West Ada School District Civics Test
Created 10/2015 Directions: Select the best answer from the choices provided. Record your answer by filling in the circle corresponding to your selection on the answer sheet. Be sure the question number in this exam and on your answer sheet match.
1) What is the supreme law of the land?
a. the Constitution b. the Declaration of Independence c. English Bill of Rights d. Magna Carta
2) What does the Constitution NOT do?
a. set up the government b. define the government c. protect basic rights of Americans d. separate the Colonies from England
3) The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
a. I pledge allegiance b. Oh say can c. We hold these d. We the people
4) What is an amendment?
a. a change/addition to the Constitution b. a change to the Mayflower Compact c. an addition to the Declaration of Independence d. a change to the Articles of Confederation
1 GO TO NEXT PAGE 5) What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
a. the Preamble b. the Bill of Rights c. the Declaration of Independence d. the Big Ten
6) Which of the following is NOT a right of freedom from the First Amendment?
a. religion b. speech c. vote d. press
7) How many amendments does the Constitution have?
a. 7 b. 17 c. 27 d. 37
8) What did the Declaration of Independence NOT do?
a. announce our independence from Great Britain b. declare our independence from Great Britain c. announce our independence from France d. say that the United States is free from Great Britain
2 GO TO NEXT PAGE 9) Which of the following is NOT a right in the Declaration of Independence?
a. life b. liberty c. freedom of press d. pursuit of happiness
10) What is freedom of religion?
a. you can tell other people what religion to practice b. you can establish a national religion c. you can discriminate based on religion d. you can practice any religion or not practice a religion
11) What is the economic system in the United States?
a. Capitalist/Market economy b. Communist economy c. Marxist economy d. Socialist economy
12) What is NOT the “rule of law”?
a. some people are above the law b. everyone must follow the law c. leaders must obey the law d. no one is above the law
3 GO TO NEXT PAGE 13) Which of the following is NOT a branch or part of the government?
a. Legislative b. Executive c. Judicial d. Municipal
14) Which of the following does NOT stop one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
a. checks and balances b. separation of powers c. term limits
15) Who is in charge of the Executive Branch?
a. President b. Vice President c. Chief Justice d. Speaker of the House
16) Who does NOT make federal laws?
a. Congress b. Senate and House of Representatives c. U.S. or national legislature d. President
4 GO TO NEXT PAGE 17) What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
a. the Senate and House of Representatives b. the President and Supreme Court c. the Senate and President d. the Supreme Court and House of Representatives
18) How many U.S. Senators are there?
a. 50 b. 75 c. 100 d. 200
19) We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
a. 2 b. 4 c. 6 d. 8
20) The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
a. 200 b. 235 c. 400 d. 435
5 GO TO NEXT PAGE 21) We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
a. 2 b. 4 c. 6 d. 8
22) Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
a. all of the people of the state b. all of the people of the nation c. half of the people of the state d. half of the people of the nation
23) Why do some states have more representatives than other states?
a. because some states are more populated b. because some states have more money c. because some states are Republican d. because some states are Democratic
24) We elect a President for how many years?
a. 2 b. 4 c. 6 d. 8
6 GO TO NEXT PAGE 25) In what month do we vote for President?
a. March b. July c. September d. November
26) If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
a. the Speaker of the House b. the Vice President c. the Senate Majority Leader d. the President’s spouse
27) If the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
a. the House Minority Leader b. the Speaker of the House c. the Senate Majority Leader d. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
28) Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
a. the Vice President b. the Secretary of State c. the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court d. the President
7 GO TO NEXT PAGE 29) Who signs bills to become federal laws?
a. the Governor b. the Secretary of Defense c. the President d. the Senate Majority Leader
30) Who vetoes federal bills?
a. the Governor b. the Secretary of Defense c. the President d. the Senate Majority Leader
31) What does the President’s Cabinet do?
a. advises the President b. advises the Governor c. advises foreign diplomats d. advises the Legislature
32) Which of the following is NOT a Cabinet-level position?
a. Secretary of Education b. Secretary of Defense c. the President d. the Senate Majority Leader
8 GO TO NEXT PAGE 33) Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of the Judicial Branch?
a. create laws b. review laws c. explain laws d. resolve disputes e. decide if a law goes against the Constitution
34) What is the highest court in the United States?
a. the Appellate Court b. the Supreme Court c. the 9th District Circuit Court d. the Idaho Supreme Court
35) How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
a. 3 b. 5 c. 7 d. 9
36) Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. Which of the following is NOT a power of the federal government?
a. to print money b. to declare war c. to provide education d. to create an army e. to make treaties
9 GO TO NEXT PAGE 37) Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. Which of the following is NOT a power of the states?
a. provide schooling and education b. provide protection (police) c. provide safety (fire departments) d. print money e. provide a driver’s license
38) What is the capital of Idaho?
a. Albany b. Laramie c. Boise
39) Which of the following is NOT a major political party in the United States?
a. Democratic b. Republican c. Green
40) Which of the following is NOT an amendment to the Constitution about who can vote?
a. citizens eighteen and older can vote b. you don’t have to pay a poll tax to vote c. any citizen (man and woman) can vote d. you have to have a high school diploma to vote
10 GO TO NEXT PAGE 41) Which of the following is NOT a responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
a. run for federal office b. serve on a jury c. vote in a federal election
42) Which of the following is NOT a right reserved for United States citizens only?
a. vote in a federal election b. serve on a jury c. attend church of choice
43) Which of the following is NOT a right of everyone living in the United States?
a. freedom of speech b. freedom of employment c. freedom of assembly d. freedom of worship
44) What do we NOT show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
a. the United States b. the flag c. the Republic d. liberty
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45) What is NOT a promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
a. give up loyalty to other countries b. defend the Constitution and laws of the United States c. refuse to visit other countries d. obey the laws of the United States
46) How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
a. 18 b. 21 c. 35 d. 62
47) Which of the following is NOT a way that Americans can participate in their democracy?
a. vote b. join a political party c. help with a campaign d. contribute to the economy
48) When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
a. January 1 b. April 15 c. June 15 d. July 4
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49) When must all men register for the Selective Service?
a. at age 18 b. at age 30 c. at age 40 d. at age 50
50) Which of the following is NOT a reason colonists came to America?
a. religious freedom b. economic opportunity c. land purchase d. political freedom
51) Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
a. East Asians b. Native American Indians c. West Africans d. Chinese
52) What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
a. Asians b. Aborigines c. Africans d. Alaskans
13 GO TO NEXT PAGE 53) Which of the following is NOT a reason the colonists fought the British?
a. they couldn’t get enough tea b. high taxes (taxation without representation) c. the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering) d. they didn’t have self-government
54) Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
a. John Hancock b. John Adams c. Thomas Jefferson d. Benjamin Franklin
55) When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
a. January 1, 1780 b. July 4, 1776 c. November 11, 1918 d. December 31, 1787
56) There were 13 original states. Which of the following is NOT one of the original 13 states?
a. Massachusetts b. Idaho c. New York d. Virginia
14 GO TO NEXT PAGE 57) What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
a. the Declaration of Independence was adopted b. the Declaration of Independence was written c. the Constitution was written
58) When was the Constitution written?
a. 1776 b. 1787 c. 1812 d. 2001
59) The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Which of the following was NOT one of the writers?
a. James Madison b. Alexander Hamilton c. John Jay d. Patrick Henry e. Publius
60) Which of the following is Benjamin Franklin NOT famous for?
a. being a U.S. diplomat b. being the first Postmaster General of the United States c. writing “Poor Richard’s Almanac” d. inventing the light bulb e. starting the first free libraries
15 GO TO NEXT PAGE 61) Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
a. Abraham Lincoln b. Benjamin Franklin c. George Washington d. James Madison
62) Who was the first President?
a. Abraham Lincoln b. Benjamin Franklin c. George Washington d. James Madison
63) What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
a. the California Territory b. the Idaho Territory c. the Louisiana Territory d. the Northwest Territory
64) Which of the following was NOT a war fought by the United States in the 1800s?
a. Civil War b. Mexican-American War c. Spanish-American War d. World War II
16 GO TO NEXT PAGE 65) What is the name of the U.S. war between the North and the South?
a. the Civil War b. the Korean War c. World War I d. World War II
66) Which of the following was NOT a problem that led to the Civil War?
a. slavery b. religious rights c. economic reasons d. states’ rights
67) Which of the following was NOT an important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
a. freed the slaves b. preserved the Union c. purchased the Louisiana Territory d. led the United States during the Civil War
68) What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
a. freed the slaves b. gave voting rights to women c. enacted the draft d. legalized gay marriage
17 GO TO NEXT PAGE 69) What did Susan B. Anthony do?
a. fought for women’s rights and civil rights b. designed the U.S. flag c. signed the U.S. Constitution d. went on the Oregon Trail
70) Which of the following is NOT a war fought by the United States in the 1900s?
a. Civil War b. Persian Gulf War c. World War I d. World War II
71) Who was President during World War I?
a. Theodore Roosevelt b. Woodrow Wilson c. Franklin Roosevelt d. John F. Kennedy
72) Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
a. Theodore Roosevelt b. Woodrow Wilson c. Franklin Roosevelt d. John F. Kennedy
18 GO TO NEXT PAGE 73) Who did the United States NOT fight in World War II?
a. Japan b. Germany c. Italy d. Iraq
74) Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
a. Civil War b. Persian Gulf War c. World War I d. World War II
75) During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
a. Confucianism b. Federalism c. Socialism d. Communism
76) What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
a. civil rights movement b. human rights movement c. animal rights movement d. women’s suffrage movement
19 GO TO NEXT PAGE 77) Which of the following did Martin Luther King Jr. NOT do?
a. worked for equality for all Americans b. ran for President c. fought for civil rights
78) What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States?
a. Hurricane Katrina b. terrorists attacked the United States c. the Stock Market crashed d. the U.S. first landed on the moon
79) Which of the following is NOT an American Indian tribe in the United States?
a. Cherokee b. Navajo c. Ewoks d. Sioux
80) Which of the following is one of the two longest rivers in the United States?
a. Snake River b. Ohio River c. Mississippi River d. Colorado River
20 GO TO NEXT PAGE 81) What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
a. Atlantic Ocean b. Pacific Ocean c. Arctic Ocean d. Indian Ocean
82) What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
a. Atlantic Ocean b. Pacific Ocean c. Arctic Ocean d. Indian Ocean
83) Which of the following is NOT a U.S. Territory?
a. Puerto Rico b. U.S. Virgin Islands c. American Samoa d. Hawaii
84) Which of the following is NOT a state that borders Canada?
a. Montana b. Idaho c. Washington d. Florida
21 GO TO NEXT PAGE 85) Which of the following is NOT a state that borders Mexico?
a. California b. Arizona c. Maine d. Texas
86) What is the capital of the United States?
a. Boise, ID b. New York, NY c. Washington, D.C. d. Philadelphia, PA
87) Where is the Statue of Liberty?
a. New York Harbor b. San Francisco Bay c. Lake Michigan
88) Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
a. because there were 13 original colonies b. because 13 is considered a lucky number c. because there were 13 founding fathers d. because they ran out of fabric
22 GO TO NEXT PAGE 89) Why does the flag have 50 stars?
a. because there is one star for each state b. because there is one star for each President the U.S. has had c. because there are 50 territories d. because there are 50 counties in Washington D.C.
90) What is the name of the national anthem?
a. “You’re a Grand Old Flag” b. “America the Beautiful” c. “The Star-Spangled Banner” d. “Yankee Doodle”
91) When do we celebrate Independence Day?
a. January 1 b. April 15 c. July 4 d. December 25
92) Which of the following is NOT a national U.S. holiday?
a. New Year’s Day b. Halloween c. Thanksgiving d. Christmas
23 GO TO NEXT PAGE 93) Who is one of Idaho’s U.S. Senators now?
a. Raul Labrador b. Mike Crapo c. Mike Simpson d. Butch Otter
94) Who is one of Idaho’s U.S. Representatives now?
a. Mike Crapo b. Jim Risch c. Mike Simpson d. Butch Otter
95) What is the name of the President of the United States now?
a. Bill Clinton b. John F. Kennedy c. Jimmy Carter d. Barack Obama
96) What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
a. Dick Cheney b. Dan Quail c. Joe Biden d. Al Gore
24 GO TO NEXT PAGE 97) Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
a. John Smith b. Butch Otter c. John Roberts (John G. Roberts, Jr.) d. Warren Burge
98) Who is the Governor of Idaho now?
a. Butch Otter b. Scott Walker c. Brad Little d. Mike Simpson
99) What is the political party of the President now?
a. Libertarian b. Green c. Republican d. Democratic
100) What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
a. Joe Biden b. John Roberts c. Paul Ryan d. Barack Obama
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