U.S.A. Citizenship Test (California) Questions & Answers

1. What is the supreme law of the land? - ANSWERS- The Constitution 2. What does the Constitution do? - ANSWERS- sets up the government - defines the government - protects basic rights of Americans 3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? - ANSWERS- We the People 4. What is an amendment? - ANSWERS- a change (to the Constitution) - an addition (to the Constitution) 5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? - ANSWERS- the Bill of Rights 6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? - ANSWERS- speech - religion - assembly - press - petition the government 7. How many amendments does the Constitution have? - ANSWERS- 27 8. What did the Declaration of Independence do? - ANSWERS- declared our independence (from Great Britain) 9. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence? - ANSWERS- life - liberty - pursuit of happiness 10. What is freedom of religion? - ANSWERS- You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion. 11. What is the economic system in the United States? - ANSWERS- capitalist economy - market economy 12. What is the "rule of law"? - ANSWERS- Everyone must follow the law. - Leaders must obey the law. - Government must obey the law. - No one is above the law. 13. Name one branch or part of the government. - ANSWERS- Congress - legislative - President - executive - the courts - judicial 14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? - ANSWERS- checks and balances - separation of powers 15. Who is in charge of the executive branch? - ANSWERS- the President 16. Who makes federal laws? - ANSWERS- Congress - Senate and House (of Representatives) - (U.S. or national) legislature 17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?* - ANSWERS- the Senate and House (of Representatives) How many U.S. Senators are there? - ANSWERS- 100 We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? - ANSWERS- 6 Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators now? - ANSWERS- Dianne Feinstein - Kamala D. Harris 21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members? - ANSWERS- 435 22. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years? - ANSWERS- 2 years 23. Name your U.S. Representative - ANSWERS- Alan Lowenthal 24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent? - ANSWERS- all people of the state 25. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states? - ANSWERS- (because of) the state's population 26. We elect a President for how many years? - ANSWERS- 4 Years 27. In what month do we vote for President? - ANSWERS- November 28. What is the name of the President of the United States now? - ANSWERS- Donald J. Trump -_____- 29. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? - ANSWERS- Michael R. Pence -____- 30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? - ANSWERS- the Vice President 31. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? - ANSWERS- the Speaker of the House 32. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military? - ANSWERS- the President 33. Who signs bills to become laws? - ANSWERS- the President 34. Who vetoes bills? - ANSWERS- the President 35. What does the President's Cabinet do? - ANSWERS- advises the President 36. What are two Cabinet-level positions? - ANSWERS- 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 37. What does the judicial branch do? - ANSWERS- reviews laws - explains laws - resolves disputes (disagreements) - decides if a law goes against the Constitution 38. What is the highest court in the United States? - ANSWERS- the Supreme Court 39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court? - ANSWERS- 9 40. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? - ANSWERS- John Roberts (John G. Roberts, Jr.) 41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government? - ANSWERS- print money