American Democracy Quiz

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Questions and Answers

In a democracy, who holds political power?

A small group of elites
A monarch
The people (correct)
The military

Citizenship in the United States includes only rights, not responsibilities.

False (B)

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a two-party system?

It encourages a wide range of political viewpoints
Two dominant parties compete in elections
The two major parties are often the Republicans and Democrats
The system eliminates the influence of third parties (correct)

What is considered a civic duty?

An obligation to participate in civic and political affairs. Signup and view all the answers

Which of these is NOT an example of civic responsibility?

Avoiding excessive consumption of resources (C) Signup and view all the answers

How is the President of the United States elected?

By the Electoral College. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the Governor in a state?

The highest-ranking member of the state's executive branch. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the Mayor in a city?

The head of the city's government, elected by the people. Signup and view all the answers

What is federalism?

The division of government powers between federal and state levels, each with specific jurisdictions. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the concept of checks and balances in the U.S. government.

A system where each branch of government has the power to limit the power of other branches, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful. Signup and view all the answers

What is a bill?

A proposed law that is under consideration by a legislative body. Signup and view all the answers

Who heads the Supreme Court of the United States?

The Chief Justice. Signup and view all the answers

The concept of popular sovereignty means that power resides with the federal government.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these IS NOT a natural right as described in the Declaration of Independence?

The right to happiness (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is rule of law?

The principle that everyone, regardless of their position, is subject to and must adhere to the law. Signup and view all the answers

What is due process?

Fair treatment through the legal system, ensuring individuals receive proper procedures and protections. Signup and view all the answers

Consent of the governed refers to the idea that government derives its power from the people.

True (A) Signup and view all the answers

Explain the concept of the social contract theory.

The idea that individuals willingly give up some freedoms in exchange for the protection and benefits provided by a government. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Selective Service Act?

A law requiring men to register for military service in case of a draft during wartime. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the U.S. Constitution?

To define the principles of a democratic government (B) Signup and view all the answers

The Constitution is considered the supreme law of the land.

True (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which branch of government is responsible for interpreting laws?

The Judicial Branch. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of the Legislative Branch?

To make laws. Signup and view all the answers

Which branch of government is responsible for enforcing laws?

The Executive Branch (A) Signup and view all the answers

Describe the role of the Senate in the U.S. Congress.

The upper house of the U.S. Congress, consisting of 100 members, two from each state, who serve six-year terms and represent the interests of their entire states. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the House of Representatives in the U.S. Congress?

The lower house of the U.S. Congress, where the number of representatives from each state is based on population, with members elected from specific districts within their state and serving two-year terms. Signup and view all the answers

Who is the Speaker of the House of Representatives?

The leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives, who presides over the House's proceedings. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the Commander-in-Chief?

The President of the United States, who is the supreme commander of the armed forces. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the significance of the Supremacy Clause in the U.S. Constitution.

A clause that establishes the Constitution as the highest law of the land, meaning that all other laws, federal or state, must comply with its principles. Signup and view all the answers

What are reserved powers in the U.S. system?

Powers that are specifically reserved to the states. Signup and view all the answers

What are concurrent powers?

Powers that are shared by both the federal government and state governments. Signup and view all the answers

What are delegated powers?

Powers that are specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution. Signup and view all the answers

What are implied powers?

Powers that are not explicitly stated in the Constitution but are reasonably inferred from its delegated powers. Signup and view all the answers

What are the primary responsibilities of the President of the U.S.?

To enforce laws, negotiate treaties, nominate Supreme Court justices, and serve as the head of the executive branch. Signup and view all the answers

What is veto power?

The President's ability to reject a bill passed by Congress, preventing it from becoming law. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the concept of impeachment.

A formal accusation brought against a public official, typically a president, by the House of Representatives, for misconduct in office. Signup and view all the answers

What is the order of presidential succession?

The order in which officials assume the presidency in case of a vacancy, with the Vice President first, followed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and then the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the Supreme Court in the U.S.?

The highest court in the nation, which hears appeals on constitutional law and has the final say on legal interpretations. Signup and view all the answers

What are the primary rights guaranteed by the First Amendment?

Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. Signup and view all the answers

What right is protected by the Second Amendment?

The right to bear arms and maintain a militia. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Third Amendment?

To prevent the government from forcing citizens to quarter soldiers in their homes. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Fourth Amendment protect?

Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the protections offered by the Fifth Amendment?

Protection against self-incrimination (pleading the Fifth) and double jeopardy (being tried twice for the same crime). Signup and view all the answers

What are some of the key rights guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment?

The right to a speedy and public trial, the right to be informed of the charges, the right to confront witnesses, and the right to counsel. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Seventh Amendment?

Guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil cases. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Eighth Amendment prohibit?

Cruel and unusual punishments. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the purpose of the Ninth Amendment.

It clarifies that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution does not mean that other rights not explicitly mentioned are not also protected. Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of the Tenth Amendment?

It reserves powers not delegated to the federal government or denied to the states, to the states respectively. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the Thirteenth Amendment?

It abolished slavery in the United States. Signup and view all the answers

What are the main provisions of 14th Amendment?

It guarantees citizenship rights, equal protection of the laws, and due process of law to all citizens born or naturalized in the United States. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the impact of the Fifteenth Amendment.

It prohibited the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the significance of the 16th Amendment.

It granted Congress the power to levy an income tax. Signup and view all the answers

What right did the 17th Amendment establish?

It granted the people the right to directly elect senators, rather than having them chosen by state legislatures. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary goal of the 18th Amendment?

To prohibit the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. Signup and view all the answers

What did the 19th Amendment accomplish?

Granted women the right to vote. Signup and view all the answers

What limitation does the Twenty-Second Amendment place on presidents?

It limits the number of terms a president can serve to two. Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the Mayflower Compact?

To establish a form of self-government for the Pilgrims who arrived in Plymouth Colony. Signup and view all the answers

Why was the English Bill of Rights significant?

It protected individual liberties against the abuse of power by the monarchy and served as a foundation for the American Bill of Rights. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Boston Tea Party?

A protest against British taxes on tea, where colonists dumped tea into the harbor. Signup and view all the answers

What were the Intolerable Acts, also known as Coercive Acts?

A series of laws passed by the British Parliament that were seen as punitive measures against the colonists following the Boston Tea Party. Signup and view all the answers

Why is the Declaration of Independence a significant document?

It declared the independence of the 13 colonies from British rule and established the fundamental rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary argument made by Thomas Paine in Common Sense?

He advocated for the colonies to declare independence from Great Britain and establish a democratic government. Signup and view all the answers

Why was the Articles of Confederation ultimately replaced by the U.S. Constitution?

It created a weak national government that lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or effectively enforce laws. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary goal of the Constitutional Convention?

To revise the Articles of Confederation and establish a new U.S. Constitution. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Great Compromise, and what problem did it resolve?

It established a bicameral legislature with a Senate representing states equally and a House of Representatives with representation based on population, resolving the debate between states with large and small populations. Signup and view all the answers

What was the 3/5 Compromise?

An agreement that counted three-fifths of the slave population for the purposes of representation and taxation. Signup and view all the answers

What significant legal precedent was established by the Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison?

Judicial Review. Signup and view all the answers

What key principle did the case McCulloch v. Maryland uphold?

The supremacy of the federal government over state governments. Signup and view all the answers

What was the main result of the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision?

It declared that slaves were not citizens and that living in a free state did not make them free. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Supreme Court's ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson?

It upheld the constitutionality of segregation laws, legitimizing the doctrine of 'separate but equal' for African Americans in public facilities. Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the Brown v. Board of Education decision?

It ruled that racially segregated schools were inherently unequal and unconstitutional, striking down the 'separate but equal' doctrine in education. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Miranda v. Arizona case establish?

The requirement that suspects be informed of their Fifth Amendment rights to remain silent and to have legal counsel present during questioning. Signup and view all the answers

What key principle did the Mapp v. Ohio case reinforce?

The exclusionary rule, which prevents evidence obtained illegally from being used in court. Signup and view all the answers

What was the court's ruling in Engel v. Vitale?

It declared that mandatory school prayer in public schools was unconstitutional, violating the separation of church and state. Signup and view all the answers

What important right did Gideon v. Wainwright ensure?

The right to legal counsel for defendants who cannot afford to hire their own attorneys in criminal cases. Signup and view all the answers

What key principle emerged from the In Re Gault case?

Minors have constitutional rights and are entitled to due process under the law. Signup and view all the answers

What right did the Tinker v. Des Moines case address?

The right of students to free speech in public schools, providing they do not disrupt the educational process. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the significance of Roe v. Wade.

It established a woman's right to an abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy under the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause. Signup and view all the answers

What was the main outcome of U.S. v. Nixon?

It affirmed that even the President must comply with court orders and cannot claim executive privilege to shield potential evidence from criminal investigations. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier case address?

The ability of public schools to regulate the content of student publications. Signup and view all the answers

Why did the Supreme Court halt the recount in Bush v. Gore?

It found that the recount in the 2000 presidential election was inconsistent and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Democracy

Type of government where power is from the people; people elect representatives.

Citizenship

Rights and responsibilities entitled to people in a political state; only citizens can run for federal office.