Civics End of Course Practice Exam

The statements below are from the Declaration of Independence. A) All men...are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness... B) He has..,obstruct[ed] the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither... C) Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. D) The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history...having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. Which statement reflects the Enlightenment ideas of natural law as expressed by Locke?

A

Ben was prosecuted and convicted in state court for speaking out publicly against the governor. During his trial, he was denied the counsel of a lawyer. Two years later, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction, explaining that the state had not guaranteed Ben's constitutional rights. Which amendments apply to this case?

Amendment I (free speech) and Amendment VI (due process)

The chart below lists some powers of the executive branch. • Proposes laws • Vetoes laws • Grants federal pardons • Negotiates foreign treaties Which of the following is also a power of the executive branch?

Appoints federal judges

What is the term for a type of government in which one person possesses unlimited power?

Autocracy

The diagram describes a cause that led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence. 1 British increase taxes on colonists. 2 Colonists reject taxes passed without representation. 3 ? 4 Declaration of Independence.

British ignore colonist grievances

Fred is a homeowner interested in conserving the desert surrounding his home. Michaela is a nurse at the local children's hospital with three children of her own. Carlos is the owner of a medical supply company active m the local running club. Gina is a community college student who will soon be transferring to the local university to complete her degree. Which person would be most likely to vote "yes" to raise local taxes to pay for construction of a new hospital?

Carlos, because he will profit from supplying the new business

Who has the most power in a unitary system?

Central government

The passage below is from Federalist 51, written by James Madison in 1788. "... the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places." Which constitutional principle does Madison describe in the passage?

Checks and balances

What is the term used in the Fourteenth Amendment to describe persons who are born or naturalized in the United States?

Citizens

Which example involves changing foreign policy?

Congress lifting the oil embargo on a formerly communist government

What did many American colonists use Thomas Paine's Common Sense to justify?

Declaring independence from Britain

What is a government that is run by the people, either directly or indirectly?

Democracy

How do modem Democrats and Republicans view taxation?

Democrats tend to favor tax increases to support new social programs more than Republicans.

These boxes describe two events relating to the U.S. government. Example A -- The U.S. Supreme Court declares a law created by Congress unconstitutional. Example B -- Congress passes a new tax law and the Internal Revenue Service enforces it. What constitutional principles are demonstrated in examples A and B?

Example A: checks and balances; Example B: separation of powers

The diagram below outlines the appeals path through a state court system. 1 state-level court of original jurisdiction 2 State-level court of appeals 3 ? 4 U.S. Supreme Court Which court completes the diagram?

Florida Supreme Court

A more informed society has resulted from which constitutional protection?

Free speech

Anne Tracy works as a journalist for The Daily Mouth. She wrote a story about how Senator Jones cheated on a law school exam. She interviewed witnesses who saw the senator cheating. The story ran on the front page. Senator Jones denied the charges. Then he resigned from office. He plans to sue The Daily Mouth for damages. Under what circumstances could he sue the paper and win his lawsuit?

He could sue the paper for libel and could win the case if he proved that the accusations were untrue and his reputation was hurt.

The passage below was written by John Locke in his Second Treatise of Civil Government Government being for the preservation of every man's right and property, by preserving him from the violence or injury of others, is for the good of the governed. Based on this passage, with which complaint in the Declaration of Independence would John Locke agree?

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good

Taylor took notes during his civics class comparing the U.S. Constitution with the state of Florida's Constitution. However, he forgot to write down which set of features applied to which constitution. How can he tell the difference between them?

He remembers that the Florida Constitution has five methods to propose an amendment, but the U.S. Constitution only has two

Peter Brown has lived in his home since he was a child. Now the department of parks and recreation wants to tear down his neighborhood to build a park. A government official comes to visit Peter and offers to buy the house from him. Peter refuses. The official says that the government will now seize the property under the constitutional power of "eminent domain." According to the U.S. Constitution, under what circumstances would Peter win his fight to keep his home?

If the government did not offer him fair market price for his home

How did the U.S. Constitution address the problem under the Articles of Confederation that Congress had no power to ensure its laws were followed by the states?

It created an executive branch to enforce laws.

DAILY NEWS * May 26,1965 Voting Rights Act Passes in the Senate 97% in favor of Republicans and 73% of Democrats in favor; vote now moves to the house How did passage of this legislation affect the political process in the United States?

It enforced the Fifteenth Amendment, protecting the right of racial minorities to vote.

How does rule of law affect U.S. government officials and institutions?

It holds government officials and institutions accountable to the law.

* DAILY NEWS * February' 8,1970 Widespread Protests "We're being drafted to fight in Vietnam," says one man. "Shouldn't we be able to vote?" How did opinions like the one shown in this news story affect the political process in the United States?

It led to the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, allowing 18-year-olds to vote.

Which action illustrates citizen participation m an international organization?

Jada volunteers to help raise funds for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

What does the phrase "insure domestic tranquility" in the Preamble of the Constitution mean?

Keep the homeland at peace

Below are views for and against the increase of minimum wage. 1. Small business owners will not be able to make a profit if minimum wages are increased. We cannot afford to increase minimum wage. 2. An employee who works 40 hours a week and is paid minimum wage is still living below the poverty line. We must increase minimum wage. Which conclusion can be drawn from the views?

Minimum wage changes impact both small business owners and employees.

Which statement describes a difference between the state and federal governments under the U.S. Constitution?

Only the federal government regulates interstate trade.

Flora is concerned because her little brother became ill at school. The doctor explains he has the flu. "I've seen an increase in flu cases among children the past few years," says the doctor. "Many children need flu shots, but their parents can't afford them." Flora decides to take action. Which should be Flora's final step in attempting to encourage her community to provide low cost flu shots?

Outline her citizen-action plan to the local health department proposing it offer a low-cost vaccination clinic

Which service is performed by local government?

Providing fire protection

Kayla sat in the meeting hall and listened to the different candidates for her state's open Senate seat. The candidates debated about their positions on issues. When Election Day came along, she voted for the candidate she thought would best serve her community's interests. What form of government does Kayla have?

Representative democracy

These charts compare public and private trash-collection services. City Department of Sanitation Trash Service • Cans in use for 10 years • Average base monthly bill for residents: $30 • Currently does not offer recycling • Employs 5 full time workers The Refuse Company • Will bring in new cans • Average base monthly bill for residents: $32 • Recycling an average of $7 more per month, per resident • Will add 2 full time workers to staff Evelyn is preparing to speak to her fellow city council members about trash collection in the city. She looks at a chart made by her aide. Which argument could she make in favor of using the current city trash-collection service instead of a private service?

Residents will pay less if the city service collects trash.

The newspaper headline below describes an event in U.S. history. DAILY NEWS January 29, 2013 New Secretary of State Appointed and Confirmed Which parts of the national government participated in the process described in the newspaper headline?

Senate and president

The statement below justifies an international action. "The issue is the future of Southeast Asia as a whole. A threat to any nation in that region is a threat to all, and a threat to us." President Lyndon Johnson in his Message to Congress (August 5, 1964) Which international action is President Johnson justifying with this speech?

Sending troops to stabilize a region

The Declaration of Independence included these complaints: • Taxation without representation • Limiting judicial powers • Quartering Troops • Dissolving legislature Which complaint should be added to this list?

Suspending trial by jury in many cases

Which viewpoint was common among Anti-Federalists?

The Constitution does not give enough power to the states.

This box lists actions that citizens can take. • Attending public meetings • Helping neighbors after a storm • Following rules at landmarks • Volunteering in the community What will happen if a citizen does NOT perform these actions?

The common good will suffer.

What happened in American schools after the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education?

The federal government ordered that states desegregate classes.

Which of the following was a weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

The government did not have a separate judicial branch.

Which situation does NOT involve a right protected by the Bill of Rights?

The guarantee of a well-paying job

James Madison wrote that "liberty is to faction what air is to fire." After reading this, Jack points out that the Founders would have wanted more restrictions on lobbyists, special-interest groups, and media influencing the government. What would be a good counterargument?

The media, despite its biases, are best able to monitor the government when they are free

Following the 1966 Supreme Court decision in Miranda v. Arizona, police began informing people placed under arrest that they "have the right to remain silent." What basic freedom is this meant to protect, and how does it affect arrested individuals?

The protection against self-incrimination; it informs them that speaking to law enforcement could incriminate them.

Claude runs a chain of tourist businesses in Florida. He imports T-shirts from Haiti to sell in his stores. One day, student protesters damage several of his shops, demanding that he pay his workers in Haiti a fair wage. Claude estimates the damage at $4,000. Claude sues the protestors for the damage they cause. Where is the original jurisdiction of this case?

This is a local small-claims case

Why is a formal amendment process important?

To allow the Constitution to be adjusted as times change

The illustration below shows a legal tax document. 1040 EZ U.S. Individual Income Tax Return Which of the following is one reason why citizens are required to file such documents with the government?

To provide social programs for needy citizens

Which of the following accurately describes one way an amendment to the U.S. Constitution may be proposed?

Two-thirds of each house of Congress votes to propose.

How are the responsibilities of the legislative and executive branches of government different when it comes to treaties?

U.S. Senate ratifies treaties; the president negotiates foreign treaties.

The constitutional guarantee of a free press has resulted in

a government more responsive to the needs of the people