Question 1: Military Control
GED Social Studies PRACTICE Test. According to the essay, what is the effect of dividing control of the military power of the United States between Congress and the president?
- A. creating a more efficient military leadership
- B. ensuring that the president has the final say on all military matters
- C. preventing the consolidation of power in one individual
- D. allowing Congress to lead the military in times of war
Question 2: Declaration of Independence
Which idea about government powers is stated in the excerpt?
- A. They are limited by the wealth of the nation.
- B. They must be granted by the people.
- C. They are inherited through family lines.
- D. They should be focused on military strength.
Question 3: Voting Rights Act
Which statement from this excerpt is a fact and not an opinion?
- A. “It is wrong—deadly wrong—to deny any of your fellow Americans the right to vote in this country.”
- B. “Millions of Americans are denied the right to vote because of their color.”
- C. “There is no issue of States’ rights or national rights. There is only the struggle for human rights.”
- D. “Our mission is at once oldest and the most basic of this country: to right wrong, to do justice, to serve man.”
Question 4: President Eisenhower’s Speech
Based on the excerpt from President Eisenhower’s speech, how did the historical circumstances shape his point of view?
- A. Frequent requests from local officials for federal troops made him reluctant to use executive power.
- B. Increasing resistance to court decisions made him more willing to assert executive power.
- C. Domestic support for the use of federal troops made him more likely to assert executive power.
- D. Support from Southern governors for desegregation made him more likely to use executive power.
Question 5: Pericles’ Speech
Which principle is discussed by Pericles in the excerpt?
- A. freedom of the press
- B. equality before the law
- C. separation of powers
- D. economic independence
Question 6: U.S. Presidential Vetoes
Which statement is supported by the information in the table?
- A. President Gerald Ford vetoed more bills than any other president listed.
- B. The veto process played a larger role in Ronald Reagan’s presidency than it did in other presidencies of the era.
- C. Congress overridden more of Jimmy Carter’s vetoes than any other president’s vetoes.
- D. The number of vetoes decreased steadily throughout the period shown.
Question 7: Financial Reform
Which is a basic assumption behind the committee report that is NOT a basic assumption behind Warren’s statement?
- A. Concentrated power is dangerous.
- B. Consumers are dependent on borrowed money.
- C. Conflicting authority causes uncertainty.
- D. Government oversight is unnecessary.
Question 8: Suffragists
Based on the photograph, which of the following rights were these women using to send a message to the president? Select all that apply. GED Social Studies PRACTICE Test
- freedom of speech
- freedom of religion
- right to peaceable assembly
- right to petition the government
- right to a trial by jury
Question 9: George Washington’s Presidency
Based on the information provided, which of these statements is correct?
- A. Washington served only one term as president because he was defeated in the 1796 election.
- B. The 1790 Census was the first time the United States used a census to count its population.
- C. In October 1794, Washington exercised his power as commander in chief to restore peace in the United States.
- D. Washington’s decision not to seek a third term established a permanent legal limit for future presidents.
Question 10: U.S. Constitution (Article II)
Which of the following principles is described in the excerpt?
- A. federalism
- B. checks and balances
- C. popular sovereignty
- D. individual rights
Question 11: Senator Alexander Excerpt
Which of the following statements is an opinion?
- A. Senators often disagree about how to change the nation’s healthcare system.
- B. The Senate Finance Committee held a meeting to discuss healthcare reform.
- C. “Government-run insurance is not the best way to extend coverage to low-income Americans who need it. . . .”
- D. Senator Alexander is a Republican from Tennessee.
Question 12: Reelection Speech
Which of the following statements is an example of campaign propaganda?
- A. “My opponent has served in the state legislature for ten years.”
- B. “We need to invest in our schools and our infrastructure.”
- C. “The unemployment rate has decreased by 2 percent over the last year.”
- D. “Interest groups only benefit the wealthiest people in society.”
Question 13: First Amendment Application
Which of the following situations is an application of the First Amendment?
- A. A person is arrested for stealing property from a store.
- B. After a newspaper prints an editorial criticizing the president, the government tries to censor the newspaper.
- C. A person is denied a job because of their religious beliefs.
- D. The government requires a person to pay taxes on their income.
Question 14: Voters by Age Group
Based on the graph, which age group will be the largest group of voters by 2020?
- A. 18-24
- B. 25-44
- C. 45-64
- D. 65 and over
Question 15: Obama’s Remarks
Which statement shows that President Obama believes it is the president’s duty to ensure that Native American nations are involved in the democratic process?
- A. “We must respect the sovereignty of tribal nations.”
- B. “Native Americans have a rich and diverse history.”
- C. “I wanted to change the relationship between our governments—to elevate your voices in Washington and give your tribes greater say over the decisions that affect the lives of your people every day.”
- D. “Our government has a responsibility to fulfill its treaty obligations.”
Question 16: Jim Crow Laws
Which of the following is correct about Jim Crow laws?
- A. They were abolished immediately after the 14th Amendment was passed.
- B. They were only used in Northern states.
- C. They were primarily enforced by the federal government.
- D. Jim Crow laws took effect after ratification of the 14th Amendment.
Question 17: Global Competition
How did global competition for a factory in a small town affect the local community?
- A. The town’s tax revenue increased significantly.
- B. The failure of local businesses increased.
- C. The town’s population grew as more people moved there for work.
- D. Local schools received more funding from the factory.
