Civic Literacy Review Questions and
Answers Latest Updated
Electoral College - answer The president is elected by a majority of electoral votes.
After an election a group of electors chosen by each state officially cast the electoral
votes for their state to choose the President.
Articles of Confederation - answer This document was adopted by the Second
Continental Congress in 1781 during the Revolutionary War to create a national
government. The new government was weak because states held most of the power,
and Congress lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or control the coining of money. It
was later replaced with the U.S. Constitution.
Great Compromise - answer introduced by Roger Sherman; set up a bicameral
Congress - upper house
called Senate with each state getting 2 votes & a lower house called the House of
Representatives
with each state's representation based on its population--satisfied both the large and
small states
3/5 Compromise - answer compromise made when writing the Constitution to sastify
both free and slave states; said for every 5 slaves, 3 would count in a state's population
for both representation and tax purposes
Federalism - answer is the breaking of the gov't into Federal and state levels, each
having certain powers
Checks and Balances - answer system of each branch of gov't having a power to check
the power of the other to make sure no one branch becomes too powerful
Executive Branch - answer headed by the President and carries out the laws; also
includes the Vice President and the Cabinet members
Engel v. Vitale (1962) - answer separation between Church and State in schools. S.C.
prayer in public schools is unconstitutional, violates separation of church and state and
freedom of religion (First Amendment)
Miranda vs. Arizona, 1961 - answerThis case proves that the 5th Amendment requires
that individuals arrested for a crime must be advised of their right to remain silent and to
have counsel present.
, Mapp v. Ohio (1961) - answer Evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment,
which protects against "unreasonable searches and seizures," may not be used in
criminal prosecutions in state courts, as well as federal courts.
In Re Gault (1967) - answer14th amendment Due Process Clause allows requirements
for state delinquency proceedings. established the principle that young persons have
constitutional rights
Bill - answer a statute in draft before it becomes law
Chief Justice - answer the judge who presides over the supreme court
Commander-in-Chief - answer The role of the president as the supreme commander of
the armed forces of the United States.
Governor - answer highest ranking member of a state's executive branch
Reserved powers - answer powers reserved for the states; examples: creating and
maintaining an education system, creating local governments
Veto power - answer presidential power to stop a bill from becoming a law by rejecting it
impeachment - answer a formal document charging a public official with misconduct in
office
presidential succession - answer the order in which officials fill the office of president in
case of a vacancy-1. Vice President, 2. Speaker of the House of Representatives, 3.
President of the Senate Pro Tempore, ...
U.S. Supreme Court - answer9 justices nominated by President, confirmed by Senate;
highest court in the nation; hears only appeals; interprets Constitutional law
Intolerable Acts/Coercive Acts - answer A series of acts passed by the government in
response to the Boston Tea Party. They caused outrage, as the colonists viewed the
acts as a violation of their rights. This led to the creation of the First Continental
Congress and the Revolutionary War.
Boston Tea Party - answer demonstration (1773) by citizens of Boston who raided three
British ships in Boston harbor and dumped hundreds of chests of tea into the harbor;
organized as a protest against taxes on tea.
Amendment 9 - answer People’s rights are not limited to those in the Constitution.
Amendment 10 - answer Amendment that states some powers reserved to the states
Answers Latest Updated
Electoral College - answer The president is elected by a majority of electoral votes.
After an election a group of electors chosen by each state officially cast the electoral
votes for their state to choose the President.
Articles of Confederation - answer This document was adopted by the Second
Continental Congress in 1781 during the Revolutionary War to create a national
government. The new government was weak because states held most of the power,
and Congress lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or control the coining of money. It
was later replaced with the U.S. Constitution.
Great Compromise - answer introduced by Roger Sherman; set up a bicameral
Congress - upper house
called Senate with each state getting 2 votes & a lower house called the House of
Representatives
with each state's representation based on its population--satisfied both the large and
small states
3/5 Compromise - answer compromise made when writing the Constitution to sastify
both free and slave states; said for every 5 slaves, 3 would count in a state's population
for both representation and tax purposes
Federalism - answer is the breaking of the gov't into Federal and state levels, each
having certain powers
Checks and Balances - answer system of each branch of gov't having a power to check
the power of the other to make sure no one branch becomes too powerful
Executive Branch - answer headed by the President and carries out the laws; also
includes the Vice President and the Cabinet members
Engel v. Vitale (1962) - answer separation between Church and State in schools. S.C.
prayer in public schools is unconstitutional, violates separation of church and state and
freedom of religion (First Amendment)
Miranda vs. Arizona, 1961 - answerThis case proves that the 5th Amendment requires
that individuals arrested for a crime must be advised of their right to remain silent and to
have counsel present.
, Mapp v. Ohio (1961) - answer Evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment,
which protects against "unreasonable searches and seizures," may not be used in
criminal prosecutions in state courts, as well as federal courts.
In Re Gault (1967) - answer14th amendment Due Process Clause allows requirements
for state delinquency proceedings. established the principle that young persons have
constitutional rights
Bill - answer a statute in draft before it becomes law
Chief Justice - answer the judge who presides over the supreme court
Commander-in-Chief - answer The role of the president as the supreme commander of
the armed forces of the United States.
Governor - answer highest ranking member of a state's executive branch
Reserved powers - answer powers reserved for the states; examples: creating and
maintaining an education system, creating local governments
Veto power - answer presidential power to stop a bill from becoming a law by rejecting it
impeachment - answer a formal document charging a public official with misconduct in
office
presidential succession - answer the order in which officials fill the office of president in
case of a vacancy-1. Vice President, 2. Speaker of the House of Representatives, 3.
President of the Senate Pro Tempore, ...
U.S. Supreme Court - answer9 justices nominated by President, confirmed by Senate;
highest court in the nation; hears only appeals; interprets Constitutional law
Intolerable Acts/Coercive Acts - answer A series of acts passed by the government in
response to the Boston Tea Party. They caused outrage, as the colonists viewed the
acts as a violation of their rights. This led to the creation of the First Continental
Congress and the Revolutionary War.
Boston Tea Party - answer demonstration (1773) by citizens of Boston who raided three
British ships in Boston harbor and dumped hundreds of chests of tea into the harbor;
organized as a protest against taxes on tea.
Amendment 9 - answer People’s rights are not limited to those in the Constitution.
Amendment 10 - answer Amendment that states some powers reserved to the states
