Civics Test

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Suppose they were to require a basic civics test in order to allow a legal citizen to register to vote.

What sort of questions would you like to see on this sort of test?

I imagine the test should include such things as, "What determines how many justices sit on the bench of the Supreme Court?" but not anything so strenuous as, "Name them all."

Questions such as, "Which branch of government enacts tax policy" is a good example. Questions like, "Roe v Wade..." is not, nor should you reference extra-constitutional sources. The idea is to ask questions about our system of government, not surreptitiously endorse or rebuke specific policies.

Assume a reasonable standard of an audience with an median education of 10th grade level. True/false or multiple choice are good formats.

Provide your questions--with answers and/or sources--in this thread and (assuming adequate feedback) I would like to then have the membership reduce the list to approximately 20 to 30 questions.

So have at.

Thanks, smoochie-poochies!

[thundley4]

What are the 3 branches of government and the purposes of each?

What is the Bill of Rights, name at least 5.

[Ralph Wiggum]

What, no American Idol or The Bachelor questions?

[IassaFTots]

What is the order of succession of the presidency? 

Probably worded more simply like: 

Q:  If something happened to the President, AND the Vice President, who (what office) would be left in charge. 

A:  The Speaker of the House

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

What are the 3 branches of government and the purposes of each?

Can you offer multiple choice answers for the latter half?

What is the Bill of Rights, name at least 5.

Would "freedom of press" "freedom of religion" and "freedom of speech" count as 3 seperate answers or only 1 because they are under the same amendment?

[DefiantSix]

Which clause of the Constitution specifically forbids states from leaving the Union, once they've entered it?

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Which clause of the Constitution specifically forbids states from leaving the Union, once they've entered it?

The Preamble, Art III and thanks for the pointless threadjack.

[Eupher]

The cabinet of the United States serves at the pleasure of:

a.  The people.
b.  The Supreme Court
c.  The president
d.  The Speaker of the House

Correct answer is, of course, "C".

[IassaFTots]

Correct answer is, of course, "C".

It is ALWAYS C.   


Q:  The United States is a Democracy.  True or False.

A:  False.  It is a Republic

The United States is, indeed, a republic, not a democracy. Accurately defined, a democracy is a form of government in which the people decide policy matters directly--through town hall meetings or by voting on ballot initiatives and referendums. A republic, on the other hand, is a system in which the people choose representatives who, in turn, make policy decisions on their behalf. The Framers of the Constitution were altogether fearful of pure democracy. Everything they read and studied taught them that pure democracies "have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths" (Federalist No. 10).

http://www.thisnation.com/question/011.html

[NHSparky]

Name three things that Congress is specifically tasked with under Article I, Section 8.

[zeitgeist]

Years ago I  used questions from the Citizenship test as an ice breaker, a similar on line test is here:

Our quiz is made up of 20 questions which were once used on the actual citizenship test.  We've added a few curveballs-- The last ten questions may be a bit harder, but a score of around 24 out of 30 is considered a passing grade.

http://games.toast.net/independence/

You can ignore the information collection section or not.

[thundley4]

Can you offer multiple choice answers for the latter half?
Would "freedom of press" "freedom of religion" and "freedom of speech" count as 3 seperate answers or only 1 because they are under the same amendment?

Multiple choice would be fine, or given a list of governmental powers, list the branch of government for each one.

If those counted separately then I'd require at least 8 .

[thundley4]

Years ago I  used questions from the Citizenship test as an ice breaker, a similar on line test is here:


You can ignore the information collection section or not.

I missed 5 and they were all in the last 10 questions.

[IassaFTots]

Woot!  I got 28. 

[rich_t]

Suppose they were to require a basic civics test in order to allow a legal citizen to register to vote.

What sort of questions would you like to see on this sort of test?

I imagine the test should include such things as, "What determines how many justices sit on the bench of the Supreme Court?" but not anything so strenuous as, "Name them all."

Questions such as, "Which branch of government enacts tax policy" is a good example. Questions like, "Roe v Wade..." is not, nor should you reference extra-constitutional sources. The idea is to ask questions about our system of government, not surreptitiously endorse or rebuke specific policies.

Assume a reasonable standard of an audience with an median education of 10th grade level. True/false or multiple choice are good formats.

Provide your questions--with answers and/or sources--in this thread and (assuming adequate feedback) I would like to then have the membership reduce the list to approximately 20 to 30 questions.

So have at.

Thanks, smoochie-poochies!

The same questions that one must answer to become a naturalized citizen might be a starting point.

[Chris]

It's probably available online, but there's a guy at work studying for his citizenship test  One of the questions is 'what do the thirteen bars on the flag represent'.  Sadly, I was the only one in the office that had the correct answer. 

[rich_t]

Which clause of the Constitution specifically forbids states from leaving the Union, once they've entered it?

Ther aint one, regardless of what SB thinks.


 

[formerlurker]

Name three things that Congress is specifically tasked with under Article I, Section 8.

For voting purposes, this is probably the best question to ask.   

[IassaFTots]

It's probably available online, but there's a guy at work studying for his citizenship test  One of the questions is 'what do the thirteen bars on the flag represent'.  Sadly, I was the only one in the office that had the correct answer. 

Oh my. 

[NHSparky]

Years ago I  used questions from the Citizenship test as an ice breaker, a similar on line test is here:


You can ignore the information collection section or not.

Your Score is 30
Perfect score!  Maybe you should run for President!

That's right--aced it.  So please, little libertarian/liberal/istas, don't tell me I'm not a "true conservative".

[NHSparky]

For voting purposes, this is probably the best question to ask.   

Amazingly enough, even a lot of "conservatives" miss this one, despite there being 18 clauses and many more explicit authorizations for Congress.

Then again, the health debacle would likely be ruled unconstitutional on the last line of the first clause alone, which states:

but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

[NHSparky]

Ther aint one, regardless of what SB thinks.


 

Newsflash, rich--would the Constitution be worth a shit if people ignored it when it didn't suit their whims?  Whereupon the whole libertarian/Constitutionalist "theory" falls into a huge pile of crap.

[rich_t]

Newsflash, rich--would the Constitution be worth a shit if people ignored it when it didn't suit their whims?  Whereupon the whole libertarian/Constitutionalist "theory" falls into a huge pile of crap.

Will you EVER learn to acknolwledge SARCASM when yo see it?  Good Grief!

[NHSparky]

I look at the tone of your posts as a whole--I don't see a whole lot of divergence which would lend one to believe your comment had a sarcastic bent to it.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

I look at the tone of your posts as a whole--I don't see a whole lot of divergence which would lend one to believe your comment had a sarcastic bent to it.

Sparky, as ironic as it may seem I'm going to go to bat for rich concerning his tone.

rich, like many others here, was witness to The Great Rebel-Lago Flame War of 2009. rich believes, with reasonable cause, that this is an issue that can get me spun up rather easily. While I would offer that it was my opposite member's acidity and lack of civility rich nonetheless saw a tremendous amount of emotional energy expended by both sides and I assume he had no small amount of sport watching such antics.

In short: he's yanking my chain.

In this I lay no blame upon him and ask that instead of condemning him, please, take him at his word that he intends no direct offense and if you too can find humor in it by all means be my guest.