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