U.S. Government Pre-Test U.S. Government Pre-Test QuestionsQuestionswww.usca.edu

Question 1Question 1In what year was the Constitution

written?

Answer 1Answer 11789

Question 2Question 2What are the first ten

amendments to the Constitution called?

Answer 2Answer 2The Bill of Rights

Question 3Question 3Who was the author of the

Declaration of Independence?

Answer 3Answer 3Thomas Jefferson

Question 4Question 4What was the name of the

document that served as the nation’s constitution following the Revolutionary War?

Answer 4Answer 4The Articles of Confederation

Question 5Question 5Who is considered the father of

the U.S. Constitution?

Answer 5Answer 5James Madison

Question 6Question 6What is the Constitutional

concept that distributes powers among the branches of government?

Answer 6Answer 6Separation of Powers

Question 7Question 7What is the name of the system

that gives each branch of government power over the other branches?

Answer 7Answer 7Checks and Balances

Question 8Question 8Name the three branches of the

national government.

Answer 8Answer 8Legislative, Executive, Judicial

Question 9Question 9What is the name given to the

famous papers written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay that argued for ratification of the U.S. Constitution?

Answer 9Answer 9The Federalist Papers

Question 10Question 10How many women are currently

on the U.S. Supreme Court?

Answer 10Answer 10Three

◦Ruth Bader Ginsburg◦Sonia Sotomayor◦Elena Kagan

Question 11Question 11What group of people elect the

U.S. President?

Answer 11Answer 11The electoral college

Question 12Question 12 In an election, what is the

person who already holds an office called?

Answer 12Answer 12 The incumbent

Question 13Question 13Who is currently Speaker of the

U.S. House?

Answer 13Answer 13John Boehner

Question 14Question 14How many Senators sit in the

U.S. Senate?

Answer 14Answer 14100

Question 15Question 15What is the name for a prolonged

debate in the U.S. Senate that is designed to kill a bill?

Answer 15Answer 15Filibuster

Question 16Question 16How many African-Americans

have ever served on the Supreme Court?

Answer 16Answer 16Two

◦Thurgood Marshall◦Clarence Thomas

Question 17Question 17How long is the term for a

supreme court justice?

Answer 17Answer 17Life (unless impeached)

Question 18Question 18How many terms can a U.S.

President serve?

Answer 18Answer 18Two

Question 19Question 19Name two cabinet departments.

Answer 19Answer 19 State Treasury Defense Justice Interior Agriculture Commerce Labor Health and Human Services Housing and Urban Development Transportation Energy Education Veterans Affairs Homeland Security

Question 20Question 20Who is the current Chief Justice

of the Supreme Court?

Answer 20Answer 20Justice John Roberts