Purdue Civic Literacy Test Questions
With Correct Answers
Private Life |
Relates to a citizen's right to privacy and the pursuit of private and
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
personal interests |
Civic Life
|
The public life of the citizen concerned with the affairs of the
| | | | | | | | | | | |
community and nation | |
-example: Campaigning for a school board member
| | | | | |
Limited Government |
The government has only the powers granted to it in the Constitution,
| | | | | | | | | | | |
and it can only conduct actions permitted by the Constitution. In other
| | | | | | | | | | | |
,words, there are established and respected restraints on government
| | | | | | | | |
power
Rule of Law | |
An essential component of limited government.
| | | | |
-The central notion of a rule of law is that society is governed according
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
to widely known and accepted rules followed not only by the governed
| | | | | | | | | | | |
but also by those in authority
| | | | |
-"no one is above the law"
| | | | |
Checks and Balances | |
The Constitutionally granted power for one branch of government to
| | | | | | | | | |
block action by an equal branch of government. The Constitution
| | | | | | | | | |
specifies instances in which one of the three branches can stop action
| | | | | | | | | | | |
by another. Historical precedents have established others
| | | | | |
Separation of Powers | |
, The Constitution keeps the three branches of government (executive,
| | | | | | | | |
legislative, and judicial) separate. The powers and responsibilities of
| | | | | | | | |
each is described in a separate Article. Separation makes each Branch
| | | | | | | | | | |
the equal of the others
| | | |
14th Amendment (1868)
| |
Grants citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the US"; it
| | | | | | | | | | | |
forbids any state to deny any person "life, liberty or property, without
| | | | | | | | | | | |
due process of law" or to "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
equal protection of its laws."
| | | |
-Most important law ever passed besides original Constitution and Bill
| | | | | | | | | |
of Rights.
|
-It has been the vehicle for the expansion of civil rights, women's rights,
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
gay rights among other movements. It also allowed for the
| | | | | | | | |
"incorporation doctrine" which means the application of the national
| | | | | | | | | |
Bill of Rights to the states.
| | | | |
15th Amendment (1870)
| |
Granted African American men the right to vote by declaring that the
| | | | | | | | | | |
"right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color,
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
or previous condition of servitude."
| | | |
With Correct Answers
Private Life |
Relates to a citizen's right to privacy and the pursuit of private and
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
personal interests |
Civic Life
|
The public life of the citizen concerned with the affairs of the
| | | | | | | | | | | |
community and nation | |
-example: Campaigning for a school board member
| | | | | |
Limited Government |
The government has only the powers granted to it in the Constitution,
| | | | | | | | | | | |
and it can only conduct actions permitted by the Constitution. In other
| | | | | | | | | | | |
,words, there are established and respected restraints on government
| | | | | | | | |
power
Rule of Law | |
An essential component of limited government.
| | | | |
-The central notion of a rule of law is that society is governed according
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
to widely known and accepted rules followed not only by the governed
| | | | | | | | | | | |
but also by those in authority
| | | | |
-"no one is above the law"
| | | | |
Checks and Balances | |
The Constitutionally granted power for one branch of government to
| | | | | | | | | |
block action by an equal branch of government. The Constitution
| | | | | | | | | |
specifies instances in which one of the three branches can stop action
| | | | | | | | | | | |
by another. Historical precedents have established others
| | | | | |
Separation of Powers | |
, The Constitution keeps the three branches of government (executive,
| | | | | | | | |
legislative, and judicial) separate. The powers and responsibilities of
| | | | | | | | |
each is described in a separate Article. Separation makes each Branch
| | | | | | | | | | |
the equal of the others
| | | |
14th Amendment (1868)
| |
Grants citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the US"; it
| | | | | | | | | | | |
forbids any state to deny any person "life, liberty or property, without
| | | | | | | | | | | |
due process of law" or to "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
equal protection of its laws."
| | | |
-Most important law ever passed besides original Constitution and Bill
| | | | | | | | | |
of Rights.
|
-It has been the vehicle for the expansion of civil rights, women's rights,
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
gay rights among other movements. It also allowed for the
| | | | | | | | |
"incorporation doctrine" which means the application of the national
| | | | | | | | | |
Bill of Rights to the states.
| | | | |
15th Amendment (1870)
| |
Granted African American men the right to vote by declaring that the
| | | | | | | | | | |
"right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color,
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
or previous condition of servitude."
| | | |
