Question 1

The federal government is composed of this many branches.

2
3
4
5

Question 2

How many justices are there on the Supreme Court?

5
7
8
9

Question 3

This document is the ultimate basis of all laws in the US.

Articles of Confederation
Bible
Constitution
Declaration of Independence

Question 4

Congress is made up of this many houses (or chambers, or bodies, if you like)

1
2
3

Question 5

The Bill of Rights is

part of the Constitution that was included before it was ever amended.
a set of amendments to the Constitution.
in the Declaration of Independence.
a law passed in the 1st Congress and signed by President Washington.

Question 6

How long is a president's term in office?

2 years
4 years
6 years

Question 7

How many terms can a president serve?

1
2
4
There is no limit.

Question 8

A term in the US Senate is this many years.

2
4
6

Question 9

A term in the US House of Representatives is this many years.

2
4
6

Question 10

Senators can serve this many terms.

1
2
4
There is no limit.

Question 11

Members of the US House of Representatives can serve this many terms.

4
5
6
There is no limit.

Question 12

What limits are there on how long a Supreme Court Justice can serve?

They only serve while the President who appointed them is in office.
They can only serve for 10 years.
They can only serve for 25 years.
They can serve until they die, retire, or are impeached.

Question 13

How many presidents have served more than two terms?

0
1
2
3

Question 14

Although US senators are elected directly by the voters now, they were chosen this way when the Constitution was first ratified.

Appointed by the president.
Elected by a vote of the US House members from their state.
Chosen by the state legislatures of their states.
Trick question! They've always been elected directly.

Question 15

True or False: The Constitution makes no mention of political parties.

True
False

Question 16

The US Senate has this many members.

50
100
150
435

Question 17

The US House of Representatives has this many members.

100
275
435
500

Question 18

Imagine that the US admitted a 51st state. Would this change the permanent number of Senate seats?

Yes
No

Question 19

Would adding that 51st state change the permanent number of House seats?

Yes
No

Question 20

If the President dies or becomes unable to perform the duties of the office, the Vice-President becomes president. If both the President and the Vice-President are unable to serve as President, what happens?

There is a new presidential election.
The President Pro Tempore of the Senate becomes President.
The Speaker of the House becomes President.
The Governor of the most populous state becomes President.

Question 21

As long as the President is alive and able to do his/her job, what is the Vice-President's only constitutional responsibility?

The Vice-President's only job is to take over the presidency if necessary.
The Vice-President serves as President of the Senate.
The Vice-President serves as Speaker of the House.
The Vice-President performs duties outside the US so the President can stay in the country.

Question 22

The Constitution can be amended in two ways: at a Constitutional Convention (which hasn't happened since 1787), or by amendment. To be ratified as part of the Constitution, an amendment must get the support of what proportions of Congress and the states?

3/4 of both houses of Congress and 2/3 of the states
2/3 of both houses of Congress and 3/4 of the states
a simple majority of both houses of Congress, and 2/3 of the states
2/3 of both houses of Congress and a simple majority of the states

Question 23

True or False: The President has no role in the constitutional amendment process.

True
False

Explanation: The President's signature is considered unnecessary because of the constitutional provision that on the concurrence of two-thirds of both Houses of Congress the proposal shall be submitted to the States for ratification. (Source)

Question 24

The right to privacy is guaranteed where in the Constitution?

the 1st Amendment
the 5th Amendment
the 14th Amendment
It's not specifically mentioned anywhere in the Constitution.

Question 25

The 1st Amendment pertains to these rights:

freedom from cruel and unusual punishment
the right to bear arms
freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly
the right to a speedy trial, to face your accuser, and to due process of law

Question 26

Since its ratification in 1788, hundreds if not thousands of amendments to the Constitution have been proposed. But only this many amendments have been ratified:

18
24
27
32

***NOTE: On June 9, 2006 I altered the wording of this question to account for the likelihood that all 10 amendments in the Bill of Rights were actually proposed in a single Joint Resolution in Congress. Thus while 10 amendments were added to the Constitution, they may all have been done so at once, which would render my previous wording of the question inaccurate (and potentially make the first distractor a correct answer). I'm pasting it in below for reference.

Since its ratification in 1788, hundreds if not thousands of amendments to the Constitution have been proposed. But it has only been amended this many times:

Question 27

Can a constitutional amendment be repealed?

No, they are permanent.
Yes, by the Supreme Court.
Yes, with another constitutional amendment.
Yes, if Congress and the President agree to it.

Question 28

How old do you have to be to serve in the House of Representatives?

25
30
35
There is no age requirement.

Question 29

How old do you have to be to serve in the Senate?

25
30
35
There is no age requirement.

Question 30

How old do you have to be to serve as President?

25
30
35
There is no age requirement.

Question 31

True or False: Only natural-born US citizens are eligible to serve as President.

True
False

***NOTE: I changed this question on October 3, 2006 to eliminate the accuracy problem with the previous version, regarding people who are born US citizens outside the US.

Question 32

The President has nominated you to be a Justice on the Supreme Court. Before you can take your seat on the Court, what has to happen?

I have to be confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate.
I have to be confirmed by majority votes in the House and Senate.
I have to be confirmed by a 2/3 vote of the Senate.
I have to be confirmed by a 2/3 vote of the other Justices.

Question 33

Pretend you're a member of Congress, and you've introduced an awesome new bill you think should become law. Your bill has been passed by a majority vote in one house of Congress, but not the other. Is there a way for your bill to go to the President?

Yes
No

Question 34

You're a senator, and you introduce a bill which has passed both houses of Congress, but the President vetoes it instead of signing it. Can your bill still become law?

No, the President's veto is final.
Yes, if majorities in the House and Senate pass the bill again.
Yes, if 2/3 of the Senate and House vote to override the veto.
Yes, if 3/4 of the House and Senate vote to override the veto.

Question 35

Which political party is older?

Democratic - 1828
Republican - 1850s

Question 36

How did women and black Americans get the right to vote?

through rulings by the Supreme Court
by federal laws passed by Congress and signed by a President
in constitutional amendments
they've always had the right to vote

Question 37

Who got the right to vote first (officially), blacks or women?

blacks
women
both at the same time
Like I said, they've always had the right to vote.

Question 38

The District of Columbia was created so the nation's capital would be in a neutral place outside any state. Today Washington, DC has a population of about 590,000. Can DC residents vote in presidential elections?

Yes
No

Question 39

Which of these statements about residents of Washington, DC is false? (Assume that all DC residents were born in DC.)

DC residents are US citizens.
DC residents pay federal taxes.
DC residents are represented in Congress.
DC residents serve in the US Armed Forces.

Question 40

Federal agencies and departments (e.g. the Departments of Agriculture, Energy, Homeland Security, and Veterans' Afffairs; or the US Information Agency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Food and Drug Administration, and National Labor Relations Board) are often collectively referred to as the bureaucracy. With few exceptions, which branch does the bureaucracy fall under?

Executive
Legislative
Judicial
The bureaucracy is independent of the 3 main branches of government.

Question 41

The President serves as Commander-in-Chief of the US Armed Forces. According to the Constitution, who has the power to declare war?

Congress alone
the President alone
Congress and the President together
neither Congress nor the President

Question 42

Name the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Samuel Alito
William Rehnquist
John Roberts
Antonin Scalia

Question 43

Who is the Speaker of the House?

Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

***NOTE: Changed January 24, 2007 to reflect the new leadership following the 2006 elections.

Question 44

The Senate is run largely by its Majority Leader. But the Senate also has a "President Pro Tempore" (pro tempore = Latin for "for the time being"). Are these offices held by the same person?

Yes, the Majority Leader and the President Pro Tempore are the same person.
No, the same person can't be Majority Leader and President Pro Tempore.
The Majority Leader and President Pro Tempore aren't necessarily the same person, but they could be.

Question 45

Impeaching a President requires a majority vote of the House of Representatives. This has happened twice in US history. But conviction (actually removing the President from office) requires a 2/3 vote of the Senate. How many times in US history has a president been both impeached and convicted?

0
1
2
3

Question 46

True or False: The reason why the Constitution requires a census of the American people to be taken every 10 years is to determine how many House seats each state gets.

True
False
No one really knows.