U.S. Constitution Day Contest
September 17, 2013 is Constitution Day and LRSC U.S. Constitution Day Contest will run from Tuesday
through Thursday, September 19, 2013. Be sure to fill out your name and telephone number and then hand in this
sheet in the box in the President’s Office. The deadline is by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, 9/19/13
2013 is the hundredth anniversary of the ratification of the 16th and 17th amendments and the eightieth
anniversary of the ratification of the 20th and 21st amendments so this year’s Constitution Quiz Questions will
center on these four amendments.
(Answer as many of the following questions as you can. Prizes will be given for each Amendment and winners will be
drawn from all correct answers. Three grand prizes for most correct answers include $80.00 certificate for a student to
rent a notebook computer for one semester, and a $50.00 gift certificate to spend at the coffee bar in the Bookstore,
and a $30.00 I-Tunes card.
Note in Blue on this sheet are the LRSC Blue Shirted Constitutional Amendment individuals who will give you the
answers to their Constitution or Amendment Question. Ask them for help and fill in the answers they give you or of
course you could also do an internet search for the correct answers.
Name _________________
Telephone Number __________________________
Question 1:
Sam Cordrey, Student Services Office
Amendment 21 repealed what previous amendment and was in effect only how many years?
Question 2:
Tammy Widmer, Faculty Math, Science Wing
Amendment 20 sets what date and time beginning the term of office for all U.S. presidents?
Question 3:
Heidi Schneider, Faculty Information Tech, Business Wing
Who ratified Amendment 21 in contrast to who ratified Amendment 20?
Question 4:
Celeste Ertelt, Director Library
Explain why President Obama held his second term inauguration ceremonies on January 21, 2013 and how many
previous presidents also followed this tradition? Finally, explain how following this tradition was
still legal?
Question 5:
Bobbi Lunday, President’s Office
What president was first sworn in under the earlier date established by Amendment 20 and when
did the previous president take the oath of office?
Question 6:
Teresa Tande, Faculty English/Humanties Classroom 22
The federal income tax was a popular tax when it was ratified and in 1939 only what percent of the population,
counting both taxpayers and their dependents, was required to file returns?
Question 7:
Karissa Harper, Student Services Office
Amendment 16 was not the first time the U.S. Congress passed an income tax. The Congress first imposed income
taxes between what years without any interference from the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that these taxes were
unconstitutional?
(Over For Questions 8 - 20)
U.S. Constitution Day Contest
Question 8:
Kory Boehmer, Faculty Chemistry, Science Wing
Amendment 20 provides for who to become president if the president-elect dies after the election and before the
official swearing in date and time?
Question 9:
Shaun Prince, Faculty Biology, Science Wing
Amendment 16 first established an income tax of what percent on the first $20,000 of taxable income and was
percent on incomes above $500,000?
Question 10: Rick McAllister Auto Mechanics Office, Erlandson Building
On February 21, 1933, the proposed twenty -first amendment was sent to the states to be ratified. Meanwhile,
“President Roosevelt asked Congress to not wait and modify the Volstead Act to provide for the immediate sale” of
what alcoholic beverage ? How many days did it take for Congress to approve Roosevelt’s request.
Question 11:
Randy Olson, Auto Mechanics Office, Erlandson Building
In what year and to pay for what expense did the U.S. government first begin to withhold the federal income tax
from employee’s wages and salaries?
Question 12: Dick Olson, Faculty Psychology/Sociology, Classroom 33
The majority of the members of Congress were anti-Prohibition, but they felt that many state legislators remained in
favor of keeping Prohibition due to what situation?
Question 13: Jennifer Jenssen, Instructional Office
As early as what year did both Congress and the President first call for the direct popular election of both U.S.
Presidents and U.S. Senators?
Question 14: M. C. Buresh, Faculty History Political Science, Classroom 25
Amendment 17 also changed the process of filling vacancies of U.S. Senate seats by taking powers away from what
branch of state government and giving power to what branch of state government ? List the two specific
powers that this new branch of state government has in choosing vacancy replacements?
Question 15: Jennifer VanSteenvoort, Nursing Office, Erlandson Building,
According to the U.S. Constitution what two groups can proposed a new amendment to the Constitution and how
many total times have each of these two groups proposed new amendments in the past?
Question 16: Melissa Stotts and Sandy Lillehaugen, Bookstore
According to the U.S. Constitution what two groups can ratify a new amendment to the Constitution and how many
total times have each of these two groups ratified past amendments?
Question 17: Dianne Gunderson, Institutional Advancement Office
According to Amendment 20 what time and day does the term of office for the new Congress begin?
Question 18: Andy Wakeford, Office
Advocates of Prohibition believe eliminating alcohol would solve all of society’s problems. What famous evangelist
and supporter of Prohibition said, “The slums will soon be a memory. We will turn our prisons into factories and our
jails into storehouses and corncribs. Men will walk upright now, women will smile and children will laugh.”
Question 19: Lisa Howard, Precision Agriculture LRSC North Campus
According to Amendment 20 and Article 2 who has the final vote in choosing the President and Vice President by
certifying the electoral vote results?
U.S. Constitution Day Contest
Question 20: Cindy Brown, Office
In 1913 supporters of the Amendment 16 labeled it the “_____ amendment” which became very popular among the
average American citizen and helped its successful passage and ratification.