2008 civics test · Question 13 · System of Government
Name one branch or part of the government.
One of the 20 questions for the 65/20 special consideration
Any one of these answers is accepted
- Congress
- legislative
- President
- executive
- the courts
- judicial
What this means
The federal government has three branches:
- Legislative: Congress, which makes the laws.
- Executive: the president, who carries out and enforces the laws.
- Judicial: the courts, which explain the laws and decide what they mean.
You can answer with the formal names (legislative, executive, judicial) or with the everyday names (Congress, the president, the courts). Both are accepted.
On the 2008 test this question asks for one branch or part, so naming a single one is enough. On the 2025 test you are asked to name all three.
Why this is on the test
Nearly a quarter of the civics questions are about what each branch does, so learning the three names first makes the rest of the government section much easier.
How this question is asked
On the 2008 civics test, the officer asks up to 10 of the 100 questions out loud and you pass by answering 6 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion.
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