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1. What is the supreme law of the land?
the Constitution
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2. What does the Constitution do?
- sets up the government
- defines the government
- protects basic rights of Americans
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3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
We the People
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4. What is an amendment?
- a change (to the Constitution)
- an addition (to the Constitution)
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5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
the Bill of Rights
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6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
- speech
- religion
- assembly
- press
- petition the government
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7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?
twenty-seven (27)
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8. What did the Declaration of Independence do?
- announced our independence (from Great Britain)
- declared our independence (from Great Britain)
- said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)
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9. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
- life
- liberty
- pursuit of happiness
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10. What is freedom of religion?
You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.
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11. What is the economic system in the United States?
- capitalist economy
- market economy
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12. What is the "rule of law"?
Everyone must follow the law. Leaders must obey the law. Government must obey the law. No one is above the law.
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13. Name one branch or part of the government.
- Congress -- legislative
- President -- executive
- the courts -- judicial
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14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
- checks and balances
- separation of powers
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15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?
the President
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16. Who makes federal laws?
- Congress
- Senate and House (of Representatives)
- (U.S. or national) legislature
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17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
the Senate and House (of Representatives)
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18. How many U.S. Senators are there?
one hundred (100)
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19. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
six (6)
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20. Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators now?
- John Cornyn
- Kay Bailey Hutchison
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21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
four hundred thirty-five (435)
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22. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
two (2)
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23. Name your U.S. Representative.
- Sherman: Ralph M. Hall
- Denton: Michael C. Burgess
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24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
all people of the state
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25. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
- (because of) the state's population
- (because) they have more people
- (because) some states have more people
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26. We elect a President for how many years?
four (4)
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27. In what month do we vote for President?
November
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28. What is the name of the President of the United States now?
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29. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
- Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
- Joe Biden
- Biden
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30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
the Vice President
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31. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
the Speaker of the House
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32. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
the President
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33. Who signs bills to become laws?
the President
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34. Who vetoes bills?
the President
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35. What does the President's Cabinet do?
advises the President
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36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?
- Secretary of Agriculture
- Secretary of Commerce
- Secretary of Defense
- Secretary of Education
- Secretary of Energy
- Secretary of Health and Human Services
- Secretary of Homeland Security
- Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
- Secretary of the Interior
- Secretary of Labor
- Secretary of State
- Secretary of Transportation
- Secretary of the Treasury
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- Attorney General
- Vice President
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37. What does the judicial branch do?
- reviews laws
- explains laws
- resolves disputes (disagreements)
- decides if a law goes against the Constitution
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38. What is the highest court in the United States?
the Supreme Court
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39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
nine (9)
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40. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
John Roberts (John G. Roberts, Jr.)
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41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
- to print money
- to declare war
- to create an army
- to make treaties
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42. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
- provide schooling and education
- provide protection (police)
- provide safety (fire departments)
- give a driver's license
- approve zoning and land use
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43. Who is the Governor of your state now?
Rick Perry
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44. What is the capital of your state?
Austin
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45. What are the two major political parties in the United States?
Democratic and Republican
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46. What is the political party of the President now?
Democratic (Party)
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47. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
(John) Boehner
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48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
- Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
- You don't have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
- Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)
- A male citizen of any race (can vote).
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49. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
- serve on a jury
- vote in a federal election
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50. Name one right only for United States citizens.
- vote in a federal election
- run for federal office
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51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
- freedom of expression
- freedom of speech
- freedom of assembly
- freedom to petition the government
- freedom of worship
- the right to bear arms
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52. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
the United States the flag
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53. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
- give up loyalty to other countries
- defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
- obey the laws of the United States
- serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
- serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
- be loyal to the United States
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54. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
eighteen (18) and older
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55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
- vote
- join a political party
- help with a campaign
- join a civic group
- join a community group
- give an elected official your opinion on an issue
- call Senators and Representatives
- publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
- run for office
- write to a newspaper
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56. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
April 15
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57. When must all men register for the Selective Service?
- at age eighteen (18)
- between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)
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58. What is one reason colonists came to America?
- freedom
- political liberty
- religious freedom
- economic opportunity
- practice their religion
- escape persecution
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59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
- American Indians
- Native Americans
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60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
- Africans
- people from Africa
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61. Why did the colonists fight the British?
- because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
- because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
- because they didn't have self-government
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62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
(Thomas) Jefferson
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63. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
July 4, 1776
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64. There were 13 original states. Name three.
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- New York
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Delaware
- Maryland
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Georgia
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65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
- The Constitution was written.
- The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
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66. When was the Constitution written?
1787
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67. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
- (James) Madison
- (Alexander) Hamilton
- (John) Jay
- Publius
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68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
- U.S. diplomat
- oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
- first Postmaster General of the United States
- writer of "Poor Richard's Almanac"
- started the first free libraries
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69. Who is the "Father of Our Country"?
(George) Washington
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70. Who was the first President?
(George) Washington
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71. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
- the Louisiana Territory
- Louisiana
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72. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
- War of 1812
- Mexican-American War
- Civil War
- Spanish-American War
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73. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
- the Civil War
- the War between the States
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74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
- slavery
- economic reasons
- states' rights
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75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
- freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
- saved (or preserved) the Union
- led the United States during the Civil War
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76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
- freed the slaves
- freed slaves in the Confederacy
- freed slaves in the Confederate states
- freed slaves in most Southern states
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77. What did Susan B. Anthony do?
- fought for women's rights
- fought for civil rights
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78. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
- World War I
- World War II
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
- (Persian) Gulf War
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79. Who was President during World War I?
(Woodrow) Wilson
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80. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
(Franklin) Roosevelt
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81. Who did the United States fight in World War II?
Japan, Germany, and Italy
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82. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
World War II
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83. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
Communism
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84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
civil rights (movement)
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85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
- fought for civil rights
- worked for equality for all Americans
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86. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
Terrorists attacked the United States.
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87. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
- Cherokee
- Navajo Sioux
- Chippewa
- Choctaw
- Pueblo
- Apache
- Iroquois
- Creek
- Blackfeet
- Seminole
- Cheyenne
- Arawak
- Shawnee
- Mohegan
- Huron
- Oneida
- Lakota
- Crow
- Teton
- Hopi
- Inuit
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88. Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
- Missouri (River)
- Mississippi (River)
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89. What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
Pacific (Ocean)
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90. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
Atlantic (Ocean)
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91. Name one U.S. territory.
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- American Samoa
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Guam
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92. Name one state that borders Canada.
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Ohio
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- North Dakota
- Montana
- Idaho
- Washington
- Alaska
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93. Name one state that borders Mexico.
- California
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Texas
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94. What is the capital of the United States?
Washington, D.C.
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95. Where is the Statue of Liberty?
- New York (Harbor)
- Liberty Island
- [Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]
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96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
- because there were 13 original colonies
- because the stripes represent the original colonies
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97. Why does the flag have 50 stars?
- because there is one star for each state
- because each star represents a state
- because there are 50 states
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98. What is the name of the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled Banner
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99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?
July 4
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100. Name two national U.S. holidays.
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Presidents' Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
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