Name: Class: Date:

Question #1Read the following.

“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.”

What is the source of this quotation? A)United States Constitution B)Declaration of Independence C)Articles of Confederation D)Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” Question #2Which document was adopted to address these problems?

Weaknesses of the

Articles of Confederation        • Unable to collect taxes 

      • Failed to raise an army

      • Unable to regulate trade A)Northwest Ordinance B)Olive Branch Petition C)United States Constitution D)Albany Plan of Union Question #3How have Thomas Jefferson’s political beliefs influenced the development of the U.S. government?

Selected Political Beliefs of Thomas Jefferson  • supported strong state governments

 • opposed formation of a national bank 

 • favored policies that promoted farming and agriculture A)He supported policies that limited federal power. B)He favored a government that would encourage commerce. C)He proposed the system of checks and balances. D)He devised the system of collecting taxes on income. Question #4Use the passage to answer the question.

“. . . whenever the legislators endeavour to take away, and destroy the property of the people . . . the people . . . are thereupon absolved from any farther obedience . . . .”

—John Locke, Second Treatise of Civil Government, 1690

According to Locke, what can the people do when their government acts against them? A)They can run for elected office. B)They can vote for new legislators. C)They can disregard government laws. D)They can destroy government property. Question #5“Life, liberty, and property” were considered by John Locke to be A)legal rights. B)natural rights. C)constitutional rights. D)divine rights. Question #6Which phrase best defines the concept of inalienable rights? A)rights denied to constitutional monarchs B)rights granted to elected officials by the people C)rights that are unable to be infringed upon D)

rights that are outlined in government documents Question #7Use the excerpt to answer the question.

“Of all the cares or concerns of government, the direction of war most peculiarly demands those qualities which distinguish the exercise of power by a single hand. The direction of war implies the direction of the common strength; and the power of directing and employing the common strength, forms a usual and essential part in the definition of the executive authority.”

—The Federalist No. 74, Alexander Hamilton, 1788

Who does Hamilton argue should direct the military during war? A)the Senate B)the President C)the Pentagon D)the House of Representatives Question #8Read the passage.

The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. 

—James Madison, The Federalist, Number 45

Which principle of the U.S. Constitution is explained in the excerpt? A)federalism B)republicanism C)checks and balances D)popular sovereignty Question #9Use the passage to answer the question.

The Executive not only dispenses the honors, but holds the sword of the community. The legislature not only commands the purse, but prescribes the rules by which the duties and rights of every citizen are to be regulated. The judiciary, on the contrary, has no influence over either the sword or the purse. . . . It may truly be said to have neither FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgment.

—Alexander Hamilton, June 1788

What principle of government does Hamilton advocate? A)federalism B)republicanism C)limited government D)separation of powers Question #10What document protects the freedoms of American citizens? A)Mayflower Compact B)Declaration of Independence C)Missouri Compromise D)Constitution Question #11Use the excerpt to answer the question.

“. . . Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. . . .”

—The Declaration of Independence, 1776

What is the source of government power? A)the monarchy B)the agreement of the people C)the unalienable rights of the people D)the Declaration of Independence Question #12

Which of the following statements best identifies a way that democracy differs from other forms of government? A)In democracy, government’s role is to promote equality. B)In democracy, government ensures stability and order. C)In democracy, government has the primary responsibility for securing economic prosperity. D)In democracy, government promotes individual freedom and rights. Question #13What is the purpose of the U.S. system of checks and balances? A)to increase voter participation B)to limit authority of government branches C)to improve procedures for the legislature D)to limit state powers Question #14In this excerpt, what was President Kennedy trying to explain about the role of the press?

We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.

—John F. Kennedy, 1962 A)The free flow of information must be regulated to maintain public order. B)Propaganda is necessary for protecting national security during a crisis. C)Censorship undermines the functioning of democratic government. D)The power of the press is beyond the control of the federal government. Question #15How do these concepts protect the rights of individuals?

 • Authority is exercised only with publicly disclosed laws

 • Minimal intervention in personal liberties and the economy A)by stopping people from subjectively changing laws B)by preventing the government from violating laws

C)by encouraging participation in creating laws D)by guaranteeing that everyone obeys laws Question #16How is the membership of the House of Representatives determined? A)by the apportioned population of the states B)by two representatives from each state C)by appointment of the governor of the state according to a formula established by Congress D)by the state legislature of each class Question #17Use the passage to answer the question.

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

—Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

This amendment is an example of which principle of American government? A)Representatives serve the people who elect them. B)The national government must obey the laws it makes. C)States may enact laws that do not contradict the Constitution. D)The national government may not make laws that conflict with state law. Question #18How does a person become a Supreme Court Justice? A)appointed by Congress, approved by the president B)appointed by the Judicial Branch, approved by Congress C)appointed by the Senate, approved by the House D)appointed by the president, approved by the Senate Question #19What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution called? A)The Olive Branch Petition B)The Articles of the Confederation

C)The Magna Carta D)The Bill of Rights Question #20Which of the following is not a First Amendment right? A)to attend church B)to have a free press C)to peaceably assemble D)to vote in elections Question #21Which concern prompted the addition of the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States? A)the lack of protection of individual rights B)the risk of increased amounts of military spending by the government C)the inability of states to regulate trade D)the risk of more populous states dominating the government Question #22Which of the following is not a component of American democracy? A)elections B)king and queen C)a system of checks and balances D)Bill of Rights Question #23The distribution of power between Canada’s national parliament and provincial governments is an example of which structure of government? A)federal B)oligarchy C)totalitarian D)unitary Question #24Which principle best shows the influence of the U.S. Constitution on the document below?

National sovereignty shall vest in [be controlled by] the people, who shall exercise it through their representatives and by means of referendum. 

—From the Constitution of France, 1958 A)rule of law B)federalism C)popular elections D)separation of powers Question #25Which role of a political party is best demonstrated by this headline?

A)monitoring the government B)informing the public C)nominating candidates D)creating public policy Question #26What is one major function of a political party? A)to nominate candidates for office B)to lobby congressional representatives C)to mandate election laws for primary races D)to monitor voting sites for election fraud Question #27Which action would best allow political candidates to meet the needs of their voters? A)using televised debates to promote a political agenda B)spending campaign money on polls to identify public opinion C)focusing campaign resources on Web-based technology

D)distributing information about the issues to people Question #28For a bill to become officially a national law, which of the following must always occur? A)The bill must pass both houses with identical language. B)The bill must be signed by the president. C)The bill must be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court for accuracy. D)The bill must originate in the Senate and be passed by the House. Question #29Use the information in the table to answer the question that follows.

 Distracted Driving Laws, 2014  Type of Law  Where Enacted Use of handheld cell phones while driving

Prohibited for all drivers in fourteen states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Use of any cell phone while driving

Prohibited for inexperienced drivers in 38 states and Washington, D.C., and for school bus drivers in 20 states and Washington, D.C.

Text messaging while driving

Prohibited for all drivers in 44 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; four of the remaining states prohibit text messaging by inexperienced drivers, and three prohibit school bus drivers

Which statement about the information provided in the table is correct? A)Enacting driving laws is the responsibility of the individual states. B)Those states without distracted driving laws are violating federal regulations. C)Distracted driving laws exist only in states where cell phone reception is available. D)Congress can pass legislation to make distracted driving laws the same in every state. Question #30How has the Internet helped elected officials to communicate with American citizens? A)by eliminating the need for traditional media outlets B)by restricting citizen access to political information C)by increasing campaign costs to pay for print advertising D)by reaching wider audiences through new technologies Question #31Which scenario best demonstrates the role of lobbying in government? A)Political ads influence voters in a local election.

B)Businesses influence the passage of favorable legislation. C)A political action committee supports a presidential candidate. D)A citizens’ group files a lawsuit. Question #32Which factor MOST affects the nomination of presidential candidates? A)establishment of third parties B)creation of an electoral college system C)conducting public opinion polls D)spending on campaign advertisements Question #33Use the information to answer the question. 

A citizen lives in a country in which he must be completely loyal to the government and obedient to its ruler.

This is an example of which type of government? A)theocracy B)totalitarian dictatorship C)constitutional monarchy D)oligarchy Question #34The concept of popular sovereignty is compatible with which form of government? A)Democracy B)Absolute Monarchy C)Theocracy D)Authoritarian Dictatorship Question #35In which type of government are citizens most able to participate? A)absolute monarchy B)democracy C)oligarchy

D)totalitarian dictatorship Question #36Which American document is the basis of all U.S. national law? A)Declaration of Independence B)Articles of Confederation C)Constitution D)Magna Carta Question #37What is the supreme law of the United States? A)state law B)executive orders C)U.S. Constitution D)Declaration of Independence Question #38The framers of the U.S. Constitution believed that good governments were based on an agreement between the government and its citizens. Individuals would accept some limits on their freedom. In exchange, the government would act to preserve their rights and safety through the rule of law.

Which passage from the Constitution describes this agreement between citizens and the government? A)“Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members.” B)“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union . . . do ordain and establish this Constitution.” C)“The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states.” D)“The times, places and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations.” Question #39Which civic duty is required to ensure the Sixth Amendment right to trial?

[T]he accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial . . . to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

—Sixth Amendment A)registering to vote B)serving on a jury C)paying taxes D)serving in the military Question #40Which question would provide the best title for this list?

A)Which are the best strategies for changing a presidential policy? B)Which actions are civic obligations of United States citizens? C)Which political freedoms are protected by the Constitution? D)Which activities help expand the democratic process? Question #41Which person’s sign encourages participation in the democratic process?

A)Person 1 B)Person 2 C)Person 3 D)Person 4 Question #42Use the excerpt below to answer the question.

Vision

The Selective Service System will be an active partner in the national preparedness community that anticipates and responds to the changing needs of the Nation.

Mission

The statutory missions of Selective Service are to be prepared to provide trained and untrained personnel to the DoD [Department of Defense] in the event of a national emergency . . .

—Selective Service System, 2011

Which phrase best summarizes the responsibility of many U.S. citizens in connection with this organization? A)to undertake military training before graduation from high school

B)to take an active role in a veterans group after military discharge C)to enlist as a reserve in one of the military branches D)to register for availability in the event of a military draft Question #43How does this process influence U.S. politics?

A)Public officials encourage ethnic diversity. B)Elections become more competitive. C)Representation is based on population. D)Urban areas become more influential. Question #44 1992 Presidential Election Results Presidential Candidate Political Party Percentage of Popular Vote Electoral Vote George Bush Republican  37.45% 168  William Clinton  Democratic   43.01% 370

Based on the data in the table above, which statement best explains the outcome of the 1992 presidential election? A)The popular vote was used to determine the candidate who became president. B)The House of Representatives chose the president because of the close popular vote. C)The Supreme Court chose the president because of conflicting state returns. D)The candidate with the majority of electoral votes became president. Question #45Use the information to answer the question. 

In 1980, the media on the West Coast of the United States announced that Ronald Reagan had won the presidential election hours before the close of West Coast polling locations.

The major media outlets were most likely able to make this determination based on A)

exit polls. B)random sampling. C)straw polls. D)telephone interviews. Question #46The main reason states such as California, Florida, and New York have significant influence on presidential elections is because they have

Number of Electors in Selected States, 2008 Election Alaska 3 California 55 Connecticut 7 Florida 27 Georgia 5 New York 31 Oregon 7 Wyoming 3

A)distinct cultures. B)large populations. C)early party primaries. D)ideal locations for campaigning. Question #47Which conclusion is supported by this map?

A)John McCain received more electoral votes along the West Coast. B)John McCain received the most electoral votes. C)Barack Obama won more densely populated states. D)Barack Obama was more popular in the southern part of the country. Question #48Which example correctly illustrates how public offices in the U.S. government are filled? A)Executive branch office holders are elected. B)Supreme Court justices are elected to Congress. C)U.S. Senators are chosen by state legislatures. D)U.S. Representatives are elected directly by the people. Question #49Which conclusion is best supported by the information in this table?

Voter Statistics for 2008 Presidential Election Age Percent Voted 18–24 48.5

25–34 57.0 35–44 62.8 45–54 67.4 55–64 71.5 65–74 72.4 75+ 67.8 A)People in younger age groups are most involved in politics. B)People aged 25–34 are more likely to register to vote. C)People become more involved in electoral politics as they age. D)People aged 35–44 receive the most attention from candidates. Question #50Which factor is used to assign electoral votes to each state? A)geographic size of the state B)regional identification of the state C)number of representatives and senators D)process for choosing governors and legislators