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Florida Civic Literacy Exam Part 2
Questions And Verified Answers
1. The Founding Fathers divided the power to make, enforce, and
interpret laws between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. What might have happened if they had given these powers only to the execu- tive branch?
A. The balance of power among the different branches would make govern-
ment more efficient.
B. The president could have grown too powerful, leading to tyranny.
C. Congress would have had more occasions to override presidential vetoes.
D. Supreme Court justices would have had to strike down more laws as
unconstitutional. Ans B. The president could have grown too powerful, leading to tyranny.
2. How did the English Bill of Rights influence delegates to the Constitutional
Convention?
A. It was submitted as a model for the new constitution.
B. It spelled out the proper role for the legislative branch as the representative
2 / of the people.
C. It had established several rights that the delegates wished to guarantee in
the new constitution.
D. It was the first document to limit the power of the monarch
Ans A. It was submitted as a model for the new constitution.
3. Use the quotation below to answer the question.
"Everything that is right or natural pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'TIS TIME TO PART. Even the distance at which the Almighty hath placed England and America, is a strong and natural proof, that the authority of the one, over the other, was never the design of Heaven." —Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776 What is Thomas Paine trying to win support for?
A. the separation of natural rights from legal rights
B. the separation of powers between state and federal governments
C. the separation of powers between the three branches of government
D. the separation of the colonies from Great Britain
Ans D. the separation of the colonies from Great Britain
4. Why were colonists outraged by taxes imposed by the British government?
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A. an individual who exercises political authority over a group of people
B. an individual who vote in elections
C. a legally recognized member of a country
D. a person who is loyal to and proud of his or her country
Ans C. a legally recognized member of a country
8. Why should citizens know and understand the law?
A. so that they can break it
B. so that they can change it
C. so that they can ignore it
D. so that they can obey it
Ans D. so that they can obey it
9. Why is attending school considered a civic duty?
A. Educated citizens are vital to the success of our democracy.
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B. The more education a person has, the more money he or she is likely to
earn.
C. School districts depend on having a certain number of students.
D. Today's high-tech society needs educated employees.
Ans A. Educated citizens are vital to the success of our democracy.
10. Which age group has the lowest voter turnout?
A. 18 to 24 years
B. 25 to 44 years
C. 45 to 64 years
D. 65 to 74 years
Ans A. 18 to 24 years
11. Which amendment protects Americans from unreasonable searches and
seizures?
A. First Amendment
B. Fourth Amendment
C. Sixth Amendment
D. Thirteenth Amendment
Ans B. Fourth Amendment
12. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, but there are some
limits to free-speech rights. Why are some forms of speech not protected?
A. because they are expressed in writing
B. because they could cause physical harm to others
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A. to guarantee freedoms
B. to help people cooperate
C. to limit rights of individuals
D. to provide services
Ans A. to guarantee freedoms
15. Which of the following explains why freedom of the press is vital to
democracy?
A. Freedom of the press allows newspapers to print anything they want.
B. Freedom of the press allows people to express opinions about government.
C. Without freedom of the press, the government would be a dictatorship.
D. Without freedom of the press, there would be few news outlets.
Ans B. Freedom of the press allows people to express opinions about government.
16. Which amendment to the Constitution might the U.S. Supreme Court have
relied on when it struck down the death penalty for minors?
A. First Amendment
B. Fifth Amendment
C. Eighth Amendment
D. Ninth Amendment
Ans C. Eighth Amendment
17. Use the quotation below to answer the question.
"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 sex." —excerpt from
8 / the U.S. Constitution To which group did this amendment grant the right to vote?
A. African Americans
B. land-owning men
C. Native Americans
D. women
Ans D. women
18. Use the quotation below to answer the question.
"This case has shown that punch card balloting machines can produce an unfortunate number of ballots which are not punched in a clean, complete way by the voter. After the current counting, it is likely legislative bodies nationwide will examine ways to improve the mechanisms and machinery for voting." —Bush v. Gore, 2000
10 / Ans C. where the candidate stands on certain issues
21. What would be the most effective way for a special-interest group to try to
influence the outcome of a presidential election?
A. to conduct a public opinion poll
B. to hire a lobbyist
C. to hold a primary election
D. to run television advertisements
Ans D. to run television advertisements
22. Which of the following systems proposes that society should organize and
control the means of production for the welfare of all?
A. communism
B. monarchy
C. socialism
D. direct democracy
Ans C. socialism
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23. Of the following, what is one thing that both the federal government and
state governments are allowed by law to do?
A. raise armies
B. negotiate treaties
C. collect taxes
D. administer elections
Ans C. collect taxes
24. What are the three main levels of federal courts?
A. district courts, courts of appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court
B. city courts, state courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court
C. mayor's court, city court, and federal court
D. district courts, magistrate courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court
Ans A. district courts, courts of appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court
25. Which Enlightenment thinker argued that all people were born equal and
had natural rights to life, liberty, and property?
A. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
B. Baron de Montesquieu
C. Thomas Hobbes
D. John Locke
Ans D. John Locke
26. Use the information in the below to answer the question.
Events Leading to American Independence
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B. to create a strong national government
C. to protect the interests of the states
D. to protect citizens' rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
Ans D. to protect citizens' rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
28. Use the quotation below to answer the question.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common de- fense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity [future generations], do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." —excerpt from the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution What does the phrase "to ourselves and our Posterity" suggest about the Founding Fathers' goals?
A. They wanted to create a lasting government that future Americans would
benefit from.
B. They were willing to sacrifice their liberty for the benefit of their children.
C. They aimed to create a strong government, independent of the will of the
people.
D. They wanted to create a social contract that future Americans could not
break. Ans A. They wanted to create a lasting government that future Americans would benefit from.
29. What did Federalists and Antifederalists disagree about most strongly?
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A. a strong national government
B. creating a system of checks and balances
C. protecting individual liberties
D. increasing the power of the confederation
Ans A. a strong national government
30. Use the quotations below to answer the question.
"Where-ever law ends, tyranny begins." —John Locke, Two Treatises of Gov- ernment, 1690 "That in America THE LAW IS KING. For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be King; and there ought to be no other." —Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776
16 / too much power.
D. By requiring the direct election of senators, it protects the principle of direct
representation. Ans A. By defining citizenship, it declares that all citizens have the same rights.
33. Use the quotation below to answer the question.
"In practically all jurisdictions, there are rights granted to adults which are withheld from juveniles.. .. Under our Constitution, the condition of being a boy [or girl] does not justify a kangaroo court [an unfair trial]." —Justice Abe Fortas, In re Gault, 1967 According to the Supreme Court, why should juveniles have the same right to a fair trial that adults have?
A. Being a child is not a good enough reason to deny them this right.
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B. Juveniles should not be tried for their crimes at all.
C. Since they are denied other rights, they deserve this one.
D. The U.S. Constitution does not protect juvenile delinquents.
Ans A. Being a child is not a good enough reason to deny them this right.
34. Which Supreme Court decision most helped overturn the "separate but
equal" doctrine?
A. Brown v. Board of Education
B. Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier
C. Miranda v. Arizona
D. Plessy v. Ferguson
Ans A. Brown v. Board of Education
35. What is the term for powers shared by both state and federal governments?
A. declared powers
B. concurrent powers
C. relegated powers
D. representative powers
Ans B. concurrent powers
36. What does it mean to ratify an amendment to the Constitution?
A. revise it
B. approve it
C. reject it
D. send it to a committee
Ans B. approve it
10 / 24 they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.. ." —excerpt from the Declaration of Independence According to this excerpt, how does the source of natural rights compare to the source of government power?
A. Natural rights come from the government; government power comes from
the people
B. Natural rights come from God; government power comes from the people.
C. Natural rights come from the government; government power comes from
God.
D. Natural rights come from God; government power comes from God.
Ans B. Natural rights come from God; government power comes from the people.
39. In what way does the power of judicial review act as a check?
A. Courts can declare presidential acts unconstitutional.
B. Courts can declare congressional acts unconstitutional.
C. Courts can declare presidential and congressional acts unconstitutional.
D. Courts can review acts of other courts.
Ans C. Courts can declare presidential and congressional acts unconstitutional.
40. Which of the following are all U.S. citizens required to do?
A. serve on a jury
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B. perform community service
C. volunteer for a campaign
D. vote in an election
Ans A. serve on a jury
41. Which duty of citizenship is critical to support government services?
A. obeying the law
B. paying taxes
C. serving on a jury
D. serving in the military
Ans B. paying taxes
42. Use the quotation below to answer the question.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of
