Net Neutrality

1. Appointed by President Donald Trump, ____is the current chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Chairman who supported the repeal of the net neutrality rules. a. Betsy DeVos b. Ajit Pai c. Jeff Sessions

2. According to the U.S. Internet Association, internet service provider investment showed no decline as a result of the net neutrality rules established in 2015. a. True b. False 3. Which company was subjected to “throttling” by Comcast, Time Warner and Verizon when it first started? a. Netflix b. YouTube c. Amazon 4. Which companies oppose net neutrality rules? a. AT&T b. Time Warner c. Verizon d. All of the above 5. The FCC Chairman named in question 1 is often seen drinking out of a giant Skittles coffee mug. a. True b. False

Diversity Visa Lottery

1. The Diversity Visa Lottery program was a small part of the Immigration Act of what year and was signed into law by which president? a. 1990, President George H.W. Bush b. 2000, President Bill Clinton c. 2009, President Barack Obama 2. The Diversity Visa Program is administered by the U.S. Department of State. a. True b. False 3. In the Diversity Visa Lottery program, no country can account for more than ___ % of all visas issued in one year? a. 5% b. 7% c. 9% 4. Which country had the largest number of Visa Lottery winners in 2015? a. Ukraine b. Nigeria c. Uzbekistan 5. Despite his role in its formation, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) now wants to eliminate the Diversity Visa Lottery. a. True b. False

Charter Schools

1. Which state passed the first laws allowing charter schools in what year? a.    California, 1985 b.   Minnesota, 1991 c.   Oregon, 1995 2. New Orleans is the only city in the U.S. where the majority of students attend charter schools. a.   True b.   False 3. According to the Center for Education Reform, charter schools receive about _____of the amount per student that public schools receive from the state. a.   35 percent b.   52 percent c.   61 percent 4. Currently, which states allow for-profit companies to manage charter schools? a.   California, Massachusetts, Ohio and Texas b.   Arizona, California, Michigan and Wisconsin c.   Arizona, Oregon, North Carolina and Texas 5. According to the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools, less than ______of all charter schools are run by for-profit companies. a.   13 percent b.   19 percent c.   22 percent

Debt Ceiling

1. As of July 31, 2017, the United States federal government’s total debt was _________, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. a.    $11.43 trillion b.   $15.59 trillion c.   $19.84 trillion 2. Congress has voted to raise the debt ceiling ____ times in the last 53 years. a.    33 b.   51 c.   74 3. Moody’s, the credit ratings agency, has suggested that the U.S. should eliminate the debt ceiling to reduce uncertainty for bond holders. a.    True b.   False 4. As of June 2017, China held about ___ of the United States’ total debt, making China the top foreign holder of U.S. Treasury securities. a.    5.8 percent b.   8.3 percent c.   9.7 percent 5. Four health insurance programs — Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program and ACA (Obamacare) marketplace subsidies —accounted for ___of the federal budget in 2016. a.    15 percent b.    20 percent c.    26 percent

North Korea

1. North Korea has the fourth largest military in the world, with an active duty army numbering_______, and a total of _______ active, resource, and paramilitary personnel. a.    525,000; 2.49 million b.    900,000; 5.49 million c.    1.2 million; 9.49 million   2. _____ is North Korea’s official state ideology of national self-reliance. a.    Chondoism b.    Juche c.    Songun   3. North Korea officially describes itself as a ______ nation; however, most countries regard North Korea as a totalitarian dictatorship. a.     Socialist b.    Democratic c.    Communist   4. What is the name of the capital city of North Korea? a.    Seoul b.    Daegu c.    Pyongyang   5. North Korea bases its calendar on Kim Il Sung’s  date of birth, which was April 15, 1912. a.    True b.    False

  Paris Climate Agreement

1. The term “climate change” refers to statistical changes in a climate system over a period of time. a.    True b.    False   2. Lawmakers and others who disagree that human activity is the main cause of global climate change argue: a. Earth’s climate has always warmed and cooled, and the rise in global temperature is within the bounds of natural temperature fluctuations. b. Some scientists disagree that human activity is primarily responsible for global climate change. c. Rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide do not necessarily cause global warming. d. All of the above.   3. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2014, the top carbon dioxide emitters were roughly China at __% , the U.S. at __% and the European Union at ___%. a.     25%, 12%, 10 % b.     30%,15%, 10% c.     35%, 25%, 15%   4. The chief goal of the Paris Climate Agreement is to: a. Limit global warming to less than two degrees Celsius. b. Verify that human activity is the cause of climate change. c. Reduce the amount of greenhouse gases, particularly methane.

War in Afghanistan

1. Since 2002, Congress has appropriated more than ____ for Afghanistan’s reconstruction, representing the largest expenditure to rebuild a country in the United States’ history. a.    $30 billion b.    $117 billion c.    $1.4 trillion 2. According to the CIA’s World Factbook, the population of Afghanistan is around ____ as of 2016 and the country is slightly smaller in size than which U.S. state? a.    33 million, Texas b.    24 million, Kansas c.    49 million, Oregon 3. What is the name of the largest city and capital of Afghanistan? a.    Damascus b.    Islamabad c.    Kabul 4. Which ethnic group is the largest in Afghanistan? a.    Uzbek b.    Pashtun c.     Shia d.    Sunni

Surveillance Law

1. Which of the following was not cited among the constitutional rights concerns in the 2014 Report on Section 702 Surveillance by the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board? a. Number of U.S. citizens whose communications have been collected by the NSA is unknown and likely vast b. NSA’s practice of sharing any evidence of U.S. citizens’ criminal behaviorwith the FBI c. NSA’s use of “about” collection of U.S. persons’ communications that aren’t to or from a foreign target d. NSA’s querying of the information collected to search the communications of specific U.S. persons 2. Which U.S. service providers participate in the NSA’s PRISM program, which collects users’ emails and other personal data directly from their servers? a. Google and YouTube b. Apple and Microsoft c. Facebook, Yahoo and Skype d. All of the above 3.  Data collected under PRISM is an example of “upstream” collection. a.     True b.     False 4. What is the name of the intelligence-sharing agreement the United States has with other nations, including the United Kingdom and Canada? a.     Boundless Informant b.     Five Eyes c.     Optic Nerve

Dreamer Immigrants

1. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently released data that showed more than ____ Dreamer immigrants have received work permits and deportation relief since the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was created. a. 2 million b. 750,000 c. 450,000 2. To qualify for DACA, applicants must meet all the following criteria except: a. Must have arrived in the U.S. prior to age 16 b. Must be currently enrolled in school, have graduated high school or obtained a GED c. Must qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (food stamps) d. Must not have been convicted of a felony or multiple serious misdemeanors 3. Although DACA offers Dreamers a way to apply for a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for a work permit, it does not provide a path to U.S. citizenship. a. True b. False

Civil Asset Forfeiture

1. Which state’s civil forfeiture law requires that people be criminally convicted before their property is seized and that forfeiture proceeds go to a general fund vs. directly to the agency that seized the assets? a. California b. Florida c. New Mexico 2. On March 29, the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General released a report on the DOJ’s cash seizure and forfeiture activities, which concluded: a. During the past 10 years, law enforcement agencies under the DOJ (such as the FBI) have seized more than $28 billion in forfeiture assets. b. Between 2007 and 2016, the DEA seized approximately $3.2 billion in cash forfeitures. c. The vast majority of asset seizures were forfeited without a criminal proceeding. d. The DEA conducts cash seizures that may pose risks to citizens’ civil liberties. e. All of the above. 3. Although asset forfeitures happen often, most people do not try to get their property back because they can’t afford to file a lawsuit against the agency that seized it. a. True b. False

Bill of Rights Matching Game

H___ First Amendment C____Second Amendment G____Third Amendment F____Fourth Amendment B____Fifth Amendment I____Sixth Amendment J ___ Seventh Amendment D___ Eighth Amendment E___ Ninth Amendment A___ Tenth Amendment   A. Powers reserved to the states. B. Right to due process of law, freedom from self-incrimination, double jeopardy. C. Right to keep and bear arms. D. Freedom from excessive bail, cruel and unusual punishments. E. Other rights of the people. F. Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. G. No quartering of soldiers. H. Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. I. Right to a speedy and public trial J. Right of trial by jury.

SYRIAN MISSILE STRIKES

1. During the U.S. missile strike, 59 _____ cruise missiles were launched from the guided-missile destroyers USS Ross and Porter in the eastern Mediterranean. a.  Harpoon b.  Tomahawk c.  Javelin 2. The airfield that was targeted in the U.S. missile strike is near which city in Syria? a.  Aleppo b.  Damascus c.  Hom 3. The missile strike carried out by the Trump administration marks a significant shift in U.S. relations with Syria from the Obama administration. a.  True b.  False 4.  The first large-scale use of chemical weapons was during World War II. a.  True b.  False

MINIMUM WAGE

1. The federal minimum wage for tipped workers is ____ an hour and hasn’t been raised since 1991. a.  $2.13 b.  $4.02 c.  $5.45 2. Opponents of raising the minimum wage say because of the law of ____, some workers will lose their jobs or have their hours cut if businesses are forced to pay them more. a.  diminishing returns b.  supply and demand c.  lean manufacturing 3. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly a quarter (24%) of people at or below the federal minimum wage are teenagers (ages 16 to 19), as of 2013. a.  True b.  False 4. In 2012, the richest 1% of the U.S. population earned 22.83% of the nation’s income, resulting in the widest gap between the rich and the poor since the 1920s. a.  True b.  False

1. According to Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution, does the President have the sole power to negotiate and sign a treaty? a.   Yes b.   No, the President must have the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate. c.   No, both the House and Senate must approve. 2. Which branch of government can impeach the President? a.   Executive b.   Legislative c.   Judicial 3. According to the Constitution, what is treason against the United States? a.   Refusing to pay taxes b.   Levying war against the U.S., adhering to the enemy, or giving them aid or comfort c.   Refusing to join the armed forces 4. Is a Constitutional amendment submitted to the President? a.   Yes b.   No 5. Which Constitutional amendment protects Americans’ right to privacy? Hint: The Amendment guarantees,“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” a.   Second Amendment b.   Fourth Amendment c.   Eighth Amendment 6. Which number series represents the individuals in each of the three branches of U.S. government (legislative, judicial and executive)? a.   535, 9, 1 b.   435, 5, 3 c.   250, 11, 5 7. The current Congress (2017-2018) is referred to as the 115^th Congress and first convened on Jan. 3, 2017. a.   True b.   False

Sanctuary Cities

1.  Which states have the largest populations of unauthorized immigrants? a.   New York, California and Texas b.   Texas, Florida and California c.   New York, New Jersey and Texas 2. In sanctuary cities, undocumented immigrants are pursued for any criminal acts they commit, except for being undocumented. a.   True  b.   False 3. Nationally, unauthorized immigrants made up ___% of the total population in 2014. a.   3.5% b.   5.2% c.   7.9% 4. Which Founding Father was born in the West Indies? a.   George Washington b.   Thomas Jefferson c.   Alexander Hamilton

Regulations

1.  The REINS Act would require Congress to affirm major federal rules with an economic impact of ____ or more. a.   $1 million b.   $100 million c.   $1 billion 2. Currently, Congress does not have the power to stop regulations if circumstances dictate. a.   True b.   False 3. The REINS Act requires that any future major regulation adopted by an agency must be approved by a specific resolution in each house of Congress within ___days to take effect. a.   70 days b.   90 days c.   6 months

Charter Schools

1.  Which state passed the first laws allowing charter schools in what year? a.   California, 1985 b.   Minnesota, 1991 c.   Oregon, 1995 2. New Orleans is the only city in the U.S. where the majority of students attend charter schools. a.   True  b.   False 3. The state aid received per student at a charter school averages ____of the per-student aid given to public schools. a.   52 percent b.   59.7 percent c.   61 percent 4. Currently, ___ states allow for-profit companies to run charter schools. a.   Four b.   Seven c.   Nine

Dakota Access Pipeline

1. Which of Trump’s Cabinet nominees sits on the board of Energy Transfer Partners, the for-profit oil company behind the pipeline? a.   Rex Tillerson (Secretary of State) b.   Rick Perry (Secretary of Energy) c.   Ben Carson (Secretary of Housing and Urban Development) 2. The Dakota Access Pipeline is a project that will cost about ______. a.   $1.8 billion b.   $2.5 billion c.   $3.7 billion 3. North Dakota’s new governor, Doug Burgum, plans to urge President Trump to approve the Dakota Access Pipeline project. a.   True  b.   False

Vaccines

1. Polio was eliminated in the U.S. by 1979, due to vaccination efforts. a.    True b.    False 2. Who was the pioneer of the smallpox vaccine? a.    Edward Jenner (English) b.    Marie Curie (Polish) c.    Louis Pasteur (French) 3. Which of the diseases has the Carter Center International Task Force for Disease Eradication declared as potentially eradicable? a.    Yellow fever b.    HIV/AIDS c.    Measles 4. When a disease stops circulating in a certain region, it’s been eradicated. If a disease stops circulating worldwide, it’s been eliminated. a.    True b.    False

Soda Taxes

1. Which country passed a national soda tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in January 2014? a.    Mexico b.    Australia c.    Canada 2. Which member of Congress has opposed soda taxes? a.    Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) b.    Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) c.    Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) 3. Which soda is the oldest soft drink in the U.S., first marketed in 1904? a.    Coca-Cola b.    Dr. Pepper 4. Over the last 20 years, sales of full-calorie sodas have increased by more than 25 percent in the U.S. a.    True b.    False

Greater Sage-Grouse 

1. According to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, at one time the greater sage-grouse population numbered in the millions, but is estimated to have dwindled to between ______ to _______ birds range-wide. a.    10,000 to 50,000 b.    200,000 to 500,000 c.    500,000 to 750,000 2. Sage-grouse are fast fliers, but they have poor eyesight. a.    True b.    False 3. The leks, or mating grounds, of the greater sage-grouse range in size from 1 to ___acres. a.    9 b.    22 c.    40 4. The greater sage-grouse is an omnivore, eating mainly sagebrush, some other soft plants, and insects. a.    True b.    False

Trans-Pacific Partnership

1. Which 2016 presidential candidate called the TPP “a Trojan horse for a global corporate coup?” a.    Hillary Clinton (Democrat) b.    Donald Trump (Republican) c.    Jill Stein (Green Party) d.    Gary Johnson (Libertarian) 2. Which of the countries below is not one of the 12 nations that are part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement? a.    New Zealand b.    Mexico c.    Canada d.    China 3. The U.S. International Trade Commission estimated that by 2047, U.S. annual real income would be ___percent higher under the Trans-Pacific Partnership. a.    .28 percent b.    3 percent c.    5.1 percent d.    7.33 percent

Electoral College

1. Four U.S. presidents lost the popular vote but won the presidency through the Electoral College voting results. Match each president with the opposing candidate and year. ___D___ 1. John Quincy Adams won over Andrew Jackson in 1824 ___B___ 2. Rutherford B Hayes won over Samuel J Tilden in 1876 ___C___ 3. Benjamin Harrison won over Grover Cleveland in 1888 ___A___ 4. George W. Bush won over Al Gore in 2000 a. Al Gore in 2000 b. Samuel J Tilden in 1876 c. Grover Cleveland in 1888 d. Andrew Jackson in 1824 2. How many electoral votes are necessary to elect the U.S. president? a. 140 b. 210 c. 270

Presidential Elections

1. Who was the only U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms? a. Grover Cleveland b. Franklin D. Roosevelt c. Woodrow Wilson d. John Adams   2. The first presidential election took place in _____. a. 1777 b. 1789 c. 1791   3. Every U.S. president since 1852 has been either a Republican or a Democrat. a. True b. False   4. There have been ___ presidential elections and ____ presidents in U.S. history. a. 57 presidential elections, 44 presidents b.52 presidential elections, 42 presidents c. 49 presidential elections, 53 presidents