Grade 7 Social Studies Practice Test: Constitution, Three Branches and Citizenship
- Civics: The Constitution, Three Branches and Citizenship
- 15 questions
- 18 minutes
This test covers Grade 7 civics: the principles of the U.S. Constitution, the three branches of government and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Tip: for checks and balances questions, ask which branch is limiting which.
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Question 1
The Constitution begins with the words "We the People." Which principle do these words show?
Correct answer: C
Popular sovereignty means the government gets its power from the people. Federalism and judicial review are real principles too, but these opening words express the people's authority.
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Question 2
How long is one term for a U.S. senator?
Correct answer: A
Senators serve 6-year terms. Members of the House serve 2 years, and the president serves 4 years.
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Question 3
Which branch of the national government makes laws?
Correct answer: D
Congress, made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives, writes and passes federal laws. The executive branch carries them out, and the courts interpret them.
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Question 4
Congress passes a bill, but the president vetoes it. Congress then votes again, and two-thirds of both the House and the Senate vote for the bill.
What happens to the bill?
Correct answer: B
A two-thirds vote in both houses overrides a veto. This is a check that the legislative branch has on the executive branch.
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Question 5
How many senators does each state have in the U.S. Senate?
Correct answer: C
Every state has 2 senators, for a total of 100. Population decides the number of seats in the House, not the Senate.
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Question 6
Why does California have many more members in the House of Representatives than Wyoming?
Correct answer: A
The 435 House seats are divided among the states by population, not by land area or age. Alaska, the largest state by area, has only one representative.
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Question 7
The power of the courts to decide that a law goes against the Constitution is called
Correct answer: B
Judicial review was established in the case Marbury v. Madison (1803). A veto is the president's power to reject a bill.
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Question 8
The president nominates a person to serve on the Supreme Court. Who must confirm the nominee?
Correct answer: D
The Senate votes to confirm or reject Supreme Court nominees. The Court has 9 justices, who can serve for life.
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Question 9
What is the Bill of Rights?
Correct answer: C
The Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791, is the first ten amendments and protects freedoms such as speech, religion and a fair trial. The opening paragraph is the Preamble.
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Question 10
A local newspaper prints an article that strongly criticizes the city's mayor. The mayor cannot have the newspaper shut down for this.
Which right protects the newspaper?
Correct answer: A
The First Amendment protects freedom of the press, which lets newspapers criticize public officials.
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Question 11
To become part of the Constitution, a proposed amendment must be ratified by how many of the states?
Correct answer: B
Three-fourths of the states (38 of 50) must ratify an amendment. The two-thirds vote is the usual way Congress proposes an amendment. The Constitution has 27 amendments.
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Question 12
A person born in another country to parents who are not U.S. citizens can become a U.S. citizen through
Correct answer: D
Naturalization is the legal process by which an immigrant becomes a citizen. Under the 14th Amendment, people born in the United States are citizens by birth.
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Question 13
Which of these is a responsibility of citizens rather than a right?
Correct answer: C
Jury service is a duty citizens owe to the community. Religion, free speech and a fair trial are rights protected by the Bill of Rights.
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Question 14
The Constitution divides power between the national government and the state governments. What is this principle called?
Correct answer: A
Federalism splits power between levels of government. Separation of powers divides power among the three branches of the national government.
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Question 15
Which amendment lowered the voting age to 18 in 1971?
Correct answer: B
The 26th Amendment set the voting age at 18. The 19th Amendment (1920) gave women the right to vote.
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