Civics (Grade 7) Midterm — Semester 1, Form A
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Free printable Civics midterm (Grade 7): 15 multiple-choice questions plus 1 written response covering Foundations of Government, The U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights & Amendments. Answer key included — customize it in the Midterm Maker.
Civics (Grade 7) Midterm — Semester 1, Form A
Name: Date: Period:
Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Answer the written response in complete sentences.
Covers: Foundations of Government · The U.S. Constitution · Bill of Rights & Amendments
Part 1: Multiple Choice
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What does the rule of law mean?
- A. Everyone, including leaders, must follow the law
- B. Only judges have to obey the law
- C. Laws apply only to those who vote
- D. Leaders may ignore laws during emergencies
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What is the main idea of the social contract?
- A. Citizens must obey every law without question
- B. Government should own all land and businesses
- C. Rulers get their power directly from God
- D. People give up some freedoms so government will protect their rights
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The Declaration of Independence says governments get their power from where?
- A. The strength of the military
- B. The leaders of the church
- C. The consent of the governed
- D. The approval of the king
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The Magna Carta of 1215 limited the power of whom?
- A. The English Parliament
- B. The English king
- C. The American Congress
- D. The colonial governors
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Which idea is the French thinker Montesquieu known for?
- A. Natural rights to property
- B. The general will
- C. Separation of powers
- D. The divine right of kings
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What is the purpose of checks and balances?
- A. To let each branch limit the power of the others
- B. To let the president control the other branches
- C. To let states cancel any national law
- D. To let Congress choose Supreme Court justices alone
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Why did many Anti-Federalists oppose the Constitution at first?
- A. It made the national government too weak
- B. It did not include a bill of rights
- C. It did not create a president
- D. It gave the states too much power
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What is the purpose of the Preamble to the Constitution?
- A. To explain how to add amendments
- B. To state the goals of the government
- C. To list the rights of citizens
- D. To describe the powers of Congress
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The opening words "We the People" show that the government's power comes from whom?
- A. The president
- B. The states
- C. The people
- D. Congress
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What does the Supremacy Clause say?
- A. The Constitution and federal laws override conflicting state laws
- B. States may ignore federal laws they dislike
- C. The president is above Congress
- D. The Supreme Court cannot strike down laws
-
The Nineteenth Amendment gave which group the right to vote nationwide?
- A. Women
- B. Citizens age 18 and older
- C. Formerly enslaved men
- D. Residents of Washington, D.C.
-
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment set the national voting age at what?
- A. 21
- B. 18
- C. 25
- D. 16
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What does the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee?
- A. Freedom of the press
- B. Women's right to vote
- C. Equal protection of the laws
- D. A ban on alcohol
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Which amendment protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures?
- A. The First Amendment
- B. The Fourth Amendment
- C. The Second Amendment
- D. The Tenth Amendment
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What did the Thirteenth Amendment do?
- A. Created the income tax
- B. Lowered the voting age to 18
- C. Gave women the right to vote
- D. Abolished slavery in the United States
Part 2: Written Response
- Explain the idea of the social contract and how it appears in the Declaration of Independence.
Answer Key — Civics (Grade 7) Midterm — Semester 1, Form A
- A — Everyone, including leaders, must follow the law Under the rule of law, no person is above the law.
- D — People give up some freedoms so government will protect their rights Social contract thinkers said people agree to be governed in exchange for protection.
- C — The consent of the governed The Declaration states governments get just powers from the people they govern.
- B — The English king English nobles forced King John to accept limits on royal power.
- C — Separation of powers Montesquieu argued government power should be split among separate branches.
- A — To let each branch limit the power of the others Checks and balances keep any one branch from becoming too powerful.
- B — It did not include a bill of rights Anti-Federalists feared a strong central government without written protections for rights.
- B — To state the goals of the government The Preamble lists goals such as justice, domestic peace, defense, and liberty.
- C — The people The Constitution is based on popular sovereignty, meaning power comes from the people.
- A — The Constitution and federal laws override conflicting state laws When state and federal laws conflict, the Constitution and federal law win.
- A — Women The Nineteenth Amendment, ratified in 1920, guaranteed women's right to vote.
- B — 18 Ratified in 1971, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment lowered the voting age to 18.
- C — Equal protection of the laws The Fourteenth Amendment defined citizenship and requires states to provide equal protection.
- B — The Fourth Amendment The Fourth Amendment generally requires a warrant based on probable cause.
- D — Abolished slavery in the United States Ratified in 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment ended slavery.
Written Response — Look-Fors
- Defines social contract; people consent to government for protection of rights; Declaration's consent of the governed and right to change government; Locke connection.