Civics Exam Pre-Test

Civics Exam Pre-Test 1.The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are those words? A. Just a bill B. America the Beautiful C. We the People D. Defend our rights 2. Why do some states have more representatives than other states? A. The state s Representatives have more seniority than the other state s Representatives B. The geographical size of the state is larger than the size of the other states C. The population of the state is greater than that of other states D. The state is located closer to Washington, D.C. than other states 3. Which of the following is NOT one of the unalienable rights listed in the Declaration of Independence? A. Freedom of speech B. Life C. Liberty D. Pursuit of happiness 4. What document announced our independence from Great Britain? A. Emancipation Proclamation B. Bill of Rights C. Articles of Confederation D. Declaration of Independence 5. What is the economic system in the United States? A. Capitalist Economy B. Republican Economy C. Command Economy D. Mutual Economy 6. How many amendments does the Constitution have? A. 27 B. 10 C. 23 D. 21 7. Which of the following is NOT one of the branches of the United States Government? A. Legislative B. Economic C. Executive

D. Judicial 8. What are the two parts of the United States Congress? A. Senate and House of Representatives B. Senate and State Governors C. Presidential Cabinet and Senate D. Presidential Cabinet and House of Representatives 9. How many U.S. Senators are there? A. 50 B. 75 C. 100 D. 200 10. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? A. Vice-President B. Speaker of the House C. White House Chief of Staff 11. We elect a President for how many years? A. 8 B. 2 C. 4 D. 6 12. What is meant by freedom of religion? A You can practice any religion, or not practice any religion B. You cannot choose the time you practice your religion C. You must choose a religion D. No one can practice a religion 13. What are the two major political parties in the United States? A. Reform and Green B. American and Bull-Moose C. Democratic and Republican D. Republican and Whigs 14. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? A. Freed the slaves in Confederate held territory B. Initiated the Civil War C. Ended World War II 15. What did Susan B. Anthony do? A. Served a nurse during the Civil War B. Worked in the Underground Railroad C. Fought for women s rights

D. Wrote the Star- Spangled Banner 16. Who was President during World War I? A. Thomas Jefferson B. Richard Nixon C. Harry Truman D. Woodrow Wilson 17. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do? A. Fought for civil rights B. Assisted in the Underground Railroad C. Served in World War I D. Wrote the poem, Mother to Son 18. Who signs bills to become law? A. Congress B. The President C. Supreme Court 19. What is the highest court in the United States? A. Trial Court B. Appellate Court C. Supreme Court D. District Court 20. How many justices are on the Supreme Court? A. 9 B. 10 C. 12 D. 18 21. What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States? A. Atlantic Ocean B. Arctic Ocean C. Baltic Sea D. Pacific Ocean 22. What age must citizens be to vote for President? A. 18 B. 17 C. 21 23. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? A. George Washington

B. Thomas Jefferson C. Abraham Lincoln D. James Madison 24. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? A. July 4, 1646 B. July 4, 1776 C. July 4, 1865 D. July 4, 1929 25. Who is the Commander-in-Chief of the military? A. The President B. Attorney General C. The Vice-President D. The Secretary of Defense 26. What is the capital of the United States? A. New York, New York B. Washington, D.C. C. Richmond, Virginia 27. How many stars does the American Flag have? A. 24 B. 50 C. 51 D. 100 28. From which country did the U.S. acquire most of its territory in the Southwest through military conquest? A. Spain B. Britain C. Canada D. Mexico 29. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states? A. Create and army B. Coin or print money C. Make treaties D. Provide schooling 30. What is one reason the colonists came to America? A. Freedom B. To join a civic group C. For the experience of traveling across the ocean 31. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?

A. Free speech B. To bear arms C. Vote D. Trial by jury 32. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? A. The President B. Checks and balances C. Freedom of speech D. The people 33. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South? A. Revolutionary War B. War of 1812 C. Civil War D. World War I 34. According to the Pledge of Allegiance, what type of government does the United States have? A. Monarchy B. Socialist C. Republic D. Communist 35. What movement tried to end racial discrimination? A. Prohibition B. Civil Rights Movement C. Conservation D. Women s Suffrage Movement 36. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government? A. To provide schooling and education B. To issue marriage licenses C. To declare war D. To issue drive r s licenses 37. What Constitutional Amendment gave women the right to vote? A. 4 th B. 12 th C. 18 th D. 19 th 38. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created. What document is this quotation from? A. The Declaration of Independence B. The Divine Right of Monarchs C. John Locke s theory of natural rights D. Common Sense

39. By area, what is the largest state in the United States? A. Texas B. Alaska C. New York D. California 40. Who has the power to declare war? A. The Congress B. The Secretary of Defense C. The Secretary of State D. The President 41. What is a formal agreement between two or more sovereign nations called? A. Article B. Treaty C. Executive Order D. Veto 42. When is the deadline for filing federal income tax forms? A. January 1 B. February 15 C. April 1 D. April 15 43. What is the rule of law? A. Institutions are exempt from the law B. Leaders are exempt from obeying the law C. Government is all-powerful D. No one is above the law 44. Who makes federal laws? A. U.S. Congress B. States C. The President D. U.S. Supreme Court 45. Who were the enemies of the United States in World War II? A. Japan, Germany, Italy B. Russia, Japan, Germany C. Korea, Vietnam, Italy D. Germany, Italy, Afghanistan 46. What is the principle of the Constitution that divides the powers of government between the state governments and national government called? A. Dual legitimacy B. Plutocracy C. Federalism D. Dictatorship

47. How many amendments make up the Bill of Rights? A. 5 B. 10 C. 2 D. 12 48. Who has the power to veto bills? A. Congress B. Supreme Court C. President D. All of the above 49. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? A. Chinese B. Russians C. Pacific Islanders D. Native Americans 50. What is the national anthem of the United States? A. God Bless the U.S.A. B. America the Beautiful C. My Country Tis of Thee D. The Star-Spangled Banner 51. At what age must all men register for the Selective Service? A. At birth B. At age 16 C. At age 18 D. Men no longer have to register 52. What Constitutional Amendment reserves powers to the states? A. 1 st B. 6 th C. 8 th D. 10 th 53. What Constitutional Amendment allowed African-American males to vote? A. 2 nd B. 15 th C. 21 st D. 27 th 54. How many original states made up the United States? A. 10 B. 13 C. 48 D. 50 55. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?

A. Germans B. Africans C. Pacific Islanders D. Russians 56. For how many years do we elect a U.S. Senator? A. 2 years B. 4 years C. 6 years D. 8 years 57. What Constitutional Amendment gives citizens the right to bear arms? A. 2 nd B. 6 th C. 10 th D. 24 th 58. What Constitutional Amendment abolished slavery in the United States? A. 5 th B. 13 th C. 19 th D. 22 nd 59. What are all citizens who are accused of crimes entitled to? A. Bail B. One last meal C. Consult with a lawyer before they are arrested D. Due process of law 60. In what type of government do citizens hold the ultimate power? A. Monarchy B. Oligarchy C. Dictatorship D. Democracy 61. What amendment in the Bill of Rights gives us freedom from self-incrimination? A. 1 st B. 3 rd C. 5 th D. 10 th 62. What is the title given to the head of the Supreme Court? A. Chief Justice B. Chief Diplomat C. Chief Legislator D. Commander-in-Chief 63. What major event happened on September 11, 2001?

A. Terrorists attacked Canada B. Terrorists attacked China C. Terrorists attacked the United States D. Terrorists attacked the United Kingdom 64. What fraction of Congress is required to override a Presidential veto? A. 1/3 B. 1/2 C. 2/3 D. 4/5 65. What is the length of the term for a Supreme Court Justice? A. 2 years B. 4 years C. 6 years D. Life 66. Which branch of government enforces the laws of the United States? A. Legislative B. Executive C. Judicial D. Economic 67. How long must an immigrant live in the United States before they can become a U.S. citizen? A. 5 years B. 7 years C. 10 years D. 14 years 68. What war with Great Britain helped the U.S. achieve its independence? A. Revolutionary War B. War of 1812 C. World War I D. World War II 69. Which region of the United States is most likely to be affected by hurricanes? A. Rocky Mountains B. Great Lakes C. Great Plains D. Gulf Coast 70. Which landmark in Washington, D.C. was burned by the British in 1814? A. The White House B. The Washington Monument C. The Pentagon D. The Capitol 71. According to the Constitution, who is the leader of the Senate?

A. Majority whip B. Majority leader C. Vice-President D. Chief Justice 72. Who delivered the Gettysburg Address? A. Andrew Johnson B. Andrew Jackson C. Abraham Lincoln D. Stephen Douglas 73. What are presidential advisers who serve as the heads of the Executive Departments known as? A. Congress B. Cabinet C. Supreme Court D. All of the above 74. What Supreme Court case ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional? A. Roe v Wade B. Obergefell v Hodges C. Brown v Topeka Board of Education D. Plessy v Ferguson 75. How many voting members are in the U.S. House of Representatives? A. 50 B. 60 C. 100 D. 435 76. What principle of the Constitution was established by the Supreme Court s Marbury v Madison decision? A. Stare decisis B. Obiter dictum C. Judicial review D. Implied powers 77. Who is the leader of the Executive Branch? A. Senate B. House of Representatives C. President D. Speaker of the House 78. Which branch of government decides if a law goes against the Constitution? A. Legislative B Executive C. Judicial D. Economic

79. From which country did the United States purchase the Louisiana Territory? A. France B. Britain C. Russia D. Spain 80. When was the Constitution written? A. 1492 B. 1776 C. 1787 D. 1861 81. In what month do we vote for President? A. January B. March C. November D. December 82. What is the largest of the U.S. territories by population? A. Cuba B. Puerto Rico C. Philippines D. Virgin Islands 83. Who was the first President of the United States? A. Abraham Lincoln B. John Adams C. John Quincy Adams D. George Washington 84. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States? A. Atlantic Ocean B. Indian Ocean C. Arctic Ocean D. Pacific Ocean 85. Who was the President during the worst part of the Great Depression and most of World War II? A. Franklin Roosevelt B. Woodrow Wilson C. Herbert Hoover D. Calvin Coolidge 86. Before he was elected President, Dwight Eisenhower commanded the Allied forces that executed the D-Day invasion. During which war did this occur? A. War of 1812 B. Gulf War C. World War I D. World War II

87. What was the United States committed to stopping the spread of during the Cold War? A. Computer fraud B. Communism C. Digital hacking D. Economic distress 88. How many stripes does the American Flag have? A 12 B. 13 C. 24 D. 50 89. What do the American Flag s stripes represent? A. The number of battalions commanded by George Washington B. The original colonies C. The members of the Second Continental Congress 90. What meeting in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 produced a new framework of government for the United States? A. Annapolis Convention B. First Continental Congress C. Second Continental Congress D. Constitutional Convention 91. If neither the President nor the Vice-President can serve, who becomes President? A. Secretary of State B. U.S. Attorney General C. President Pro Tempore D. Speaker of the House of Representatives 92. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote a series of essays in favor of the new Constitution. What were these essays known as? A. Federalist Papers B. Anti-Federalist Papers C. Common Sense D. American Crisis 93. Name a mandatory service required of U.S. citizens if called upon. A. Voting in a Presidential election B. Constructing government buildings C. Jury duty D. Performing road clean-up 94. Which Constitutional Amendment gives us the freedom to peaceably assemble or to petition for a redress of grievances? A. 1 st B. 2 nd C. 4 th

D. 5 th 95. Which Constitutional Amendment gave the right to vote to 18-20-year-olds? A. 15 th B. 19 th C. 24 th D. 26 th 96. How many lakes comprise the Great Lakes? A. 4 B. 5 C. 6 D. 7 97. What are the two longest rivers in the United States? A. Missouri River and Tennessee River B. Mississippi River and Missouri River C. Ohio River and Tennessee River 98. During which war was the Star-Spangled Banner written? A. War of 1812 B. Mexican War C. Civil War D. Spanish-American War 99. What nation borders the United States to its South? A. Canada B. Spain C. France D. Mexico 100. What nation borders the United States to its North? A. Canada B. Spain C. France D. Mexico