Civics: Fall Semester Exam
  • 1. The nation's first plan of government was the
A) US Constitution
B) New England Confederation
C) Declaration of Independence
D) Articles of Confederation
  • 2. The Federalist Papers were written in support of
A) The abolishment of Magna Carta
B) The Stamp Act
C) Independence from Great Britain
D) Ratification of the Constitution
  • 3. Principles and laws that are the foundation of a nation's government
A) Constitution
B) charter
C) New England Confederation
D) delegates
  • 4. All of the following are principles of a democracy EXCEPT:
A) allowing people to make choices
B) recognizing the worth and dignity of each person
C) Providing justice without mercy
D) promoting respect for the law
  • 5. Many of Congress' powers are
A) listed in the Bill of Rights
B) too complex to understand
C) specified in footnotes to amendments
D) implied by the constitution
  • 6. Under the Constitution's system of checks and balances, each branch of government can restrict the powers of the
A) armed forces and the president
B) other branches
C) cabinet
D) states
  • 7. Which of the following bodies holds the "power of the purse"
A) Executive Branch
B) Legislative Branch
C) cabinet
D) Judicial Branch
  • 8. The framers of the Constitution desired a national government that would do all of the following except
A) discourage concentration of power
B) respect the rights of states
C) serve the public good
D) decrease taxes
  • 9. Powers that are shared by the federal government and state governments are known as
A) reserved powers
B) inherent powers
C) concurrent powers
D) expressed powers
  • 10. Allows Congress to stretch its authority in ways not specifically granted nor denied to it by the Constitution
A) Enabling act
B) Inherent Powers
C) Elastic Clause
D) extradition
  • 11. Branches of interest groups that provide funds to candidates
A) appropriations
B) PACs
C) constituents
D) Aristocrats
  • 12. Congress has all of the following powers except the power to
A) borrow money
B) govern the District of Columbia
C) tax exports
D) regulate foreign trade
  • 13. What type of powers result from the elastic clause
A) reserved powers
B) expressed powers
C) implied powers
D) inherent powers
  • 14. How often is the census taken?
A) every 6 years
B) every 20 years
C) every 10 years
D) every year
  • 15. One issue contained in a party platform
A) plank
B) executive privilege
C) reprieve
D) popular vote
  • 16. System that specifies who becomes leader of executive branch if the presidency becomes vacant
A) Presidential succession
B) executive agreement
C) electoral college
D) executive privilege
  • 17. Group of people chosen to vote for the vice president and president
A) party platform
B) electoral college
C) reprieve
D) caucuses
  • 18. Informal agreement with the government of another country?
A) Foreign Policy
B) Executive agreement
C) Executive Vote
D) Diplomatic Policy
  • 19. Giving government jobs to political supporters as a favor
A) speaker's recommendations
B) Spoils system
C) civil service system
D) executive orders
  • 20. Heads of cabinet departments
A) Executive assistants
B) lawyers
C) Government officials
D) Secretaries
  • 21. In a constitutional monarchy, the
A) Monarch is elected every four years.
B) Monarch may change the constitutution
C) Citizens must obey the constitution only if the monarch requires it
D) Head of state is a hereditary position
  • 22. All of the following are central functions of a government EXCEPT
A) providing services
B) resolving conflict
C) maintaining order
D) pursuing truth
  • 23. Official Approval
A) none of these
B) ratify
C) boycott
D) reliable
  • 24. Refusal to buy or use certain goods
A) ratify
B) boycott
C) prohibit
D) none of these
  • 25. Principles and laws that are the foundation of a nation's government
A) Constitution
B) none of these
C) Confederation
D) Charter
  • 26. "Great Charter" that restricted the monarch's authority
A) English Constitution
B) Declarations of independence
C) Magna Carta
D) Magma Serta
  • 27. The Great Compromise concerned
A) The addition of a Bill of Rights to the Constitution
B) The question of slavery in the States
C) Whether the chief executive should be a president or a king
D) Representation in the two houses of Congress
  • 28. All of the following influence public opinion EXCEPT
A) ideology
B) voting rights
C) school
D) family
  • 29. George Gallups polling technique was better than other methods used because it was more
A) opinionated
B) scientific
C) political
D) costly
  • 30. All of the following affect poll results except
A) the wording of the questions
B) the order of the questions
C) the type of poll used
D) the number of the questions asked
  • 31. All of the following are elements of ideology EXCEPT
A) basic beliefs about opportunity
B) basic beliefs about equality
C) basic beliefs about freedom
D) basic beliefs about happiness
  • 32. All of the following are roles of the media except
A) disciplining corrupt politicians
B) serving as a gatekeeper
C) acting as a watchdog
D) informing the public
  • 33. Ensures the freedom of the press
A) 1st Amendment
B) 2nd Amendment
C) 4th Amendment
D) Articles of Confederation
  • 34. Collective opinion of large numbers of people
A) Polling
B) Public Opinion
C) Censorship
D) None of these
  • 35. Restricting information or speech that is perceived as being unacceptable
A) Public Opinion
B) Polling
C) Reverse Polling
D) Censorship
  • 36. Questioning people about one or more issue
A) public opinion
B) polling
C) sampling
D) reverse polling
  • 37. Percent below and above the results of a poll
A) posterizing
B) Reverse polling
C) Sampling error
D) poll differential
  • 38. A ???? occurs just after people have voted, and it surveys a small number of voters in randomly chosen precincts.
A) electoral poll
B) sample poll
C) real poll
D) exit poll
  • 39. Lawsuits against tobacco companies by plaintiffs who have alleged smoking related illnesses are examples of
A) class action suits
B) successful lobbying by non smokers
C) gerrymandering
D) medical interest group projects
  • 40. What are the main targets of interest group lobbyists?
A) the speaker of the house
B) Government agencies and lawmakers
C) the chief justice
D) the VP and President
  • 41. Throughout history, lobbying typically has been thought of in a(n)
A) neutral way
B) negative way
C) extremely positive way
D) slightly positive way
  • 42. One of the main benefits of interest groups is that they
A) promote minority viewpoints
B) cut down on political spending
C) can control the media
D) write legislation with lawmakers
  • 43. the majority of lobbyists
A) have doctoral degrees and give cabinet advice on controversial issues
B) have luxurious offices and meet with the president frequently
C) are experts in their areas and maintain large staffs
D) appear on television newscasts and give speeches about their concerns.
  • 44. Public statement of support for a certain political candidate
A) approval
B) none of these
C) lobbying
D) endorsement
  • 45. The American Medical Association (AMA) is a(n)
A) none of these
B) case based group
C) trade organization
D) professional group
  • 46. All of the following are major types of party systems EXCEPT
A) multiparty
B) two party
C) uniparty
D) one party
  • 47. The types of party organization in the US are
A) Town, City and County
B) Local, State and National
C) Local, City and State
D) Local and Federal
  • 48. Many countries that have one party political systems are
A) monarchies
B) wealthy
C) at way
D) dictatorships
  • 49. A plurality electoral system usually results in
A) voter apathy
B) corruption
C) political extremism
D) political moderation
  • 50. US, Local, State and national leaders are elected in
A) preprimary elections
B) general elections
C) federal elections
D) primary elections
  • 51. A poll tax was
A) charged if a person voted more than once
B) money paid for the printing of ballots
C) money paid to cast a ballot
D) a tax to finance primary elections
  • 52. In some states, citizens are allowed to vote by which of the following methods?
A) fax
B) telephone
C) internet
D) mail
  • 53. All of the following factors determine whether a person can vote except
A) registration status
B) educational background
C) residence
D) age
  • 54. Besides primaries, what are the two types of elections?
A) plural and singular
B) secondary and tertiary
C) special and general
D) multiparty and singleparty
  • 55. What amendment protects you from having to testify against yourself
A) 4th
B) 3rd
C) 5th
D) 1st
  • 56. The Guarantee of religious and political freedoms are given to us in what amendment?
A) 1st
B) 5th
C) 9th
D) 4th
  • 57. The NRA are strong supporters of what amendment?
A) 5th
B) 6th
C) 1st
D) 2nd
  • 58. TLO v. New Jersey was a case involving what amendment?
A) 4th
B) 6th
C) 5th
D) 1st
  • 59. What two amendments protect those accused of a crime?
A) 5th & 8th
B) 5th & 6th
C) 4th & 5th
D) 1st & 2nd
  • 60. The Bill of Rights guaranteed all of the following except
A) voice an opinion
B) vote
C) be tried publicly
D) assemble
  • 61. What amendment allows us to have legal representation?
A) 3rd
B) 8th
C) 1st
D) 6th
  • 62. What does a grand jury do?
A) Decide if there is enough evidence to send case to trial
B) Decide if evidence was obtained legally or not
C) Decide if a defendant is guilty
D) none of these
  • 63. In a criminal case, who is the prosecuter?
A) The accuser
B) The state
C) The supreme court
D) none of these
  • 64. Powers not specifically mentioned in the Constitution are reserved to the people in what amendment?
A) 10th
B) 9th
C) 3rd
D) 1st
  • 65. What best describes double jeopardy
A) a good movie with Ashley Judd
B) None of these
C) cannot be tried for the same crime twice
D) the highest $$ you can win with one question
  • 66. What is the worst punishment you can receive if convicted in a criminal trial
A) $10K fine
B) death
C) 10 years in prison
D) 29 days in jail
  • 67. A trial between two parties concerning money is knows as
A) Civil Trial
B) Personal Trial
C) Judge Judy Trial
D) Criminal Trial
  • 68. What amendment protects you from excessive bails fines and punishments?
A) 4th
B) 10th
C) 8th
D) 1st
  • 69. What date was the Bill of Rights ratified?
A) December 15, 1791
B) December 7, 1787
C) December 1, 1791
D) September 15, 1787
  • 70. Amendments 13,14,15 are knows as the :
A) None of these
B) Civil Justice Amendments
C) Civil War Amendments
D) Civil Rights Amendments
  • 71. Women were given the right to vote with what amendment?
A) 25th
B) 20th
C) 12th
D) 19th
  • 72. The 18th Amendment outlawed the sale, consumption, and transportation of alcohol, what was this amendment called?
A) Progressivism
B) Prohibition
C) Suffrage
D) Repeal of Prohibition
  • 73. What did the 24th Amendment abolish
A) Sur-Tax
B) Taxes
C) Poll Tax
D) Income Tax
  • 74. The amendment that gives Uncle Sam the right to tax our income is
A) 16th
B) 15th
C) 17th
D) 18th
  • 75. Afer the Vietnam War, the 26th Amendment was added to the Constitution, what was this amendment called?
A) 18 year old suffrage
B) Women's Lib Amendment
C) 18 year old Selective Service Registration Amendment
D) Non Prohibition for 18 year olds
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