Name _ Date _ Class
Directions: Read each scenario carefully. Then answer each question using the U.S. Constitution. Make sure to back up your explanation by writing the exact article, section, and clause where you got your information. {Note - a few of the answers will not have a section and/or a clause, so leave those lines blank.)
1. Paulina Rubio, a citizen of Mexico, is so popular that she decides to run for President of the United States because she knows she'll win. Can she do this? Why or why not?
a. Article ,Section ,Clause
b. Answer:
2. Hillary Clinton was born and raised in the state of Illinois. How was she able to become the senator of New York?
a. Article ,Section , Clause
b. Answer:
3. If Alabama Representative Mike Rogers was stopped for extremely reckless driving as he was making his way to a session of Congress and then verbally assaulted the police officer who pulled him over for doing so, why wouldn't that police officer arrest him?
a. Article , Section ,Clause
b. Answer:
4. The United Kingdom has queens/kings, princes/princesses, dukes/duchesses, lords/ladies, knights, etc. Why doesn't our government give awesome titles like these to its outstanding citizens?
a. Article , Section , Clause
b. Answer:
5. George Washington was born April 13, 1743, as a citizen of Great Britain. Why was Washington able to become President of the United States?
a. Article _, Section _, Clause
b. Answer:
6. Some members in Congress love what President Obama is doing and decide to pass a law increasing his salary from $400,000 to $500,000. They believe that he should get paid based on his outstanding performance while in office. Why aren't they allowed to do this?
a. Article , Section , Clause
b. Answer:
7. Ms. Beard moved to Utah in 2004 to attend Brigham Young University. While at BYU, she was still technically a resident of the state of Alabama. Why did the state of Utah, however, allow her to drive around Utah with an Alabama driver's license and car tag?
a. Article , Section , Clause
b. Answer:
8. The South is often known as the "Bible Belt" because many of its residents are religious. The State of Georgia decides to give its senators, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, Bible tests. Both men fail. Why must the state of Georgia still allow these men to serve?
a. Article , Section ,Clause
b. Answer:
9. The Constitution gives Congress certain enumerated (specific) powers including the powers to regulate commerce, provide for a navy, define and punish piracies, and to establish rules for naturalization. Why is the government allowed to establish national parks or the Air Force even though it is not specifically said in the Constitution? (hint: You can find the answer in Article I, Section 8)
a. Article , Section , Clause
b. Answer:
10. Robert Henry Best was convicted of treason against the United States in 1948. How many witnesses did the court need to testify against him?
a. Article , Section , Clause
b. Answer:
11. Puerto Rico is an American territory. It suddenly decides it wants to be the Slst state of the US. Who has to approve this decision?
a. Article , Section ,Clause
b. Answer:
12. The health care bill is voted on in the Senate. The results come in, and it is a tie - 50 for and 50 against the bill. How would the tie be broken?
a. Article ,Section _, Clause
b. Answer:
13. Barack Obama was sworn in as President of the United States on January 20, 2009 and January 20, 2013. When he gave the oath of office, he swore to protect what?
a. Article _, Section ,Clause
b. Answer:
14. What is a writ of habeas corpus? When is the only time it can be used?
a. Article _, Section ,Clause
b. Answer:
15. The Constitution says, "No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed." What is an ex post facto law? Give a scenario of an ex post facto law.
a. Article , Section _, Clause
b. Answer:
16. Before he was president, Barack Obama was sworn in as an Illinois senator in 2005. His term in office was supposed to end in 2011. Why didn't he stay both a senator and the president after the Election of 2008?
a. Article _,Section _, Clause
b. Answer:
17. Answer: Representative Vito Fossella was arrested in 2008 for drunk driving. Had the House of Representatives chosen to, what would they have to do to kick him out of office?
a. Article ,Section _, Clause
b. Answer:
18. Austrian-born Arnold Schwarzenegger was naturalized in 1983. Why did he not have the option to run as President of the United States in the Election of 2004?
a. Article _,Section _, Clause
b. Answer:
19. A group of counterfeiters gets arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI informs them that printing American money is illegal. Who is the only group who can print legal currency in America?
a. Article , Section _, Clause
b. Answer:
20. One of the nearest post offices to Alta High School is located at 8850 South 700 East in Sandy, Utah. Why isn't the city of Sandy allowed to build another post office closer to the school?
a. Article , Section ,Clause
b. Answer:
21. Why isn't Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel the commander in chief over the military?
a. Article , Section , Clause
b. Answer:
22. Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were the only presidents in American history to be impeached. Both of them, however, were not convicted. Who impeaches a president and who convicts a president?
a. Article , Section , Clause AND Article ,Section , Clause
b. Answer:
23. Sally Johnson robs a bank in California. She eludes authorities and flees to the state of Wyoming where she is caught and arrested. The Wyoming government delivers Johnson back over to California authorities. Which authority specifically asked for Johnson to be transported from Wyoming to California?
a. Article ,Section , Clause
b. Answer:
24. During World War II, Charles Lindbergh (an American-citizen) vocally supported Nazi-government ideologies. Is this enough evidence to convict him of treason?
a. Article ,Section , Clause
b. Answer:
25. How many states had to ratify the U.S. Constitution in order for it to go into effect?
a. Article ,Section ,Clause
b. Answer:
26. The Constitution says, "The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States." Many people refer to this as the Privileges and Immunities Clause. What does this mean? Give a scenario of when a person's Privileges and Immunities would be violated.
a. Article , Section , Clause
b. Answer:
27. The President of the United States issues a special tax that will be used to fund educational programs in America. Why would Congress not be okay with this presidential decision?
a. Article , Section , Clause
b. Answer:
28. The current Speaker of the House of Representatives is John Boehner. Who chose him for this position?
a. Article , Section , Clause
b. Answer:
29. Twenty-five year old New Yorker Taylor Swift wants to run for Congress. Should she run as a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate?
a. Article ,Section , Clause
b. Answer:
30. President Barack Obama and Joe Biden decided to extend their four-year term an extra year (5 years in total} due to a threat against national security. Is this constitutional? Why or why not?
a. Article _, Section ,Clause
b. Answer:
31. Because California is such a big state population wise, Congress decides to give the state an extra senator. Why would the Supreme Court find this unconstitutional?
a. Article _,Section _, Clause
b. Answer:
32. Vice-president Joe Biden is not happy with the North Korean government. He decides to declare war on the country. Barack Obama supports this decision. Why would this never happen?
a. Article ,Section _, Clause
b. Answer:
33. Why is it impossible for Rhode Island to have only two electoral votes when voting for a president?
a. Article , Section _, Clause
b. Answer:
34. The United States was the only nation to not ratify the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I. President Woodrow Wilson approved the treaty whole-heartedly. Who, then, stopped this treaty from being accepted by the United States?
a. Article , Section , Clause
b. Answer:
35. When President Kennedy was assassinated, why wasn't his Secretary of State Dean Rusk asked to take the position?
a. Article , Section , Clause
b. Answer:
36. Just the Senate and the President of the United States sign the health care bill. When does the health care bill go into effect as a law?
a. Article _, Section , Clause
b. Answer:
37. Bill Clinton was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice. Why wasn't he tried by a jury?
a. Article ,Section _, Clause
b. Answer:
38. The state of Wisconsin decides to pass a law that makes alcohol illegal to produce, consume, or sell. The 2151 Amendment of the Constitution, however, says that people have this right. These two laws conflict against each other. Which law will hold supreme?
a. Article ,Section , Clause
b. Answer: