FCLE Constitution Questions and Answers 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which constitutional amendment abolished slavery throughout the United States?
- 13th Amendment (Correct answer)
- 14th Amendment
- 15th Amendment
- 12th Amendment
Correct answer: 13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime.
Question 2: What does the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution establish?
- The President is supreme over Congress
- The Constitution and federal laws are the highest law of the land (Correct answer)
- The Supreme Court can override any state law
- Federal courts are superior to state courts
Correct answer: The Constitution and federal laws are the highest law of the land
The Supremacy Clause in Article VI declares that the Constitution and federal laws made under it are the supreme law of the land.
Question 3: How many justices currently serve on the U.S. Supreme Court?
- 7
- 8
- 9 (Correct answer)
- 11
Correct answer: 9
The Supreme Court consists of nine justices: one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices.
Question 4: Which branch of government has the power to declare war?
- Executive branch
- Judicial branch
- Legislative branch (Correct answer)
- Joint Chiefs of Staff
Correct answer: Legislative branch
Article I of the Constitution grants Congress — the legislative branch — the exclusive power to declare war.
Question 5: What is the purpose of the elastic clause (necessary and proper clause)?
- To allow states to expand their powers
- To give Congress flexibility to make laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers (Correct answer)
- To allow the President to act without Congressional approval
- To enable the Supreme Court to strike down state laws
Correct answer: To give Congress flexibility to make laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers
The Necessary and Proper Clause allows Congress to pass laws needed to execute its enumerated constitutional powers.
Question 6: Which constitutional provision requires that each state give 'full faith and credit' to the laws and court decisions of other states?
- The Commerce Clause
- The Supremacy Clause
- The Full Faith and Credit Clause (Correct answer)
- The Equal Protection Clause
Correct answer: The Full Faith and Credit Clause
Article IV's Full Faith and Credit Clause requires states to honor the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state.
Question 7: What does the 10th Amendment reserve to the states or the people?
- The right to bear arms
- Powers not delegated to the federal government (Correct answer)
- Freedom of religion
- The right to a jury trial
Correct answer: Powers not delegated to the federal government
The 10th Amendment reserves all powers not granted to the federal government or prohibited to the states to the states or the people.
FCLE Constitution Questions and Answers 3
Which constitutional amendment abolished slavery throughout the United States?