HiSET Social Studies: US History and Civics Practice Test 2

Question 1

Which Supreme Court case established the principle of judicial review, giving courts the power to strike down unconstitutional laws?

Accepted Answer

Marbury v. Madison

Answer

Marbury v. Madison (1803) established judicial review when Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that the Supreme Court could invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution.

Question 2

The Three-Fifths Compromise in the original Constitution determined that enslaved people would be counted as what fraction of a person for purposes of taxation and representation?

Accepted Answer

Three-fifths

Answer

The Three-Fifths Compromise counted enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person to determine each state's population for congressional representation and direct taxes.

Question 3

Which amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery throughout the United States?

Accepted Answer

13th Amendment

Answer

The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, formally abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime.

Question 4

What was the primary purpose of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806)?

Accepted Answer

To explore the territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase

Answer

President Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory, map the land, and find a practical route to the Pacific Ocean.

Question 5

The concept of 'Manifest Destiny' in the 19th century expressed the belief that the United States was destined to:

Accepted Answer

Expand its territory across the entire North American continent

Answer

Manifest Destiny was the 19th-century ideology that the US was divinely ordained to expand westward from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

HiSET - High School Equivalency Test Practice Test

HiSET - High School Equivalency Test Practice Test

HiSET Social Studies: US History and Civics Practice Test 2