opposing party.
ask friends who they support.
support that party’s candidates.
send mailings to other voters.
c)
support that party’s candidates.
To win a presidential election, a
candidate needs
a)
b)
c)
d)
half the electoral votes.
less than 200 electoral votes.
an absolute majority of popular votes.
an absolute majority of electoral votes.
d)
an absolute majority of electoral votes.
How is the number of electors
determined for each state?
a)
b)
c)
d)
It is equal to the number of members of
Congress in that state.
It is three times the amount of voters in that
state.
It is equal to the number of Republicans
and Democrats in that state.
It is half the amount of incumbents in that
state.
a)
It is equal to the number of members
of Congress in that state.
How can third party candidates change
the outcome of an election?
a)
b)
c)
d)
keep voters away from polls
confuse voters
take votes from a main party
distract media from main candidates
c)
take votes from a main party
Presidential elections are held on the
Tuesday after the first Monday in
a)
b)
c)
d)
October.
November.
September.
January.
b)
November.
An absentee ballot is
a)
b)
c)
d)
mailed in before election day.
marked at a polling place.
punched into a card.
mailed in after election day.
a)
mailed in before election day.
Television has a major impact
on elections by
a)
b)
c)
d)
doing long reports.
reaching so many voters.
focusing on major issues.
giving complex messages.
b)
reaching so many voters.