BOYS STATE BAR TEST QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What is the "supreme law of the land? - ANSWER This Constitution, and the
Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof. shall be
the supreme Law of the Land.
no law made by any state, or even by the Congress of the United States, can
contradict the Constitution.
What three branches of government are there? ANSWER Executive, i.e.,
(President and about 5,000,000 workers) Legislative, Senate and House of
Representatives and Judicial, Supreme Court and lower Courts
Can the U.S. Constitution be amended by plebiscite? ANSWER No, an
amendment can only be passed by approval of both houses of Congress, Senate,
and the House of Representatives
How many amendments have been added to the U.S. Constitution? - ANSWER
amendments to the constitution mean everything added since its ratification, so
it's technically correct to say 27, but most people cluster the first 10
amendments into the constitution itself, counting only the 17 times since as the
actual ratifications
When and how did California become a state? - ANSWER September 9, 1850
In 1848, the United States and Mexico signed the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
which ended a war. California, at the time, had 7,500 residents. It is doubtful the
, Mexican government was fully aware of what was encompassed within the state
or how it would fill with residents.
California entered the statehood phase much differently than most states within
the westward expansion of the United States. To apply for statehood, it needed
60 000 residents. Most states first became territories and then, over time, built
the population needed to apply for statehood. In California, the discovery of
gold, just nine days before Mexico signed the treaty, precipitated history's
largest gold rush. Rumors of gold nuggets, the size of a man's fist, lying on the
ground quickly made their way east, leading to a massive influx of "forty-
niners" looking for a fortune. The area met the population requirement by 1849,
and because of its need for civil government, petitioned for statehood
When was the present California Constitution adopted? - ANSWER May 7,
1879
How many times have the amendments been added to the California
Constitution? - ANSWER More than 500 times
What is an "ex post facto" law? - ANSWER A law that retroactively changes
the legal consequences (or status) of actions that were committed, or
relationships that existed, before the enactment of the law
What state official represents the state in the court - ANSWER State Attorney
What is the difference between a civil and criminal suit? - ANSWER Crimes
are considered offenses against the state, or society as a whole.
Criminal offenses and civil offenses are generally different in terms of their
punishment. Criminal cases will have jail time as a potential punishment,
whereas civil cases generally only result in monetary damages or orders to do or
not do something.
ANSWERS
What is the "supreme law of the land? - ANSWER This Constitution, and the
Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof. shall be
the supreme Law of the Land.
no law made by any state, or even by the Congress of the United States, can
contradict the Constitution.
What three branches of government are there? ANSWER Executive, i.e.,
(President and about 5,000,000 workers) Legislative, Senate and House of
Representatives and Judicial, Supreme Court and lower Courts
Can the U.S. Constitution be amended by plebiscite? ANSWER No, an
amendment can only be passed by approval of both houses of Congress, Senate,
and the House of Representatives
How many amendments have been added to the U.S. Constitution? - ANSWER
amendments to the constitution mean everything added since its ratification, so
it's technically correct to say 27, but most people cluster the first 10
amendments into the constitution itself, counting only the 17 times since as the
actual ratifications
When and how did California become a state? - ANSWER September 9, 1850
In 1848, the United States and Mexico signed the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
which ended a war. California, at the time, had 7,500 residents. It is doubtful the
, Mexican government was fully aware of what was encompassed within the state
or how it would fill with residents.
California entered the statehood phase much differently than most states within
the westward expansion of the United States. To apply for statehood, it needed
60 000 residents. Most states first became territories and then, over time, built
the population needed to apply for statehood. In California, the discovery of
gold, just nine days before Mexico signed the treaty, precipitated history's
largest gold rush. Rumors of gold nuggets, the size of a man's fist, lying on the
ground quickly made their way east, leading to a massive influx of "forty-
niners" looking for a fortune. The area met the population requirement by 1849,
and because of its need for civil government, petitioned for statehood
When was the present California Constitution adopted? - ANSWER May 7,
1879
How many times have the amendments been added to the California
Constitution? - ANSWER More than 500 times
What is an "ex post facto" law? - ANSWER A law that retroactively changes
the legal consequences (or status) of actions that were committed, or
relationships that existed, before the enactment of the law
What state official represents the state in the court - ANSWER State Attorney
What is the difference between a civil and criminal suit? - ANSWER Crimes
are considered offenses against the state, or society as a whole.
Criminal offenses and civil offenses are generally different in terms of their
punishment. Criminal cases will have jail time as a potential punishment,
whereas civil cases generally only result in monetary damages or orders to do or
not do something.
