U.S. Government Practice Test: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
- Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
- 10 questions
- 12 minutes
These 10 questions cover the freedoms the government may not take away and the laws and amendments that guarantee equal treatment. Civil liberties limit what government can do to you; civil rights require that people be treated equally.
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Question 1
Which statement best describes the difference between civil liberties and civil rights?
Correct answer: C
Civil liberties, such as free speech, protect individuals from government interference. Civil rights protect people from unequal treatment based on characteristics such as race or sex.
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Question 2
Which amendment abolished slavery in the United States?
Correct answer: B
The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime. The 14th Amendment (1868) defined citizenship and guaranteed equal protection.
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Question 3
A state law allows only people of one race to serve on juries. Which clause of the Constitution does this most directly violate?
Correct answer: D
The 14th Amendment forbids states to deny any person "the equal protection of the laws," which bans laws that treat people differently because of race. The religion clauses are unrelated to jury service.
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Question 4
The Supreme Court has applied most of the Bill of Rights to state governments through the 14th Amendment's Due Process Clause. What is this process called?
Correct answer: A
Originally the Bill of Rights limited only the national government. Through incorporation, case by case, the Court has used the 14th Amendment to make most of those rights binding on the states.
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Question 5
A state legislature passes a law naming one church as the official state church and paying its ministers' salaries. Which clause does this violate?
Correct answer: C
The Establishment Clause forbids government from setting up an official religion or favoring one. The Free Exercise Clause protects a person's right to practice a religion, which this law does not directly restrict.
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Question 6
Which federal law banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin in employment and in public places such as hotels and restaurants?
Correct answer: B
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed segregation in public accommodations and discrimination in employment. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 focused on removing barriers to voting.
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Question 7
Which amendment, ratified in 1964, banned poll taxes in federal elections?
Correct answer: A
The 24th Amendment forbids making payment of a poll tax a condition for voting in federal elections. The 23rd Amendment gave Washington, D.C. electors in presidential elections.
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Question 8
A government agency obtains a court order stopping a newspaper from printing a story before it is published. What is this kind of action called?
Correct answer: D
Prior restraint is censorship before publication, and courts treat it as very hard to justify under the First Amendment. Libel is a false written statement that damages someone's reputation, which can be punished after publication.
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Question 9
Which 1990 federal law prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in jobs, public services and public places?
Correct answer: B
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 covers employment, government services, public accommodations and transportation. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applied mainly to federal agencies and programs receiving federal money.
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Question 10
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 bans discrimination on the basis of sex in which programs?
Correct answer: A
Title IX applies to schools and colleges that receive federal money and is best known for expanding girls' and women's sports. Discrimination in private employment is covered by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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