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US Citizenship Civics Test The Constitution and Its Origins — practice questions

Explore 23 free The Constitution and Its Origins questions in US Citizenship Civics Test Civics. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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The Constitution and Its Origins questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–23 of 23.

The Constitution is described as consisting of a preamble and how many articles?Read the answer and worked solution →The framers divided the national government into how many separate branches?Read the answer and worked solution →Dividing the national government into branches with different responsibilities is called:Read the answer and worked solution →Giving each branch power to restrict the actions of the others creates a system of:Read the answer and worked solution →The system of checks and balances has the effect of requiring the branches to:Read the answer and worked solution →Which document formed the basis of the new nation's government before the Constitution?Read the answer and worked solution →The final draft of the Articles of Confederation was accepted by Congress in:Read the answer and worked solution →After Congress accepted the Articles of Confederation, they were submitted to the states for:Read the answer and worked solution →How many delegates arrived in Philadelphia in May 1787?Read the answer and worked solution →The May 1787 meeting in Philadelphia became known as the:Read the answer and worked solution →Parliament passed the English Bill of Rights in which year?Read the answer and worked solution →The English Bill of Rights was passed before Parliament offered the throne to:Read the answer and worked solution →Before appointing Supreme Court members and ambassadors, the president must seek the advice and consent of the:Read the answer and worked solution →Treaties signed by the president take effect only after ratification is approved by the:Read the answer and worked solution →Senate approval of judicial appointments and treaties is best described as an example of:Read the answer and worked solution →The Articles of Confederation preceded the Constitutional Convention by roughly:Read the answer and worked solution →Separation of powers and checks and balances differ in that separation divides while checks:Read the answer and worked solution →The English Bill of Rights of 1689 preceded the Constitutional Convention by roughly:Read the answer and worked solution →Order the founding documentsRead the answer and worked solution →Match each founding ideaRead the answer and worked solution →Count the ConstitutionRead the answer and worked solution →True or false: the ConstitutionRead the answer and worked solution →Complete the founding factsRead the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

The Constitution is described as consisting of a preamble and how many articles?

  1. Seven articles
  2. Three articles
  3. Ten articles
  4. Twenty articles
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Correct answer: A. Seven articles

1. The Constitution has a fixed structure. 2. It opens with a preamble. 3. The Constitution consists of a preamble and seven articles. 4. Amendments were added later. _Source: OpenStax American Government 4e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 2 'The Constitution and Its Origins'_

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The framers divided the national government into how many separate branches?

  1. Nine branches
  2. Three branches
  3. Two branches
  4. Five branches
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Correct answer: B. Three branches

1. Power was deliberately split rather than concentrated. 2. The framers resolved the problem of concentrated power. 3. They did so through a separation of powers. 4. That divided the national government into three separate branches. _Source: OpenStax American Government 4e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 2 'The Constitution and Its Origins'_

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Dividing the national government into branches with different responsibilities is called:

  1. Separation of powers
  2. Concentration of power
  3. Delegation of duties
  4. Suspension of powers
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Correct answer: A. Separation of powers

1. The arrangement has a formal name. 2. The framers divided the national government into three separate branches. 3. They assigned different responsibilities to each one. 4. That arrangement is a separation of powers. _Source: OpenStax American Government 4e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 2 'The Constitution and Its Origins'_

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CivicsConstitutionGovernmentPolitical SciencePublic AdministrationState and Local GovernmentUS GovernmentCivil Liberties