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Civics Test
Citizenship Test
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the supreme law of the land? | the Constitution |
| What does the Constitution do? | ▪ sets up the government ▪ defines the government ▪ defines the government ▪ protects basic rights of Americans |
| The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? | We the people. |
| What is an amendment? | ▪ a change (to the Constitution) ▪ an addition (to the Constitution) |
| What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? | The Bill of Rights. |
| What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?* | ▪ speech ▪ religion ▪ assembly ▪ press ▪ petition the government |
| How many amendments does the Constitution have? | twenty-seven (27). |
| What did the Declaration of Independence do? | ▪ announced our independence (from Great Britain) ▪ declared our independence (from Great Britain) ▪ said that the United States is free (from Great Britain) |
| What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence? | life, libery, pursuit of happiness. |
| What is freedom of religion? | You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion. |
| What is the economic system in the United States?* | ▪ capitalist economy ▪ market economy |
| What is the "rule of law"? | ▪ Everyone must follow the law. ▪ Leaders must obey the law. ▪ Government must obey the law. ▪ No one is above the law. |
| Name one branch or part of the government.* | ▪ Congress ▪ legislative ▪ President ▪ executive ▪ the courts ▪ judicial |
| What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? | ▪ checks and balances ▪ separation of powers |
| Who is in charge of the executive branch? | the President |
| Who makes federal laws? | ▪ Congress ▪ Senate and House (of Representatives) ▪ (U.S. or national) legislature |
| What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?* | the Senate and House (of Representatives) |
| How many U.S. Senators are there? | one hundred (100) |
| We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? | six (6) |
| Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?* | ▪ Elizabeth Warren ▪ Edward J. Markey |
| The House of Representatives has how many voting members? | four hundred thirty-five (435) |
| We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years? | two (2) |
| Name your U.S. Representative. | Ayanna Pressley |
| Who does a U.S. Senator represent? | all people of the state |
| Why do some states have more Representatives than other states? | ▪ (because of) the state’s population ▪ (because) some states have more people |
| We elect a President for how many years? | four (4) |
| In what month do we vote for President?* | November |
| What is the name of the President of the United States now?* | Donald Trump |
| What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? | Mike Pence |
| If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? | the Vice President |
| If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? | the Speaker of the House |
| Who is the Commander in Chief of the military? | the President |
| Who signs bills to become laws? | the President |
| Who vetoes bills? | the President |
| What does the President’s Cabinet do? | advises the President |
| What are two Cabinet-level positions? | Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Education |
| What does the judicial branch do? | ▪ reviews laws ▪ explains laws ▪ resolves disputes (disagreements) ▪ decides if a law goes against the Constitution |
| What is the highest court in the United States? | the Supreme Court |
| How many justices are on the Supreme Court? | nine (9) |
| Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? | John Roberts (John G. Roberts, Jr.) |
| Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government? | to create an army, to print money |
| Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states? | provide schooling and education provide protection (police) |
| Who is the Governor of your state now? | Charly Baker |
| What is the capital of your state?* | Boston |
| What are the two major political parties in the United States?* | Democratic and Republican |
| What is the political party of the President now? | Democratic (Party) |
| What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? | Nancy Pelosi |
| There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them. | ▪ serve on a jury ▪ vote in a federal election |
| What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?* | vote in a federal election |
| Name one right only for United States citizens. | ▪ vote in a federal election ▪ run for federal office |
| What are two rights of everyone living in the United States? | freedom of speech, freedom of religion |
| What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? | ▪ the United States ▪ the flag |
| What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen? | ▪ give up loyalty to other countries ▪ defend the Constitution and laws of the United States ▪ obey the laws of the United States |
| How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?* | eighteen (18) and older |
| What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? | ▪ vote ▪ join a political party ▪ run for office |
| When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?* | April 15 |
| When must all men register for the Selective Service? | ▪ at age eighteen (18) ▪ between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26) |
| What is one reason colonists came to America? | freedom |
| Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? | Native Americans |
| What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves? | Africans |
| Why did the colonists fight the British? | because of high taxes |
| Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? | (Thomas) Jefferson |
| When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? | July 4, 1776 |
| 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 |
| What happened at the Constitutional Convention? | The Constitution was written. |
| When was the Constitution written? | 1787 |
| The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers. | ▪ (James) Madison ▪ (Alexander) Hamilton |
| What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for? | ▪ U.S. diplomat ▪ started the first free libraries ▪ oldest member of the Constitutional Convention |
| Who is the “Father of Our Country”? | (George) Washington |
| Who was the first President?* | (George) Washington |
| What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? | ▪ the Louisiana Territory (Louisiana) |
| Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s. | Civil War |
| Name the U.S. war between the North and the South. | the Civil War |
| Name one problem that led to the Civil War. | slavery |
| What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?* | freed the slaves |
| What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? | freed the slaves |
| What did Susan B. Anthony do? | fought for women’s rights |
| Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.* | World War II |
| Who was President during World War I? | (Woodrow) Wilson |
| Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II? | (Franklin) Roosevelt |
| Who did the United States fight in World War II? | Japan, Germany, and Italy |
| Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in? | World War II |
| During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States? | Communism |
| What movement tried to end racial discrimination? | civil rights (movement) |
| What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?* | fought for civil rights |
| What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States? | Terrorists attacked the United States. |
| Name one American Indian tribe in the United States. | ▪ Cherokee ▪ Navajo ▪ Sioux |
| Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States. | Mississippi (River) |
| What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States? | Pacific (Ocean) |
| What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States? | Atlantic (Ocean) |
| Name one U.S. territory. | Puerto Rico |
| Name one state that borders Canada. | Maine, New Hempshire |
| Name one state that borders Mexico. | California, Texas |
| What is the capital of the United States?* | Washington, D.C. |
| Where is the Statue of Liberty?* | New York (Harbor) |
| Why does the flag have 13 stripes? | because there were 13 original colonies |
| Why does the flag have 50 stars?* | because there are 50 states |
| What is the name of the national anthem? | The Star-Spangled Banner |
| When do we celebrate Independence Day?* | July 4 |
| Name two national U.S. holidays. | Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Columbus Day, Independence Day |