2008 version of the civics test Flashcards
(100 cards)
1
Q
- What is the supreme law of the land?
A
the constitution
2
Q
- What does the Constitution do?
A
▪ sets up and defines the government
▪ protects basic rights of Americans
3
Q
- The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
A
we the people
4
Q
- What is an amendment?
A
▪ a change (to the Constitution)
▪ an addition (to the Constitution)
5
Q
- What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
A
▪ the Bill of Rights
6
Q
- What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*
A
▪ speech
▪ religion
▪ assembly
▪ press
▪ petition the government
7
Q
- How many amendments does the Constitution have?
A
27
8
Q
- What did the Declaration of Independence do?
A
▪ announced our independence (from Great Britain)
▪ declared our independence (from Great Britain)
▪ said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)
9
Q
- What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
A
▪ life
▪ liberty
▪ pursuit of happiness
10
Q
- What is freedom of religion?
A
▪ You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.
11
Q
- What is the economic system in the United States?*
A
▪ capitalist economy
▪ market economy
12
Q
- What is the “rule of law”?
A
▪ Everyone must follow the law.
▪ No one is above the law.
▪ Government and leaders must obey the law.
13
Q
- Name one branch or part of the government.*
A
Judicial = ju-dee-sal
Legislative
14
Q
- What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
A
▪ checks and balances
▪ separation of powers
15
Q
- Who is in charge of the executive branch?
A
president
16
Q
- Who makes federal laws?
A
▪ Congress
▪ Senate and House (of Representatives)
▪ (U.S. or national) legislature
17
Q
- What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*
A
▪ the Senate and House (of Representatives)
18
Q
- How many U.S. Senators are there?
A
100
19
Q
- We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
A
6 years
20
Q
- Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?*
A
Benjamin Cardin
Chris Van Hollen
21
Q
- The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
A
435
22
Q
- We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
A
2 years
23
Q
- Name your U.S. Representative.
A
Anthony Brown
Jamie (Jamin) Raskin
24
Q
- Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
A
▪ all people of the state
25
25. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
▪ (because of) the state’s population
▪ (because) they have more people
▪ (because) some states have more people
26
26. We elect a President for how many years?
4 years
27
27. In what month do we vote for President?*
November
28
28. What is the name of the President of the United States now?*
Donald Trump
29
29. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
Mike Pence
30
30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
▪ the Vice President
31
31. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
▪ the Speaker of the House
32
32. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
▪ the President
33
33. Who signs bills to become laws?
▪ the President
34
34. Who vetoes bills?
▪ the President
35
35. What does the President’s Cabinet do?
▪ advises the President
36
36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?
▪ Attorney General
▪ Vice President
▪ Secretary of Defense
▪ Secretary of Education
37
37. What does the judicial branch do?
▪ reviews laws
▪ explains laws
▪ resolves disputes (disagreements)
▪ decides if a law goes against the Constitution
38
38. What is the highest court in the United States?
▪ the Supreme Court
39
39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
nine
40
40. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
John Roberts
41
41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
to print money
42
42. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
to provide schooling and education
43
43. Who is the Governor of your state now?
Larry Hogan
44
44. What is the capital of your state?*
Annapolis
45
45. What are the two major political parties in the United States?*
Democratic
| Republican
46
46. What is the political party of the President now?
Republican
47
47. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
Nancy Pelosi
48
48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
▪ Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
▪ You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
▪ Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)
▪ A male citizen of any race (can vote).
49
49. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?*
▪ serve on a jury
▪ vote in a federal election
50
50. Name one right only for United States citizens.
▪ vote in a federal election
51
51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
freedom of speech
| freedom of religion
52
52. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
the US
| the flag
53
53. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
▪ obey the laws of the United States
54
54. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?*
▪ eighteen (18) and older
55
55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
vote
| join a political party
56
56. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?*
april 15
57
57. When must all men register for the Selective Service?
▪ at age eighteen (18)
| ▪ between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)
58
58. What is one reason colonists came to America?
freedom
59
59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
▪ Native Americans
| ▪ American Indians
60
60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
▪ Africans
| ▪ people from Africa
61
61. Why did the colonists fight the British?
▪ because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
▪ because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
▪ because they didn’t have self-government
62
62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
▪ (Thomas) Jefferson
63
63. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
▪ July 4, 1776
64
64. There were 13 original states. Name three.
Maryland
Delaware
Pennsylvania
65
65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
▪ The Constitution was written.
| ▪ The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
66
67. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
Alexander Hamilton
67
68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
▪ U.S. diplomat
| ▪ started the first free libraries
68
69. Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
▪ (George) Washington
69
70. Who was the first President?*
▪ (George) Washington
70
66. When was the Constitution written?
1787
71
71. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
▪ the Louisiana Territory
| ▪ Louisiana
72
72. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
civil war
73
73. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
civil war
74
74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
slavery
75
75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*
▪ freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
| ▪ led the United States during the Civil War
76
76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
▪ freed the slaves
77
77. What did Susan B. Anthony do?
▪ fought for women’s rights
| ▪ fought for civil rights
78
78. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*
WWI
| WWII
79
79. Who was President during World War I?
▪ (Woodrow) Wilson
80
80. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
▪ (Franklin) Roosevelt
81
81. Who did the United States fight in World War II?
Japan, italy, germany (JIG)
82
82. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
WWII
83
83. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
communism
84
84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
▪ civil rights (movement)
85
85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*
▪ fought for civil rights
| ▪ worked for equality for all Americans
86
86. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
▪ Terrorists attacked the United States.
87
87. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
cherokee
inuit
crow
88
88. Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
▪ Missouri (River)
| ▪ Mississippi (River)
89
89. What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
▪ Pacific (Ocean)
90
90. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
▪ Atlantic (Ocean)
91
91. Name one U.S. territory.
▪ Puerto Rico
| ▪ U.S. Virgin Islands
92
92. Name one state that borders Canada.
michigan
| new york
93
93. Name one state that borders Mexico.
texas
94
94. What is the capital of the United States?*
washington D.C
95
95. Where is the Statue of Liberty?*
▪ New York (Harbor)
▪ Liberty Island
[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]
96
96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
▪ because there were 13 original colonies
| ▪ because the stripes represent the original colonies
97
97. Why does the flag have 50 stars?*
▪ because there is one star for each state
▪ because each star represents a state
▪ because there are 50 states
98
98. What is the name of the national anthem?
▪ The Star-Spangled Banner
99
99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?*
july 4
100
100. Name two national U.S. holidays.
new year's day
| christmas day
