Civics Benchmark

1
Civics Benchmark

• Test Review
• 10/25/06

2
Which document guaranteed American colonists the
rights of Englishmen?

• Articles of Confederation
• Declaration of Independence
• Charters of the VA Company of London
• VA Statute of Religious Freedom

3
The supreme law of the land is the

• Justices
• President
• Congress
• Constitution

4
Which form of government does the United States
have?

• Monarchy
• Representative Democracy
• Dictatorship
• Direct Democracy

5
The U.S. Congress is bicameral which means it

• Cannot change a veto
• Passes all laws
• Has two houses
• Appoints cabinet officers

6
Which document established 3 branches of
government?

• Charters of the Virginia Company
• Articles of Confederation
• Constitution
• Declaration of Independence

7
all men are created equal life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness In what document can
the above phrases be found?

• Articles of Confederation
• VA Declaration of Rights
• Constitution of the U.S.
• Declaration of Independence

8
What document was used as a model for the Bill of
Rights?

• Declaration of Independence
• VA Declaration of Rights
• Articles of Confederation
• Magna Carta

9
What marked the beginning of self-government in
colonial government?

• Boston Tea Party
• Mayflower Compact
• First Continental Congress
• House of Burgesses

10
Which is not a service provided by the U.S.
Government?

• Police protection
• Interstate highway construction
• News broadcasts
• National defense

11
According to the Declaration of Independence, why
are governments instituted?

• To collect taxes
• To guard against abuses
• To keep the peace
• To secure the rights of people

12
The Charter of the VA Company of London stated
which of the following ideas?

• People had to search for gold
• People should not carry weapons
• Colonists were guaranteed the rights of
  Englishmen
• People had to grow tobacco

13
What guaranteed that not even the king or queen
was above the law?

• Constitution
• House of Burgesses
• Mayflower Compact
• Magna Carta

14
According to the Declaration of Independence,
where do governments receive their powers?

• From other governments
• They have no power
• From the people
• From an elite few

15
All of the following are true about the
Declaration of Independence EXCEPT

• It established equality under the law
• It affirms inalienable rights
• It was written on July 4, 1770
• It was written by Thomas Jefferson

16
The Mayflower Compact helped establish the
American tradition of

• Bicameral government
• Common law
• Constitutional government
• Direct democracy

17
What is one limitation on the political rights of
legal rights of legal aliens?

• They are not entitled to legal protection
• They may not serve on juries
• They may not own property
• They may not attend public school

18
The 14th Amendment does not extend citizenship to

• An individual born in the United States
• An individual born in the District of Columbia
• An individual born on an overseas military base
• An individual born to foreign diplomats living in
  the U.S.

19
This plan of government had a weak central
government which led to the writing of the
Constitution

• Articles of Confederation
• Declaration of Independence
• Magna Carta
• VA Declaration of Rights

20
Which of the following rights found in the Magna
Carta is also enjoyed by U.S. citizens?

• Right to diplomatic unity
• Right to taxation without representation
• Right to a trial by ones peers
• Right to bear arms in public

21
All of the following statements are true about
U.S. citizenship except

• The federal government can take away a persons
  citizenship if they are convicted of certain
  types of crimes
• The federal government has the right to deport
  illegal aliens from the U.S.
• The federal government can strip naturalized
  citizens of their citizenship if it was
  improperly obtained

22
Which of the following is a concurrent power
shared by both state and national government?

• Raising an army
• Collecting taxes
• Establishing public schools
• Coining and printing money

23
What is the main purpose of the Constitution of
the U.S.?

• To tell citizens what to do
• To tell how the president is elected
• To stand as a symbol of our country
• To establish a framework for our government

24
Why did the Anit-Federalists object to the
Constitution?

• Gave too much power to the national government
• Gave too much power to the states
• Gave too much power to the citizens
• Gave too much power to foreign governments

25
According to the VA Plan, the number of
legislative representatives as a state was
entitled to..was determined by its

• Location
• Influence
• Size
• population

26
Which of the following is not one of the
fundamental principles of the Constitution?

• Checks and Balances
• Popular Sovereignty
• Feudalism
• Checks and Balances

27
Which of the following is not a weakness of the
Articles of Confederation?

• Congress was unable to regulate trade
• Congress didnt have any control over the army
• Congress had difficulty enforcing laws
• Congress could not pass laws without the approval
  of 9 states

28
Which of the following was the primary goal of
the Constitutional Convention?

• Determine if slaves should be considered part of
  a states population
• Offer the British government a peace treaty
• Create an acceptable framework of government
• Decide if women should be able to vote

29
House of Burgesses, the colonial legislature in
Virginia, was example of

• Representative Democracy
• Political tradition
• Colonial rebellion
• Direct Democracy

30
When the Revolutionary War ended, what major
problem did the newly created U.S. face?

• Country had no effective leaders
• Countrys govt was too weak
• Country had too much territory to control
• States didnt want to stay together

31
Which of the following is a duty of an American
citizen?

• Have a job
• Vote in election
• Obey the law
• Register to vote

32
From where does the power of government come in a
democracy?

• Constitution
• People
• Congress
• Military