Do You Have What It Takes To Get 100% On This U.S. Government Quiz?
Written by Daniel Rackley
Last updated · 27 min play time
There are people that study for their entire lives to be experts on the United States Government and don't even come close to knowing everything about it. Then again, there are some that completely know what's up. Take this quiz and see what you know about the United States Government!
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Daniel RackleyU.S. Government Quiz Questions
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Question 1
You just got schooled. Which cabinet member develops and implements policies, programs, and activities related to schooling?
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ASecretary of Education
-
BSecretary of Labor
-
CSchool Secretary
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DSecretary of International Magical Cooperation
Secretary of Education
A, B, C, it's easy as 1, 2, 3...that's what you think. The secretary of education's job is very involved. Established in 1979, the Department of Education works on educational programs, policies and procedures, and activities.
Question 2
Ensuring the safety of food produced and sold in-country is just one responsibility of this cabinet member.
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ASecretary of the Interior
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BSecretary of Homeland Security
-
CSecretary of Agriculture
-
DSecretary of Magical Law Enforcement
Secretary of Agriculture
The U.S. Department of Agriculture was established by Abe Lincoln in 1862. This department includes the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Food Stamp Program, among other agencies.
Question 3
This cabinet position used to run the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. What's it called now?
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ASecretary of Magical Games and Sports
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BSecretary of Health and Human Services
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CSecretary of the Centers for Disease Control
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DSecretary of the World Health Organization
Secretary of Health and Human Services
1980 saw the creation of the Department of Health and Human Services. You know COVID? This would be the department that advises on how to approach prevention, protocol, and recovery.
Question 4
You can thank Susan B. Anthony and Co. for the Nineteenth Amendment, which gave what group the right to vote?
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AAll races
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BMen
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CAll those 21 and older
-
DWomen
Women
Girl power! The Nineteenth Amendment was ushered in by the Women's Suffrage Movement, prohibiting both the state and federal governments to deny women the right to vote. It was about time.
Question 5
What cabinet member's position of command over the military is second only to that of the president?
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ASecretary of Veterans' Affairs
-
BSecretary of Defense
-
CSecretary of the Military
-
DSecretary for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures
Secretary of Defense
The Department of Defense was founded in 1947. Overseeing the U.S. Armed Forces, the secretary of defense is a member of the National Security Council and wields "authority, direction, and control" over the department but is "subject to the direction of the President", who is the commander-in-chief. This includes authority over the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force – and, yep, even Space Force.
Question 6
You may know this department as HUD. What cabinet position was created by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965?
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ASecretary of Homeland and Universal Domain
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BSecretary of Housing and Ultimate Destruction
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CSecretary of Homeland User Data
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DSecretary of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
The Department of Housing and Urban Development was established in 1965. Its mission? "To increase homeownership, support community development, and increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination."
Question 7
With a mission to promote American businesses and industries, this cabinet member once also covered the Department of Labor?
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ASecretary of Veterans Affairs
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BSecretary of Treasury
-
CSecretary of Commerce
-
DSecretary of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes
Secretary of Commerce
Founded in 1903, the Department of Commerce was united under a single bannerhead with another department until 1913: the Department of Commerce and Labor. Now, this department involves all things business and industry. The secretary of commerce advises the president in a mission "to foster, promote, and develop the foreign and domestic commerce".
Question 8
Money, money, money, money...MONEY. Who is the chief economic advisor to the president?
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ASecretary of the First National Bank
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BSecretary of the Treasury
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CSecretary of the Magical Trading Standards Body
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DSecretary of the Treasurer
Secretary of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury was amongst the first departments founded in 1789. The first Secretary of Treasury was Alexander Hamilton, who established the First National Bank. The position oversees financial policy-making, and this cabinet member is the president's chief economic advisor.
Question 9
Not only did the Fourteenth Amendment define citizenship, it contained three clauses. What was NOT one of them?
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AEqual Protection Clause
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BPrivileges or Immunities Clause
-
CDue Process Clause
-
DSanta Claus
Santa Claus
The second of the Reconstruction Amendments, the Fourteenth Amendment is historically considered one of the most consequential. It speaks to equal protection under the law, citizenship rights, and due process, which prohibits state and local governments from circumnavigating the Thirteenth Amendment. It also features the Privileges or Immunities Clause, which prevents states from depriving a person of life, liberty, or property without due process.
Question 10
Wanna form a union? You'll be dealing with this department secretary.
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ASecretary of Commerce
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BSecretary of the Magical Office of Law
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CSecretary of Labor
-
DSecretary of Defense
Secretary of Labor
The Department of Labor was formed in 1913. The secretary of this department implements and enforces laws that impact the workplace, unions, and other business entities.
Question 11
From coal to solar, Jimmy Carter created what cabinet position in 1977?
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ASecretary of Energy
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BSecretary of Sustainable Resources
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CSecretary of Commerce
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DSecretary of Magical Transportation
Secretary of Energy
Initially centered around energy regulation and production, the Department of Energy transitioned into technology development for more efficient sources of energy. When the Cold War ended, it also sought the safe disposal of radioactive waste.
Question 12
Appointed by Warren G. Harding, who is the only U.S. president to also serve as Supreme Court chief justice?
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ACher
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BClarence Thomas
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CWilliam Howard Taft
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DCharles Evans Hughes
William Howard Taft
Serving 8 years, 207 days, as chief justice, William Howard Taft is the only politician that can say he held both offices throughout his storied career. As chief justice, he advanced individual rights and, in issues of business, was conservative.
Question 13
Let's not get carried away...what did the Twenty-Second Amendment limit?
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AThe number of times a person can be elected American Idol
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BThe number of times a person can be elected senator
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CThe number of times a person can be elected president
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DThe number of times a person can be elected Supreme Court chief justice
The number of times a person can be elected president
Although George Washington had set the trend with the two-term limit, presidential term limits were officially set with the Twenty-Second Amendment. This amendment limits how many times one might run for elected office as president. After Franklin D. Roosevelt won a third term – and then a fourth – so they wanted to cap the potential of limitless power.
Question 14
What Richard Nixon-appointee stabbed his nominator in the back in his ruling on the United States v. Nixon, rejecting the then-president's invocation of executive privilege during Watergate?
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AWarren E. Burger
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BSam Cooke
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CElena Kagan
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DHarlan F. Stone
Warren E. Burger
You can't say Burger doesn't have principles. Although he isn't viewed as an intellectual leader during his stint as chief justice, his ruling on Nixon's case pushed the president toward resignation. Serving 17 years, 95 days, Burger also ruled on the landmark abortion case, Roe v. Wade.
Question 15
Ready, set, go – who is the only president to have ever run a marathon?
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AGeorge W. Bush
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BBenjamin Harrison
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CBrett Kavanaugh
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DAndrew Johnson
George W. Bush
George W. has set the pace on the track. The former president finished the Houston Marathon in 3 hours, 44 minutes, and 52 seconds in 1993.
Question 16
The Federal Aviation Administration is one agency that falls under the authority of this cabinet position.
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ASecretary of Transportation
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BSecretary of Housing and Urban Development
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CSecretary of the Obliviator
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DSecretary of Air Traffic
Secretary of Transportation
Running thirteen agencies, the Department of Transportation covers – you guessed it! – everything transportation. This includes the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration.
Question 17
The Eighteenth was perhaps the most unpopular amendment. It prohibited the sale of what in the U.S.?
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ACoca-Cola
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BAlcohol
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CMarijuana
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DGuns
Alcohol
No more booze. The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the sale of alcohol in America after decades of campaigning by the Temperance Movement. The movement believed that an alcohol ban would reduce societal woes, like poverty. Unfortunately, it mainly led to the popularity of speakeasies and bootlegging.
Question 18
When the president needs advice on a legal matter, he goes to this cabinet member. Name that secretary.
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AAttorney General
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BSupreme Court Chief Justice
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CSecretary of Treasury
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DSecretary of Broom Regulatory Control
Attorney General
As the leader of the U.S. Department of Justice, the attorney general is the federal government's chief lawyer. The secretary has the president's ear on all legal matters.
Question 19
The Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Control are just two agencies that fall under this cabinet member's authority.
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ASecretary of Homeland Security
-
BSecretary of Magical Education
-
CSecretary of Defense
-
DSecretary of the Central Intelligence Agency
Secretary of Homeland Security
One of the most recent departments to be established, the Department of Homeland Security was founded in 2002 after the September 11th attacks. The department aims to ensure public safety and includes the Secret Service and FEMA, among other defensive organizations. The FBI and CIA don't fall under its authority, however.
Question 20
When you return home from your tour of duty overseas, you'll be dealing with this cabinet member.
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ASecretary of the Pest Advisory Board
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BSecretary of Commerce
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CSecretary of the Military
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DSecretary of Veterans Affairs
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veteran Affairs was established in 1989. It is concerned with all things veteran – including health care and benefits, along with memorials and cemeteries.
Question 21
"You're gonna need a search warrant..." What two things does the Fourth Amendment prohibit?
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ADue process and probable cause
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BUnreasonable searches and seizures
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CGuns and free speech
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DSearch warrants and double jeopardy
Unreasonable searches and seizures
Not only does the Fourth Amendment prohibit unreasonable searches and seizures, but it also outlines the requirements for the issuance of search warrants. For instance, a judge or magistrate must issue a search warrant only to those supported by justifiable cause.
Question 22
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." Which president was undoubtedly a distant relative of Winston Churchill?
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AGeorge W. Bush
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BFranklin D. Roosevelt
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CBrian Larsen
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DBarack Obama
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Churchill was Roosevelt's 7th cousin. Apparently, FDR was not only related to Teddy Roosevelt and Churchill and was fifth cousins, once removed with his wife, but he was also distantly related to quite a few other past presidents, including Washington.
Question 23
Bow, wow. Which animal lover hosted two beagles named "Him" and "Her" at the White House?
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AJohn F. Kennedy
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BLyndon B. Johnson
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CLana Del Rey
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DJames Madison
Lyndon B. Johnson
Every presidential pet that came after Lyndon Johnson's beagles is just playing for second. <i>Life</i> magazine put "Him" and "Her" on the map as presidential pet celebrities of the '60s.
Question 24
Writing the majority opinion in such cases as Brown v. Board of Education, this Dwight D. Eisenhower-appointee presided over what is considered a "Constitutional Revolution" and liberal shift.
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ASonia Sotomayor
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BOliver Ellsworth
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CGloria Estefan
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DEarl Warren
Earl Warren
Earl Warren served as chief justice for 15 years, 261 days, overseeing this shift in American constitutional jurisprudence, which took in landmark cases, like Reynolds v. Sims (1964), Miranda v. Arizona (1966), and Loving v. Virginia (1967). His court's rulings helped end McCarthyism and segregation. In so doing, he is viewed as one of the most influential U.S. chief justices – and, moreover, political leaders – in history, receiving praise from both liberals and conservatives.
Question 25
This amendment is a hot-button issue. What amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms?
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A13th
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B1st
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C34th
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D2nd
2nd
With repeated mass shootings, Second Amendment rights have regularly been at the forefront of political debate in recent years. At the time of its ratification, the precedent for the right to keep and bear arms was set by English common law.
Question 26
Apparently, this guy saw the nation's capital as a "fixer-upper". Which extravagant president had the White House remodeled by the designer for Tiffany & Co.?
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ARonald Reagan
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BMiley Cyrus
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CDwight D. Eisenhower
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DChester A. Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
No one likes to live large like Chester A. Arthur. The president hired Louis C. Tiffany of Tiffany and Co. to redesign the White House's private chambers. He pretty much chucked out everything inside, from drapes to furniture, all of which was auctioned off.
Question 27
Winning the presidency by a single electoral vote, which president was called "His Fraudulency"?
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ARutherford B. Hayes
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BNeil Gorsuch
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CBill Clinton
-
DWilliam Howard Taft
Rutherford B. Hayes
Before there was 2020's "Stop the Steal," there was 1877's "Rutherfraud". Rutherford Hayes lost the popular vote by a whopping 250,000 votes but managed to win the electoral vote by 1 in one of the country's most contested elections.
Question 28
The first (and only) president to serve two non-consecutive terms, which president was affectionately known as "Uncle Jumbo"?
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AWilliam McKinley
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BJohn Adams
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CJennifer Hudson
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DGrover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
While Taft may get all the credit for getting stuck in the White House bathtub, Grover Cleveland was also known for his heft. At 6 feet tall and 270 pounds, his family called him "Uncle Jumbo". And the country must have wanted Uncle Jumbo back because he returned for a second term four years after his first.
Question 29
After experiencing a series of strokes, which president led the country (with help from his wife) while partially paralyzed?
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AUlysses S. Grant
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BHarry S. Truman
-
CSheryl Crow
-
DWoodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Stress resulted in Woodrow Wilson suffering a series of strokes in 1919. Although he had three years left of his term and was nearly blind and partially paralyzed, he led the country...with a massive assist from his wife, Edith Bolling Galt, who would not only help pose him for pictures but functionally ran the Executive branch. As Wilson's presidency is often ranked by historians in the top 10 best, that's really saying something.
Question 30
Who is the current Supreme Court chief justice, appointed by George W. Bush?
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AJohn Marshall
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BJohn Roberts
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CBrett Kavanaugh
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DAretha Franklin
John Roberts
John Glover Roberts Jr. has served for over 15 years as chief justice, overseeing such landmark cases as Shelby County v. Holder, National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, King v. Burwell, and Department of Commerce v. New York. Although considered judicially conservative, he has also been shown to work across the aisle and is a key swing vote.
Question 31
The Twenty-Third Amendment granted electors in the Electoral College to which district?
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AThe Virgin Islands
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BDistrict of Columbia
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CPuerto Rico
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DGuam
District of Columbia
Bolstered by the Civil Rights Movement, the District of Columbia was given an electoral injection with the Twenty-third Amendment, providing the district electors as though they were a state. Prior to this amendment, citizens residing within the District of Columbia had no electors in the Electoral College.
Question 32
If you're diplomatic, then you could hold this position, which is equivalent to a foreign minister.
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ASecretary of Aurors
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BVice President
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CSecretary of State
-
DSecretary of Interior
Secretary of State
This is the cabinet position for any jetsetter. Founded in 1789, the Department of State is amongst the highest-ranking departments in the cabinet. Working in foreign relations, the secretary travels the world, carrying out the president's foreign policies.
Question 33
Which president was variously known by the nicknames "Handsome Frank" and "Fainting Frank"?
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AFranklin Pierce
-
BFranklin McKinley
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CFranklin D. Roosevelt
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DSonia Sotomayor
Franklin Pierce
Apparently, Franklin Pierce was a real looker. Although he was probably fond of the nickname, "Handsome Frank," he likely wasn't of "Fainting Frank" – a nickname he got for passing out from a groin injury during the Mexican-American war.
Question 34
"Born in the U.S.A..." Who was the first American-born president?
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AKesha
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BMartin Van Buren
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CFranklin D. Roosevelt
-
DGerald Ford
Martin Van Buren
Although he's the eighth U.S. president, Martin Van Buren, born in 1782, was the first to be born in the United States after it had become an independent nation. All other presidents that came before were born in the colonies prior to the American Revolution.
Question 35
This president didn't have writer's block. Who was the first president to write a biography about another president?
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AHerbert Hoover
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BWilliam Henry Harrison
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CLana Lane
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DJohn F. Kennedy
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover authored numerous books, including <i>American Individualism</i> and <i>The Challenge to Liberty</i>. Amongst his literary contributions, he also wrote a biography of his predecessor called <i>The Ordeal of Woodrow Wilson</i>.
Question 36
Which president put ego aside, saying, "It's amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit"?
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AGerald Ford
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BHarry S. Truman
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CZachary Taylor
-
DAnna Kendrick
Harry S. Truman
Harry Truman said this, assumedly to push for some bipartisanship. He also believed in accountability. His motto was "the buck stops here".
Question 37
What group does the Twenty-Sixth Amendment give the right to vote?
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AThe Pope
-
BAll races
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CThose 18 or older
-
DWomen
Those 18 or older
You may not be old enough to drink, but you are old enough to vote, because of this amendment. The Twenty-sixth Amendment enables all U.S. citizens, 18 or older, to get out the vote. The slogan to get this passed was "old enough to fight, old enough to vote".
Question 38
What dreamer said, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader"?
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AJohn Tyler
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BSam Cooke
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CFranklin Pierce
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DJohn Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
Perhaps John Adams's actions inspired his son to "dream more, learn more, and do more," as John Quincy certainly followed in his father's footsteps. Although, he did <i>not</i> follow in his father's politics, as Adams ran as a Federalist, and Quincy ran as a Democratic-Republican.
Question 39
Known for his outdoorsmanship, which president wrote in his diary, "The light has gone out of my life," when both his mother and wife died on Valentine's Day?
-
AElena Kagan
-
BTheodore Roosevelt
-
CWilliam McKinley
-
DJames Monroe
Theodore Roosevelt
Although Theodore Roosevelt is known as a tough guy, he was really a teddy bear (in fact, that's where the stuffed animal got its name). He received a double-blow on Valentine's Day in 1884, when he lost the two most important women in his life. His mother, Mittie, died of typhoid fever, and his wife, Alice Lee, died of a kidney disease known as Bright’s disease two days after giving birth to their daughter.
Question 40
Ever the patriots, which three presidents died on the Fourth of July?
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AJefferson, Adams, and Clinton
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BMonroe, Van Buren, and Taft
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CTaft, Madison, and Jefferson
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DAdams, Jefferson, and Monroe
Adams, Jefferson, and Monroe
Maybe it was fate that three of the Founding Fathers passed away on Independence Day. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (the frenemies) died on the exact same day, and James Monroe went five years later.
Question 41
This Herbert Hoover-appointee once lost out to Woodrow Wilson in a presidential campaign. He was seen as a key swing vote in the Supreme Court between the conservative "Four Horsemen" and the liberal "Three Musketeers".
-
AWilliam Rehnquist
-
BRuth Bader Ginsburg
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CCharles Evans Hughes
-
DHarry Connick Jr.
Charles Evans Hughes
Also a former secretary of state, Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes Sr. served 11 years, 126 days. During his tenure, he struck down New Deal programs and upheld the state minimum wage law, known as the Wagner Act. He was against increasing the size of the Supreme Court, voting down the 1937 Judicial Procedures Reform Bill.
Question 42
Appointed by George Washington, what "first president of South Carolina" holds the record as shortest tenure as chief justice?
-
AHarry Blackmun
-
BJohn Roberts
-
CJohn Rutledge
-
DJimmy Buffett
John Rutledge
Serving only 138 days following John Jay's resignation, John Rutledge was appointed by George Washington. His stint was so short, because he was appointed under a "recess appointment," and the Senate later rejected his nomination – the first Supreme Court nomination to ever be rejected.
Question 43
What a snoozefest! Which president gave the longest inauguration speech and lived to regret it, dying just a month later?
-
AAmy Grant
-
BRichard Nixon
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CZachary Taylor
-
DWilliam Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison delivered one epic inaugural speech, coming in at 8,445 words and over 90 minutes long. Unfortunately, it was a cold, wet day, and he soon fell ill, likely with pneumonia. 33 days later, he was dead.
Question 44
Which "acting" president regularly sought advice from an astrologer?
-
AAbraham Lincoln
-
BSamuel Alito
-
CWarren G. Harding
-
DRonald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan had his head in the clouds. It's said that before planning events or making decisions, he and Nancy often sought the consultation of astrologer, Joan Quigley. How much credence Ronald put into astrology is anyone's guess.
Question 45
What "Rule of Reason" member of the Democratic Party was appointed by Republican president William Taft, and upheld a ruling in favor of segregation?
-
ADavid Souter
-
BEdward Douglass White
-
CMiley Cyrus
-
DSalmon P. Chase
Edward Douglass White
His last name couldn't be any more on point. Serving 10 years, 151 days, Edward Douglass White Jr. voted with the majority in upholding segregation in Plessy v. Ferguson. He is also known for his "Rule of Reason" which set a standard in antitrust law.
Question 46
What group did the Fifteenth Amendment give the right to vote?
-
AWomen
-
BAll races
-
CWhite people
-
DMen
All races
The last Reconstruction Amendment dealt with voting rights. The federal government and state governments are prohibited by the Fifteenth Amendment from denying the vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude".
Question 47
"Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty..." this amendment abolished slavery.
-
A13th
-
B31st
-
C12th
-
D19th
13th
Following President Abraham Lincoln's "Emancipation Proclamation" of 1863, the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in 1865. This was one of three Reconstruction Amendments ratified after the Civil War.
Question 48
"Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction." Which trust fund-baby purposefully donated all of his presidential salary to charities, including the Boy and Girl Scouts of America?
-
ABenjamin Harrison
-
BRonald Reagan
-
CJohn F. Kennedy
-
DParis Hilton
John F. Kennedy
Making a fortune on the stock market and subsequent investments, the Kennedy family had an established name, and a coffer to back it up. JFK didn't necessarily need the presidential salary and so donated it to the Scouts (both Boy and Girl) and to the United Negro College Fund, among other organizations.
Question 49
Do you like Smokey Bear? Then this is the cabinet position for you, as it concerns federal land and natural resources.
-
ASecretary of the Floo Network
-
BSecretary of the National Park Service
-
CSecretary of the State
-
DSecretary of the Interior
Secretary of the Interior
One of the earliest departments to be established, the Department of the Interior aims to conserve and manage federal land and includes agencies like the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service. Due to the impact these agencies have on the Western U.S., this cabinet member is often from a western state.
Question 50
Who was the first vice president to become president via the line of succession?
-
AChester A. Arthur
-
BDwight D. Eisenhower
-
CJosh Groban
-
DJohn Tyler
John Tyler
William Henry Harrison's abrupt death led to John Tyler becoming the first president via the line of succession. In fact, you have Tyler partially to thank for the 25th amendment.
Question 51
The last of George Washington's nominations, what chief justice was the primary author of the Judiciary Act of 1789 – the backbone of the U.S. federal judiciary?
-
AOliver Ellsworth
-
BDoris Day
-
CEarl Warren
-
DLewis F. Powell Jr.
Oliver Ellsworth
Oliver Ellsworth served 4 years, 282 days, as chief justice, helping author the Judiciary Act, which established that state supreme court decisions could be overturned by the federal Supreme Court. While chief justice, he also did double-duty as an envoy to France.
Question 52
Which amendment lays the foundation for state sovereign immunity?
-
A30th
-
B27th
-
C25th
-
D11th
11th
On the coattails of the Tenth Amendment is the Eleventh, which furthers the agency of the individual states. By inhibiting an individual's ability to sue a state in federal court, this amendment provides state sovereign immunity.
Question 53
"Why can't we be friends, why can't we be friends..." Which president was frenemies with Thomas Jefferson?
-
AAlexander Hamilton
-
BGeorge H. W. Bush
-
CGeorge Washington
-
DJohn Adams
John Adams
Johnny Adams and TJ were at first friends, even sharing a trip to William Shakespeare's home. But as they battled it out as president and vice president, that friendship went sour. They lobbed every name in the book at each other. But as they grew old, they grew closer again and were pen pals until their dying day – a day they shared.
Question 54
What does the Tenth Amendment state about the federal government?
-
AThat it holds all veto power
-
BThat checks and balances enable it to retain equal power with the state
-
CThat its authority will remain in check through the two other branches of government
-
DThat it possesses only those powers delegated, or enumerated, to it through the Constitution
That it possesses only those powers delegated, or enumerated, to it through the Constitution
The Tenth Amendment lays the groundwork for federalism (i.e. states' rights). It states that the federal government only holds the powers delegated to it by the Constitution and, in so doing, each state is reserved all other powers...if the Constitution hasn't expressly forbidden them.
Question 55
R.I.P. What president's untimely death was caused by bacteria from cherries and/or iced milk?
-
AZachary Taylor
-
BFranklin Pierce
-
CAbraham Lincoln
-
DCyndi Lauper
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was another one to pass away during his presidency. This time around, it was due to the bacteria-laced milk or cherries that he consumed on Independence Day. He served as president for little more than a year.
Question 56
Appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt and the only chief justice NOT to have served in elected office, what former attorney general famously said, "Courts are not the only agency of government that must be assumed to have capacity to govern"?
-
APatsy Cline
-
BHarlan F. Stone
-
CJohn Jay
-
DStephen Breyer
Harlan F. Stone
Harlan Fiske Stone served as chief justice for 4 years, 293 days, and was one of the liberal "Three Musketeers". Ruling often to uphold the New Deal, he was also chief justice over WWII court cases, including one that upheld the jurisdiction of a U.S. military tribunal in a trial against eight German saboteurs.
Question 57
Remember, the Bill of Rights was written fresh out of a war. What amendment restricts the quartering of soldiers in private homes?
-
A26th
-
B3rd
-
C41st
-
D16th
3rd
As a response to the British parliament passing the Quartering Acts prior to the Revolutionary War, this amendment sought to prevent the British Army from lodging its soldiers in private residences. Restricting the quartering of soldiers without the owner's consent, the Third Amendment forbids this practice in peacetime.
Question 58
Ruling federal income tax to be unconstitutional, what conservative Grover Cleveland-appointee championed limited federal government, states' rights, and economic freedom?
-
AFred M. Vinson
-
BAnthony Kennedy
-
CMelville Fuller
-
DHilary Duff
Melville Fuller
Melville Weston Fuller served 21 years, 269 days, and, during his tenure, ruled on Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co. – a decision that the Sixteenth Amendment (giving Congress the power to collect income taxes) eventually superseded. He also ruled on Plessy v. Ferguson, which upheld Jim Crow laws and expanded on the "separate but equal" doctrine.
Question 59
What amendment provides the right to a jury trial in civil lawsuits?
-
A33rd
-
B3rd
-
C20th
-
D7th
7th
Civil cases are at the forefront of the Seventh Amendment. The amendment provides the right to a jury trial in such cases and prohibits the court from overturning a jury's "findings of fact".
Question 60
Weighing in at a mere 5'4" and 100 lbs, who was our smallest president?
-
AAdam Lambert
-
BUlysses S. Grant
-
CJames Monroe
-
DJames Madison
James Madison
Teeny tiny Madison is the smallest U.S. president to date. The tallest? That would be the 6'4" Abe Lincoln. Stand them next to each other, and Lincoln is a full foot taller.
Question 61
Appointed by Andrew Jackson, this chief justice's legacy is wrapped up in Dred Scott v. Sandford, which ruled that African Americans could not be considered citizens – widely considered one of the worst Supreme Court rulings in history.
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AJohn Lennon
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BWilliam Howard Taft
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CRoger B. Taney
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DJohn Paul Stevens
Roger B. Taney
Slavery was alive and well in the days of Roger Brooke Taney, and he supported it. The chief justice served 28 years, 198 days, and, during his tenure, ruled that slavery could not be prohibited by Congress in U.S. territories. Taney's sympathies were with the South after the Civil War, and that was crystal clear in his court.
Question 62
Well, that seems cruel...Which amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment?
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A16th
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B47th
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C8th
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D9th
8th
Questions regarding torture and capital punishment are the basis of the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits the federal government from imposing cruel and unusual punishment. It also prohibits excessive bail and excessive fines.
Question 63
"Take me out to the balll gameee..." Who was the first president to throw the ceremonial first pitch on opening day?
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ABarack Obama
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BWoodrow Wilson
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CWilliam Howard Taft
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DNorah Jones
William Howard Taft
The opening day of baseball in 1910 had a special guest: the President of the United States. William Taft threw the first pitch at Griffith Stadium, as has every president after him (aside from Jimmy Carter and Trump).
Question 64
As one of the Founding Fathers and a Federalist leader, he was the first Supreme Court chief justice. Name that big wig, appointed by George Washington.
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AThurgood Marshall
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BAlexander Hamilton
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CJohn Jay
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DCiara
John Jay
John Jay served as chief justice for 5 years, 253 days, and oversaw only four cases in those nearly six years. He was a leader of the Federalist Party after the U.S. Constitution was ratified and the co-author (along with Madison and Hamilton) of the Federalist Papers.
Question 65
If he were a Hollywood star today, this president would be on the "best dressed" list. Name that commander-in-chief who's "just like us".
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AClarence Thomas
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BTheodore Roosevelt
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CAndrew Johnson
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DJames Buchanan
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was renowned for his prim and proper stylings. He worked as a tailor's apprentice while young and even designed and made his own suits!
Question 66
"I wanna be popular..." What group did the Seventeenth Amendment allow the direct election of by popular vote?
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ASenators
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BPresident
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CCabinet Members
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DHouse of Representatives
Senators
If you're popular, you may get elected to the Senate. That's what the Seventeenth Amendment established with a direct election of U.S. senators from each state. Prior to this amendment, state legislatures elected senators.
Question 67
"We wish you a Merry Christmas..." Which president made Christmas a national holiday?
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AJames Monroe
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BUlysses S. Grant
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CJames K. Polk
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DAretha Franklin
Ulysses S. Grant
Ho, ho, ho – the "S" in Ulysses S. Grant's name must stand for "Santa". In 1870, Grant made Christmas a national holiday in an attempt to bring the North and the South together.
Question 68
Perhaps the inspiration behind Footloose, what buzzkill banned dancing from the White House?
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AKevin Bacon
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BJames K. Polk
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CAndrew Jackson
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DJames Buchanan
James K. Polk
With a name like Polk, you'd think he'd at least have a warm spot for polka. Polk also banned playing cards and drinking booze. Talk about a wet blanket.
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