US Basic Civics Test MCQs Quiz Multiple Choice Questions & Answers

1. How many U.S. senators are there?

1. 52
2. 435
3. 100
4. 50

2. When do we celebrate Independence Day

1. 1-Jan
2. 4-Jul
3. 30-Jun
4. 4-Mar

3. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. James Madison
3. George Washington
4. Thomas Jefferson

4. Who does a U.S. Senator represent

1. All people of the state in which (s)he was elected
2. All people of the state who belong to the Senators political party
3. The state legislatures
4. Only the people in the state who voted for the Senator

5. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived

1. American Indians
2. Floridians
3. No one
4. Canadians

6. What is an amendment

1. An addition (to the Constitution)
2. The Preamble to the Constitution
3. An introduction
4. The beginning of the Declaration of Independence

7. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?

1. Became a U.S. Senator
2. Fought for civil rights
3. Fought for womens suffrage
4. Ran for President of the United States

8. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states

1. Because the states Representatives have seniority in the House of Representatives
2. Because of the states population
3. Because of the geographical size of the state
4. Because of the states location

9. Why does the flag have 13 stripes

1. Because the stripes represent the original colonies
2. Because the stripes represent the number of signatures on the U.S. Constitution
3. Because it was considered lucky to have 13 stripes on the flag
4. Because the stripes represent the members of the Second Continental Congress

10. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Select the response that accurately describes one of them

1. Citizens seventeen (17) and older can vote
2. Citizens by birth only can vote
3. Citizens eighteen (18) and older can vote
4. Only citizens with a job can vote

11. What is the economic system in the United States

1. Communist economy
2. Capitalist economy
3. Socialist economy
4. None of these answers

12. Who makes federal laws

1. Congress
2. The states
3. The President
4. The Supreme Court

13. What does the judicial branch do

1. Decides if a law goes against the Constitution
2. Reviews laws
3. Resolves disputes
4. All of the above

14. What did the Declaration of Independence do

1. Declared our independence from Great Britain
2. Declared our independence from France
3. Gave women the right to vote
4. Freed the slaves

15. What does the Constitution do?

1. Defines the government
2. Sets up the government
3. Protects basic rights of Americans
4. All of these answers

16. We elect a President for how many years?

1. Eight
2. Two
3. Four
4. Ten

17. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?

1. English
2. Africans
3. Canadians
4. Dutch

18. What is the rule of law

1. Everyone but the President must follow the law
2. Government does not have to follow the law
3. All laws must be the same in every state
4. Everyone must follow the law

19. What is one reason colonists came to America?

1. For the experience traveling across the ocean
2. Freedom
3. To join a civic group
4. None of these answers

20. The House of Representatives has how many voting members

1. Four hundred forty-one (441)
2. Four hundred thirty-five (435)
3. Two hundred (200)
4. One hundred (100)

21. Name one right belonging only to United States citizens.

1. Freedom of religion
2. Run for federal office
3. Attend public school
4. Freedom of speech

22. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

1. Freedom to petition the government and freedom to disobey traffic laws
2. Freedom of worship and freedom to make treaties with other countries
3. Freedom of speech and freedom to run for president
4. Freedom of speech and freedom of worship

23. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do

1. Gave the United States independence from Great Britain
2. Ended World War I
3. Gave women the right to vote
4. Freed slaves in most Southern states

24. Who is the Father of Our Country?

1. George Washington
2. Thomas Jefferson
3. Abraham Lincoln
4. Patrick Henry

25. Who was the first President

1. George Washington
2. John Adams
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. Abraham Lincoln

26. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence

1. Life and death
2. Life and pursuit of happiness
3. Liberty and justice
4. Life and the right to own a home

27. What did Susan Anthony do?

1. Made the first flag of the United States
2. Founded the Red Cross
3. Was the first woman elected to the House of Representatives
4. Fought for womens rights

28. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?

1. Make treaties
2. Provide schooling and education
3. Create an army
4. Coin or print money

29. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens

1. Pay taxes
2. Obey the law
3. Be respectful of others
4. Serve on a jury

30. What are the two major political parties in the United States today

1. Reform and Green
2. American and Bull-Moose
3. Democratic-Republican and Whig
4. Democratic and Republican

31. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years

1. Six (6)
2. Two (2)
3. Four (4)
4. Eight (8)

32. Name one branch or part of the government

1. State government
2. Legislative
3. Parliament
4. United Nations

33. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

1. Ten
2. Four
3. Two
4. Six

34. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States

1. The accident at Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant occurred
2. Hurricane Andrew struck the United States
3. Terrorists attacked the United States
4. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor

35. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

1. The Articles of Confederation
2. The inalienable rights
3. The Declaration of Independence
4. The Bill of Rights

36. What is the supreme law of the land

1. The Articles of Confederation
2. The Constitution
3. The Emancipation Proclamation
4. The Declaration of Independence

37. Who signs bills to become laws

1. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
2. The Vice President
3. The Secretary of State
4. The President

38. What happened at the Constitutional Convention

1. The Declaration of Independence was written
2. The Emancipation Proclamation was written
3. The Constitution was written
4. The Virginia Declaration of Rights was written

39. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress

1. The House of Representatives and the courts
2. The House of Lords and the House of Commons
3. The Senate and House of Representatives
4. The Senate and the courts

40. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

1. The President
2. The Vice-President
3. The Secretary of Defense
4. The Attorney General

41. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

1. The President
2. Checks and balances
3. The people
4. Freedom of speech

42. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

1. The Speaker of the House
2. The Prime Minister
3. The President
4. The Chief Justice

43. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance

1. The United States
2. The President
3. Congress
4. The state where you live

44. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President

1. Thirty-five (35) or older
2. Sixteen (16) or older
3. Twenty-one (21) or older
4. Eighteen (18) or older

45. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government

1. To provide police departments
2. To issue drivers licenses
3. To make treaties
4. To provide schooling

46. What is one right or freedom granted by the First Amendment

1. Trial by jury
2. To vote
3. To bear arms
4. Speech

47. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

1. We the People
2. Congress shall make
3. We the British
4. We the Colonists

48. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy

1. Write to a newspaper and call Senators and Representatives
2. Give an elected official your opinion on an issue and join a community group
3. Vote and join a civic group
4. All of these answers

49. What is freedom of religion? Choose one

1. You cant choose the time you practice your religion
2. You must choose a religion
3. You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion
4. No one can practice a religion

50. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for

1. Youngest member of the Constitutional Convention
2. Inventor of the airplane
3. Third President of the United States
4. U.S. diplomat