Created by Dan McCaulley, author of Continuous
Improvement in the Social Studies Classroom
U.S. Constitution L to J Quiz
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1A
What is the term of office for
a U.S. Representative?
Two Years
1B
According to the Constitution,
who has the right to admit
new states to the U.S.?
Congress
1C
How often does the
Constitution say Congress
must meet?
Once a year (at least)
2A
The first 10 Amendments to
the Constitution are typically
referred to as what?
The Bill of Rights
2B
If neither the President nor
the Vice President can serve,
who would fill the position?
The Speaker of the House of
Representatives
2C
What must all federal and
state officer swear to?
Support the Constitution
3A
Which Constitutional
amendment was the only one
to be later repealed?
18th
3B
The Constitution guarantees
this to every state. What is
it?
A republican form of
government
3C
Powers that are not given to the
national government and not
forbidden to the states are called
what by the 10th amendment?
Reserved powers
4A
The number of U.S.
representatives a state gets is
dependant upon what?
Its population
4B
The number of presidential
electors a state gets is equal to
what?
The number of Senators and
Representatives
4C
In what year did the U.S.
Constitution become the law of
the land?
1788
5A
How many times has the U.S.
Constitution been amended?
27
5B
Congress shall make no law
that does what according to
the 1st Amendment?
Set up or establish a national
religion
5C
If the President is impeached,
who presides over the trial?
The Chief Justice of the
United States
6A
The Constitutional
Convention was held in what
building?
Independence Hall
(Philadelphia)
6B
Who nominates justices to
serve on the Supreme Court?
The President
6C
One-third of all U.S. Senators
are elected how often?
Every two years
7A
An amendment to the
Constitution can only pass
upon the approval of:
¾ of the States
7B
How old must a person be to
run for the U.S. House of
Representatives?
25
7C
A President must be at least
how old?
35
8A
War against a foreign country
can only be declared by
whom?
Congress
8B
How many articles are there
in the U.S. Constitution?
Seven (7)
8C
In order to be elected
President, a candidate must
receive a majority of what?
Electoral votes
9A
An order making a jailer show
that a person is in jail for a good
reason is called a writ of:
Habeas Corpus
9B According to the Constitution,
Article 1, who has the power to try
all impeachments?
The Senate
9C Who is the Commander-inChief of all armed forces of
the U.S.?
The President
10A
A member of the U.S. Senate
must have been a citizen of
the United States for how
many years?
9 years
10B
What document governed the
United States prior to our
present Constitution?
Articles of Confederation
10C
Based on the 22nd
Amendment, what is the
longest anyone can serve as
President?
10 years
11A
The votes needed to expel a
member from the House or the
Senate is:
Two-thirds
11B
No citizen can be deprived of
life, liberty, or property
without:
Due process of law
11C
Neither House, during the
session of Congress, can
adjourn for more than________
(length of time) without the
consent of the other House:
3 days
12A
Since 1951, no person may be
elected to serve as president
more than:
Twice (22nd Amendment)
12B
The term of a member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
is how long?
2 years
12C
The Articles of Confederation
did not provide for:
Courts (a court system)
13A
The number of men who
actually signed the completed
Constitution was:
39
13B
How many branches are there
in our national government?
Three (legislative, executive,
judicial)
13C
In what year were the first ten
amendments added to the
Constitution?
1791
14A
Laws for the United States are
made by:
Congress
14B
A member of the House of
Representatives must have
been a citizen of the U.S. for
at least:
Seven years (7)
14C
The length of a term of office
for the President is:
Four years
15A
Nowadays, the President is
sworn into office on what
date?
January 20 (at noon following
his election)
15B
A U.S. President must have
lived in the United States at
least how long?
14 years
15C
In order to make a treaty with
another country, the
President must have the
approval of what fraction of
the Senate?
2/3 approval
16A The Supreme Court now has
one Chief Justice and how
many associate justices?
8 associate justices
16B
The landmark Supreme
Court case that established
the principle of “judicial
review” was:
Marbury vs. Madison
16C
Which Constitutional
amendment guarantees a
person accused of a crime a
trial by jury?
Sixth Amendment
17A
Which Constitutional
amendment prohibits cruel
and unusual punishments for
crimes?
Eighth amendment
17B
In order to be convicted of
treason, there must be at least
how many witnesses?
Two
17C
A proposed amendment to
the Constitution may begin
either in Congress or:
The states (Article 5)
18A
No holder of an office in the
United States shall ever
have to pass a:
Religious test
18B
Which amendment to the U.S.
Constitution changed it so that
Senators are now elected by
the people?
17th Amendment
18C
A member of the U.S. Senate
must be at least how old?
30 years old
19A
What is the length of a term
for Senators?
6 years
19B
Who is the president of the
Senate according to Article 1,
Section 3 of the Constitution?
The Vice President of the
United States
19C
Which branch of government
may coin or print money?
Congress (Art. 1; Sec. 8)
20A
Article 1; Section 9 of the U.S.
Constitution forbids Congress
from passing what kinds of laws?
Ex post facto or Bills of
Attainder
20B
In order to do their work, the
House and Senate must have
at least this many of its
members present (quorum):
majority
20C
When a government official is
impeached, he must convicted by
what vote of the Senate?
Two-thirds of the Senators
present
21A
Tax bills can only originate in
which house of Congress?
House of Representatives
21B
After a bill has been sent to
the President, it becomes a
law if he does not send it
back within how many days?
10 days
21C
The requirement for a search
warrant to search a person’s
house or property is found in
which Constitutional
amendment?
4th Amendment
22A
The right of an accused
person not to incriminate
himself or herself is found in
which amendment?
5th Amendment
22B
If the candidates for
President have no majority of
the electoral votes, who
elects the President?
House of Representatives
22C
Who was the first Vice
President of the United
States?
John Adams
23A
Who traditionally administers
the oath of office to the
President?
Chief Justice of the U.S.
23B
The right of all citizens to
vote, regardless of their race
is provided by which
amendment?
15th Amendment
23C
Invoking the fifth amendment
or “taking the fifth” means
what?
A person refuses to testify
against himself
24A
The only President whose
election was decided by the
House of Representatives
was:
Thomas Jefferson
24B
Which part of the Constitution
begins with the words, “We
the People of the United
States…”?
The Preamble
24C
Which amendment to the
Constitution provides for
signing a petition of
grievance against the
government?
1st Amendment
25A
Which amendment to the
Constitution forbids the
military to force citizens to
quarter or provide housing for
troops?
3rd Amendment
25B
Which amendment to the
Constitution gives people the
“right to bear arms?”
Second Amendment
25C
Which Constitutional
amendment says that a
person cannot be tried twice
for the same crime (double
jeopardy)?
5th Amendment
26A
Which amendment gives
people the right to assemble
peacefully?
1st Amendment
26B
Which amendment to the
Constitution lowered the
voting age to 18 in national
elections?
26th Amendment
26C
The Constitution states that
no person may be deprived of
what three things without due
process of law?
Life, liberty, and property
27A
To whom does the
Constitution guarantee the
right to vote?
Only citizens
27B
Who has the oldest and
shortest written Constitution
of any government in the
world?
The United States
27C
On what day does the U.S.
celebrate “Constitution Day?”
September 17 (the day the
framers signed the
document)
28A
Since the Constitution did not
originally set forth
requirements for voting, who
could originally vote in
elections?
White male landowners
28B
Where is the Constitution on
display today?
National Archives (Wash. D.C.)
28C
Who is considered to be the
“Father of the Constitution?”
James Madison
29A
Who was the author of the
so-called “Great
Compromise” that saved the
Constitution?
Roger Sherman (Connecticut)
29B
The Constitution forbids
slavery or involuntary
servitude with this one
exception:
As a punishment for crime
(13th amendment)
29C
Which Virginian was elected
as a delegate to the
Constitutional Convention but
refused to attend because
“he smelled a rat?”
Patrick Henry
30A
What limits on how many
terms a President could serve
were placed in the original
Constitution?
None
30B
Which delegate to the
Constitution was so ill that he
needed help to sign it?
Benjamin Franklin
30C
Which city was the largest in
the U.S. when the
Constitution was signed?
Philadelphia ( the city where it
was signed - 40,000 inhabitants)
31A
Which landmark Supreme
Court decision said that
African Americans, whether
slave or free, were not
citizens of the United States?
Dred Scott decision
31B
Which of the 13 original states did
not send delegates to the
Constitutional Convention and was
the last state to ratify the
Constitution?
Rhode Island
31C
How many times does the
word “democracy” appear in
the Constitution?
None
32A
Which landmark Supreme Court
decision in 1954 stated that
segregated schools were
inherently unequal and, therefore,
unconstitutional?
Brown vs. Board of Education
32B
Who decides if a President’s
nominee for the Supreme
Court is confirmed?
The Senate – by majority
vote
32C
The two opposing parties
during the time the
Constitution was being
ratified were:
Federalists and Anti-federalists
33A
Which Constitutional
amendment abolished
slavery in the United States?
Thirteenth (13th)
33B
Which house of Congress is
based on population?
House of Representatives
(Senate is based on equal
representation)
33C
The Constitution says in
Article 4 that each state must
give “full faith and credit” to:
The other states
34A
Supreme Court justices hold
office for how long?
Life (Constitution calls it “during good
behavior”)
34B
The first African American
justice of the Supreme Court
was:
Thurgood Marshall
34C
Which U.S. President tried to
“pack” the Supreme Court
with his own nominees?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
35A
Why was the Bill of Rights
added to the Constitution
before it was even ratified?
So the Anti-federalists would
accept it
35B
Which amendment protects
all citizens of the United
States?
Fourteenth (14th) Amendment
35C
Who was the first woman to
serve on the Supreme Court?
Sandra Day O’Connor
36A
Requiring the Senate to
approve of treaties made by
the President is a
Constitutional example of:
Checks and balances
36B
Once an amendment to the
Constitution is ratified, what
does it take to change it?
A new amendment
36C
What was the “Great
Compromise” about?
Representation in Congress
37A
The Constitutionally
mandated assembly that
elects the President is called:
The Electoral College
37B
Whose arguments helped
lead to the adoption of the Bill
of Rights?
The Anti-federalists
37C
Which two branches of the
federal government share the
power of establishing foreign
policy?
Congress and the President
(legislative and executive)
38A
When the Supreme Court first
assembled, how many
members did it have?
Six (6)
38B
What does the Constitution
say about political parties?
Nothing
38C
Article 1; Section 8 of the
Constitution contains a
provision to allow Congress
to make laws that reflect
changing conditions. What is
this provision usually called?
The elastic clause
39A
When is the only time that
God is mentioned in the
Constitution?
In the dates as in “The year
of our Lord, 1787…” (the
Declaration of Independence
mentions God four times.)
39B
Which founding father
believed that the Constitution
should be rewritten every
generation?
Thomas Jefferson
39C
How can a candidate win the
popular vote and yet lose the
election for President?
Because of the electoral
college
40A
When, according to the
Constitution, is the only time
the writ of habeas corpus can
be suspended?
During invasion or rebellion
40B
Why must police inform
suspects of their rights when
they are being arrested?
A Supreme Court decision requires it
(Miranda vs. Arizona)
40C
A series of essays written by
Madison, Hamilton, and Jay
encouraging citizens to ratify
the proposed Constitution
were called:
The Federalist (Papers)
41A
Which amendment to the
Constitution allows people to
sue for discrimination?
Fourteenth Amendment
(Equal protection clause)
41B
The division of power
between national and state
governments is called:
Federalism
41C
Every ten years the nation
decides how many
representatives each state
will have. How do we
determine that?
The Census
42A
If Thomas Jefferson had
strictly followed the
Constitution, he could not
have added what to the
United States?
Louisiana Territory (Purchase)
42B
Which Constitutional
amendment guarantees “a
speedy and public trial?”
Sixth amendment (6th)
42C
What two-word phrase
means that the government
gets it power from the
people?
Popular Sovereignty
43A
The fact that the Constitution
divides powers between the
three branches is called:
Separation of Powers
43B
On what date was the
Constitution completed and
signed?
September 17, 1787
43C
In Article 1; Section 2;
Paragraph 3 of the
Constitution, to whom does
the phrase “three-fifths of all
other persons” refer?
Slaves (the Three-Fifths
Compromise)
44A
The Constitution speaks of
“reserved powers” in the 10th
Amendment. To whom are
they “reserved?”
The states (and the people)
44B
What are the three parts of
the Constitution?
The Preamble, the seven articles, and
the 27 amendments
44C
The three Constitutional qualifications
for President are that he or she must
be at least 35 years old, have lived in
the U.S. for 14 years, and:
Be a natural born citizen
45A
Powers that are given to both
the federal government and
the states are called:
Concurrent powers
45B
According to the Constitution,
who has the power to coin
money?
National government only (states
cannot print money)
45C
Powers that are specifically
given to the federal
government by the
Constitution are called:
Delegated powers
46A
A law that makes an act
illegal after it has been
committed is called:
An “ex post facto” law (Latin
for “after the fact” – prohibited
by the Constitution)
46B
How many Senators are
there in Congress today?
100 (two per state x 50 states)
46C
How many members of the
House of Representatives are
there today?
435 (but that can change with
the population of the states)
47A
Who presides over the
Senate when the Vice
President is not there?
The President Pro Tempore
of the Senate
47B
The number of
representatives for each state
is determined how?
By population
47C
How are electoral votes given
out by the states to
Presidential candidates?
Whoever wins the popular
vote gets them all.
48A
Which article of the
Constitution describes the
Judicial Branch?
Article 3
48B
What is the main duty of the
Vice President of the United
States?
Take the President’s place if
he cannot serve
48C
How many Constitutions has
the United States had?
Two (the Articles of
Confederation and the
present Constitution)
49A
If a federal judge is not doing
his or her job properly, how
can they be removed?
Impeachment
49B
Who has the power to
recognize the governments of
other countries?
The President
49C
All bills regarding spending
must come from where?
The House of Representatives
50A
Which amendment
guarantees that Americans
can practice any religion or
no religion?
1st Amendment
50B
Double jeopardy or being
tried twice for the same crime
is prohibited in which
amendment?
5th Amendment
50C
What happens to powers not
given to Congress and not
prohibited to the states?
They belong to or are reserved for the
states.
51A
Which amendment gave
Congress the power to levy and
collect taxes on incomes?
16th Amendment
51B
What did the Thirteenth
Amendment end forever in
the United States?
Slavery
51C
Which amendment says that
anyone born in the United States is
a citizen of the United States?
14th Amendment
52A
Which amendment repealed
the 18th Amendment or
Prohibition?
21st Amendment
52B
Who has the power to admit
new states into the Union?
Congress
52C
A proposed amendment to
the Constitution can be
suggested by what fraction of
both houses of Congress?
2/3 of both houses
53A
A proposed amendment can
only be ratified by ¾ of the:
State legislatures
53B
According to Article Six of the
Constitution, what is the
supreme law of the land?
The Constitution of the United States
53C
All state and federal office
holders must take an oath to
do what?
Support the Constitution
54A
How many states had to ratify
the Constitution for it to take
effect?
9
(2/3 had to ratify)
54B
If someone adopts a child in
California, will the child still
be theirs if they move to
Ohio?
Yes! (Article 4 Full faith and
credit clause)
54C
Where in the Constitution is
freedom of the press
guaranteed?
1st Amendment
55A
According to the 4th
Amendment, what must the
police have in order to get a
warrant to search your
house?
Probable cause
55B
Which amendment actually
gives citizens the right to a
jury trial if they are being
sued for more than $20.00?
7th Amendment
55C
What is the highest law of the
land?
The Constitution of the United
States
56A
The time limit for ratification
of a proposed amendment is:
Seven years
56B
Which amendment prohibits
cruel and unusual
punishment?
8th Amendment
56C
The naming of certain rights
in the Constitution does not
mean we don’t have other
rights not mentioned. Where
is this found?
9th Amendment
57A
What do the 15th, 19th, and
26th amendments all have in
common?
They all gave voting rights to
people that did not previously
have them. (15th-African
Americans, 19th-Women, 26th18 year-olds)
57B
Why can’t a person be
elected President more than
twice?
22nd Amendment forbids it
57C
Before the passage of the
23rd amendment, what could
the people of Washington,
D.C. not do?
They could not vote for
President
58A
Richard Nixon is the only
U.S. President to resign.
Which amendment allowed
Gerald Ford to become the
next president?
25th Amendment
58B
Some states were making
people pay a “poll tax” in
order to vote. This
discriminatory practice was
banned by which
amendment?
24th Amendment
58C
The legislative branch of
government is made up of:
Two houses – House of
Representatives and Senate
59A
For what purpose did the
delegates to the
Constitutional Convention
originally meet?
Revise the Articles of
Confederation
59B
If a President is impeached,
where will the trial take place?
The Senate
59C
What is the main job of the
president?
To enforce or carry out laws
60A
For what reason may a
President be removed from
office?
Treason, bribery, or other high
crimes and misdemeanors
(Article 2; Sec. 4)
60B
Which Article of the
Constitution describes the
powers of the Judicial
Branch?
Article 3
60C
What is the legal voting age
in the United States since
ratification of the 26th
Amendment?
18 years of age
61A
Who is not mentioned as
receiving pay in the
Constitution?
The Vice President of the U.S.
61B
At least how old must the
Vice President be?
35 (same as the requirement
for President since he could
become President)
61C
When is Constitution Day?
September 17th (the day the
Constitution was completed
and signed)
62A
Which 1973 landmark
Supreme Court decision said
that states could not prevent
a woman from obtaining an
abortion?
Roe vs. Wade
62B
Which amendment
guarantees the right of
citizens to criticize the
government?
1st Amendment
62C
Of the three branches of
government, which has the
power to interpret laws or say
what they mean?
The Judicial Branch
63A
How is the number of
Senators for each state
determined?
By equal representation
(each state gets two)
63B
Which article of the
Constitution describes the
powers and duties of the
legislative branch?
Article 1
63C
In an impeachment process,
who has the sole power to
bring up charges?
The House of Representatives
64A
Which article of the
Constitution describes the
primary role and duties of the
President?
Article 2
64B
How many amendments have
been added to the
Constitution since 1788?
27
64C
Federal court judges are
appointed by the President
with the advice and consent
of whom?
The Senate