12th Grade U.S. Government (including Honors)
Study Guide
Unit 1: Foundations
Topics to know:






What is Locke’s Philosophy of Natural Rights?
What are the requirements for Democracy?
What were influences on the Declaration of Independence?
What was the purpose of Common Sense, by Thomas Paine?
Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
Constitutional Convention & Compromises
Practice Questions:
1.
Read the quote below.
“In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most
humble terms; our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated
injury.” – The Declaration of Independence
The action to which the signers refer is protected by the
A.
B.
C.
D.
2.
First Amendment
Second Amendment
Eighth Amendment
Fourteenth Amendment
The pamphlet Common Sense, by Thomas Paine, aided the American cause in
the Revolutionary War because it
A.
B.
C.
D.
Form 1201
convinced France to join in the fight against England
led to the repeal of the Stamp Act
created a new system of government for the United States
persuaded undecided individuals to support independence
Page 1 of 7
12th Grade U.S. Government (including Honors)
Study Guide
Unit 2: Constitution and Federalism
Topics to know:








Identify main arguments between the Federalists & Anti-Federalists
Explain the purpose of government as listed in the Preamble
What is “popular sovereignty” and how does it relate to Democracy?
Supremacy Clause
Identify the different powers of government
o Expressed, implied, concurrent, reserved, delegated, inherent,
enumerated
What are the duties of the three branches of government?
Checks & Balances
Separation of powers
Practice Questions:
3.
Read the following newspaper headlines.
“President Roosevelt Proposes Wide Range of New Deal Programs”
“Supreme Court Orders President Nixon to Release Watergate Tapes”
“Congress Calls Cabinet Member to Testify”
Which concept is best illustrated by the above newspaper headlines?
A.
B.
C.
D.
4.
federalism
states’ rights
the elastic clause
separation of powers
Based on the Constitution, what is the difference between concurrent powers and
reserved powers?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Form 1201
Reserved powers are exclusively given to the federal government
Concurrent powers only go into effect during wartime.
Concurrent powers only apply to the executive branch
Reserved powers are exclusively given to state governments
Page 2 of 7
12th Grade U.S. Government (including Honors)
Study Guide
Unit 3: Congress
Topics to know:








Explain the process of impeachment?
Proportional v. equal representation (House v. Senate)
How a bill becomes a law
Revenue bill requirements
What are the constitutional requirements of Senators and Congressmen
What is pork barreling?
How do Executive agreements differ from Executive orders
What is gerrymandering? How is it used?
Practice Questions:
5.
Which of the following steps comes first in the legislative process in the House of
Representatives?
A.
B.
C.
D.
6.
House Rules Committee
House subcommittee
Conference committee
Floor vote
According to the Constitution, the main purpose of Congress is to do which of the
following?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Form 1201
make laws
determine whether laws are constitutional
carry out laws
veto laws proposed by the President
Page 3 of 7
12th Grade U.S. Government (including Honors)
Study Guide
Unit 4: President & Bureaucracy
Topics to know:





What is the Executive Office of the President, and what role does it play?
Identify and explain the many “Hats” of the President (Duties)
How does presidential succession work?
What is the Electoral College? How does it work?
What are arguments for and against the Electoral College?
Practice Questions:
7.
Based on the Constitution, how are presidential elections different for members
of Congress?
A.
B.
C.
D.
8.
Presidential elections only take place in even-numbered years
Presidential elections use an electoral vote
Presidential elections consider absentee ballots before deciding the outcome.
Presidential elections use a popular vote.
Read the quote below.
“ I am Vice President, in this I am nothing, but I may be everything.”
– John Adams
This quote from John Adams describes
A.
B.
C.
D.
Form 1201
the order of presidential succession
the role of the Vice President as presiding officer of the Senate
the custom of nominating the Vice President to the Supreme Court
the role of the Vice President as Commander in Chief during war time
Page 4 of 7
12th Grade U.S. Government (including Honors)
Study Guide
Unit 5: The Courts and Civil Liberties
Topics to know:








Significant Court Cases
o Marbury v. Madison
o Dred Scott v. Sanford
o Plessy v. Ferguson
o Korematsu v. U.S.
o Miranda v. Arizona
o Roe v. Wade
o Brown v. Board of Education
Identify and explain the five 1st Amendment freedoms
What are the establishment and free exercise clauses and how do they differ?
Explain the development of Judicial Review and how it is used.
What is a “Writ of Certiorari”?
Judges length of term
Structure of federal court system
Explain the results of the presidential Election of 2000
Practice Questions:
9.
The Supreme Court’s decision that established implied powers
A.
B.
C.
D.
10.
Schenck v. United States
Fletcher v. Peck
Marbury v. Madison
McCulloch v. Maryland
Supreme Court justices serve on the basis of
A.
B.
C.
D.
Form 1201
their allotted terms
Congressional discretion
good behavior
the pleasure of the President
Page 5 of 7
12th Grade U.S. Government (including Honors)
Study Guide
Unit 6: Civic & Political Participation
Topics to know:






What is the role of Interest Groups?
What is the positive and negative role of campaign contributions?
Forms of political participation
Suffrage movement for women and minorities.
How were the Grandfather clause, poll tax, literacy test used?
Forms of direct democracy
Practice Questions:
11.
Large-scale, permanent enfranchisement of African-Americans in southern states
occurred in the period following the passage of the
A.
B.
C.
D.
Form 1201
Fourteenth Amendment
Fifteenth Amendment
Civil Rights Act of 1875
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Page 6 of 7
12th Grade U.S. Government (including Honors)
Study Guide
Unit 7: State, Local, & Comparative Government
Topics to know:





Explain the organization and role of the United Nations
What is a Line item veto, and how is it used?
What is Détente?
Types of Local Government
Sources of State revenue
Practice Questions:
12.
The slow transformation from conflict thinking to cooperative thinking in foreign
policy strategy is referred to as
A. perestroika
B. appeasement
C. containment
D. détente
13.
The President of the United States lacks the power to do which of the following?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Form 1201
appoint heads of executive agencies, federal court judges, and ambassadors
pardon individuals convicted of federal crimes
call congress into special session
veto specific provisions of a bill
Page 7 of 7