FCLE Civic Literacy 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the U.S. Constitution, how long is a U.S. Senator's term in office?
- 2 years
- 4 years
- 6 years (Correct answer)
- 8 years
Correct answer: 6 years
U.S. Senators serve six-year terms, with approximately one-third of Senate seats up for election every two years.
Question 2: What principle prevents the government from depriving a person of life, liberty, or property without fair legal procedures?
- Habeas corpus
- Due process (Correct answer)
- Equal protection
- Judicial review
Correct answer: Due process
Due process, guaranteed by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, requires fair legal procedures before the government can deprive someone of life, liberty, or property.
Question 3: Which landmark Supreme Court case established the principle of judicial review?
- McCulloch v. Maryland
- Dred Scott v. Sandford
- Marbury v. Madison (Correct answer)
- Brown v. Board of Education
Correct answer: Marbury v. Madison
Marbury v. Madison (1803) established judicial review, giving the Supreme Court the power to strike down laws that violate the Constitution.
Question 4: What is the minimum age requirement to serve as President of the United States?
- 25 years old
- 30 years old
- 35 years old (Correct answer)
- 40 years old
Correct answer: 35 years old
Article II of the Constitution requires the President to be at least 35 years old, a natural-born citizen, and a 14-year U.S. resident.
Question 5: What is the term for a formal accusation against a president or other federal official by the House of Representatives?
- Censure
- Impeachment (Correct answer)
- Recall
- Conviction
Correct answer: Impeachment
Impeachment is the process by which the House of Representatives formally charges a president or federal official with misconduct; the Senate then holds a trial.
Question 6: Which amendment abolished slavery in the United States?
- Thirteenth Amendment (Correct answer)
- Fourteenth Amendment
- Fifteenth Amendment
- Nineteenth Amendment
Correct answer: Thirteenth Amendment
The Thirteenth Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude throughout the United States.
Question 7: What is federalism as it applies to the United States?
- A system where all power rests with the national government
- A system where states have no independent authority
- A division of power between the national government and state governments (Correct answer)
- A system where the president controls state governments
Correct answer: A division of power between the national government and state governments
Federalism is the constitutional division of power between the federal government and the states, with each level having distinct areas of authority.
FCLE Civic Literacy 3
Under the U.S.
Constitution, how long is a U.S.
Senator's term in office?