CONSTITUTION DAY – CITIZENSHIP DAY – September 17
Citizenship Test questions:
#1. What is the supreme law of the land?
#2. What does the Constitution do?
#3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of
the Constitution. What are these words?
#4. What is an amendment?
#5. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the
Constitution?
#6. What is one right or freedom from the first Amendment?
#7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?
#10. What is freedom of religion?
#13. Name one branch or part of the government.
#14. What stops one branch from becoming too powerful?
#15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?
#16. Who makes federal laws?3
#17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
#30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes
President?
#31. If both the President and the Vice President can no
longer serve, who becomes President?
#33. Who signs bills to become laws?
#34. Who vetoes bills?
#35. What does the President’s Cabinet do?
#36. What are two cabinet level positions?
#37. What does the judicial branch do?
#38. What is the highest court in the land?
#39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
#41. Under our constitution, some powers belong to the
Federal Government. What is one power of the Federal
Government?
#42. Under our constitution, some powers belong to the
States. What is one power of the states?
#48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about
who can vote. Describe one of them.
#54. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
#65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
#66.When was the Constitution written?
#67. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S.
Constitution. Name one of the writers
#68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
Citizenship Test Integrated Guide. © E. Johnson, 2015
Constitution Day – Citizenship Day
celebrates the adoption of the U.S.
Constitution on September 17,
1787. It also celebrates new
citizens. People obtain the rights
and responsibilities of citizens when
they turn 18 and when they become
naturalized citizens.
The Articles of Confederation
In 1776, delegates to the Second
Continental Congress wrote the
Declaration of Independence. In 1777,
they wrote the Articles of
Confederation. This made 13 states. It
was the beginning of a national
government for the states.
The Constitution
#1. What is the supreme law of the land?
#2. What does the Constitution do?
A constitution is a document that sets up the government. The U.S. Constitution is the
supreme law of the land. The Constitution sets up all the rules.
The Constitutional Convention
#65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
#66.When was the Constitution written?
#68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
The Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia in the spring of 1787.
Fifty-five (55) delegates from 12 states met to write a constitution. They
had to develop a strong central (federal) government. The delegates are
called the ‘Founding Fathers’. George Washington was elected president of
the Convention. James Madison was the main writer of the Constitution.
He is called the “father of the Constitution”.
Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate at the Constitutional
Convention. On September 17, 1787, all the delegates to the
Constitutional Convention adopted the Constitution.
How the Constitution begins
#3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are
these words?
The first words in the Constitution are “We the people”. (This
means that Americans will govern themselves. They have selfgovernment by electing a president, vice-president, Senators
and Representatives.
The U.S. government
#13. Name one branch or part of the government.
#14. What stops one branch from becoming too powerful?
The federal (national) government has three branches (parts): the Executive branch, the
Legislative branch and the Judicial branch. The three branches provide checks and
balances for each other. No one branch can become too powerful.
The Executive branch - President, Vice-president and Cabinet
#15. Who is in charge of the Executive Branch?
#30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
#31. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
The President and the Vice-president are in the Executive Branch of government. The
president has the highest office. He is in charge of the Executive Branch. The ViceCitizenship Test Integrated Guide. © E. Johnson, 2015
president has the second highest office. The Vice-president is also the leader (president)
of the Senate.
According to the Constitution, if the President gets sick, resigns, is removed or dies, the
Vice president becomes President. If both the President and Vice-president die, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives becomes president. S/He is an elected
Representative from his/her state.
The Cabinet
#35. What does the President’s cabinet do?
#36. What are two cabinet level positions?
The Cabinet advises the president. The Vice-president and the Secretary (head) of each
government Department are in the Cabinet. The Secretary of each department is
appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. Cabinet positions include:
Secretary of Agriculture (farming), Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Defense
(military), Secretary of Education, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Health & Human
Services, Secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary of Housing & Urban Development,
Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Labor, Secretary of State (foreign affairs),
Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of the Treasury (money), Secretary of Foreign
Affairs, and the Attorney General.
Legislative Branch
#16. Who makes federal laws?
The Legislative branch is Congress. The two parts of Congress are the Senate and House
of Representatives. Congress makes bills that become federal laws. Congress meets in
the Capitol.
Checks and balances
#33. Who signs bills to become laws?
#34. Who vetoes bills?
The president must sign a bill before it becomes law. The President can veto (not sign) a
bill. Then it does not become a law. That is part of the checks and balances in the three
branches of government.
Citizenship Test Integrated Guide. © E. Johnson, 2015
Judicial Branch
#37. What does the judicial branch do?
#38. What is the highest court in the land?
#39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
The Judicial branch explains laws. The Judicial branch is the Supreme Court. The Supreme
Court is the highest court in the land. The 9 justices (judges) on the Supreme Court
decide if a law is constitutional or not. The Supreme Court meets in the Supreme Court
building.
Federal and State Powers
#41. Under our constitution, some powers belong to the Federal Government. What is one power of the Federal
Government?
#42. Under our constitution, some powers belong to the States. What is one power of the states?
The U.S. Constitution in Articles I to VII divides power between the federal government
and state governments. Only the federal government has the power to print money. Only
the federal government can have armed forces (army, navy, Marines, Air Force), declare
war on another country or make a treaty (agreement) with another country.
The Tenth Amendment says that all powers that do not belong to the federal government
belong to the states. States have the power to provide schools and education. They have
the power to provide protection, police, sheriff, and fire departments. They regulate state
highways and driver’s licenses. They approve land use and zoning (purpose – commercial,
residential, industry)
The first 10 Amendments to the constitution – the Bill of Rights
#4. What is an amendment?
#5. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?
#6. What is one right or freedom from the first Amendment?
#10. What is freedom of religion?
An amendment is a change to the constitution. The first ten amendments to the
Constitution are called the Bill of Rights. They were added to the Constitution in 1791. The
First Amendment says that all Americans will have freedom of religion, speech, press, the
right to assemble, and petition.
Freedom of religion means that Americans can practice any religion or no religion.
Freedom of speech means you can talk about whatever you want and the government
cannot stop you. Freedom of the press means the government cannot control what is in
the media (newspapers, TV). Freedom of assembly means that people can meet together
to protest something they don’t like. Freedom of petition means that people can request
(petition) the government to make changes.
Citizenship Test Integrated Guide. © E. Johnson, 2015
The Federalist Papers
#67. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the
writers.
The Constitutional Convention adopted the Constitution. Then each state
legislature had to adopt it. The Constitution would take effect when 9 of the
13 states approved it. People in each state discussed whether to adopt the
Constitution or not. The Federalist Papers are essays (writings) in favor of the
Constitution. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote the
essays.
Voting Amendments
#7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?
#48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
#54. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
There are 27 Amendments to the Constitution. Four amendments are about who can
vote.
1) 15th Amendment, 1870 – a male citizen of any race can vote
2) 19th Amendment, 1920 – women and men, all citizens can vote
3) 24th Amendment, 1964 – citizens do not have to pay a poll tax to vote
4) 26th Amendment, 1971 – citizens who are 18 years old or older can vote
Vocabulary
convention (noun) = a meeting of delegates/representatives. There were 55 delegates at the
Constitutional Convention
to convene, convened (verb) = to meet. The delegates convened in Philadelphia.
government (noun) = system of ruling a country, state. The U.S. government has 3 branches
governor (noun) Each state has a governor. He is elected by the people of the state.
to govern, governed (verb) He governs the state.
governmental (adjective) That is a governmental building.
constitution (noun) = document that sets up a government. The U.S. Constitution was adopted in 1787.
constitutional (adjective) The Constitutional Convention met in 1787.
Congress (noun) = branch of government that makes laws. Continental Congress. U.S. Congress
to congregate, congregated (verb) = meet; assemble. The Continental Congress congregated in
Philadelphia.
congressional (adjective) The congressional committee meets soon.
Citizenship Test Integrated Guide. © E. Johnson, 2015
representative (noun) = a person who acts in place of another. The House of Representatives has 435
representatives.
House of Representatives = one branch of Congress
representation (noun) There is a representation from each state.
to represent, represented (verb) Each representative represents the people of his district in the state.
Senate (noun) = one branch of Congress. The Senate meets in the Capitol.
Senator (noun) = person who serves In the Senate. There are 100 Senators.
Read Constitution Day. Write the answers to the Citizenship Test questions. Practice.
#1. What is the supreme law of the land? ________________________
#2. What does the Constitution do? ______________________________
#3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? ________
#4. What is an amendment? ___________________________
#5. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution? ___________________
#6. What is one right or freedom from the first Amendment? ____________________________
#7. How many amendments does the Constitution have? ____
#10. What is freedom of religion? ______________________________________
#13. Name one branch or part of the government. ___________________
#14. What stops one branch from becoming too powerful? _________________________________
#15. Who is in charge of the executive branch? ___________________
#16. Who makes federal laws? _____________________________
#17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? ________________________________
#30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? ___________________
#31. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? ______________
#33. Who signs bills to become laws? ___________________
#34. Who vetoes bills? ___________________
#35. What does the President’s Cabinet do? ________________________
#36. What are two cabinet level positions? _________________________
#37. What does the judicial branch do? ____________________________
#38. What is the highest court in the land? ___________________
#39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?_______
#41. Under our constitution, some powers belong to the Federal Government. What is one power of the Federal
Government?___________________________________
#42. Under our constitution, some powers belong to the States. What is one power of the states? ___________
#48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them._____________
#54. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? ______
#65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention? ________________________________________
#66. When was the Constitution written? ________
#67. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.__________
#68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?____________________________________
Write this sentence. Practice.
Congress meets in Washington, D.C.
Citizenship Test Integrated Guide. © E. Johnson, 2015