Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
1. What is the supreme law of the land? - CORRECT ANSWER - The Constitution
2. What does the Constitution do? - CORRECT ANSWER - 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? - CORRECT ANSWER - We the People
4. What is an amendment? - CORRECT ANSWER - a change (to the Constitution); an
addition (to the Constitution)
5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? - CORRECT ANSWER -
The Bill of Rights
6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Speech; religion; assembly; press; petition the government
7. How many amendments does the Constitution have? - CORRECT ANSWER - 27
8. What did the Declaration of Independence do? - CORRECT ANSWER - announced our
independence (from Great Britain); declared our independence (from Great Britain); said that the
United States is free (from Great Britain)
9. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence? - CORRECT ANSWER - life;
liberty; pursuit of happiness
, 10. What is freedom of religion? - CORRECT ANSWER - You can practice any religion,
or not practice a religion.
11. What is the economic system in the United States? - CORRECT ANSWER - capitalist
economy; market economy
12. What is the "rule of law"? - CORRECT ANSWER - 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. - CORRECT ANSWER - Congress;
legislative; President; executive; the courts; judicial
14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? - CORRECT
ANSWER - checks and balances; separation of powers
15. Who is in charge of the executive branch? - CORRECT ANSWER - the President
16. Who makes federal laws? - CORRECT ANSWER - Congress; Senate and House (of
Representatives); (U.S. or national) legislature
17. What are the two parts of the U.S.Congress? - CORRECT ANSWER - the Senate and
House (of Representatives)
18. How many U.S. Senators are there? - CORRECT ANSWER - 100
19. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? - CORRECT ANSWER -6
20. Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators? - CORRECT ANSWER - Maria Cantwell;
Patty Murray