1. Civics and Economics Review Questions Mrs. A. LeRoux

2. Popular Sovereignty or consent of the governed Separation of Powers
What are the four fundamental political principles that have shaped government in the United States?
Limited Government
Popular Sovereignty or consent of the governed
Separation of Powers
Federalism

3. What does “Consent of the Governed” mean?
People are the source of the governments power

4. What is Limited Government?
Government is not all-powerful and may do only those things people have given it power to do

5. What does Separation of Powers mean?
Power divided between three branches of government

6. What is Federalism?
Power is shared between the national government and state governments

7. What are the Charters of the Virginia Company?
Rights of Englishmen are guaranteed to the Colonists

8. What is the Virginia Declaration of Rights?
Served as a model for the Bill of Rights of the Constitution

9. What are the Articles of Confederation?
Established the first form of government for the states after the Revolutionary War
Power stays with the states
Weak Central Government

10. What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
Congress had no power to tax
Congress had no power to enforce law

11. What is the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom?
Individuals have freedom of religious beliefs and opinions

12. What is the United States Constitution?
Establishes the structure of the United States government

13. What is the Bill of Rights?
Guarantees the rights of the people

14. What is the Preamble?
The introduction to the Constitution that expresses the people have the right to rule themselves

15. What are the four main goals of the Preamble?
To form a more perfect union
to establish justice
to ensure domestic peace
to provide defense

16. What does the 14th Amendment say?
All person’s born or naturalized in the United States are citizens and shall receive equal protection under the law

17. How may a person become a citizen of the United States?
Birth
Naturalization

18. What are the five basic freedoms of the First Amendment?
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Press
Freedom of Assembly
Freedom of Petition

19. List four duties of a citizen.
Obey laws
pay taxes
serve in the armed forces if called upon
serve on a jury or as a witness in court

20. What are some responsibilities of citizens?
Vote
communicate with government officials
volunteer
participate in political campaigns
respect rights of others

21. What are some good traits of citizens?
Trustworthiness and honesty
courtesy and respect for the rights of others
respect for the law
patriotism

22. What are four functions of political parties?
Recruit and nominate candidates
help candidates win elections
monitor actions of office holders
educate public about issues

23. Separation of fact from opinion detecting bias
What are four strategies for evaluating campaign speeches, literature, and advertisements for accuracy?
Separation of fact from opinion
detecting bias
evaluating sources of information
identifying propaganda

24. What are three qualifications to register to vote in the state of Virginia?
Must be a citizen of the United States
Must be a resident of Virginia
Must be 18 years of age

25. How can you register to vote in the state of Virginia?
In person at the registrar’s office
at the Division of Motor Vehicles
By mailing in an application

26. What are three factors in predicting which citizens will vote?
Education
Age
Income

27. Who selects the President and Vice President of the United States?
The Electoral College

28. What are the three levels of government?
National
State
Local

29. What are the responsibilities of the national government?
Conduct foreign policy
regulates commerce

30. What are the primary responsibilities of the state governments?
Promote public health
promote public safety
promote public welfare

31. What are the three branches of government?
Legislative
Executive
Judicial

32. How often does the Virginia legislature make a budget?
Every two years (biennial)

33. What is judicial review?
The power of the Supreme Court to decide whether or not a law is constitutional

34. What Supreme Court case established the principle of judicial review?
Marbury v. Madison

35. What is the system of checks and balances?
Gives each of the three branches of government ways to to limit the powers of the other branches

36. List some examples of legislative powers over the executive branch.
Override vetoes
impeach a president

37. List one example of a legislative powers over the judicial branch.
Power to approve federal judges

38. List one example of an executive power over the legislative branch.
Veto bills of Congress

39. List one example of an executive power over the judicial branch.
Appoint federal judges

40. Declare laws unconstitutional
List one example of a judicial power over the executive and judicial branches of government.
Declare laws unconstitutional

41. What are two ways the Constitution of the United States can be ratified?
Action by the United States Congress or convention
Ratification by the states

42. What does bicameral mean?
Two house legislature (example the United States Congress)

43. What is normally the final step in a bill becoming a law?
President’s signature

44. What type of legislature is the Virginia Assembly?
Bicameral

45. What is the State of the Union Address?
Annual address to Congress outlining the President’s goals for the future

46. What are some ways the media influences our government?
Focusing public attention on selected issues
Holding government officials accountable for their actions

47. What is Lobbying?
Seeking to influence legislators to introduce or vote for or against a bill

48. What are some ways to influence government?
Voting
lobbying
writing letters
joining interest groups

49. What kind of cases are heard in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court?
Juvenile and Family Matters

50. What type of jurisdiction does the Supreme Court have?
Appellate and Original

51. What does Marbury v. Madison say?
Established the principle of judicial review

52. What is the highest authority in the land?
The Constitution

53. What is due process of the law?
The Constitution protects citizens against unfair government actions and laws

54. What is scarcity?
The inability to satisfy all wants

55. What are resources?
Factors of production that are used in the production of goods and services (example: trees, silver, water)

56. What is opportunity cost?
What is given up when a choice is made.

57. What is supply?
The amount of a good or service that producers are willing and able to sell at a certain price.

58. What is demand?
The amount of a good or service that consumers are willing and able to buy at a certain price.

59. What is a command economy?
An economy in which the government owns all the property and resources (examples: CHINA and Former Soviet Union)

60. What is a mixed economy?
An economy in which the government and individuals are principle decision makers (examples: United States and Japan).

61. What is a Proprietorship?
A form of business organization with one owner.

62. What is a Partnership?
A form of business organization with two or more owners.

63. What is the Federal Reserve System?
Acts as a bank regulating the amount of money in circulation.