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Immigration Question
100 Civics Questions and Answers
Question | Answer |
---|---|
What is the supreme law of the land? | the Constitution |
What does the Constitution do? | - sets up the government - - defines the government - - protects basic rights of Americans - |
The idea of self-government is in the first 3 words of the Constitution. What are these words? | We the People |
What is an amendment? | - a change (to the Constitution) - - an addition (to the Constitution) - |
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? | the Bill of Rights |
What is ONE right or freedom from the First Amendment? | - speech - - religion - - assembly - - press - - petition the government - |
How many amendments does the Constitution have? | Twenty-seven (27) |
What did the Declaration of Independence do? | - announced our independence (from Great Britain) - - declared our independence (from Great Britain) - - said that the United States is free (from Great Britain) - |
What are TWO rights in the Declaration of Independence? | - life - - liberty - - pursuit of happiness - |
What is freedom of religion? | You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion. |
What is the economic system in the United States? | - capitalist economy - - market economy - |
What is the "rule of law?" | - Everyone must follow the law. - - Leaders must obey the law. - - Government must obey the law. - - No one is above the law. - |
Name ONE branch or part of the government? | - Congress - - legislative - - President - - executive - - the courts - - judicial - |
What stops ONE branch of government from becoming too powerful? | - checks and balances - - separation of powers - |
Who is in charge of the executive branch? | the President |
Who makes federal laws? | - Congress - - Senate and House (of Representatives) - - (U.S. or national) legislature - |
What are the TWO parts of the U.S. Congress? | the Senate and House (of Representatives) |
How many U.S. Senators are there? | One hundred (100) |
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? | Six (6) |
Who is ONE of your state's U.S. Senators now? | - Dianne Feinstein - - Barbara Boxer - |
The House of Representatives has how many voting members? | Four hundred thirty-five (435) |
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years? | Two (2) |
Name your U.S. Representative. | Paul Cook |
Who does a U.S. Senator represent? | All people of the state. |
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 - |
We elect a President for how many years? | Four(4) |
In what month do we vote for President? | November |
What is the name of the President of the United States now? | - Barack Obama - - Obama - |
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? | - Joseph R. Biden, Jr. - - Joe Biden - - Biden - |
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? | the Vice President |
If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? | the Speaker of the House |
Who is the Commander in Chief of the military? | the President |
Who signs bills to come laws? | the President |
Who vetoes bills? | the President |
Who does the President's Cabinet do? | advises the President |
Who are TWO Cabinet-level positions? | - Secretary of Veterans Affairs - - Attorney General - - Vice President - - Secretary of the Treasury |
What does the judicial branch do? | - reviews laws - - explains laws - - resolves disputes (disagreements) - - decides if a law goes against the Constitution - |
What is the highest court in the United States? | the Supreme Court |
How many justices are on the Supreme Court? | Nine (9) |
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? | John Roberts (John G. Roberts, Jr.) |
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is ONE power of the federal government? | - to print money - - to declare war - - to create an army - - to make treaties - |
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is ONE power of the states? | - provide schooling and education - provide protection (police) - provide safety (fire departments) - - give a driver's license - - approve zoning and land use - |
Who is the Governor of your state now? | Jerry Brown |
What is the capital of your state? | Sacramento |
What are the TWO major political parties in the United States? | Democratic and Republican |
what is the political party of the President now? | Democratic (Party) |
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? | (John) Boehner |
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). - |
What is ONE responsibility that is only for United States citizens? | - serve on a jury - - vote in a federal election - |
Name ONE right only for United States citizens. | - vote in a federal election - - run for federal office - |
What are TWO rights of everyone living in the United States? | - freedom of expression - - freedom of speech - - freedom of assembly - - freedom to petition the government - - freedom of worship - - the right to bear arms - |
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? | - the United States - - the flag - |
What is ONE promise you make when you become a United States citizen? | - give up loyalty to other countries - - defend the Constitution and laws of the United States - - obey the laws of the United States - - be loyal to the United States - |
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? | Eighteen (18) and older |
What are TWO ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? | - vote - - join a political party - - help with a campaign - - join a civic group - - join a community group - - run for office - - write to newspaper - |
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? | April 15 |
When must all men register for the Selective Service? | - at age eighteen (18) - - between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26) - |
What is ONE reason colonists came to America? | - freedom - - political liberty - - religious freedom - - economic opportunity - - practice their religion - - escape persecution - |
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? | - American Indians - - Native Americans - |
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves? | - Africans - - people from Africa - |
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 the didn't have self-government - |
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? | (Thomas) Jefferson |
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? | July 4, 1776 |
There were 13 original states. Name THREE. | - New Hampshire - - Massachusetts - - Rhode Island - - Connecticut - - New York - - New Jersey - - North Carolina - - South Carolina - - Virginia - - Georgia - |
What happened at the Constitutional Convention? | - The Constitution was written. - - The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution. - |
When was the Constitution written? | 1787 |
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name ONE of the writers. | - (James) Madison - - (Alexander) Hamilton - - (John) Jay - - Publius |
What is ONE thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for? | - U.S. diplomat - - oldest member of the Constitutional Convention - - first Postmaster General of the United States - - writer of "Poor Richard's Almanac" - - started the first free libraries - |
Who is the "Father of Our Country?" | (George) Washington |
Who was the first President? | (George) Washington |
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? | - the Louisiana Territory - - Louisiana - |
Name ONE war fought by the United States in the 1800s. | - War of 1812 - - Mexican-American War - - Civil War - - Spanish-American War |
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South. | - the Civil War - - the War between the States - |
Name ONE problem that led to the Civil war. | - slavery - - economic reasons - - states' rights - |
What was ONE important thing that Abraham Lincoln did? | - freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation) - - saved (or preserved) the Union - - led the United States during the Civil War |
What did Susan B. Anthony do? | - fought for women's rights - - fought for civil rights - |
Name ONE war fought by the United States in the 1900s. | - World War 1 - - World War 2 - - Korean War - - Vietnam War - - (Persian) Gulf War - |
Who was President during World War I? | (Woodrow) Wilson |
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II? | (Franklin) Roosevelt |
Who did the United States fight in World War II? | Japan, Germany, and Italy |
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in? | World War II |
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States? | Communism |
What movement tried to end racial discrimination? | civil rights (movement) |
What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do? | - fought for civil rights - - worked for equality for all Americans - |
What major even happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States? | Terrorists attacked the United States |
Name ONE American Indian tribe in the United States. | - Creek - - Cherokee - - Apache - - Cheyenne |
Name ONE of the two longest rivers in the United States. | - Missouri (River) - - Mississippi (River) - |
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States? | Pacific (Ocean) |
What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States? | Atlantic (Ocean) |
Name ONE U.S. territory. | - U.S. Virgin Islands - - Puerto Rico - - Guam - |
Name ONE state that borders Canada. | - Maine - - New York - - Pennsylvania - - Ohio - Vermont |
Name ONE state that borders Mexico. | - California - - Texas - - Arizona - - New Mexico - |
What is the capital of the United States? | Washington, D.C. |
Where is the Statue of Liberty? | - New York (Harbor) - - Liberty Island - |
Why does the flag have 13 stripes? | - because there were 13 original colonies - - because the stripes represent the original colonies - |
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 - |
What is the name of the national anthem? | The Star-Spangled Banner |
When do we celebrate Independence Day? | July 4 |
Name TWO national U.S. holidays. | - Christmas - - Thanksgiving - - Veterans Day - - Labor Day - Memorial Day - Independence Day - Presidents' Day |