US Government Q1 24-25 Student Copy PDF

1. The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution says the government exists to "…establish justice…" Which purpose of government aligns most closely to this quote? A. expanding the economy B. protecting national security C. maintaining social order D. providin...

1. The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution says the government exists to "…establish justice…" Which purpose of government aligns most closely to this quote? A. expanding the economy B. protecting national security C. maintaining social order D. providing public services 2. Which is most likely to take place in a totalitarian system? A. teachers deciding what will be taught in schools B. government leaders telling citizens where to work C. political parties competing to control the government D. officials compromising to create public policies 3. Which statement describes an authoritarian government? A. Corporations heavily influence government policies. B. The people are the source of the government’s power. C. The government controls the lives of its citizens. D. Leaders in the government are required to follow the law. 4. Which statement best explains the rise of authoritarian governments in some countries? A. They pass policies to ensure equality among citizens.  B. They dedicate themselves to protecting individual rights. C. They give all citizens the ability to write laws. D. They maintain public order during times of crisis. 5. Which excerpt best reflects the principle of limited government? A. “...The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other" (Articles of Confederation) B. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” (First Amendment) C. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States… are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” (14th Amendment) D. “…Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes" (Declaration of Independence) 6. Which political system holds government leaders most responsible to the will of the people? A. oligarchy B. dictatorship C. absolute monarchy D. representative democracy 7. Use the diagram to answer the question below.  SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN MEXICO Based on the information in the diagram, which check does Mexico’s legislature have over the executive branch? A. It selects candidates to run for the Senate. B. It appoints judges to serve on the Supreme Court. C. It overturns actions by the Federal Chamber of Deputies. D. It confirms the President’s selections for important positions. 8. Which statement describes a disadvantage of direct democracies? A. They struggle to make efficient decisions. B. They fail to protect individual rights. C. They ignore the will of the people. D. They give unfair influence to the wealthy. 9. Why did the Anti-federalists support adding a Bill of Rights to the Constitution? A. They hoped to restore public safety and order. B. They distrusted the power of the national government. C. They believed churches should influence the political process. D. They wanted to limit the power of state and local governments. 10. Which action did the Framers of the Constitution take to address a weakness in the Articles of Confederation? A. They established a national legislative branch. B. They allowed state governments to have more power. C. They required new amendments to be approved by the states. D. They gave the national government the power to collect taxes. 11. Read the excerpt below and use it to answer the question. “The government of [The United States], then is… truly a government of the people… Its powers are granted by them, and are to be exercised directly on them for their benefit.” Chief Justice John Marshall, 1810 Which constitutional principle best applies to Marshall’s quotation? A. federalism B. rule of law C. popular sovereignty D. separation of powers 12. Read the excerpt below and use it to answer the question. “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution… are reserved to the States… or to the people.” -Article 3, Maryland Declaration of Rights Which statement best applies to the passage above? A. Local governments exist to support the federal government. B. Each branch of government has different responsibilities. C. Citizens elect representatives in government to make laws. D. Powers are divided among different levels of government. 13. Which action is an example of separation of powers? A. Congress makes laws that the President enforces. B. The news media reports on a Presidential scandal. C. Citizens demand a recall after a controversial election. D. State governments use funding from the federal government. 14. Study the political cartoon below. jury - a group that decides whether a person who has been accused of a crime is innocent or guilty The cartoon suggests that some people A. believe only experts should participate in government B. are willing to break the law in any circumstances C. believe checks and balances are unnecessary D. are unwilling to accept their responsibilities as citizens 15. Read the quote below and answer the question that follows. Which principle of government is described in the excerpt? A. federalism B. popular sovereignty  C. checks and balances D. representative democracy 16. Study the political cartoon. Which type of government is most likely the focus of this political cartoon? A. dictatorship B. parliamentary democracy C. monarchy D. presidential democracy  17. When flooding occurs in Maryland, which immediate action by the governor would preserve order and ensure the safety of citizens? A. proposing a law in the General Assembly to preserve wetlands B. ordering the construction of new bridges and roads C. mobilizing the National Guard to protect private property D. proposing federal legislation to provide low-interest loans 18. Read the excerpt below. Article 1 “That all government of right originates from the people;... they have... the right to alter, reform, or abolish their form of Government... “ -Maryland Declaration of Rights Which of these constitutional principles is described in Article 1 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights? A. The people should have equal protection under the law. B. State governments and the federal government share powers. C. The people in a democratic society give their consent to be governed. D. Each branch of the government has powers over the other branches.  Read the From John Adams Letter to Timothy Pickering then answer questions 24 and 25. Background: On August 6, 1822, John Adams (1735-1826) wrote this letter to Timothy Pickering forty-six years after serving on the drafting committee for the Declaration of Independence. “[The Second Continental] Congress cut off about a quarter of [the Declaration], as I expected they would; but they obliterated some of the best of it, and left all that was exceptionable (1), if anything in it was. I have long wondered that the original draft has not been published” Source Citation: Adams, John. "Letter to Timothy Pickering from John Adams." The American Revolution, Primary Source Media, 1999. American Journey. U.S. History in Context. (1) exceptionable = (adj) offensive 19. Which statement explains why the letter provides credible information about the Declaration of Independence? A. The letter was written to inform the public. B. The letter was intended for a private audience. C. The letter’s recipient was a skilled lawyer. D. The letter’s author had first hand knowledge of the topic. 20. What is a limitation of the letter as a source of information about the Declaration of Independence? A. It was written many years after the document was published. B. The author of the letter was critical of those who published the document. C. The recipient of the letter was not a participant in the American Revolution.  D. The excerpt was republished by Primary Source Media in 1999. 21. Read the information below. A dangerous hurricane has passed over a coastal community, leaving behind extensive damage. All residents have lost power and water. Homes and buildings have been destroyed. Flooding has disrupted transportation routes. Describe how authoritarian and democratic systems of government differ based on distribution of power. Which form of government would be most effective in addressing the crisis described above? Include details and examples to support your response. 22. Study the political cartoon below and use it to answer this constructed response item: For states, what are the advantages and disadvantages of a federal system of government? Should the United States have a federal system of government? Include details and examples to support your answers