GED Civics and Government Practice Questions, Set 2

1.In his 1796 Farewell Address, George Washington warned Americans “in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party.” Which statement best summarizes Washington’s view?

1. A.Political parties could divide the nation
2. B.Parties were vital to a healthy republic
3. C.Each state should form its own party
4. D.The president should lead a single party

2.After a census, a state legislature draws congressional district lines that pack one party’s voters into a few districts and spread the rest thinly, so the other party wins most seats. What is this practice called?

1. A.Apportionment
2. B.Gerrymandering
3. C.Logrolling
4. D.Filibustering

3.In some states, voters who are unhappy with an elected official can sign petitions to force a special election. If a majority votes yes, the official is removed before the term ends. How is this process different from impeachment?

1. A.It can be used only against federal judges and cabinet members
2. B.It requires approval from the U.S. Supreme Court to take effect
3. C.It applies only to officials who have been convicted of a crime
4. D.Voters remove the official directly instead of the legislature

4.A city’s annual budget lists its sources of revenue: Property taxes: 45% Sales taxes: 25% Aid from the state: 20% Fees and fines: 10% Which conclusion is best supported by the list?

1. A.Most of the city’s money comes from the federal government
2. B.Property taxes are the city’s largest single source of revenue
3. C.Fees and fines bring in more money than aid from the state
4. D.Sales taxes provide more than half of the city’s revenue

5.Nebraska is the only state whose legislature has just one chamber. Every other state has two chambers, much like the U.S. Congress. Which term describes Nebraska’s legislature?

1. A.Unicameral
2. B.Bicameral
3. C.Federal
4. D.Bipartisan

6.A city council votes to ban the burning of leaves within city limits. Residents who break the rule can be fined $100. What is a law passed by a city council called?

1. A.A treaty
2. B.An amendment
3. C.An ordinance
4. D.An executive order

7.In Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), the Supreme Court upheld a Louisiana law that required separate railroad cars for Black and white passengers, as long as the cars were “equal.” In Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Court ruled that separate public schools are “inherently unequal.” Which statement best describes the relationship between the two decisions?

1. A.Brown applied the Plessy rule to public schools for the first time
2. B.Plessy overturned an earlier ruling that Brown later brought back
3. C.Brown rejected the separate but equal idea that Plessy had allowed
4. D.Both cases ruled that segregation by race violated the Constitution

8.A public school district writes a short prayer and directs teachers to lead students in saying it aloud each morning. Students may stay silent if they wish. In Engel v. Vitale (1962), the Supreme Court ruled that this kind of practice is unconstitutional. Which part of the First Amendment did the Court rely on?

1. A.The establishment clause
2. B.The free speech clause
3. C.The free press clause
4. D.The right of peaceful assembly

9.“The Court now holds that same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry. No longer may this liberty be denied to them.” (Obergefell v. Hodges, 2015) Which result followed from this decision?

1. A.Each state could decide on its own whether to allow same-sex marriage
2. B.Congress was required to pass a new constitutional amendment on marriage
3. C.Only the federal government could issue marriage licenses from then on
4. D.States could no longer refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples

10.A judge decides a lawsuit about a broken lease by following the reasoning of an earlier court ruling on a very similar set of facts. What is the earlier ruling called?

1. A.A veto
2. B.A precedent
3. C.A subpoena
4. D.An indictment

11.A tenant sues a former landlord for failing to return a $1,200 security deposit. The tenant asks the court to order the landlord to pay the money back. What type of case is this?

1. A.A criminal case
2. B.A civil case
3. C.A military case
4. D.An impeachment case

12.Before having surgery that requires general anesthesia, a president sends a letter to the leaders of Congress saying he is temporarily unable to do the job. The vice president serves as acting president for several hours, until the president sends a second letter taking back his powers. Which amendment provides for this process?

1. A.The Twelfth Amendment
2. B.The Sixteenth Amendment
3. C.The Twenty-fifth Amendment
4. D.The Twenty-second Amendment

13.During the Vietnam War, many Americans were drafted into the military at age 18 but could not vote until age 21 in most states. The Twenty-sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 for all elections. Which argument most directly supported the amendment?

1. A.Citizens old enough to be drafted should be able to vote
2. B.Voters under 21 were more likely to support the war effort
3. C.States wanted to raise the age for military service to 21
4. D.Congress wanted fewer people to vote in federal elections

14.After a national census, a fast-growing state gains 2 seats in the House of Representatives. Its number of senators stays the same. What happens to the state’s number of electoral votes in the next presidential election?

1. A.It goes up by 4
2. B.It stays the same
3. C.It goes up by 2
4. D.It goes down by 2

15.Members of the House serve two-year terms. Senators serve six-year terms that are staggered, so their elections are spread out over time. A midterm election is held two years after a presidential election. Which offices are on the ballot in a midterm election?

1. A.All Senate seats and about one half of House seats
2. B.Only the president, the vice president and the Senate
3. C.Only House seats, because senators serve six years
4. D.All House seats and about one third of Senate seats

16.“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.” (James Madison, Federalist No. 45, 1788) What was Madison trying to show readers?

1. A.The states would lose most of their powers to the new government
2. B.The federal government could act on any matter it wished
3. C.The Constitution would abolish state governments over time
4. D.The new national government would have limited, listed powers

17.The president asks Congress for $5 billion to build a new border facility. Congress passes a spending bill that provides no money for it, and the project cannot begin. Which power of Congress does this show?

1. A.The power of the purse
2. B.The power to declare war
3. C.The power to impeach
4. D.The power to confirm judges

18.Article II, Section 3: The president “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary.” What role does this clause give the president in lawmaking?

1. A.The president may pass laws when Congress is not in session
2. B.The president may propose laws, but only Congress can pass them
3. C.The president writes the final text of every bill in Congress
4. D.The president must approve a bill before Congress can debate it

19.In the 1890s, the Populist Party called for a federal income tax and the direct election of senators. The party never won the presidency, but both ideas later became part of the Constitution. What does this example suggest about third parties in the United States?

1. A.They usually win control of Congress within a few elections
2. B.Their ideas can be adopted even when their candidates lose
3. C.They are not allowed to run candidates for national office
4. D.They can propose amendments directly to the state legislatures

20.The president signs a document directing all federal agencies to buy only electric cars for their fleets when they replace older vehicles. Congress did not vote on the directive. What is this directive called?

1. A.A federal statute
2. B.A constitutional amendment
3. C.A joint resolution
4. D.An executive order

21.Fifth Amendment: “...nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” A state plans to build a new highway through a family’s farm. Based on the excerpt, what must the state do?

1. A.Get written permission from every neighbor on the road
2. B.Ask Congress to approve the highway route in advance
3. C.Pay the family a fair price for the land it takes
4. D.Give the family a jury trial before any work can begin

22.In 1984, Congress passed a law that withheld part of a state’s federal highway money if the state allowed people under 21 to buy alcohol. Every state soon raised its drinking age to 21. In South Dakota v. Dole (1987), the Supreme Court upheld the law. How did the federal government influence state policy in this case?

1. A.It attached conditions to federal money given to the states
2. B.It used the Supremacy Clause to overturn state drinking laws
3. C.It amended the Constitution to set a national drinking age
4. D.It sent federal agents to enforce the law inside each state

23.At its national convention, a political party adopts a written statement of its positions on taxes, health care, energy, and other issues. Candidates often point to it during the campaign. What is this document called?

1. A.A congressional resolution
2. B.A campaign finance report
3. C.A closed party caucus
4. D.A party platform

24.In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), the Supreme Court ruled that the government may not limit independent political spending by corporations and labor unions, because such spending is a form of protected speech. Which result followed from this decision?

1. A.Corporations could give unlimited sums directly to a candidate’s campaign
2. B.Labor unions were barred from taking any part in federal elections
3. C.Outside groups could spend without limit on ads not run by a campaign
4. D.Congress was required to pay for all federal campaigns with public funds

25.A table lists reported federal lobbying spending in one year: Pharmaceuticals and health products: $380 million Electronics and technology: $200 million Insurance: $160 million Oil and gas: $120 million Education: $90 million Which conclusion is best supported by the table?

1. A.Health products groups spent more than the insurance and oil groups combined
2. B.Education groups spent the most because schools receive federal money
3. C.Lobbying spending by technology firms caused new technology laws to pass
4. D.Oil and gas groups spent more than insurance groups in this year

26.The president vetoes a bill. Congress then votes on overriding the veto: House: 290 yes, 140 no Senate: 64 yes, 36 no An override needs two-thirds of the members voting in each chamber. Does the bill become law?

1. A.Yes, because a majority of each chamber voted to override
2. B.No, because the Senate vote falls short of two-thirds
3. C.No, because the House vote falls short of two-thirds
4. D.Yes, because the two chambers together reached two-thirds