SLO REVIEW

1. A primary goal of the Declaration of Independence was to

a. establish the national government for the colonies.

b. persuade people that the colonies deserved to be independent.

c. promote Thomas Jefferson as an excellent writer.

d. convince France to provide weapons and soldiers for the Revolutionary War.

Answer: B

2. How does the Declaration of Independence express the basic idea of the Social Contract Theory?

a. Government is responsible for the safety of its citizens.

b. Government has no responsibility for individual welfare.

c. Government is an agreement between monarch and citizens.

d. Government should protect basic rights of citizens or be overthrown. Answer: D

3. Why were the writers of the U. S. Constitution concerned with separating the powers of central government into three branches?

a. to ensure each part knows it is more powerful than another branch

b. to make sure that each element had a legitimate function

c. to make sure citizens know what each part of the central government does

d. to prevent any section of the central government from becoming too powerful Answer: D

4. Use the following information to answer question #

Article 1: Section 8: The Congress shall have the power to.... regulate Commerce with Foreign nations, and among the several States... To declare War... To establish Post Offices...

-United States Constitution What are the powers in the above section of the

United States Constitution called? a. State powers b. General powers c. Implied powers d. Enumerated powers

Answer: D

5. Why was the Supremacy Clause (Article VI) made part of the U. S. Constitution?

a. to require states to ratify the U.S. Constitution

b. to make sure that the national government shared power with the state governments

c. to ensure the national government had authority it lacked under the Articles of Confederation

d. to limit the power of the national government so states would be able to meet the needs of their citizens Answer: C

6. Mary writes a letter to the local paper critical of the city government. The letter is published in the newspaper.While city officials are angry over Mary’s criticisms, they cannot keep the paper from publishing her letter. Why are Mary and the newspaper protected from action by the city officials?

a. 1st Amendment to the Constitution b. 3rd Amendment to the Constitution c. 5th Amendment to the Constitution d. 10th Amendment to the Constitution

Answer: A

7. Read the list below and answer the following question.

Secretary of State Attorney General Secretary of Defense

The BEST title for the above list is a. Members of the Legislative Branch b. Members of the President’s Cabinet c. Officials Appointed for Life d. Elected Members of the Executive Branch

Answer: B

8. The president of the United States would have the authority to do which of the following?

a. declare war on a foreign country b. order U.S. military forces into action c. make a treaty signed by the U.S. d. declare a law passed by Congress as

unconstitutional Answer: B

9. John Locke was influential to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence because his Answer: D

10. Modern-day Republicans and Democrats often have debates over the size and powers of the national government. These issues are similar to the issues presented in which historical situation?

a. ratification of the U.S. Constitution b. the decision to enter World War I c. the signing of the Declaration of

Independence d. the creation of the Articles of

Confederation Answer: A

11. Use the following passage to answer question #18.

“...to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government...”

-Declaration of Independence, 1776

The text above is MOST DIRECTLY influenced by a. Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man b. the Federalist Papers c. Social Contract Theory d. Marbury vs. Madison

Answer: C

12. Why is the United States government a federal system?

a. Power is shared by the legislative and executive branches.

b. Power is shared between branches of the central government.

c. Power is shared between the central government and the state governments.

d. Power is shared between the state government and local government. Answer: C

13. Which branch of government is structured so that it directly represents the people’s popular vote?

a. legislative b. executive c. judicial d. federal

Answer: A

14. How does the legislative branch have a check on the actions of the executive branch?

a. It can override a veto of the executive branch.

b. It can change the duties of the executive branch.

c. It can appoint people to the executive branch.

d. It can order new elections for the executive branch. Answer: A

Which is NOT a liberty found in the first amendment?

a. freedom of religion b. freedom of the press c. freedom of petition d. freedom to bear arms

Answer: D

16. Rights such as those found in the 5th and 14th amendments relate MOSTLY to which concept?

a. jury duty b. due process c. freedom of speech d. freedom of religion

Answer:

17. Serving jury duty, obeying laws, and paying taxes are all examples of

a. a citizen’s civic duty b. freedoms of Americans c. activities all people must do d. government requirements of

immigrants

18.In which case would the public good be more important the rights of the individual?

a. drive after drinking alcohol b. wear an offensive t-shirt to the mall c. stand on a street corner and criticize

the government d. lead a peaceful demonstration

19. Which of the following states that governments are empowered by and exist for the people they govern? Answer: B

20. The U.S. Constitution delegates some powers to the federal government while reserving other powers for the states. This is evidence that the United States government is based on

a. republicanism. b. democracy. c. separation of powers. d. federalism.

Answer D

21. A proposal that has been introduced by a member of Congress to be considered as a potential law is called

a. a resolution. b. an act of Congress. c. a bill. d. a veto.

22. Read the Preamble below to answer question #22

“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 the Constitution for the United States of America.”

What is the intent of the Preamble to the United States Constitution?

a. explain the purpose of government b. present a list of grievances to the king c. explain the purpose of the Articles of Confederation d. explain reasons for the American Revolution

Answer A

23. Congress is composed of a. the federal judiciary. b. the House of Representatives and

the Senate. c. the executive branch. d. the cabinet and the federal

bureaucracy. Answer B

24. Citizens must be willing to serve on juries because juries are

a. an important part of the political process.

b. an important part of protecting our civil liberties.

c. guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment.

d. important interest groups. Answer B

25. What is the term of office for a U.S. Senator?

a. 2 years b. 6 years c. indefinite term length d. 10 years

Answer B