Multiple Choice
1. What part of the Constitution lists the six goals and states that the people of the U.S. are the authority for the Constitution?
A. the first seven articles B. the bill of rights
C. the Preamble D. the first amendment
2. To which branch of government does the Constitution give the power to make laws?
A. the military branch B. the legislative branch
C. the judicial branch D. the executive branch
3. A member of the U.S. House of Representatives serves a ____ term.
A. four year B. six year C. two year D. one year
4. How is the number of representatives from the 50 states that serve in the House decided upon?
A. by the population of the state B. by the land area of a state
C. by the # of large cities in a state D. by the year a state was admitted in the Union.
5. How many states were needed to approve the US Constitution?
A. 3 B. 9 C. 12 D. all 13
6. How many senators are elected from each state?
A. ten B. six C. three D. two
7. What is the number of years in a term of office for a senator?
A. two years B. four years C. six years D. eight years
8. Who presides over the Senate?
A. the Secretary of State B. the Speaker of the House
C. the Vice-President of the US D. the Chief Justice
9. Where must all revenue bills begin?
A. in the Senate B. in the House of Representatives
C. in the Cabinet D. with the President
10. How can Congress override a Presidential veto of a bill?
A. by a 1/3 vote in both houses B. by taking it to the Supreme Court
C. by a 2/3 vote in both houses D. by a 100% vote in both houses
11. What is one thing the federal government is forbidden to do?
A. establish post offices B. grant titles of nobility
C. coin money D. fix the standard of weights
12. What is one power that is denied to the states?
A. provide a public education B. tax people
C. make treaties with other countries D. build roads
13. Who has the power to enforce the laws?
A. the Supreme Court B. the President
C. the House D. the Senate
14. How long is the term of office of the President?
A. two years B. four years C. five years D. six years
15. The Electoral College meets to
A. impeach the President B. appoint Supreme Court Justices
C. vote for the President D. override a President’s veto
16. How long must a person be a citizen of the U.S. in order to run for Pres?
A. 7 years B. 9 years C. 20 years D. since birth
17. Who is next in line for the presidency AFTER the vice-president?
A. the Secretary of State B. the Speaker of the House of Reps
C. the president pro-tempore D. the Senate majority leader
18. Who has the power to command all of the armed forces of the U.S.?
A. the Senate B. the House C. the President D. the Chief Justice
19. What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution called?
A. the Reconstruction Amendments B. the Preamble
C. the Revolutionary Amendments D. the Bill of Rights
20. Which amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech, and the press?
A. I B. III C. V D. X
21. When a tie among electoral votes occurs, the _____ decides the winner of the presidency.
A. House of Representatives B. Senate
C. Vice-President D. Congress
22. According to Amendment XXII, how many terms of office may a President serve?
A. one B. two C. three D. four
23. According to Amendment XXVI, how old must a U.S. citizen be in order to vote?
A. 17 B. 18 C. 21 D. 25
24. How many senators make up the Senate?
A. 438 B. 150 C. 100 D. 200
25. How many members are in the Supreme Court?
A. 15 B. 5 C. 8 D. 9
26. The Vice-President is President of the Senate but only votes
A. when asked by the President B. when there is a tie
C. when a member is sick D. he can’t vote
27. What vote of the states is needed to approve an amendment?
A. 1/2 B. 2/3 C.3/4 D. All 50
28. The ____ says that the federal government is superior over state governments
A. Elastic Clause B. Bill of Rights
C. Supremacy Clause D. Articles
29. The idea of sharing powers between state & federal governments is known as _____.
A. federalism B. Original Jurisdiction
C. Judicial Review D. Nationalism
30. Powers given to Congress are called ____ powers.
A. delegated B. reserved
C. shared D. concurrent
31. Powers given to the states are called ____ powers.
A. delegated B. reserved
C. shared D. concurrent
32. Powers shared by federal and state governments are called ___.
A. delegated B. reserved
C. balanced D. concurrent
33. Which is an example of a reserved power? ___
A. coining money B. establishing schools
C. declaring war D. establishing post offices
34. Which is an example of a concurrent power? ___
A. passing copyright laws B. maintaining armed forces
C. building roads D. establishing schools
35. If the president doesn’t act on a bill within 10 days, what could happen to that bill? ___
A. goes back to Senate B. pocket veto
C. goes back to House D. he throws it away
36. If not born here, what process must a person go through to become a United States citizen? ___
A. jurisdiction B. naturalization
C. federalism D. nationalism
37. Who elects United States Senators? ___
A. the state legislatures B. the president
C. the US people D. they’re not elected
38. How many times does Congress have to be in session each year? ___
A. 50 B. 100 C. 25 D. 1
39. How often can the number of representatives from each state change? ___
A. every 5 years B. every 20 years
C. every 10 years D. they can’t change
40. At what age do you qualify to run for US President? ___
A. 25 B. 30 C. 35 D. 40
41. At what age do you qualify to run for US Senate? ___
A. 25 B. 30 C. 35 D. 40
42. At what age do you qualify to run for US Representative? ___
A. 25 B. 30 C. 35 D. 40
43. Where did the delegates meet to write the US Constitution? ___
A. Philadelphia, PA B. Bradley, IL
C. Washington DC D. New York City, NY
44. The United States prohibits _ under Amendment XVIII? ___
A. women from voting B. alcohol
C. illegal aliens D. search warrants
45. If a foreign citizen wants to sue a state, where must that trial occur? ___
A. in that state court B. the Supreme Court
C. a federal court D. an appellate court
46. How many electoral votes did Washington DC get with the 23rd Amendment? ___
A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. 10
47. How many Amendments have been nullified? ___
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. none of them
48. How many total members of Congress are there? ___
A. 435 B. 100 C. 535 D. 9
TRUE/FALSE
49. T / F — Supreme Court members serve for a lifetime.
50. T / F — The President must sign all bills before they can become laws.
51. T / F — All bills must be passed by both House and Senate before being sent to the President.
52. T / F — The Preamble is a way to change the Constitution.
53. T / F — The states have the right to coin money.
54. T / F — A foreign-born citizen who becomes an American citizen may become President.
55. T / F — There have been 27 Amendments to the Constitution.
56. T / F — A bill can also become law without the President’s signature.
57. T / F — To become President, it takes the majority of the electoral votes.
58. The U.S. Supreme Court is the highest court in America.
59. T / F — The Constitution and its amendments guarantee rights to you and every other American citizen.
60. T / F — The Legislative Branch is the law-making branch.
61. T / F — The Executive Branch can find a law unconstitutional.
62. T / F — All citizens have the right to a speedy, fair, and public trial.
63. T / F — When someone is tried for the same crime more than once, it is known as an unreasonably severe punishment.
64. T / F — The Articles of Confederation was America’s first constitution.
65. T / F — The opening date for Congress is January 1.
66. T / F — A US Senator can also be a Supreme Court Justice.
67. T / F — The leader of the Senate if the Vice President can’t lead is called the President Pro – Tempore.
68. T / F — A trial must be held in the state the crime was committed.
69. T / F — Voting day is the first Monday after the first Tuesday in November.
70. T / F — Congress can pass an ex post facto law.
71. T / F — Supreme Court justices have to have been lawyers previously.
72. T / F — Congress has the power to make all laws necessary and proper for the good of the government.
73. T / F — As an American citizen, you have the duty to serve on a jury if asked.
74. T / F — As an American citizen, you have the responsibility to vote responsibly.
Write the letter “S” in the answer blank if the statement is about the Senate.
Write the letter “H” in the answer blank if the statement is about the House of Rep.
Write the letter “C” in the answer blank if the statement is about the whole Congress
75. Members are elected to serve two years. _____
76. Members are elected to serve six years. _____
77. Members’ salaries cannot be raised or lowered during their term. _____
78. The presiding officer (the one in charge) is called the Speaker. _____
79. There are two members from each state in this body. _____
80. All revenue (money/tax) bills start here. _____
81. A member can serve an unlimited amount of terms. _____
82. The Vice-President is the president of this legislative branch. _____
83. This body can override the President’s veto by a two-thirds vote. _____
84. Has the power of impeachment. _____
85. Has the power to try impeachment cases. _____
