FCLEPractice

Topic 6 · Competency 2: The U.S. Constitution

Amending the Constitution and the Bill of Rights: Practice Questions

129 practice questions on the amendment process and each of the first ten amendments. Answers are hidden until you click "Show answer."

Take the 10-question topic quiz Read the lesson Quiz on all 129 Printable worksheet

Original practice questions written to the FCLE competencies, not actual exam items.

Fourth Amendment: Searches and Seizures (9)

Read this section →

  1. Which statement best describes the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms.
    2. It protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants based on probable cause.
    3. It protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
    4. It gives residents of the District of Columbia electoral votes for president.
    Show answer

    B. It protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants based on probable cause.: The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants based on probable cause.

  2. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    Police search a student's car parked at home without a warrant or probable cause.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Fourth Amendment
    2. Seventh Amendment
    3. First Amendment
    4. Second Amendment
    Show answer

    A. Fourth Amendment: The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants based on probable cause.

  3. A man is window-shopping when police stop and search him without suspicion after a nearby robbery. On which constitutional grounds could he challenge the search?

    1. Fourth Amendment
    2. Second Amendment
    3. Sixth Amendment
    4. Third Amendment
    Show answer

    A. Fourth Amendment: The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches.

  4. The Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement was a response to which British practice?

    1. the Townshend duties
    2. impressment of sailors
    3. general search warrants called writs of assistance
    4. the Navigation Acts
    Show answer

    C. general search warrants called writs of assistance: Writs of assistance allowed broad searches.

  5. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    Officers seize a person's computer without a warrant or any exception to the warrant requirement.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Ninth Amendment
    2. Second Amendment
    3. Eighth Amendment
    4. Fourth Amendment
    Show answer

    D. Fourth Amendment: The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants based on probable cause.

  6. Which amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants based on probable cause?

    1. Fourth Amendment
    2. Twenty-fifth Amendment
    3. Twelfth Amendment
    4. Twenty-sixth Amendment
    Show answer

    A. Fourth Amendment: The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants based on probable cause.

  7. Under the Fourth Amendment, a search warrant must

    1. be signed by the president.
    2. be approved by a jury.
    3. allow police to search any place they choose.
    4. be based on probable cause and describe the place to be searched and the things to be seized.
    Show answer

    D. be based on probable cause and describe the place to be searched and the things to be seized.: The Fourth Amendment rejected the general warrants and writs of assistance used by British officials.

  8. British officials used "writs of assistance" to search colonial homes and ships for smuggled goods. Which amendment was written to prevent this kind of general search?

    1. The Second Amendment
    2. The Fourth Amendment
    3. The Sixth Amendment
    4. The Ninth Amendment
    Show answer

    B. The Fourth Amendment: The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires specific warrants.

  9. "Police search a student's car without a warrant, consent, or probable cause." Which amendment would most directly be used to challenge this action?
    1. The Ninth Amendment
    2. The Fifth Amendment
    3. The Fourth Amendment
    4. The Seventeenth Amendment
    Show answer

    C. The Fourth Amendment: The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants based on probable cause.

Tenth Amendment: Reserved Powers (9)

Read this section →

  1. Which of the following is an example of a reserved power (powers kept by the states under the Tenth Amendment)?

    1. borrowing money
    2. creating the Air Force
    3. issuing driver's licenses
    4. raising and supporting armies
    Show answer

    C. issuing driver's licenses: Issuing driver's licenses is a reserved power.

  2. Which of the following is an example of a reserved power (powers kept by the states under the Tenth Amendment)?

    1. creating the Air Force
    2. declaring war
    3. issuing marriage licenses
    4. making treaties
    Show answer

    C. issuing marriage licenses: Issuing marriage licenses is a reserved power.

  3. Which of the following is an example of a reserved power (powers kept by the states under the Tenth Amendment)?

    1. establishing post offices
    2. creating the Air Force
    3. establishing public schools
    4. regulating interstate commerce
    Show answer

    C. establishing public schools: Establishing public schools is a reserved power.

  4. Which term describes powers kept by the states under the Tenth Amendment?

    1. reserved powers
    2. implied powers
    3. concurrent powers
    4. expressed powers
    Show answer

    A. reserved powers: Reserved powers are powers kept by the states under the Tenth Amendment.

  5. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    A state argues that the federal government has no authority to set the state's rules for issuing driver's licenses because that power was never delegated to it.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Fifth Amendment
    2. Sixth Amendment
    3. Fifteenth Amendment
    4. Tenth Amendment
    Show answer

    D. Tenth Amendment: The Tenth Amendment reserves to the states or the people the powers not delegated to the federal government.

  6. Which statement best describes the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It reserves to the states or the people the powers not delegated to the federal government.
    2. It provides for the direct election of U.S. senators by the people.
    3. It protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
    4. It protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, requires grand juries for serious federal crimes, guarantees due process, and requires just compensation for takings.
    Show answer

    A. It reserves to the states or the people the powers not delegated to the federal government.: The Tenth Amendment reserves to the states or the people the powers not delegated to the federal government.

  7. Which amendment reserves to the states or the people the powers not delegated to the federal government?

    1. Tenth Amendment
    2. Fifteenth Amendment
    3. Twenty-second Amendment
    4. Sixth Amendment
    Show answer

    A. Tenth Amendment: The Tenth Amendment reserves to the states or the people the powers not delegated to the federal government.

  8. A state creates its own rules for licensing barbers. Which amendment most directly supports the state's authority?

    1. The Second Amendment
    2. The Fifth Amendment
    3. The Tenth Amendment
    4. The Sixteenth Amendment
    Show answer

    C. The Tenth Amendment: The Tenth Amendment reserves to the states the powers not delegated to the United States.

  9. "A state argues that setting rules for teacher certification is its power, not Congress's." Which amendment would most directly be used to challenge this action?
    1. The Tenth Amendment
    2. The Twenty-Second Amendment
    3. The Second Amendment
    4. The Eighth Amendment
    Show answer

    A. The Tenth Amendment: The Tenth Amendment reserves to the states or the people the powers not delegated to the United States.

Eighth Amendment: Bail, Fines, and Punishment (7)

Read this section →

  1. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    A state sentences a person to be whipped in public for a minor traffic violation.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Fourth Amendment
    2. Eighth Amendment
    3. Tenth Amendment
    4. Fifth Amendment
    Show answer

    B. Eighth Amendment: The Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.

  2. Which statement best describes the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It delays any congressional pay raise until after the next House election.
    2. It gives Congress the power to levy an income tax.
    3. It prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.
    4. It prohibits denying the right to vote on account of sex.
    Show answer

    C. It prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.: The Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.

  3. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    A judge sets bail at $10 million for a person accused of shoplifting a small item.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Eighth Amendment
    2. Seventh Amendment
    3. Ninth Amendment
    4. Twelfth Amendment
    Show answer

    A. Eighth Amendment: The Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.

  4. Which amendment prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment?

    1. Twenty-second Amendment
    2. Thirteenth Amendment
    3. Eighth Amendment
    4. Sixteenth Amendment
    Show answer

    C. Eighth Amendment: The Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.

  5. A judge sets bail at $10 million for a person accused of shoplifting a $20 item. Which amendment does this most likely violate?

    1. The Fourth Amendment
    2. The Eighth Amendment
    3. The Sixth Amendment
    4. The Tenth Amendment
    Show answer

    B. The Eighth Amendment: The Eighth Amendment forbids excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishments.

  6. Which three things does the Eighth Amendment prohibit?

    1. Unreasonable searches, seizures, and arrests
    2. Double jeopardy, self-incrimination, and takings
    3. Quartering, standing armies, and martial law
    4. Excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments
    Show answer

    D. Excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments: The language comes almost word for word from the English Bill of Rights of 1689.

  7. "A judge sentences a person to be publicly whipped for a minor theft." Which amendment would most directly be used to challenge this action?
    1. The Seventeenth Amendment
    2. The Thirteenth Amendment
    3. The Eighth Amendment
    4. The Sixth Amendment
    Show answer

    C. The Eighth Amendment: The Eighth Amendment forbids excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishments.

First Amendment: Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition (22)

Read this section →

  1. The First Amendment, which protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition, was ratified in which year?

    1. 1791
    2. 1913
    3. 1964
    4. 1868
    Show answer

    A. 1791: The First Amendment was ratified in 1791.

  2. What was the significance of the Supreme Court's decision in Texas v. Johnson (1989)?

    1. The Court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to keep a handgun in the home for self-defense.
    2. The Court ruled that burning the American flag as political protest is symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment.
    3. The Court stopped the Florida presidential election recount because the varying recount standards violated the Equal Protection Clause.
    4. The Court recognized a constitutional right to privacy that included a woman's decision to have an abortion (later overturned in Dobbs v. Jackson, 2022).
    Show answer

    B. The Court ruled that burning the American flag as political protest is symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment.: In Texas v. Johnson, the Court ruled that burning the American flag as political protest is symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment.

  3. Which amendment protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition?

    1. Nineteenth Amendment
    2. Fifteenth Amendment
    3. First Amendment
    4. Seventeenth Amendment
    Show answer

    C. First Amendment: The First Amendment protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

  4. Use the excerpt below, from the Virginia Declaration of Rights, to answer the question that follows.

    "That the freedom of the press is one of the great bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained but by despotic governments."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. freedom of the press
    2. federal supremacy
    3. popular sovereignty
    4. the right of revolution
    Show answer

    A. freedom of the press: The excerpt from the Virginia Declaration of Rights reflects freedom of the press.

  5. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    A state passes a law naming one church as the official church of the state.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Seventh Amendment
    2. Fourth Amendment
    3. First Amendment
    4. Second Amendment
    Show answer

    C. First Amendment: The First Amendment protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

  6. Use the excerpt below, from the U.S. Constitution, to answer the question that follows.

    "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. independence
    2. support for public education
    3. consent of the governed
    4. religious liberty
    Show answer

    D. religious liberty: The excerpt from the U.S. Constitution reflects religious liberty.

  7. Which statement best describes the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It guarantees a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the assistance of counsel in criminal cases.
    2. It reserves to the states or the people the powers not delegated to the federal government.
    3. It requires electors to cast separate ballots for president and vice president.
    4. It protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
    Show answer

    D. It protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.: The First Amendment protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

  8. Use the excerpt below, from the English Bill of Rights, to answer the question that follows.

    "That it is the right of the subjects to petition the king, and all commitments and prosecutions for such petitioning are illegal."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. right to petition
    2. federal supremacy
    3. representative government
    4. an independent judiciary
    Show answer

    A. right to petition: The excerpt from the English Bill of Rights reflects right to petition.

  9. Which amendment protects the right of people to petition the government for a redress of grievances?

    1. Fourth Amendment
    2. Ninth Amendment
    3. First Amendment
    4. Fourteenth Amendment
    Show answer

    C. First Amendment: Petition is one of the five First Amendment freedoms.

  10. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    A city refuses to let a group hold a peaceful march in a public park because officials dislike the group's message.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Fifth Amendment
    2. First Amendment
    3. Sixth Amendment
    4. Fourth Amendment
    Show answer

    B. First Amendment: The First Amendment protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

  11. Why was religious liberty important to many Founders?

    1. They believed only one religion should be allowed.
    2. They wanted the king to choose citizens' religion.
    3. They wanted to create an official national church.
    4. Many colonists' ancestors had fled religious persecution in Europe.
    Show answer

    D. Many colonists' ancestors had fled religious persecution in Europe.: Groups such as the Pilgrims and Quakers sought freedom of worship.

  12. Use the excerpt below, from the Bill of Rights, to answer the question that follows.

    "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. self-government
    2. religious liberty
    3. a confederation of states
    4. checks and balances
    Show answer

    B. religious liberty: The excerpt from the Bill of Rights reflects religious liberty.

  13. Which of the following is the best example of majority rule with minority rights?

    1. A city council passes a budget by majority vote but cannot use it to deny a religious group the right to worship.
    2. States set rules for marriage licenses while the national government prints money.
    3. A public university must hold a hearing before expelling a student for misconduct.
    4. Citizens in a New England town meeting vote directly on the town budget.
    Show answer

    A. A city council passes a budget by majority vote but cannot use it to deny a religious group the right to worship.: Majority rule with minority rights is the principle that the majority decides while the basic rights of smaller groups are protected.

  14. Which is NOT protected by the First Amendment?

    1. speech that incites imminent lawless action
    2. peaceful protest
    3. criticism of the government
    4. religious worship
    Show answer

    A. speech that incites imminent lawless action: Incitement to imminent lawless action is not protected.

  15. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    Federal officials order a newspaper to submit its articles for approval before printing.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Second Amendment
    2. Seventh Amendment
    3. Fifth Amendment
    4. First Amendment
    Show answer

    D. First Amendment: The First Amendment protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

  16. Which of the following is NOT one of the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment?

    1. Freedom of the press
    2. The right to petition the government
    3. The right to keep and bear arms
    4. The right to peaceably assemble
    Show answer

    C. The right to keep and bear arms: The First Amendment protects religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. The right to bear arms is in the Second Amendment.

  17. A state requires all public school students to recite a state-written prayer each morning. Which part of the Constitution does this most likely violate?

    1. The Second Amendment
    2. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment
    3. The Seventh Amendment
    4. The Twenty-Second Amendment
    Show answer

    B. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment: In Engel v. Vitale (1962), the Court held that official school prayer violates the Establishment Clause.

  18. A city government orders a newspaper not to print an article criticizing the mayor. Which First Amendment freedom is most directly involved?

    1. Freedom of assembly
    2. Free exercise of religion
    3. Freedom of the press
    4. The right to petition
    Show answer

    C. Freedom of the press: Stopping publication in advance is called prior restraint, which courts treat as a serious violation of press freedom.

  19. Residents gather peacefully outside city hall to protest a new tax. Which First Amendment right are they using?

    1. The right to a speedy trial
    2. Protection against unreasonable searches
    3. The right to peaceably assemble
    4. The right to bear arms
    Show answer

    C. The right to peaceably assemble: The First Amendment protects "the right of the people peaceably to assemble."

  20. Citizens collect signatures asking the state legislature to change a law. Which First Amendment right does this activity reflect?

    1. Freedom of religion
    2. The right to counsel
    3. The right to petition the government for a redress of grievances
    4. The right against self-incrimination
    Show answer

    C. The right to petition the government for a redress of grievances: Petitioning, lobbying, and writing to officials are ways citizens ask government to fix problems.

  21. A public school requires all students to recite a prayer written by state officials. Under the First Amendment, this most likely violates

    1. the Free Exercise Clause
    2. the right to petition
    3. the Establishment Clause
    4. the right to assemble
    Show answer

    C. the Establishment Clause: In Engel v. Vitale (1962) the Court held state-sponsored school prayer violates the Establishment Clause.

  22. "A city fines a newspaper for printing an editorial that criticizes the mayor." Which amendment would most directly be used to challenge this action?
    1. The Twentieth Amendment
    2. The Ninth Amendment
    3. The First Amendment
    4. The Twenty-Fifth Amendment
    Show answer

    C. The First Amendment: The First Amendment protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

The Bill of Rights: Origins and Purpose (20)

Read this section →

  1. Use the excerpt below, from the Bill of Rights, to answer the question that follows.

    "nor shall any person... be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1689
    2. 1776
    3. 1791
    4. 1215
    Show answer

    C. 1791: The Bill of Rights dates from 1791.

  2. Which founding-era or earlier document was proposed by James Madison in the First Congress and ratified in 1791?

    1. Bill of Rights
    2. Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
    3. English Bill of Rights
    4. Mayflower Compact
    Show answer

    A. Bill of Rights: The Bill of Rights was proposed by James Madison in the First Congress and ratified in 1791.

  3. Which circumstance would generally require a search warrant?

    1. school officials searching a locker with reasonable suspicion
    2. police searching the contents of a hotel room
    3. police seizing evidence in plain view
    4. police patting down a suspect with reasonable suspicion
    Show answer

    B. police searching the contents of a hotel room: A hotel room receives Fourth Amendment protection similar to a home.

  4. In the United States, which of the following is permitted to citizens by the right of freedom of assembly?

    1. the right to immigrate
    2. the right to riot
    3. the right to a job
    4. the right to demonstrate peacefully
    Show answer

    D. the right to demonstrate peacefully: Assembly protects peaceful gatherings, not violence.

  5. Which Bill of Rights protection has NOT been incorporated against the states?

    1. the Sixth Amendment right to counsel
    2. the Fifth Amendment right to a grand jury indictment
    3. the First Amendment freedom of speech
    4. the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches
    Show answer

    B. the Fifth Amendment right to a grand jury indictment: States are not required to use grand juries.

  6. Originally, the Bill of Rights limited only

    1. private businesses
    2. foreign governments
    3. the state governments
    4. the federal government
    Show answer

    D. the federal government: Barron v. Baltimore (1833) held it did not apply to states; incorporation came later.

  7. Use the excerpt below, from the Bill of Rights, to answer the question that follows.

    "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1780
    2. 1215
    3. 1620
    4. 1791
    Show answer

    D. 1791: The Bill of Rights dates from 1791.

  8. In what year was the Bill of Rights ratified?

    1. 1776
    2. 1787
    3. 1803
    4. 1791
    Show answer

    D. 1791: Virginia's ratification in December 1791 completed the process.

  9. Which statement best explains why rights in the Bill of Rights may be limited?

    1. Rights may be ignored whenever a majority wishes.
    2. Rights may be restricted when they conflict with others' rights or a compelling public interest.
    3. Rights apply only during wartime.
    4. Rights may be limited only by the president.
    Show answer

    B. Rights may be restricted when they conflict with others' rights or a compelling public interest.: Courts balance individual rights against public safety and the rights of others.

  10. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "nor shall any person... be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
    2. Magna Carta
    3. Bill of Rights
    4. Land Ordinance of 1785
    Show answer

    C. Bill of Rights: This excerpt is from the Bill of Rights.

  11. Defamation of a person in writing is called

    1. slander
    2. libel
    3. sedition
    4. perjury
    Show answer

    B. libel: Libel is written defamation; slander is spoken.

  12. Use the excerpt below, from the Bill of Rights, to answer the question that follows.

    "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated."

    Which principle is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

    1. support for public education
    2. protection against unreasonable searches
    3. the right of revolution
    4. a confederation of states
    Show answer

    B. protection against unreasonable searches: The excerpt from the Bill of Rights reflects protection against unreasonable searches.

  13. Use the excerpt below, from the Bill of Rights, to answer the question that follows.

    "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1781
    2. 1689
    3. 1791
    4. 1215
    Show answer

    C. 1791: The Bill of Rights dates from 1791.

  14. Use the excerpt below, from the Bill of Rights, to answer the question that follows.

    "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated."

    In what year was this document adopted?

    1. 1215
    2. 1791
    3. 1776
    4. 1803
    Show answer

    B. 1791: The Bill of Rights dates from 1791.

  15. Which statement accurately describes the Bill of Rights?

    1. It was signed by King John of England in 1215, limiting the power of the monarch.
    2. It was proposed by James Madison in the First Congress and ratified in 1791.
    3. It was the first constitution of the United States, ratified in 1781.
    4. It was published in New York newspapers to persuade voters to ratify the Constitution.
    Show answer

    B. It was proposed by James Madison in the First Congress and ratified in 1791.: The Bill of Rights was proposed by James Madison in the First Congress and ratified in 1791.

  16. Who introduced the amendments that became the Bill of Rights in the First Congress?

    1. John Adams
    2. James Madison
    3. Alexander Hamilton
    4. George Mason
    Show answer

    B. James Madison: Madison, though once skeptical, guided them through Congress.

  17. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. English Bill of Rights
    2. Bill of Rights
    3. Anti-Federalist Papers
    4. Federalist Papers
    Show answer

    B. Bill of Rights: This excerpt is from the Bill of Rights.

  18. Use the excerpt below, from a historical document, to answer the question that follows.

    "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

    Which document is the source of the excerpt?

    1. Northwest Ordinance
    2. Mayflower Compact
    3. Bill of Rights
    4. Land Ordinance of 1785
    Show answer

    C. Bill of Rights: This excerpt is from the Bill of Rights.

  19. Who was the main author of the amendments that became the Bill of Rights?

    1. James Madison
    2. Thomas Jefferson
    3. Alexander Hamilton
    4. John Adams
    Show answer

    A. James Madison: Madison, a member of the House in the First Congress, drafted the amendments in 1789, keeping a promise made during ratification.

  20. In Barron v. Baltimore (1833), the Supreme Court held that the Bill of Rights

    1. applied equally to the states and the national government.
    2. could be suspended by Congress.
    3. did not protect property.
    4. limited only the federal government, not the states.
    Show answer

    D. limited only the federal government, not the states.: This changed gradually after the Fourteenth Amendment, through selective incorporation.

Second Amendment: Right to Keep and Bear Arms (8)

Read this section →

  1. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    A law-abiding citizen challenges a ban on keeping a handgun at home for self-defense.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Sixth Amendment
    2. Eighth Amendment
    3. Second Amendment
    4. Third Amendment
    Show answer

    C. Second Amendment: The Second Amendment protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

  2. What was the significance of the Supreme Court's decision in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)?

    1. The Court established the power of judicial review, allowing federal courts to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.
    2. The Court struck down the Gun-Free School Zones Act because carrying a gun near a school is not economic activity Congress can regulate under the Commerce Clause.
    3. The Court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to keep a handgun in the home for self-defense.
    4. The Court upheld state laws requiring racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.
    Show answer

    C. The Court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to keep a handgun in the home for self-defense.: In District of Columbia v. Heller, the Court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to keep a handgun in the home for self-defense.

  3. Which statement best describes the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It guarantees a jury trial in federal civil cases involving more than twenty dollars.
    2. It protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms.
    3. It prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent.
    4. It prohibits denying the right to vote on account of sex.
    Show answer

    B. It protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms.: The Second Amendment protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

  4. What was the significance of the Supreme Court's decision in McDonald v. Chicago (2010)?

    1. The Court ruled that state-mandated racial segregation in public schools violates the Equal Protection Clause.
    2. The Court ruled that burning the American flag as political protest is symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment.
    3. The Court held that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms applies to state and local governments.
    4. The Court stopped the Florida presidential election recount because the varying recount standards violated the Equal Protection Clause.
    Show answer

    C. The Court held that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms applies to state and local governments.: In McDonald v. Chicago, the Court held that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms applies to state and local governments.

  5. Which amendment protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms?

    1. Second Amendment
    2. Fourth Amendment
    3. Twentieth Amendment
    4. Twenty-second Amendment
    Show answer

    A. Second Amendment: The Second Amendment protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

  6. Which phrase begins the Second Amendment?

    1. "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State"
    2. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"
    3. "No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house"
    4. "Excessive bail shall not be required"
    Show answer

    A. "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State": The full text continues: "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

  7. Which case held that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to keep a handgun at home for self-defense?

    1. District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)
    2. Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
    3. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
    4. Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
    Show answer

    A. District of Columbia v. Heller (2008): Heller (2008) recognized an individual right; McDonald v. Chicago (2010) applied it to the states.

  8. "A city bans residents from keeping any handgun in their homes for self-defense." Which amendment would most directly be used to challenge this action?
    1. The Fifteenth Amendment
    2. The Seventeenth Amendment
    3. The Tenth Amendment
    4. The Second Amendment
    Show answer

    D. The Second Amendment: The Second Amendment protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

Sixth Amendment: Fair Trial Rights (12)

Read this section →

  1. The Declaration's grievance about 'depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury' influenced which constitutional protection?

    1. the Twenty-second Amendment
    2. the Sixteenth Amendment
    3. the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial
    4. the Second Amendment
    Show answer

    C. the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial: Jury trial rights appear in Article III and the Sixth and Seventh Amendments.

  2. Which body decides whether there is enough evidence to formally charge someone with a serious federal crime?

    1. a grand jury
    2. a petit jury
    3. the Senate
    4. the Supreme Court
    Show answer

    A. a grand jury: The Fifth Amendment requires grand jury indictment for capital or infamous federal crimes.

  3. A jury that hears evidence at trial and decides guilt or innocence is called a

    1. grand jury
    2. appellate panel
    3. tribunal of electors
    4. petit (trial) jury
    Show answer

    D. petit (trial) jury: A petit jury decides the verdict.

  4. Which amendment guarantees a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the assistance of counsel in criminal cases?

    1. Fifth Amendment
    2. Sixth Amendment
    3. Eighteenth Amendment
    4. Twenty-fifth Amendment
    Show answer

    B. Sixth Amendment: The Sixth Amendment guarantees a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the assistance of counsel in criminal cases.

  5. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    A defendant has been held in jail for four years awaiting trial with no explanation for the delay.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Sixth Amendment
    2. Seventh Amendment
    3. Ninth Amendment
    4. Eighth Amendment
    Show answer

    A. Sixth Amendment: The Sixth Amendment guarantees a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the assistance of counsel in criminal cases.

  6. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    A judge refuses to let a defendant cross-examine the witnesses testifying against him.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Seventh Amendment
    2. Fourth Amendment
    3. Third Amendment
    4. Sixth Amendment
    Show answer

    D. Sixth Amendment: The Sixth Amendment guarantees a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the assistance of counsel in criminal cases.

  7. Which statement best describes the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It bans poll taxes in federal elections.
    2. It abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime.
    3. It guarantees a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the assistance of counsel in criminal cases.
    4. It defines citizenship and forbids states from denying due process or equal protection of the laws.
    Show answer

    C. It guarantees a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the assistance of counsel in criminal cases.: The Sixth Amendment guarantees a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the assistance of counsel in criminal cases.

  8. A defendant is held in jail for four years before trial while prosecutors repeatedly delay. Which right is most likely being violated?

    1. The Third Amendment
    2. The Seventh Amendment right to a civil jury
    3. The Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial
    4. The Tenth Amendment
    Show answer

    C. The Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial: The Sixth Amendment guarantees "the right to a speedy and public trial."

  9. The Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses means that a defendant may

    1. refuse to attend the trial.
    2. question (cross-examine) the witnesses who testify against him or her.
    3. choose the judge.
    4. avoid any punishment if a witness is unavailable.
    Show answer

    B. question (cross-examine) the witnesses who testify against him or her.: The accused has the right "to be confronted with the witnesses against him" and to compel favorable witnesses to appear.

  10. Which is guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment?

    1. Protection against cruel and unusual punishment
    2. Just compensation for property
    3. The right to bear arms
    4. An impartial jury of the state and district where the crime was committed
    Show answer

    D. An impartial jury of the state and district where the crime was committed: The Sixth Amendment also guarantees notice of the charges, compulsory process for witnesses, and the assistance of counsel.

  11. Which right is guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment?

    1. Protection from unreasonable searches
    2. A speedy and public trial
    3. Freedom of religion
    4. Protection against double jeopardy
    Show answer

    B. A speedy and public trial: The Sixth Amendment guarantees a speedy, public trial by an impartial jury, and the right to counsel.

  12. "A defendant who cannot afford a lawyer is forced to stand trial for a felony without one." Which amendment would most directly be used to challenge this action?
    1. The Tenth Amendment
    2. The Twenty-Third Amendment
    3. The First Amendment
    4. The Sixth Amendment
    Show answer

    D. The Sixth Amendment: The Sixth Amendment guarantees a speedy, public trial by an impartial jury and the assistance of counsel.

Third Amendment: Quartering of Soldiers (8)

Read this section →

  1. The Third Amendment's ban on quartering soldiers responded to which colonial experience?

    1. the Stamp Act
    2. the Tea Act
    3. the British Quartering Acts
    4. the Proclamation of 1763
    Show answer

    C. the British Quartering Acts: Colonists resented being required to house British troops.

  2. Which statement best describes the Third Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It requires electors to cast separate ballots for president and vice president.
    2. It limits a president to two elected terms.
    3. It prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent.
    4. It prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages.
    Show answer

    C. It prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent.: The Third Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent.

  3. Which amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent?

    1. Eighteenth Amendment
    2. Third Amendment
    3. Twenty-second Amendment
    4. Tenth Amendment
    Show answer

    B. Third Amendment: The Third Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent.

  4. The complaint in the Declaration that the king 'kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures' most directly inspired

    1. the Sixteenth Amendment
    2. civilian control of the military and the Third Amendment's limits on quartering
    3. the Electoral College
    4. the president's power to pardon
    Show answer

    B. civilian control of the military and the Third Amendment's limits on quartering: Fear of standing armies shaped congressional control of the military and the Third Amendment.

  5. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    Soldiers in peacetime demand to live in a family's house without the family's permission.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Ninth Amendment
    2. Seventh Amendment
    3. Third Amendment
    4. Fifth Amendment
    Show answer

    C. Third Amendment: The Third Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent.

  6. The Third Amendment responds most directly to which colonial grievance?

    1. Taxes on stamps and printed paper
    2. Restrictions on settlement west of the Appalachians
    3. British soldiers being housed in colonists' homes under the Quartering Acts
    4. The closing of Boston Harbor
    Show answer

    C. British soldiers being housed in colonists' homes under the Quartering Acts: The Third Amendment bars quartering soldiers in any house in peacetime without the owner's consent.

  7. Which amendment is correctly matched with its effect?

    1. Twenty-Third Amendment: guarantees a speedy, public trial by an impartial jury and the assistance of counsel
    2. Sixth Amendment: forbids denying the vote on account of sex
    3. Nineteenth Amendment: gives the District of Columbia electoral votes for president
    4. Third Amendment: bars quartering soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent
    Show answer

    D. Third Amendment: bars quartering soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent: The Third Amendment bars quartering soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent.

  8. "Soldiers are ordered to move into a family's house during peacetime without permission." Which amendment would most directly be used to challenge this action?
    1. The Twenty-Fifth Amendment
    2. The Fourth Amendment
    3. The Eighth Amendment
    4. The Third Amendment
    Show answer

    D. The Third Amendment: The Third Amendment bars quartering soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent.

How the Constitution Is Amended (12)

Read this section →

  1. How many states must ratify an amendment for it to become part of the Constitution?

    1. all of them
    2. two-thirds
    3. three-fourths
    4. one-half
    Show answer

    C. three-fourths: Article V requires ratification by three-fourths of the states.

  2. By what process were eighteen-year-olds fully granted the right to vote?

    1. constitutional amendment
    2. Supreme Court decision
    3. national referendum
    4. executive order
    Show answer

    A. constitutional amendment: The Twenty-sixth Amendment (1971) lowered the voting age.

  3. What is a responsibility, rather than a legal obligation, of U.S. citizens?

    1. paying taxes
    2. obeying laws
    3. voting in elections
    4. serving on a jury when summoned
    Show answer

    C. voting in elections: Voting is voluntary; the others are legal duties.

  4. Which group of amendments most expanded voting rights?

    1. the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-fourth, and Twenty-sixth
    2. the Twentieth and Twenty-second
    3. the Third, Seventh, and Eleventh
    4. the Sixteenth and Eighteenth
    Show answer

    A. the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-fourth, and Twenty-sixth: These amendments removed barriers based on race, sex, poll taxes, and age.

  5. Which is a requirement to become a naturalized U.S. citizen?

    1. being born in a U.S. territory
    2. serving in the military
    3. passing tests on English and U.S. civics
    4. owning property
    Show answer

    C. passing tests on English and U.S. civics: Applicants must show knowledge of English and civics, among other requirements.

  6. Which is a legal obligation of U.S. citizens?

    1. serving on a jury when summoned
    2. volunteering in the community
    3. attending town meetings
    4. joining a political party
    Show answer

    A. serving on a jury when summoned: Jury duty is required by law.

  7. How can an amendment to the U.S. Constitution be proposed?

    1. by a national referendum
    2. by a majority of the Supreme Court
    3. by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress or by a national convention called at the request of two-thirds of state legislatures
    4. by a presidential executive order
    Show answer

    C. by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress or by a national convention called at the request of two-thirds of state legislatures: Article V provides these two methods of proposal.

  8. Only one amendment has been ratified by state ratifying conventions rather than by state legislatures. Which one?

    1. The Twenty-First Amendment
    2. The First Amendment
    3. The Nineteenth Amendment
    4. The Twenty-Seventh Amendment
    Show answer

    A. The Twenty-First Amendment: Congress chose the convention method for the Twenty-First Amendment (1933), which repealed Prohibition.

  9. How many amendments have been added to the U.S. Constitution?

    1. 27
    2. 10
    3. 25
    4. 33
    Show answer

    A. 27: There are 27 amendments. The first ten, the Bill of Rights, were ratified together in 1791.

  10. Why did the Framers make the Constitution difficult to amend?

    1. To prevent the Constitution from ever being changed
    2. To let the president make changes alone
    3. To make sure changes have broad support across the country and to keep the government stable
    4. To give the Supreme Court sole power over amendments
    Show answer

    C. To make sure changes have broad support across the country and to keep the government stable: Article V requires supermajorities at both the proposal and ratification stages.

  11. What formal role does the president have in the amendment process?

    1. None; proposed amendments go to the states without the president's signature.
    2. The president must sign every amendment.
    3. The president may veto proposed amendments.
    4. The president chooses which states vote first.
    Show answer

    A. None; proposed amendments go to the states without the president's signature.: Article V gives the president no role. The Supreme Court confirmed in 1798 that amendments are not presented for signature.

  12. Congress sent the states an amendment in 1972 guaranteeing equal rights regardless of sex, but not enough states ratified it before the deadline. What was this proposal called?

    1. The Equal Rights Amendment
    2. The Fair Housing Amendment
    3. The Voting Rights Amendment
    4. The Civil Liberties Amendment
    Show answer

    A. The Equal Rights Amendment: The ERA fell short of the 38 states needed by Congress's deadline. Its status remains disputed.

Fifth Amendment: Rights of the Accused and Property (10)

Read this section →

  1. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    A defendant on the witness stand refuses to answer a question because the answer might show he committed a crime.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Seventh Amendment
    2. Tenth Amendment
    3. Fifth Amendment
    4. Eleventh Amendment
    Show answer

    C. Fifth Amendment: The Fifth Amendment protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, requires grand juries for serious federal crimes, guarantees due process, and requires just compensation for takings.

  2. Which amendment protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, requires grand juries for serious federal crimes, guarantees due process, and requires just compensation for takings?

    1. Seventeenth Amendment
    2. Fifth Amendment
    3. Twenty-second Amendment
    4. Ninth Amendment
    Show answer

    B. Fifth Amendment: The Fifth Amendment protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, requires grand juries for serious federal crimes, guarantees due process, and requires just compensation for takings.

  3. Which statement best describes the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, requires grand juries for serious federal crimes, guarantees due process, and requires just compensation for takings.
    2. It protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms.
    3. It states that listing certain rights in the Constitution does not deny other rights retained by the people.
    4. It gives residents of the District of Columbia electoral votes for president.
    Show answer

    A. It protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, requires grand juries for serious federal crimes, guarantees due process, and requires just compensation for takings.: The Fifth Amendment protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, requires grand juries for serious federal crimes, guarantees due process, and requires just compensation for takings.

  4. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    A city takes a family's land to build a highway but refuses to pay for it.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Seventh Amendment
    2. Eighth Amendment
    3. Third Amendment
    4. Fifth Amendment
    Show answer

    D. Fifth Amendment: The Fifth Amendment protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, requires grand juries for serious federal crimes, guarantees due process, and requires just compensation for takings.

  5. Which protection applies when a person refuses to testify against himself in a criminal trial?

    1. the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination
    2. the First Amendment right of assembly
    3. the Third Amendment ban on quartering
    4. the Tenth Amendment reserved powers
    Show answer

    A. the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination: 'Pleading the Fifth' invokes this privilege.

  6. The Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause requires the government to

    1. give every citizen land.
    2. pay just compensation when it takes private property for public use.
    3. get the owner's permission before building any road.
    4. refund taxes to property owners each year.
    Show answer

    B. pay just compensation when it takes private property for public use.: Government may use eminent domain, but only for public use and with just compensation.

  7. A witness in a criminal trial refuses to answer a question, saying the answer could incriminate him. Which amendment protects this choice?

    1. The First Amendment
    2. The Fifth Amendment
    3. The Fourth Amendment
    4. The Eighth Amendment
    Show answer

    B. The Fifth Amendment: No person "shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself." This is often called "pleading the Fifth."

  8. All of the following rights are found in the Fifth Amendment EXCEPT

    1. the right to a speedy and public trial
    2. protection against double jeopardy
    3. protection against self-incrimination
    4. the right to a grand jury indictment for serious federal crimes
    Show answer

    A. the right to a speedy and public trial: The right to a speedy and public trial is in the Sixth Amendment.

  9. "I respectfully decline to answer on the grounds that it may incriminate me." Which amendment protects this statement?
    1. The Fourth Amendment
    2. The Sixth Amendment
    3. The Fifth Amendment
    4. The Eighth Amendment
    Show answer

    C. The Fifth Amendment: The Fifth Amendment protects against compelled self-incrimination.

  10. "A person acquitted of a federal crime is put on trial again for the same offense." Which amendment would most directly be used to challenge this action?
    1. The Sixth Amendment
    2. The Fifth Amendment
    3. The Seventh Amendment
    4. The Twenty-Third Amendment
    Show answer

    B. The Fifth Amendment: The Fifth Amendment protects against double jeopardy and self-incrimination and requires due process and just compensation.

Seventh Amendment: Civil Jury Trials (5)

Read this section →

  1. Use the scenario below to answer the question that follows.

    In a federal lawsuit over a $50,000 contract dispute, one party demands a jury.

    Which constitutional amendment most directly addresses this situation?

    1. Ninth Amendment
    2. Seventh Amendment
    3. Fourth Amendment
    4. Sixth Amendment
    Show answer

    B. Seventh Amendment: The Seventh Amendment guarantees a jury trial in federal civil cases involving more than twenty dollars.

  2. Which statement best describes the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It reserves to the states or the people the powers not delegated to the federal government.
    2. It guarantees a jury trial in federal civil cases involving more than twenty dollars.
    3. It requires electors to cast separate ballots for president and vice president.
    4. It prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.
    Show answer

    B. It guarantees a jury trial in federal civil cases involving more than twenty dollars.: The Seventh Amendment guarantees a jury trial in federal civil cases involving more than twenty dollars.

  3. Which amendment guarantees a jury trial in federal civil cases involving more than twenty dollars?

    1. Nineteenth Amendment
    2. Seventh Amendment
    3. Ninth Amendment
    4. Twenty-seventh Amendment
    Show answer

    B. Seventh Amendment: The Seventh Amendment guarantees a jury trial in federal civil cases involving more than twenty dollars.

  4. The Seventh Amendment guarantees a jury trial in federal civil cases in which the value in controversy exceeds

    1. one hundred dollars.
    2. one thousand dollars.
    3. one million dollars.
    4. twenty dollars.
    Show answer

    D. twenty dollars.: The Seventh Amendment preserves "the right of trial by jury" in suits at common law where the value exceeds twenty dollars.

  5. Which amendment is correctly matched with its effect?

    1. Fifth Amendment: limits federal lawsuits against a state by citizens of another state or a foreign country
    2. Eleventh Amendment: forbids denying the vote on account of sex
    3. Nineteenth Amendment: protects against double jeopardy and self-incrimination and requires due process and just compensation
    4. Seventh Amendment: preserves the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases over twenty dollars
    Show answer

    D. Seventh Amendment: preserves the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases over twenty dollars: The Seventh Amendment preserves the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases over twenty dollars.

Ninth Amendment: Unenumerated Rights (5)

Read this section →

  1. Which statement best describes the Ninth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

    1. It limits the ability of citizens of one state or foreign countries to sue a state in federal court.
    2. It guarantees a jury trial in federal civil cases involving more than twenty dollars.
    3. It moved the start of presidential and congressional terms to January.
    4. It states that listing certain rights in the Constitution does not deny other rights retained by the people.
    Show answer

    D. It states that listing certain rights in the Constitution does not deny other rights retained by the people.: The Ninth Amendment states that listing certain rights in the Constitution does not deny other rights retained by the people.

  2. Which amendment states that listing certain rights in the Constitution does not deny other rights retained by the people?

    1. Ninth Amendment
    2. Twenty-seventh Amendment
    3. Seventeenth Amendment
    4. Twenty-third Amendment
    Show answer

    A. Ninth Amendment: The Ninth Amendment states that listing certain rights in the Constitution does not deny other rights retained by the people.

  3. What does the Ninth Amendment say?

    1. Listing certain rights in the Constitution does not deny or disparage other rights kept by the people.
    2. Powers not delegated to the national government belong to the states.
    3. Citizens may not be tried twice for the same crime.
    4. Congress may add new rights by law.
    Show answer

    A. Listing certain rights in the Constitution does not deny or disparage other rights kept by the people.: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

  4. Madison included the Ninth Amendment mainly to answer the concern that

    1. the states would have too much power.
    2. the president could not be impeached.
    3. listing some rights might suggest that unlisted rights were unprotected.
    4. juries would be too expensive.
    Show answer

    C. listing some rights might suggest that unlisted rights were unprotected.: Hamilton raised this danger in Federalist No. 84. The Ninth Amendment makes clear that the list is not complete.

  5. Which amendment is correctly matched with its effect?

    1. Sixth Amendment: bars quartering soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent
    2. Third Amendment: forbids denying the vote on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude
    3. Fifteenth Amendment: guarantees a speedy, public trial by an impartial jury and the assistance of counsel
    4. Ninth Amendment: states that listing certain rights does not deny other rights kept by the people
    Show answer

    D. Ninth Amendment: states that listing certain rights does not deny other rights kept by the people: The Ninth Amendment states that listing certain rights does not deny other rights kept by the people.

District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) (1)

Read this section →

  1. In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Court held that the Second Amendment protects

    1. only the right of states to maintain militias.
    2. an individual right to keep and bear arms, including a handgun for self-defense in the home.
    3. the right of the military to recruit soldiers.
    4. an unlimited right to own any weapon.
    Show answer

    B. an individual right to keep and bear arms, including a handgun for self-defense in the home.: Heller struck down D.C.'s handgun ban. The Court also said the right is not unlimited.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) (1)

Read this section →

  1. Amish parents refused to send their children to school after the eighth grade. In Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972), the Court ruled for the parents based on

    1. the Free Exercise Clause.
    2. the Establishment Clause.
    3. the Second Amendment.
    4. the Commerce Clause.
    Show answer

    A. the Free Exercise Clause.: The Court held that the state's interest in two more years of schooling did not outweigh the Amish families' religious freedom.