U.S. Constitution L to J Quiz

Created by Dan McCaulley, author of Continuous Improvement in the Social Studies Classroom

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1A

What is the term of office for a U.S. Representative?

Two Years

1B

According to the Constitution, who has the right to admit new states to the U.S.?

Congress

1C

How often does the Constitution say Congress must meet?

Once a year (at least)

2A

The first 10 Amendments to the Constitution are typically referred to as what?

The Bill of Rights

2B

If neither the President nor the Vice President can serve, who would fill the position?

The Speaker of the House of Representatives

2C

What must all federal and state officer swear to?

Support the Constitution

3A

Which Constitutional amendment was the only one to be later repealed?

18th

3B

The Constitution guarantees this to every state. What is it?

A republican form of government

3CPowers that are not given to the national government and not forbidden to the states are called what by the 10th amendment?

Reserved powers

4AThe number of U.S. representatives a state gets is dependant upon what?

Its population

4BThe number of presidential electors a state gets is equal to what?The number of Senators and Representatives

4CIn what year did the U.S. Constitution become the law of the land?

1788

5A

How many times has the U.S. Constitution been amended?

27

5B

Congress shall make no law that does what according to the 1st Amendment?

Set up or establish a national religion

5C

If the President is impeached, who presides over the trial?

The Chief Justice of the United States

6A

The Constitutional Convention was held in what building?

Independence Hall (Philadelphia)

6BWho nominates justices to serve on the Supreme Court?

The President

6C

One-third of all U.S. Senators are elected how often?

Every two years

7AAn amendment to the Constitution can only pass upon the approval of:

¾ of the States

7B

How old must a person be to run for the U.S. House of Representatives?

25

7C

A President must be at least how old?

35

8A

War against a foreign country can only be declared by whom?

Congress

8B How many articles are there in the U.S. Constitution?

Seven (7)

8CIn order to be elected President, a candidate must receive a majority of what?

Electoral votes

9A An order making a jailer show that a person is in jail for a good reason is called a writ of:

Habeas Corpus

9BAccording to the Constitution, Article 1, who has the power to try all impeachments?

The Senate

9C Who is the Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the U.S.?

The President

10AA member of the U.S. Senate must have been a citizen of the United States for how many years?

9 years

10B

What document governed the United States prior to our present Constitution?

Articles of Confederation

10C Based on the 22nd Amendment, what is the longest anyone can serve as President?

10 years

11AThe votes needed to expel a member from the House or the Senate is:

Two-thirds

11B

No citizen can be deprived of life, liberty, or property without:

Due process of law

11CNeither House, during the session of Congress, can adjourn for more than________ (length of time) without the consent of the other House:

3 days

12ASince 1951, no person may be elected to serve as president more than:

Twice (22nd Amendment)

12BThe term of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives is how long?

2 years

12CThe Articles of Confederation did not provide for:

Courts (a court system)

13AThe number of men who actually signed the completed Constitution was:

39

13BHow many branches are there in our national government?

Three (legislative, executive, judicial)

13CIn what year were the first ten amendments added to the Constitution?

1791

14A

Congress

Laws for the United States are made by:

A member of the House of Representatives must have been a citizen of the U.S. for

at least:

14B

Seven years (7)

14C

Four years

The length of a term of office for the President is:

15A

January 20 (at noon following his election)

Nowadays, the President is sworn into office on what

date?

15B

A U.S. President must have lived in the United States at least how long?

14 years

15CIn order to make a treaty with another country, the President must have the approval of what fraction of the Senate?

2/3 approval

16AThe Supreme Court now has one Chief Justice and how many associate justices?

8 associate justices

16B The landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of “judicial review” was:

Marbury vs. Madison

16CWhich Constitutional amendment guarantees a person accused of a crime a trial by jury?

Sixth Amendment

17A

Which Constitutional amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishments for crimes?

Eighth amendment

17BIn order to be convicted of treason, there must be at least how many witnesses?

Two

17CA proposed amendment to the Constitution may begin either in Congress or:

The states (Article 5)

18ANo holder of an office in the United States shall ever have to pass a:

Religious test

18B Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution changed it so that Senators are now elected by the people?

17th Amendment

18CA member of the U.S. Senate must be at least how old?

30 years old

19AWhat is the length of a term for Senators?

6 years

19BWho is the president of the Senate according to Article 1, Section 3 of the Constitution?

The Vice President of the United States

19CWhich branch of government may coin or print money?

Congress (Art. 1; Sec. 8)

20AArticle 1; Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution forbids Congress from passing what kinds of laws?

Ex post facto or Bills of Attainder

20BIn order to do their work, the House and Senate must have at least this many of its members present (quorum):

majority

20CWhen a government official is impeached, he must convicted by what vote of the Senate?

Two-thirds of the Senators present

21ATax bills can only originate in which house of Congress?

House of Representatives

21BAfter a bill has been sent to the President, it becomes a law if he does not send it back within how many days?

10 days

21CThe requirement for a search warrant to search a person’s house or property is found in which Constitutional amendment?

4th Amendment

22AThe right of an accused person not to incriminate himself or herself is found in which amendment?

5th Amendment

22BIf the candidates for President have no majority of the electoral votes, who elects the President?

House of Representatives

22C

Who was the first Vice President of the United States?

John Adams

23A

Who traditionally administers the oath of office to the President?

Chief Justice of the U.S.

23B

The right of all citizens to vote, regardless of their race is provided by which amendment?

15th Amendment

23CInvoking the fifth amendment or “taking the fifth” means what?

A person refuses to testify against himself

24AThe only President whose election was decided by the House of Representatives was:

Thomas Jefferson

24BWhich part of the Constitution begins with the words, “We the People of the United States…”?

The Preamble

24CWhich amendment to the Constitution provides for signing a petition of grievance against the government?

1st Amendment

25AWhich amendment to the Constitution forbids the military to force citizens to quarter or provide housing for troops?

3rd Amendment

25B

Which amendment to the Constitution gives people the “right to bear arms?”

Second Amendment

25CWhich Constitutional amendment says that a person cannot be tried twice for the same crime (double jeopardy)?

5th Amendment

26A

Which amendment gives people the right to assemble peacefully?

1st Amendment

26BWhich amendment to the Constitution lowered the voting age to 18 in national elections?

26th Amendment

26C

The Constitution states that no person may be deprived of what three things without due process of law?

Life, liberty, and property

27A

To whom does the Constitution guarantee the right to vote?

Only citizens

27BWho has the oldest and shortest written Constitution of any government in the world?

The United States

27C

On what day does the U.S. celebrate “Constitution Day?”

September 17 (the day the framers signed the document)

28ASince the Constitution did not originally set forth requirements for voting, who could originally vote in elections?

White male landowners

28B

Where is the Constitution on display today?

National Archives (Wash. D.C.)

28C

Who is considered to be the “Father of the Constitution?”

James Madison

29AWho was the author of the so-called “Great Compromise” that saved the Constitution?

Roger Sherman (Connecticut)

29BThe Constitution forbids slavery or involuntary servitude with this one exception:

As a punishment for crime (13th amendment)

29CWhich Virginian was elected as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention but refused to attend because “he smelled a rat?”

Patrick Henry

30AWhat limits on how many terms a President could serve were placed in the original Constitution?

None

30B

Which delegate to the Constitution was so ill that he needed help to sign it?

Benjamin Franklin

30C

Which city was the largest in the U.S. when the Constitution was signed?

Philadelphia ( the city where it was signed - 40,000 inhabitants)

31AWhich landmark Supreme Court decision said that African Americans, whether slave or free, were not citizens of the United States?

Dred Scott decision

31BWhich of the 13 original states did not send delegates to the Constitutional Convention and was the last state to ratify the Constitution?

Rhode Island

31CHow many times does the word “democracy” appear in the Constitution?

None

32AWhich landmark Supreme Court decision in 1954 stated that segregated schools were inherently unequal and, therefore, unconstitutional?

Brown vs. Board of Education

32B

Who decides if a President’s nominee for the Supreme Court is confirmed?

The Senate – by majority vote

32CThe two opposing parties during the time the Constitution was being ratified were:

Federalists and Anti-federalists

33A

Which Constitutional amendment abolished slavery in the United States?

Thirteenth (13th)

33B

Which house of Congress is based on population?

House of Representatives (Senate is based on equal representation)

33C

The Constitution says in Article 4 that each state must give “full faith and credit” to:

The other states

34A

Supreme Court justices hold office for how long?

Life (Constitution calls it “during good behavior”)

34B

The first African American justice of the Supreme Court was:

Thurgood Marshall

34C

Which U.S. President tried to “pack” the Supreme Court with his own nominees?

Franklin D. Roosevelt

35A

Why was the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution before it was even ratified?

So the Anti-federalists would accept it

35B

Which amendment protects all citizens of the United States?

Fourteenth (14th) Amendment

35C

Who was the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court?

Sandra Day O’Connor

36ARequiring the Senate to approve of treaties made by the President is a Constitutional example of:

Checks and balances

36B

Once an amendment to the Constitution is ratified, what does it take to change it?

A new amendment

36C

What was the “Great Compromise” about?

Representation in Congress

37A

The Constitutionally mandated assembly that elects the President is called:

The Electoral College

37B

Whose arguments helped lead to the adoption of the Bill of Rights?

The Anti-federalists

37CWhich two branches of the federal government share the power of establishing foreign policy?

Congress and the President (legislative and executive)

38A

When the Supreme Court first assembled, how many members did it have?

Six (6)

38B

What does the Constitution say about political parties?

Nothing

38CArticle 1; Section 8 of the Constitution contains a provision to allow Congress to make laws that reflect changing conditions. What is this provision usually called?

The elastic clause

39A

When is the only time that God is mentioned in the Constitution?

In the dates as in “The year of our Lord, 1787…” (the Declaration of Independence mentions God four times.)

39BWhich founding father believed that the Constitution should be rewritten every generation?

Thomas Jefferson

39C

How can a candidate win the popular vote and yet lose the election for President?

Because of the electoral college

40AWhen, according to the Constitution, is the only time the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended?

During invasion or rebellion

40B

Why must police inform suspects of their rights when they are being arrested?

A Supreme Court decision requires it (Miranda vs. Arizona)

40CA series of essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay encouraging citizens to ratify the proposed Constitution were called:

The Federalist (Papers)

41A

Which amendment to the Constitution allows people to sue for discrimination?

Fourteenth Amendment (Equal protection clause)

41B

The division of power between national and state governments is called:

Federalism

41CEvery ten years the nation decides how many representatives each state will have. How do we determine that?

The Census

42AIf Thomas Jefferson had strictly followed the Constitution, he could not have added what to the United States?

Louisiana Territory (Purchase)

42B

Which Constitutional amendment guarantees “a speedy and public trial?”

Sixth amendment (6th)

42CWhat two-word phrase means that the government gets it power from the people?

Popular Sovereignty

43A

The fact that the Constitution divides powers between the three branches is called:

Separation of Powers

43B

On what date was the Constitution completed and signed?

September 17, 1787

43CIn Article 1; Section 2; Paragraph 3 of the Constitution, to whom does the phrase “three-fifths of all other persons” refer?

Slaves (the Three-Fifths Compromise)

44AThe Constitution speaks of “reserved powers” in the 10th Amendment. To whom are they “reserved?”

The states (and the people)

44B

What are the three parts of the Constitution?

The Preamble, the seven articles, and the 27 amendments

44CThe three Constitutional qualifications for President are that he or she must be at least 35 years old, have lived in the U.S. for 14 years, and:

Be a natural born citizen

45A

Powers that are given to both the federal government and the states are called:

Concurrent powers

45BAccording to the Constitution, who has the power to coin money?

National government only (states cannot print money)

45CPowers that are specifically given to the federal government by the Constitution are called:

Delegated powers

46A

A law that makes an act illegal after it has been committed is called:

An “ex post facto” law (Latin for “after the fact” – prohibited by the Constitution)

46B

How many Senators are there in Congress today?

100 (two per state x 50 states)

46C

How many members of the House of Representatives are there today?

435 (but that can change with the population of the states)

47A

Who presides over the Senate when the Vice President is not there?

The President Pro Tempore of the Senate

47B

The number of representatives for each state is determined how?

By population

47C

How are electoral votes given out by the states to Presidential candidates?

Whoever wins the popular vote gets them all.

48A

Which article of the Constitution describes the Judicial Branch?

Article 3

48B

What is the main duty of the Vice President of the United States?

Take the President’s place if he cannot serve

48C

How many Constitutions has the United States had?

Two (the Articles of Confederation and the present Constitution)

49A

If a federal judge is not doing his or her job properly, how can they be removed?

Impeachment

49B

Who has the power to recognize the governments of other countries?

The President

49C

All bills regarding spending must come from where?

The House of Representatives

50AWhich amendment guarantees that Americans can practice any religion or no religion?

1st Amendment

50BDouble jeopardy or being tried twice for the same crime is prohibited in which amendment?

5th Amendment

50C

What happens to powers not given to Congress and not prohibited to the states?

They belong to or are reserved for the states.

51AWhich amendment gave Congress the power to levy and collect taxes on incomes?

16th Amendment

51B

What did the Thirteenth Amendment end forever in the United States?

Slavery

51CWhich amendment says that anyone born in the United States is a citizen of the United States?

14th Amendment

52A

Which amendment repealed the 18th Amendment or Prohibition?

21st Amendment

52B

Who has the power to admit new states into the Union?

Congress

52CA proposed amendment to the Constitution can be suggested by what fraction of both houses of Congress?

2/3 of both houses

53A

A proposed amendment can only be ratified by ¾ of the:

State legislatures

53BAccording to Article Six of the Constitution, what is the supreme law of the land?

The Constitution of the United States

53C

All state and federal office holders must take an oath to do what?

Support the Constitution

54A

How many states had to ratify the Constitution for it to take effect?

9 (2/3 had to ratify)

54BIf someone adopts a child in California, will the child still be theirs if they move to Ohio?

Yes! (Article 4 Full faith and credit clause)

54C

Where in the Constitution is freedom of the press guaranteed?

1st Amendment

55AAccording to the 4th Amendment, what must the police have in order to get a warrant to search your house?

Probable cause

55BWhich amendment actually gives citizens the right to a jury trial if they are being sued for more than $20.00?

7th Amendment

55C

What is the highest law of the land?

The Constitution of the United States

56A

The time limit for ratification of a proposed amendment is:

Seven years

56BWhich amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment?

8th Amendment

56CThe naming of certain rights in the Constitution does not mean we don’t have other rights not mentioned. Where is this found?

9th Amendment

57AWhat do the 15th, 19th, and 26th amendments all have in common?

They all gave voting rights to people that did not previously have them. (15th-African Americans, 19th-Women, 26th-18 year-olds)

57B

Why can’t a person be elected President more than twice?

22nd Amendment forbids it

57CBefore the passage of the 23rd amendment, what could the people of Washington, D.C. not do?

They could not vote for President

58ARichard Nixon is the only U.S. President to resign. Which amendment allowed Gerald Ford to become the next president?

25th Amendment

58BSome states were making people pay a “poll tax” in order to vote. This discriminatory practice was banned by which amendment?

24th Amendment

58C

The legislative branch of government is made up of:

Two houses – House of Representatives and Senate

59AFor what purpose did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention originally meet?

Revise the Articles of Confederation

59B

If a President is impeached, where will the trial take place?

The Senate

59C

What is the main job of the president?

To enforce or carry out laws

60AFor what reason may a President be removed from office?

Treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors (Article 2; Sec. 4)

60BWhich Article of the Constitution describes the powers of the Judicial Branch?

Article 3

60CWhat is the legal voting age in the United States since ratification of the 26th Amendment?

18 years of age

61AWho is not mentioned as receiving pay in the Constitution?

The Vice President of the U.S.

61B

At least how old must the Vice President be?

35 (same as the requirement for President since he could become President)

61C

When is Constitution Day?

September 17th (the day the Constitution was completed and signed)

62AWhich 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision said that states could not prevent a woman from obtaining an abortion?

Roe vs. Wade

62BWhich amendment guarantees the right of citizens to criticize the government?

1st Amendment

62COf the three branches of government, which has the power to interpret laws or say what they mean?

The Judicial Branch

63A

How is the number of Senators for each state determined?

By equal representation (each state gets two)

63BWhich article of the Constitution describes the powers and duties of the legislative branch?

Article 1

63C

In an impeachment process, who has the sole power to bring up charges?

The House of Representatives

64AWhich article of the Constitution describes the primary role and duties of the President?

Article 2

64B

How many amendments have been added to the Constitution since 1788?

27

64CFederal court judges are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of whom?

The Senate