Civics and Economics Review
Questions
Mrs. A. LeRoux
What are the four fundamental political principles
that have shaped government in the United States?
• Limited Government
• Popular Sovereignty or consent of the
governed
• Separation of Powers
• Federalism
What does “Consent of the
Governed” mean?
• People are the source of the governments
power
What is Limited Government?
• Government is not all-powerful and may do
only those things people have given it
power to do
What does Separation of Powers
mean?
• Power divided between three branches of
government
What is Federalism?
• Power is shared between the national
government and state governments
What are the Charters of the
Virginia Company?
• Rights of Englishmen are guaranteed to the
Colonists
What is the Virginia Declaration
of Rights?
• Served as a model for the Bill of Rights of
the Constitution
What are the Articles of
Confederation?
• Established the first form of government for
the states after the Revolutionary War
• Power stays with the states
• Weak Central Government
What were the weaknesses of the
Articles of Confederation?
• Congress had no power to tax
• Congress had no power to enforce law
What is the Virginia Statute of
Religious Freedom?
• Individuals have freedom of religious
beliefs and opinions
What is the United States
Constitution?
• Establishes the structure of the United States
government
What is the Bill of Rights?
• Guarantees the rights of the people
What is the Preamble?
• The introduction to the Constitution that
expresses the people have the right to rule
themselves
What are the four main goals of
the Preamble?
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To form a more perfect union
to establish justice
to ensure domestic peace
to provide defense
What does the 14th Amendment
say?
• All person’s born or naturalized in the
United States are citizens and shall receive
equal protection under the law
How may a person become a
citizen of the United States?
• Birth
• Naturalization
What are the five basic freedoms
of the First Amendment?
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Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Press
Freedom of Assembly
Freedom of Petition
List four duties of a citizen.
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Obey laws
pay taxes
serve in the armed forces if called upon
serve on a jury or as a witness in court
What are some responsibilities of
citizens?
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Vote
communicate with government officials
volunteer
participate in political campaigns
respect rights of others
What are some good traits of
citizens?
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Trustworthiness and honesty
courtesy and respect for the rights of others
respect for the law
patriotism
What are four functions of
political parties?
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Recruit and nominate candidates
help candidates win elections
monitor actions of office holders
educate public about issues
What are four strategies for evaluating campaign
speeches, literature, and advertisements for accuracy?
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Separation of fact from opinion
detecting bias
evaluating sources of information
identifying propaganda
What are three qualifications to register to
vote in the state of Virginia?
• Must be a citizen of the United States
• Must be a resident of Virginia
• Must be 18 years of age
How can you register to vote in
the state of Virginia?
• In person at the registrar’s office
• at the Division of Motor Vehicles
• By mailing in an application
What are three factors in predicting
which citizens will vote?
• Education
• Age
• Income
Who selects the President and Vice
President of the United States?
• The Electoral College
What are the three levels of
government?
• National
• State
• Local
What are the responsibilities of
the national government?
• Conduct foreign policy
• regulates commerce
What are the primary responsibilities of the
state governments?
• Promote public health
• promote public safety
• promote public welfare
What are the three branches of
government?
• Legislative
• Executive
• Judicial
How often does the Virginia
legislature make a budget?
• Every two years (biennial)
What is judicial review?
• The power of the Supreme Court to decide
whether or not a law is constitutional
What Supreme Court case established
the principle of judicial review?
• Marbury v. Madison
What is the system of checks and
balances?
• Gives each of the three branches of
government ways to to limit the powers of
the other branches
List some examples of legislative powers
over the executive branch.
• Override vetoes
• impeach a president
List one example of a legislative
powers over the judicial branch.
• Power to approve federal judges
List one example of an executive
power over the legislative branch.
• Veto bills of Congress
List one example of an executive
power over the judicial branch.
• Appoint federal judges
List one example of a judicial power over the
executive and judicial branches of government.
• Declare laws unconstitutional
What are two ways the Constitution of
the United States can be ratified?
• Action by the United States Congress or
convention
• Ratification by the states
What does bicameral mean?
• Two house legislature (example the United
States Congress)
What is normally the final step in
a bill becoming a law?
• President’s signature
What type of legislature is the
Virginia Assembly?
• Bicameral
What is the State of the Union
Address?
• Annual address to Congress outlining the
President’s goals for the future
What are some ways the media
influences our government?
• Focusing public attention on selected issues
• Holding government officials accountable
for their actions
What is Lobbying?
• Seeking to influence legislators to introduce
or vote for or against a bill
What are some ways to influence
government?
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Voting
lobbying
writing letters
joining interest groups
What kind of cases are heard in Juvenile and
Domestic Relations Court?
• Juvenile and Family Matters
What type of jurisdiction does the
Supreme Court have?
• Appellate and Original
What does Marbury v. Madison
say?
• Established the principle of judicial review
What is the highest authority in
the land?
• The Constitution
What is due process of the law?
• The Constitution protects citizens against
unfair government actions and laws
What is scarcity?
• The inability to satisfy all wants
What are resources?
• Factors of production that are used in the
production of goods and services (example:
trees, silver, water)
What is opportunity cost?
• What is given up when a choice is made.
What is supply?
• The amount of a good or service that
producers are willing and able to sell at a
certain price.
What is demand?
• The amount of a good or service that
consumers are willing and able to buy at a
certain price.
What is a command economy?
• An economy in which the government owns
all the property and resources (examples:
CHINA and Former Soviet Union)
What is a mixed economy?
• An economy in which the government and
individuals are principle decision makers
(examples: United States and Japan).
What is a Proprietorship?
• A form of business organization with one
owner.
What is a Partnership?
• A form of business organization with two or
more owners.
What is the Federal Reserve
System?
• Acts as a bank regulating the amount of
money in circulation.