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Civics Test Prep

Study Guide

Browse all 128 official questions with accepted answers & English audio

128 Questions
Showing 128 of 128 questions
1

What is the form of government of the United States?

Principles of American Government
2

What is the supreme law of the land?

Principles of American Government
3

Name one thing the U.S. Constitution does.

Principles of American Government
4

The U.S. Constitution starts with the words “We the People.” What does “We the People” mean?

Principles of American Government
5

How are changes made to the U.S. Constitution?

Principles of American Government
6

What does the Bill of Rights protect?

Principles of American Government
7

How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have?

Principles of American Government
8

Why is the Declaration of Independence important?

Principles of American Government
9

What founding document said the American colonies were free from Britain?

Principles of American Government
10

Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Principles of American Government
11

The words “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” are in what founding document?

Principles of American Government
12

What is the economic system of the United States?

Principles of American Government
13

What is the rule of law?

Principles of American Government
14

Many documents influenced the U.S. Constitution. Name one.

Principles of American Government
15

There are three branches of government. Why?

Principles of American Government
16

Name the three branches of government.

System of Government
17

The President of the United States is in charge of which branch of government?

System of Government
18

What part of the federal government writes laws?

System of Government
19

What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

System of Government
20

Name one power of the U.S. Congress.

System of Government
21

How many U.S. senators are there?

System of Government
22

How long is a term for a U.S. senator?

System of Government
23

Who is one of your state’s U.S. senators now?

System of Government
24

How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?

System of Government
25

How long is a term for a member of the House of Representatives?

System of Government
26

Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators?

System of Government
27

How many senators does each state have?

System of Government
28

Why does each state have two senators?

System of Government
29

Name your U.S. representative.

System of Government
30

What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

System of Government
31

Who does a U.S. senator represent?

System of Government
32

Who elects U.S. senators?

System of Government
33

Who does a member of the House of Representatives represent?

System of Government
34

Who elects members of the House of Representatives?

System of Government
35

Some states have more representatives than other states. Why?

System of Government
36

The President of the United States is elected for how many years?

System of Government
37

The President of the United States can serve only two terms. Why?

System of Government
38

What is the name of the President of the United States now?

System of Government
39

What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?

System of Government
40

If the president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

System of Government
41

Name one power of the president.

System of Government
42

Who is Commander in Chief of the U.S. military?

System of Government
43

Who signs bills to become laws?

System of Government
44

Who vetoes bills?

System of Government
45

Who appoints federal judges?

System of Government
46

The executive branch has many parts. Name one.

System of Government
47

What does the President’s Cabinet do?

System of Government
48

What are two Cabinet-level positions?

System of Government
49

Why is the Electoral College important?

System of Government
50

What is one part of the judicial branch?

System of Government
51

What does the judicial branch do?

System of Government
52

What is the highest court in the United States?

System of Government
53

How many seats are on the Supreme Court?

System of Government
54

How many Supreme Court justices are usually needed to decide a case?

System of Government
55

How long do Supreme Court justices serve?

System of Government
56

Supreme Court justices serve for life. Why?

System of Government
57

Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?

System of Government
58

Name one power that is only for the federal government.

System of Government
59

Name one power that is only for the states.

System of Government
60

What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment?

System of Government
61

Who is the governor of your state now?

System of Government
62

What is the capital of your state?

System of Government
63

There are four amendments to the U.S. Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

Rights and Responsibilities
64

Who can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and serve on a jury in the United States?

Rights and Responsibilities
65

What are three rights of everyone living in the United States?

Rights and Responsibilities
66

What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

Rights and Responsibilities
67

Name two promises that new citizens make in the Oath of Allegiance.

Rights and Responsibilities
68

How can people become United States citizens?

Rights and Responsibilities
69

What are two examples of civic participation in the United States?

Rights and Responsibilities
70

What is one way Americans can serve their country?

Rights and Responsibilities
71

Why is it important to pay federal taxes?

Rights and Responsibilities
72

It is important for all men age 18 through 25 to register for the Selective Service. Name one reason why.

Rights and Responsibilities
73

The colonists came to America for many reasons. Name one.

Colonial Period and Independence
74

Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

Colonial Period and Independence
75

What group of people was taken and sold as slaves?

Colonial Period and Independence
76

What war did the Americans fight to win independence from Britain?

Colonial Period and Independence
77

Name one reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain.

Colonial Period and Independence
78

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Colonial Period and Independence
79

When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

Colonial Period and Independence
80

The American Revolution had many important events. Name one.

Colonial Period and Independence
81

There were 13 original states. Name five.

Colonial Period and Independence
82

What founding document was written in 1787?

Colonial Period and Independence
83

The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

Colonial Period and Independence
84

Why were the Federalist Papers important?

Colonial Period and Independence
85

Benjamin Franklin is famous for many things. Name one.

Colonial Period and Independence
86

George Washington is famous for many things. Name one.

Colonial Period and Independence
87

Thomas Jefferson is famous for many things. Name one.

Colonial Period and Independence
88

James Madison is famous for many things. Name one.

Colonial Period and Independence
89

Alexander Hamilton is famous for many things. Name one.

Colonial Period and Independence
90

What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

1800s
91

Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.

1800s
92

Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.

1800s
93

The Civil War had many important events. Name one.

1800s
94

Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things. Name one.

1800s
95

What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

1800s
96

What U.S. war ended slavery?

1800s
97

What amendment says all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are U.S. citizens?

1800s
98

When did all men get the right to vote?

1800s
99

Name one leader of the women’s rights movement in the 1800s.

1800s
100

Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
101

Why did the United States enter World War I?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
102

When did all women get the right to vote?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
103

What was the Great Depression?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
104

When did the Great Depression start?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
105

Who was president during the Great Depression and World War II?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
106

Why did the United States enter World War II?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
107

Dwight Eisenhower is famous for many things. Name one.

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
108

Who was the United States’ main rival during the Cold War?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
109

During the Cold War, what was one main concern of the United States?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
110

Why did the United States enter the Korean War?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
111

Why did the United States enter the Vietnam War?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
112

What did the civil rights movement do?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
113

Martin Luther King, Jr. is famous for many things. Name one.

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
114

Why did the United States enter the Persian Gulf War?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
115

What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States?

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
116

Name one U.S. military conflict after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
117

Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
118

Name one example of an American innovation.

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
119

What is the capital of the United States?

Symbols and Holidays
120

Where is the Statue of Liberty?

Symbols and Holidays
121

Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Symbols and Holidays
122

Why does the flag have 50 stars?

Symbols and Holidays
123

What is the name of the national anthem?

Symbols and Holidays
124

The Nation’s first motto was “E Pluribus Unum.” What does that mean?

Symbols and Holidays
125

What is Independence Day?

Symbols and Holidays
126

Name three national U.S. holidays.

Symbols and Holidays
127

What is Memorial Day?

Symbols and Holidays
128

What is Veterans Day?

Symbols and Holidays