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GED Social Studies study materials
GED Social Studies study resources

GED Social Studies practice questions

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Question 1Civics and Government

The U.S. Constitution divides the federal government into three branches. Which branch has the power to make federal laws?

  1. The president
  2. The Supreme Court
  3. Congress Correct answer.
  4. The Cabinet

Explanation

Article I grants legislative power to Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The other branches carry out and interpret laws rather than make them.

Question 2Civics and Government

Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the freedoms of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition?

  1. Tenth Amendment
  2. Second Amendment
  3. First Amendment Correct answer.
  4. Fifth Amendment

Explanation

The First Amendment opens the Bill of Rights and lists these five freedoms, limiting what government may do to expression and worship. It applies to the federal government and, through the Fourteenth Amendment, to the states.

Question 3Civics and Government

Which constitutional amendment gave citizens 18 years of age and older the right to vote in elections?

  1. The Twenty-Fourth Amendment
  2. The Fifteenth Amendment
  3. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment Correct answer.
  4. The Nineteenth Amendment

Explanation

The Twenty-Sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, set the minimum voting age at 18. Earlier amendments had removed other barriers, such as race and sex restrictions and poll taxes.

Question 4Civics and Government

Regardless of how large or small its population is, how many U.S. senators does each state have?

  1. Two Correct answer.
  2. A number set by the state's population
  3. One
  4. Three

Explanation

The Constitution gives every state exactly two senators, and the Seventeenth Amendment made senators chosen by popular vote. Equal representation in the Senate balances population-based representation in the House.

Question 5Civics and Government

The principle that everyone, including government officials, must obey the law is called

  1. popular sovereignty
  2. separation of powers
  3. rule of law Correct answer.
  4. federalism

Explanation

Rule of law means no person or institution stands above the law, and legal rules are applied equally and publicly. The other principles describe who holds authority or how that authority is divided.

Question 6Civics and Government

Which of these is a legal obligation of U.S. citizens rather than a voluntary civic responsibility?

  1. Donating money to a charity
  2. Attending a town hall meeting
  3. Serving on a jury when summoned Correct answer.
  4. Voting in a presidential election

Explanation

Jury service is required by law for citizens who are called, and failing to appear can carry penalties. The other activities are voluntary ways citizens may participate in public life.

Question 7Civics and Government

How long is one term of office for the president of the United States?

  1. Two years
  2. Six years
  3. Four years Correct answer.
  4. Eight years

Explanation

Article II sets a four-year presidential term, and the Twenty-Second Amendment limits a person to two elected terms. Members of the House serve two-year terms and senators serve six-year terms.

Question 8Civics and Government

Seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are distributed among the states based on which factor?

  1. The order in which each state joined the Union
  2. An equal share for every state
  3. The size of each state's legislature
  4. The population of each state Correct answer.

Explanation

The Constitution ties House seats to population, with every state guaranteed at least one seat. Equal shares for each state apply in the Senate, not the House.

Question 9Civics and Government

If the president vetoes a bill, what vote does Congress need in each chamber to override the veto?

  1. A three-fourths vote in each chamber
  2. A simple majority in each chamber
  3. A unanimous vote in each chamber
  4. A two-thirds vote in each chamber Correct answer.

Explanation

Article I requires a two-thirds vote of each house to enact a bill over a president's veto. This higher threshold makes an override harder than passing the original bill.

Question 10Civics and Government

The Supreme Court's power to strike down a law because it conflicts with the Constitution is known as

  1. habeas corpus
  2. original jurisdiction
  3. stare decisis
  4. judicial review Correct answer.

Explanation

Judicial review was established in Marbury v. Madison in 1803, when the Court held that a law conflicting with the Constitution cannot be enforced. It lets courts check the other branches without giving them direct control over legislation.

Question 11Civics and Government

Which of these is an example of a power reserved to the states in the U.S. federal system?

  1. Declaring war
  2. Making treaties with foreign nations
  3. Establishing and running public schools Correct answer.
  4. Coining money

Explanation

The Tenth Amendment leaves powers not granted to the federal government to the states, and education is a standard example. Coining money, declaring war, and making treaties are powers the Constitution grants to the federal government.

Question 12Civics and Government

After Congress proposes a constitutional amendment, the amendment takes effect only when it is ratified by

  1. the president's signature
  2. three-fourths of the states Correct answer.
  3. the Supreme Court
  4. a simple majority of the states

Explanation

Article V requires ratification by three-fourths of the states, acting either through their legislatures or through special conventions. The president has no formal role in the amendment process.

Question 13Civics and Government

A state's number of electoral votes in a presidential election is based on which of the following?

  1. Its number of registered voters
  2. Its number of counties
  3. Its senators plus its representatives Correct answer.
  4. The size of its state senate

Explanation

Each state receives one electoral vote for each member of Congress, so its total equals two senators plus its House seats. The District of Columbia also receives three electoral votes under the Twenty-Third Amendment.

Question 14Civics and Government

Which of these is normally required of an immigrant who wants to become a naturalized U.S. citizen?

  1. Having a relative who serves in Congress
  2. Passing a test on English and U.S. civics Correct answer.
  3. Owning property in the United States
  4. Serving at least one year in the military

Explanation

Naturalization generally requires a period of lawful permanent residence, good moral character, and passing an English and civics examination, along with other steps such as taking an oath. Military service can speed the process for some applicants, but it is not a general requirement.

Question 15Civics and Government

Which of these is a main function of political parties in the United States?

  1. Nominating candidates for public office Correct answer.
  2. Writing federal regulations
  3. Operating the federal court system
  4. Deciding whether laws are constitutional

Explanation

Parties recruit and nominate candidates, organize campaigns, and help voters connect their views to government. Writing regulations, judging constitutionality, and running courts are duties of government institutions rather than parties.

Question 16Civics and Government

Drawing the boundaries of a congressional district to give one political party an advantage is called

  1. logrolling
  2. reapportionment
  3. gerrymandering Correct answer.
  4. cloture

Explanation

Gerrymandering manipulates district lines to favor a party or group, and courts have struck down some maps that violate equal protection or the Voting Rights Act. Reapportionment is the reassignment of House seats among the states after each census.

Question 17Civics and Government

Which of these activities is an example of an interest group trying to influence government?

  1. Deciding court cases
  2. Ratifying constitutional amendments
  3. Appointing federal judges
  4. Lobbying members of Congress Correct answer.

Explanation

Interest groups work to shape policy by lobbying legislators, running issue advertisements, and testifying at hearings. Appointing judges, deciding cases, and ratifying amendments are powers held by government institutions and the states.

Question 18Civics and Government

When the president sends U.S. troops into combat as head of the armed forces, the president is acting in which role?

  1. Chief legislator
  2. Chief diplomat
  3. Commander in chief Correct answer.
  4. Chief justice

Explanation

Article II makes the president commander in chief of the armed forces. The other titles describe different duties or belong to other officials entirely.

Question 19Civics and Government

The constitutional guarantee that government must follow fair legal procedures before depriving someone of life, liberty, or property is called

  1. double jeopardy
  2. eminent domain
  3. prior restraint
  4. due process of law Correct answer.

Explanation

Due process appears in the Fifth Amendment for the federal government and the Fourteenth Amendment for the states, requiring both fair procedures and fundamentally fair laws. The other terms describe separate legal protections or powers.

Question 20Civics and Government

Why does the Constitution require a national census every ten years?

  1. To choose presidential electors
  2. To register new voters
  3. To set federal income tax rates
  4. To reapportion seats in the House of Representatives Correct answer.

Explanation

The census counts the population so House seats can be divided among the states, and the figures also shape redistricting within states and federal funding formulas. The count does not register voters or set tax rates directly.

Question 21Civics and Government

Which constitutional clause requires states to honor the public acts, records, and court judgments of other states?

  1. The establishment clause
  2. The equal protection clause
  3. The supremacy clause
  4. The full faith and credit clause Correct answer.

Explanation

Article IV's full faith and credit clause makes state records such as deeds, marriages, and judgments valid nationwide. The other clauses limit government power or settle conflicts between federal and state law.

Question 22Civics and Government

When a law classifies people by race, courts apply strict scrutiny, which requires the government to show that the classification is

  1. narrowly tailored to a compelling interest Correct answer.
  2. reasonably related to a legitimate government purpose
  3. approved by a majority of the state's voters
  4. endorsed by the state legislature and governor

Explanation

Strict scrutiny is the most demanding standard of review: the government must show the racial classification serves a compelling interest and is narrowly tailored to that interest. Ordinary social and economic laws need only a rational basis, and classifications based on sex receive intermediate scrutiny.

Question 23Civics and Government

A treaty negotiated by the president takes effect for the United States only after

  1. approval by the Supreme Court
  2. approval in a national referendum
  3. approval by a simple majority in both chambers
  4. approval by two-thirds of the Senate Correct answer.

Explanation

The Senate must give its advice and consent by a two-thirds vote before a treaty takes effect. The House plays no direct role in treaty approval, though it may later need to pass laws or fund obligations created by the treaty.

Question 24Civics and Government

Most protections in the Bill of Rights now limit state governments as well as the federal government. This expansion happened mainly through

  1. the necessary and proper clause
  2. selective incorporation Correct answer.
  3. judicial restraint
  4. federal preemption

Explanation

Starting in the twentieth century, the Supreme Court used the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause to apply most Bill of Rights guarantees to the states one right at a time; this process is called selective incorporation. The other choices describe different ideas about courts, federal power, or the relationship between national and state law.

Question 25Civics and Government

Congress passes a bill and adjourns within ten days. The president neither signs nor returns the bill, so it does not become law. This outcome is called

  1. a line-item veto
  2. a signing statement
  3. a pocket veto Correct answer.
  4. a discharge petition

Explanation

Under Article I, if the president holds a bill for ten days while Congress is adjourned, the bill does not become law; this is a pocket veto. A regular veto requires the president to return the bill to Congress, which may then attempt an override.

Question 26Civics and Government

Which branch of the U.S. government has the main job of making federal laws?

  1. The judicial branch
  2. The legislative branch Correct answer.
  3. The executive branch
  4. The electoral college

Explanation

Article I of the Constitution gives Congress, the legislative branch, the power to write and pass federal laws. The executive branch carries out those laws, and the judicial branch interprets them.

Question 27Civics and Government

Which constitutional amendment lowered the national voting age to 18?

  1. The Twenty-Fourth Amendment
  2. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment Correct answer.
  3. The Nineteenth Amendment
  4. The Fifteenth Amendment

Explanation

The Twenty-Sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, set the minimum voting age at 18 for federal, state, and local elections. The other amendments listed expanded suffrage in different ways or abolished a voting barrier.

Question 28Civics and Government

Regardless of its population, how many U.S. senators does each state have?

  1. A number set by the state legislature
  2. Three senators
  3. One senator
  4. Two senators Correct answer.

Explanation

The Constitution gives every state exactly two senators, which balances the population-based representation in the House. State legislatures cannot change this number.

Question 29Civics and Government

The First Amendment protects which of these freedoms?

  1. The right to a jury trial in civil cases
  2. Freedom of speech and press Correct answer.
  3. The right to keep and bear arms
  4. The right to vote in federal elections

Explanation

The First Amendment bars Congress from abridging freedoms of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and petition. The other rights listed appear in different amendments.

Question 30Civics and Government

Who serves as the chief executive of a state government?

  1. One of the state's U.S. senators
  2. The mayor
  3. The chief justice of the state supreme court
  4. The governor Correct answer.

Explanation

Each state constitution creates a governor who heads the state's executive branch and carries out state laws. Mayors, senators, and judges serve different levels or branches of government.

Question 31Civics and Government

What is the main purpose of the Bill of Rights?

  1. To protect individual liberties from government action Correct answer.
  2. To set the number of Supreme Court justices
  3. To create the electoral college
  4. To explain how territories may become states

Explanation

The first ten amendments list limits on government and guarantee protections such as free speech, religious liberty, and fair trials. Their central purpose is shielding individual liberties from abuse of government power.

Question 32Civics and Government

In Congress, which of these is normally the first step for a bill to become a law?

  1. The president signs the bill
  2. The Supreme Court reviews the bill
  3. A member of Congress introduces the bill Correct answer.
  4. The states ratify the bill

Explanation

A bill must first be introduced by a member of Congress, after which committees review it and both chambers must pass it before it goes to the president. The later steps happen only after introduction.

Question 33Civics and Government

A police officer wants to search a person's home for evidence of a crime. Under the Fourth Amendment, the officer must generally do which of the following first?

  1. Notify the local newspaper
  2. Ask the governor for permission
  3. Obtain a warrant supported by probable cause Correct answer.
  4. Obtain a confession from the suspect

Explanation

The Fourth Amendment protects people from unreasonable searches and requires warrants supported by probable cause in most situations. A judge, not a governor or a news outlet, issues the warrant.

Question 34Civics and Government

After the House of Representatives impeaches a federal official, which body holds the trial and decides whether to remove the official?

  1. The Supreme Court
  2. The House itself
  3. The president's cabinet
  4. The Senate Correct answer.

Explanation

The House has the sole power to bring impeachment charges, and the Senate then holds the trial; conviction requires a two-thirds vote of senators present. The two chambers play separate roles in the process.

Question 35Civics and Government

In the U.S. Senate, what is a filibuster?

  1. A presidential order that stops a bill from taking effect
  2. A prolonged debate used to delay or block a vote on a bill Correct answer.
  3. A House vote that sends a bill back to committee
  4. A court ruling that a law violates the Constitution

Explanation

A filibuster is extended debate that can keep a bill from reaching a vote. Ending it requires a cloture vote supported by three-fifths of the Senate, usually 60 senators.

Question 36Civics and Government

Congress creates a national bank even though the Constitution never mentions banks. Which clause supports this exercise of implied power?

  1. The full faith and credit clause
  2. The necessary and proper clause Correct answer.
  3. The takings clause
  4. The establishment clause

Explanation

The necessary and proper clause, sometimes called the elastic clause, lets Congress make laws needed to carry out its expressed powers. A bank was upheld as a reasonable means of carrying out powers such as borrowing money and regulating currency.

Question 37Civics and Government

Which of these best illustrates the system of checks and balances?

  1. The president commands the armed forces
  2. The Senate must confirm the president's cabinet appointments Correct answer.
  3. States may set their own speed limits
  4. Congress is divided into two chambers

Explanation

Checks and balances let each branch limit the power of the others. Senate confirmation of presidential appointees is a legislative check on executive appointments.

Question 38Civics and Government

What is the main role of the president's cabinet?

  1. To advise the president and lead executive departments Correct answer.
  2. To decide whether laws are constitutional
  3. To cast electoral votes for the president
  4. To write bills for Congress to consider

Explanation

Cabinet members head the executive departments, such as state, defense, and treasury, and advise the president on policy. They do not legislate or decide constitutional questions.

Question 39Civics and Government

Both the federal government and state governments have the power to do which of these?

  1. Coin money
  2. Establish post offices
  3. Levy taxes Correct answer.
  4. Declare war

Explanation

Powers shared by both levels of government are called concurrent powers, and taxation is the classic example. The other powers listed are granted exclusively to the federal government.

Question 40Civics and Government

In most states, how are the state's electoral votes awarded in a presidential election?

  1. They are divided equally between the two major candidates
  2. They all go to the candidate who wins the state's popular vote Correct answer.
  3. They are split in proportion to the statewide popular vote
  4. They are cast by the state legislature

Explanation

In 48 states and the District of Columbia, the winner of the statewide popular vote receives all of that state's electoral votes. Maine and Nebraska are the exceptions, using a district-based method.

Question 41Civics and Government

A polling organization wants its survey results to reflect the views of the whole country. Which method is most likely to produce a representative sample?

  1. Surveying a random selection of adults nationwide Correct answer.
  2. Surveying readers who respond to an online poll
  3. Surveying people who attend a political rally
  4. Surveying shoppers at one upscale mall

Explanation

A random sample gives every member of the population a known chance of being chosen, which limits bias. The other methods select people with particular traits or opinions and therefore produce skewed results.

Question 42Civics and Government

What role do news media typically play in a democracy?

  1. They decide court cases involving freedom of the press
  2. They write and pass laws when Congress is not in session
  3. They inform the public and watch government Correct answer.
  4. They officially certify election winners for the states

Explanation

A free press informs citizens and investigates the conduct of public officials, helping voters hold government accountable. Media organizations do not make laws, certify elections, or decide cases.

Question 43Civics and Government

A procedure that lets voters remove an elected official from office before the end of the official's term is called

  1. A referendum
  2. An initiative
  3. A recall Correct answer.
  4. An impeachment

Explanation

A recall lets voters petition to remove an official through a special election before the term ends. It is a form of direct democracy available in many states and localities.

Question 44Civics and Government

What is a dissenting opinion in a Supreme Court case?

  1. The order that sends the case back to a lower court
  2. A statement from the president about the Court's ruling
  3. An opinion written by a justice who disagrees with the majority decision Correct answer.
  4. The official summary released to the press

Explanation

Justices who disagree with the majority write a dissenting opinion explaining their reasoning. A dissent does not change the outcome but can influence future cases and legal debate.

Question 45Civics and Government

When the president issues an executive order, what does it usually do?

  1. It replaces a law passed by Congress
  2. It amends the Constitution directly
  3. It directs federal agencies on how to carry out laws Correct answer.
  4. It cancels a Supreme Court decision

Explanation

Executive orders instruct executive branch agencies on how to implement or enforce existing law. They cannot override the Constitution, a federal statute, or a court ruling.

Question 46Civics and Government

Which type of case does the U.S. Supreme Court hear under its original jurisdiction rather than on appeal?

  1. A case appealed from a federal court of appeals
  2. A dispute between two states Correct answer.
  3. A case in which a state court has ruled on a federal question
  4. A case in which the losing party requests a new trial

Explanation

Article III gives the Supreme Court original jurisdiction in cases involving ambassadors and disputes between states, meaning it hears them first. Most other cases reach the Court through its appellate jurisdiction.

Question 47Civics and Government

The principle of stare decisis means that courts generally do which of the following?

  1. Allow the president to appoint new judges for each case
  2. Follow earlier rulings when deciding similar cases Correct answer.
  3. Decide each case without regard to earlier rulings
  4. Submit their decisions to Congress for approval

Explanation

Stare decisis, meaning to stand by things decided, directs courts to follow precedent so that the law stays consistent and predictable. Courts may still overrule precedent in limited circumstances.

Question 48Civics and Government

A federal block grant differs from a categorical grant mainly in that a block grant

  1. gives states broad freedom in how to spend the money Correct answer.
  2. is given to individuals rather than to states
  3. may be used only for one narrowly defined program
  4. must be matched dollar for dollar by local governments

Explanation

Block grants provide federal money for a general purpose, such as community development, and let states decide how to spend it. Categorical grants are limited to specific programs and carry tighter federal conditions.

Question 49Civics and Government

The Twenty-Fifth Amendment deals mainly with which situation?

  1. Setting the number of justices on the Supreme Court
  2. Confirming presidential appointments to the cabinet
  3. Abolishing the poll tax in federal elections
  4. Presidential disability and filling a vacant vice presidency Correct answer.

Explanation

The Twenty-Fifth Amendment sets out procedures for when a president is unable to discharge the duties of office and for filling a vice presidential vacancy with congressional approval. It was used in 1973 when a new vice president was nominated and confirmed.

Question 50Civics and Government

Before 1913, U.S. senators were chosen by state legislatures. Which amendment changed this to direct election by voters?

  1. The Seventeenth Amendment Correct answer.
  2. The Twentieth Amendment
  3. The Eighteenth Amendment
  4. The Sixteenth Amendment

Explanation

The Seventeenth Amendment, ratified in 1913, transferred the election of senators from state legislatures to the voters of each state. The other amendments listed concern taxation, prohibition, and terms of office.