1.
Who is the
2. What does the judicial
Commander in
branch do?
Chief of the
military?
decides if a law goes
against the
the President
Constitution
3. What is the
capital of your
state?
4.
What are the two
major political
parties in the
United States?
Sacramento
Democratic and
Republican
5. What do we show
loyalty to when we
say the Pledge of
Allegiance?
the American flag
6. Why did the
colonists fight the
British?
1. because of high
taxation without
representation
2. because they
didn’t have selfgovernment
7. Who is the
“Father of Our
Country”?
George
Washington
8. Who did the
United States
fight in World War
II?
Japan, Germany,
and Italy
9. What ocean is on
the East Coast of
the United
States?
Atlantic Ocean
10. Why does the
flag have 50 stars?
because each star
represents a state
and there are 50
states.
11. How many
justices are on the
Supreme Court?
9
12. Name two rights
only for United
States citizens.
1. vote in a federal
election
2. run for federal
office
13. What group of
people was taken
to America and
sold as slaves?
Africans
14. When was the
Declaration of
Independence
adopted?
July 4, 1776
15. When was the
Constitution
written?
1787
16. The Federalist Papers
supported the passage
of the U.S. Constitution.
Name the three writers.
1. James Madison
2. Alexander Hamilton
3. John Jay
17. Name one
18. Who was the
American Indian
President during
tribe in the United
the Great
States.
Depression
and
Cherokee
World War II?
Navajo
Sioux
Chippewa
Choctaw
Apache
Hopi
Franklin
Roosevelt
19. Name one state
that borders
Canada.
Maine
Ohio
Vermont
New York
Idaho
Washington
Alaska
20. What is the
capital of the
United States?
Washington, D.C.
21. If both the
President and Vice
President can no
longer serve, who
becomes
President?
the Speaker of the
House
22. What does the
President’s Cabinet
do?
advises the President
23. What are two
responsibilities
that are only for
United States
citizens?
24. How old do
citizens have to
be to vote for
President?
18 or older
1. Serve on a jury
2. Vote in a federal
election
25. Name two
reasons colonists
came to America?
1. religious
freedom
2. escape
persecution
26. During the Cold
War, what was
the main concern
of the United
States?
Communism
27. What major
event happened
on September 11,
2001, in the
United States?
28. What ocean is
on the West Coast
of the United
States?
Pacific Ocean
Terrorists attacked
the United States
29. Name the four
states that border
Mexico.
1. Arizona
2. California
3. New Mexico
4. Texas
30. When do we
celebrate
Independence
Day?
July 4th
31. Who was the
first President?
George
Washington
32. Before he was
President,
Eisenhower was a
general. What war
was he in?
World War II
33. What did Martin
Luther King, Jr.
do?
34. Name the two
longest rivers in
the United States.
Fought for civil
rights
Missouri River
Mississippi River
35. What two
important things
did Abraham
Lincoln do during
his presidency?
Preserved the Union
during the Civil War
and freed the
slaves
36. Name one war
fought by the
United States in the
1900s.
World War I
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Persian Gulf War
37. Where is the
Statue of Liberty?
Liberty Island in
New York
38. Why does the
flag have thirteen
stripes?
The stripes
represent the 13
original colonies.
39. What is the name of
the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled
Banner
40. Name two national
U.S. holidays.
New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Presidents’ Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving
Christmas
41. What is the
supreme law of
the land?
the Constitution
42. What is an
amendment?
a change or
addition to the
Constitution
43. What are the five
rights from the
First Amendment?
1. speech
2. religion
3. assembly
4. press
5. petition the
government
44. What are the
three rights in the
Declaration of
Independence?
1. life
2. liberty
3. pursuit of
happiness
45. What is freedom
of religion?
You can practice
any religion, or
not practice a
religion
46. What is the
economic system
in the United
States?
Market economy
47. Who makes
federal laws?
48. Name our state’s
two U.S. Senators.
Congress
Barbara Boxer (D)
(Senate & House of Dianne Feinstein (D)
Representatives)
49. Name your U.S.
Representative.
50. Name one U.S.
territory.
Doug LaMalfa (R)
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin
Islands
American Samoa
4. Northern
Mariana Islands
5. Guam
1.
2.
3.
51. What does the
Constitution do?
Defines the
government and
protects basic
rights of
Americans
52. The idea of selfgovernment is in
the first three
words of our
Constitution.
What are these
words?
We the People
53. How many
amendments
does the
Constitution
have?
27
54. What did the
Declaration of
Independence
do?
Declared our
independence
from Great Britain
55. What is the “rule
of law”?
No one is above
the law
56. What are the
three branches of
our government?
Legislative
Executive
3. Judicial
1.
2.
57. What stops one
branch of
government from
becoming too
powerful?
checks and balances
or
separation of powers
58. What are the two
parts of the U.S.
Congress?
Senate
House of
Representatives
1.
2.
59. We elect a U.S.
Senator for how
many years?
60. We elect a U.S.
Representative
for how many
years?
6 years
2 years
61. Name one war fought by
the United States in the
1800s.
War of 1812
Mexican-American War
Civil War
Spanish-American War
62. Under our Constitution,
some powers belong to
the states. What is one
power of the states?
Provide education
Provide protection (police)
Provide safety (fire
department)
Give a driver’s license
Approve zoning and land
use
63. What is the
highest court in the
United States?
64. Who vetoes
bills?
the President
The Supreme Court
65. How many U.S.
Senators are there?
100
66. When is the last
day you can send
in federal income
tax forms?
April 15th
67. What is one thing
Benjamin Franklin is
famous for?
U.S. diplomat
Oldest member of the
Constitutional Convention
First Postmaster General
Started the first free libraries
68. What is the name
of the Speaker of
the House now?
John Boehner
69. 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 worship
The right to bear arms
70. Why do some
states have more
representatives
than others?
Because of the
state’s population
(some states have
more people)
71. Who is in charge of
the executive branch?
the President
72. What are two ways
that Americans can
participate in their
democracy?
Vote
Join a political party
Run for office
Help with a campaign
Call Senators and
Representatives
73. What is the
political party of
the President now?
Democratic Party
74. What is the
name of the
President of the
United States
now?
Barack Obama
75. When must all
men register for the
Selective Services?
Between 18 and 26
76. We elect a
President for how
many years?
4
77. Who is the
Governor of your
state now?
78. Who signs bills
to become laws?
the President
Jerry Brown (D)
79. What is the name of the
Vice President now?
Joe Biden
80. There are four
amendments to the
Constitution about who
can vote? Describe one.
24th—You don’t have to pay to
vote
19th—anyone can vote (man
or woman)
th
15 —any male citizen (of any
race) can vote
th
26 —Citizens 18 and older can
vote
81. What is one
promise you make
when you become
a United States
citizen?
Obey the laws of the
U.S.
Serve in the U.S.
military
Be loyal to the U.S.
82.If the President
can no longer
serve, who
becomes
President?
The Vice President
83. In what month
do we vote for
President?
84. The House of
Representatives
has how many
voting members?
November
435
85. What do we call
the first ten
amendments to
the Constitution?
the Bill of Rights
86. What are two
Cabinet-level
positions?
Vice President
Secretary of…
Agriculture
Defense
Education
Homeland Security
Treasury
State
Labor
87. Who lived in
America before
the Europeans
arrived?
Native Americans
88. Who does a U.S.
Senator
represent?
all people of the
state
89. 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
90. Who is the Chief
Justice of the
United States
now?
John Roberts
91. What territory
did the United
States buy from
France in 1803?
92. Who wrote the
Declaration of
Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
Louisiana
93. Name one
problem that led to
the Civil War?
94. What movement
slavery
economic reasons
states’ rights
the Civil Rights
Movement
tried to end racial
discrimination?
95. What did Susan B.
Anthony do?
fought for women’s
rights
fought for civil rights
96. Name the U.S.
war between the
North and the
South?
the Civil War
97. What happened
at the
Constitutional
Convention?
The Constitution was
written.
98. 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
99. Who was the
President during
World War I?
Woodrow Wilson
100. What did the
Emancipation
Proclamation do?
Freed slaves in the
South