American History
"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried." Sir Winston Churchill What is the significance of the above quote?
Every government has problems and imperfections, but democracy is the best form of government compared to all other forms
How is the principle of FEDERALISM reflected in the US Constitution?
The Constitution acknowledges state governments which must share power with the federal government
• 1980: Candy Lightner establishes Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to advocate for strong drunk driving laws • 1988: Minimum drinking age set at twenty-one in all fifty states • 1992: Alcohol-related driving deaths drop 26 percent since 1984 The best title for this chart is
How an Individual Citizen Helped Improve Community Safety
Which of the following occurred as a result of the Civil Rights Act of 1964? I. racial discrimination in public places became illegal II. employment discrimination based on gender was outlawed III. literacy tests in voting were eliminated
I and II only
How did federalism limit the powers of government in the United States?
It created two sovereigns, the state government and the federal government, which must share power
How does the Bill of Rights work to limit the powers of government?
It ensures individual rights to citizens
Which of these situations illustrates citizens responsibly practicing the freedoms of a democratic society?
Miko and some friends picket the local shoe factory because of recent layoffs
Thomas Hobbes was an Enlightenment thinker considered to be the originator of the social contract theory. According to Hobbes and his ideas on the social contract, which of the following would be TRUE?
People give up certain rights to a government in order to maintain social order
Which of the following BEST describes the United States?
Republic, Federal, Presidential
"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." - Preamble, U.S. Constitution How does the Preamble to the United States Constitution suggest the political principle of the social compact?
The Constitution and government are established by the people
Which headline illustrates the use of judicial review?
"New York State's Reapportionment Plan Ruled Unconstitutional"
Which of the following actions would NOT be protected under freedom of speech?
A draftee burns a military draft card
How was the Constitution SIGNIFICANT in helping African Americans to gain civil rights?
African Americans challenged laws and customs that violated their constitutional rights
What was one of the MAIN reasons the Bill of Rights was added to the U.S. Constitution?
Anti-federalists were concerned that without a bill of rights, citizens would not be properly protected
Why are excerpts, sections or entire amendments, of the US Constitution, still studied even though they are outdated or obsolete?
Because they are a permanent part of a document that changes as society changes
Which of these is an example of separation of powers?
The President enforces a law passed by Congress
What impact did the Supreme Court case of Griswold v. Connecticut have on women's rights?
The case overturned a statute that prevented the use of contraceptives
Why did the framers of the Constitution make amending the Constitution so difficult?
They wanted the Constitution to be able to change, but only if it was widely agreed upon
As a result of the Supreme Court ruling in Miranda v. Arizona (1966), a person accused of a crime is entitled to
a reading of his or her rights at the time of arrest
Which of these actions would MOST likely violate civil rights laws?
an employer refuses to consider senior citizens for jobs
The U.S. Government is considered a federal system because
both national and state governments exist within the nation
Limited governments curtail government power and protect the right of citizens. Which of the following is an example of a country with a limited government?
canada
The expansion of suffrage in the United States best illustrates society's changing views of
civil rights
The Great Compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention resulted in the
creation of a bicameral legislature
The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does which of the following?
declares that state governments and individuals have rights to any powers not specifically enumerated to the federal government
What function of government is most concerned with protecting a nation's people from external threats?
ensuring national security
The 19th, 24th, and 26th amendments were all important additions to the Constitution because they
expanded the democratic ideal of voting to include more of the U.S. population
The PRIMARY purpose of the First Amendment to the Constitution is to
guarantee basic civil liberties
The purpose of MOST of the amendments to the United States Constitution is to
guarantee individual civil and political rights
A unitary system of government is different from a federal system of government in that a federal government
is divided among different levels of government at the national and state level
The MAIN reason citizens have rights and responsibilities is to
keep the power of the country with its citizens
The PRIMARY purpose of the Bill of Rights was to
limit the power of the federal government
Which of the following is a required duty of a citizen in a democracy?
obeying laws
The MOST direct influence of poll taxes and literacy tests on blacks was to
prevent them from voting
One recent accomplishment in the struggle for equal rights for all Americans has been the
prohibition of discrimination against Americans with disabilities
"No [business] shall discriminate against a qualified individual with a disability. . . in regard to job application procedures, the hiring, advancement, or discharge [firing] of employees. . . . " —Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990 The Americans with Disabilities Act is an example of a government action taken to
protect civil rights
The US Bill of Rights was added to the United States Constitution to
protect individuals' civil liberties
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; . ." This quotation is evidence that some of the basic ideas in the Declaration of Independence were
reflections of the philosophies of the European Enlightenment
What was the primary reason for holding the Constitutional Convention of 1787?
revise the Articles of Confederation
Mr. Leonard was not required to testify at his own trial for armed robbery. This scenario is BEST described as the
right against self-incrimination
". . . no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, . . . and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." This section of the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution addresses the issue of
rights of the accused
In the United States, the use of implied powers, the amending process, and Supreme Court interpretations have resulted in
the Constitution being adapted to fit changing times
"The US Court of Appeals ruled that the evidence stemmed directly from the Miranda violation and therefore was inadmissible." - Chicago Tribune, December 2000. The Court's decision MOST likely protects the rights of
the accused
The 14th Amendment provides that no "state [shall] deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." A direct result of this amendment was
the guarantees in the Bill of Rights were applied to state actions
The Preamble of the Constitution of the United States clearly states that the source of governmental authority is which of the following?
the people
Which of these is provided by the federal, state, and local government?
the protection of citizens' rights
When a famous actress was accused of wrong-doing, the newspapers covered the event extensively. The actress was convicted of the crime, but appealed the verdict on the grounds that the pre-trial publicity prejudiced the jury. Which of these rights is in conflict with the freedom of the press?
the right to a fair trial
Which of the following BEST explains the MAIN purpose of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
to outlaw racial segregation in public places and employment
Which action is a civic responsibility of US citizens?
voting during local elections
Which passage from the U.S. Constitution reflects the principle of individual rights? W. No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen. X. No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay. Y. No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States. Z. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
z
