Civics Unit 3 Test

Which amendment grants reserved powers to the states?

Tenth

In which of the following ways can the Constitution be amended?

by a convention of state legislatures

How many U.S. Senators represent each state?

2

What must happen before a bill can be sent to the president?

Both houses must pass an identical bill.

Once a bill has been introduced to the House or the Senate and given a number, to which document is it added?

Congressional Record

Jane was accused of first-degree murder when her mother was killed. After trial, she was found not guilty. Five years later, new evidence is found, and she is charged with first-degree murder of her mother once again. Which amendment protects Jane from facing trial a second time?

Fifth

A bill has been debated and passed by the sponsor's house. What happens next?

It is sent to the other house of Congress.

What is a good way to make an informed choice on election day?

Study the candidates and their platforms to decide which one has ideas and beliefs most like your own.

How is the Constitution a living document even when the text remains the same?

The text can be reinterpreted as times change.

What does the U.S. Constitution require regarding the number of sessions for each term of Congress?

There must be at least two sessions for each term of Congress.

How do amendments make the Constitution a living document?

They allow the document to be changed.

What do the Speaker of the House and president pro tempore have in common?

They are members of the majority party of their respective house.

Why did America's founders want the Constitution to be a living document?

They knew there were issues they could not foresee.

Which of the following is the only constitutional qualification that is the same for both U.S. senators and U.S. representatives?

They must live in the state they will represent.

Which of the following is a way that a constitutional amendment can be ratified?

Three-fourths of state legislatures approve the amendment.

Who of the following formally introduces a bill to Congress?

a sponsor

Which First Amendment freedom protects the citizens' rights protest peacefully against the government?

assembly

The president wants to introduce a bill to Congress. How could the president inform the most people regarding this idea for a new law?

by presenting it during the State of the Union Address

How do citizens directly aid the military during a time of war?

by rationing goods

The meeting where Republicans and Democrats choose the leaders of their parties in each house of Congress is called the _____.

caucus

The Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Amendments protect which of the following?

citizens accused of a crime

After a sponsor introduces a bill to the appropriate house of Congress, who will consider the bill next?

committees

Which of the following powers are not denied to Congress?

declaring war

The Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship to all freed slaves as well as what protection?

due process of law

Article I, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution states that _____ cannot be taxed.

exports

Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress specific powers, such as collecting taxes, coining money, and declaring war. What are these powers called?

expressed powers

What is the name of the process used when a member of Congress is removed from office?

expulsion

Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment reads that "No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress or Elector of President or Vice President...shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion...or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof." According to this information, who was not allowed to become a member of U.S. government after the Civil War?

former Confederate generals

Which of the following is not a positive way to help your community?

going to music camp over the summer

Which of the following powers does the necessary and proper clause grant Congress?

implied

How were the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments enforced?

laws made by Congress

Which voting obstacle was eliminated by the passage of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment in 1964?

literacy tests

Which of the following scenarios cannot play out once a bill reaches the president's desk?

overriding a veto

John thinks that the electoral college is outdated and should no longer be used to elect our president and vice president. He gets one thousand people to sign a document supporting an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would eliminate the electoral college. Then, he gives it to his state representative. Which freedom is John exercising?

petition

In the century following the American Civil War, which of the following groups was not granted the right to vote in national elections by ratification of an amendment?

property owners

Making sure that your dog stays off your neighbors' yards is an example of _____.

respecting and protecting the rights of others

Each U.S. Senator serves a _____-year term.

six

Why does the U.S. Constitution limit the powers of Congress?

so that one branch or level of government does not become all powerful

How many amendments were ratified in the Bill of Rights?

ten

Which of the following can determine whether a constitutional amendment is valid or not?

the Supreme Court

Which amendment, passed two hundred years after it was first proposed, forbids Congress from giving itself a raise?

the Twenty-Seventh Amendment

Which amendment addressed the voting age and was ratified largely because of soldiers being sent to fight the Vietnam War?

the Twenty-Sixth Amendment

During the planning of the U.S. Constitution, what document was referenced to set up the House of Representatives as a legislative body, in which each state's representation was based on its population?

the Virginia Plan

What document determines how many seats each state receives in the House of Representatives?

the census

Which of the following would no longer exist if people did not pay their taxes?

the goverment

Which of the following is not a power given to the U.S. Senate?

the power to impeach federal officials

According to the U.S. Constitution, who is the president of the Senate?

the vice president

Why was the freedom of the press included in the First Amendment?

to allow citizens to make their own informed decisions

Which of the following is not a reason to hold a joint session of Congress?

to debate a bill about military spending

Why does the lawmaking process take so long?

to ensure that all laws are necessary

What is the purpose of a lobby group such as the National Rifle Association?

to influence legislation based on their beliefs

Which of the following is not a reason the government expects citizens to obey laws?

to limit the freedom of its citizens

How long is a term of Congress?

two years

Which of the following is not included in the Bill of Rights?

voting rights