Grade 7 Civics

End-of-Course Exam Study Guide

Grade 7 Civics

End-of-Course Exam Study Guide

The Grade 7 Civics End-of-Course Exam Study Guide is meant to be a tool for students to use to help prepare for the state EOC. The content of this study guide is correlated to the course description and the Civics EOC Item Specs. For further information and explanation of standards please see the course description and item specs documents on CPALMS.

Unit 1: A Tradition of Democracy (Chapters 1-4 & 10)

Magna Carta
(1215)
English Bill of Rights
(1689)
Mayflower Compact
(1620)
Thomas Paine
“Common Sense”
Enlightenment
Charles-Louise Montesquieu
John Locke
Natural Law
Natural Right
Social Contract
Founding Fathers
Declaration of Independence
Articles of Confederation
Constitution
Preamble
Federalist
Anti-Federalist
ratification
Bill of Rights
Check and Balances
Amendment
Direct Democracy
Representative Democracy
(also called indirect democracy or republic)
Socialism
Communism
Monarchy
Oligarchy
Autocracy
Tyranny
Parliamentary Government
Federal government
Confederal Government
Unitary Government
Rule of law
Marbury V. Madison
(1803)
Tinker V. Des Moines
(1969)
Hazelwood V. Kuhlmeier
(1987)
Article I of the U.S. Constitution
Article II of the U.S. Constitution
Article III of the U.S. Constitution
Unenumerated rights
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Elections
Electoral College
Party Platform
Political Party & Two Party System
  1. Identify the complaints stated in the Declaration of Independence.
  1. Explain how the Constitution limits the powers of government through a separation of powers and a system of checks and balances.

Unit 2: The Federal Government (Chapters 5, 6, & 7)

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Grade 7 Civics

End-of-Course Exam Study Guide

Legislative Branch
Executive branch
Judicial Branch
State Courts
(see p. 218)
Federal Courts*
Federalism
Plessy v. Ferguson
(1896)
Brown v. Board of Education
(1954)
Gideon v. Wainwright
(1963)
Miranda v. Arizona
(1966)
Law Making Process /How a Bill Becomes a Law
(pg. 151)
Civil Law
Criminal Law
Constitutional Law
Military Law*
Constitutional Rights
Trial Process*
International Relations*
Civil Disobedience*
Naturalization Laws*
Concurrent Powers
Delegated Powers
Enumerated Powers*
Implied Powers
Elastic Clause
Impeach/Impeachment*
(Use 1974 United States v. Nixon –ref. 21- as an example of the process)
Juvenile law
Majority Leader (p. 140)
Minority leader
Cabinet (pg. 101)
Chief Justice*
Speaker of the House
President Pro Tempore of the Senate*
Secretary of State
Powers & Roles of the President (p. 164-166)
Special interest groups (p.278)
Committees (standing, special, conference)

* These items are not defined in the textbook. Teachers will need to direct students to other resources or provide them with the answers.

Unit 3: State and Local Government (Chapters 8 & 9)

Reserved Powers
Bicameral
Penal Code
Municipality
Appeals Court
Ordinances
Town
Mayor
Governor

Unit 4: The Citizen in Government (Chapters 11 & 12)

Candidate
Propaganda
Issue-based platform
Political parties
Mass media
Lobby
Lobbyist
Income tax
Paying taxes
National debt
Deficit
Political action committee
Audit
Constitutional rights
Minority groups
Public opinion
Interest groups
Special interest
Symbolism
Civil disobedience
Voting Rights Act of 1965 (p. R12)
Civil Rights Acts 1964
(p. R12)
Civil Rights Act 1968
Alliance
Ambassador
Diplomacy/Diplomats
Embassy
Doctrine
Treaties (p. 166)
Domestic* & Foreign Policy

Unit 5: The United States and The World (Chapters 22 & 23)

Summit
Foreign Aid /
Military Aid
Balance of Trade
United Nations
International Court of Justice

Unit 6: The Citizen in Society (Chapters 14, 15, & 16)

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Grade 7 Civics

End-of-Course Exam Study Guide

Citizenship
Prejudice
Bias
Pg. 250
Symbolism
Propaganda

The Seven Articles of the US Constitution

The Constitution is our plan for government. The Articles of the Constitution talk about the duties of the three main parts of government: the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch. The articles also talk about the separate powers of the Federal and State government, and how to change the Constitution.

Article # / Topic / Article Text
Article 1 / Legislative Branch / The U.S. Congress makes the laws for the United States. Congress has two parts, called "Houses," the House of Representatives and the Senate (bicameral).
Article 2 / Executive Branch / The President, Vice-President, Cabinet, and Departments under the Cabinet Secretaries carry out the laws made by Congress
Article 3 / Judicial Branch / The Supreme Court decides court cases according to US Constitution. The courts under the Supreme Court decide criminal and civil court cases according to the correct federal, state, and local laws.
Article 4 / States' powers / States have the power to make and carry out their own laws. State laws that are related to the people and problems of their area. States respect other states laws and work together with other states to fix regional problems.
Article 5 / Amendments / The Constitution can be changed. New amendments can be added to the US Constitution with the approval by a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress (67, 281) and three-fourth vote by the states (38).
Article 6 / Federal powers / The Constitution and federal laws are higher than state and local laws. All laws must agree with the US Constitution.
Article 7 / Ratification / The Constitution was presented to George Washington and the men at the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787, Representatives from twelve out of the thirteen original states signed the Constitution. From September 1787 to July 1788, the states meet, talked about, and finally voted to approve the Constitution.

The Twenty-Seven Amendments to the US Constitution

Amendment # / Text / Date
1st Amendment / People have freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and the right to petition the Government. / 1791
2nd Amendment / People have the right to have a weapon to protect themselves. / 1791
3rd Amendment / Soldiers cannot take or live in a person's house. / 1791
4th Amendment / The government cannot arrest a person or search their property unless there is "probable cause." / 1791
5th Amendment / The government must follow the law (due process) before punishing a person. / 1791
6th Amendment / A person has the right to a fair and speedy trial by a jury. / 1791
7th Amendment / A person has the right to a jury trial for civil cases. / 1791
8th Amendment / The government cannot demand excessive bail or fines, or any cruel and unusual punishment. / 1791
9th Amendment / The Constitution does not include all of the rights of the people and the states. / 1791
10th Amendment / Any powers that the Constitution does not give to the federal government belong to the states. / 1791
11th Amendment / Citizens cannot sue states in federal courts. (There are some exceptions). / 1795
12th Amendment / The President and Vice President are elected on a party ticket. / 1804
13th Amendment / Slavery is illegal in the United States. / 1865
14th Amendment / Every person born in the USA is a citizen. An immigrant can become a naturalized citizen. / 1868
15th Amendment / All US male citizens have the right to vote. / 1870
16th Amendment / Congress can tax income. / 1913
17th Amendment / The people can elect US Senators. / 1913
18th Amendment / Alcohol is illegal. (Prohibition) / 1919
19th Amendment / All US female citizens have the right to vote. / 1920
20th Amendment / The President is inaugurated in January. Congress begins to meet in January. / 1933
21st Amendment / Alcohol is legal. Each state can make laws about making, selling, and drinking alcohol. / 1933
22nd Amendment / The President cannot serve for more than two terms. / 1951
23rd Amendment / The US Citizens in the District of Columbia have the right to vote for President. / 1961
24th Amendment / It is illegal to make a citizen pay a voting fee or take a reading test to vote. / 1964
25th Amendment / If the president dies or cannot serve, the vice-president becomes president. If both die, the Speaker of the House becomes president. / 1967
26th Amendment / US citizens who are 18 years old or older have the right to vote. / 1971
27th Amendment / Congress must limit when and how much its members are paid. / 1992

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