Constitutional Pop Quiz #6

1. The President’s term ends at noon on what date?

January 20

March 3

January 1

January 3

The Twentieth Amendment (1933) changed Inauguration Day for the President from March 3 to
January 20. It was thought that there was too much time from the time of the election in November of the previous year to
Inauguration Day, especially if the incumbent president lost the election. Franklin Roosevelt was the first President to be
sworn in on January 20th (for his second term). The Twentieth Amendment has been called the “lame duck amendment.”

Explanation

The Twentieth Amendment (1933) changed Inauguration Day for the President from March 3 to
January 20. It was thought that there was too much time from the time of the election in November of the previous year to
Inauguration Day, especially if the incumbent president lost the election. Franklin Roosevelt was the first President to be
sworn in on January 20th (for his second term). The Twentieth Amendment has been called the “lame duck amendment.”

2. The length of the term of the President is?

2

4

6

8

This is found in Article 2, Section 1, Clause 1: “The executive Power shall be vested in a President of
the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years .............” Based upon Amendment
Twenty-Two of the Constitution, no person can be elected to the office of President more than twice or serve more than
two years of a term to which some other person was elected President. Therefore, the total length of time that any
person could serve as President is ten years. Makes you wonder if FDR was so revered why did they rush out and amend the constitution, preventing a person to serve as President longer than 10 years. I would think the popular sentiment among Presidents finishing their second term would be, “who am I to serve as President longer than George Washington?”

Explanation

This is found in Article 2, Section 1, Clause 1: “The executive Power shall be vested in a President of
the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years .............” Based upon Amendment
Twenty-Two of the Constitution, no person can be elected to the office of President more than twice or serve more than
two years of a term to which some other person was elected President. Therefore, the total length of time that any
person could serve as President is ten years. Makes you wonder if FDR was so revered why did they rush out and amend the constitution, preventing a person to serve as President longer than 10 years. I would think the popular sentiment among Presidents finishing their second term would be, “who am I to serve as President longer than George Washington?”

3. What is the longest possible time a person can serve as President?

8 years

10 years

12 years

11 years

Based upon Amendment Twenty-Two of the Constitution, no person can be elected to the office of
President more than twice or serve more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President.
Therefore, the total length of time that any person could serve as President is ten years.

Explanation

Based upon Amendment Twenty-Two of the Constitution, no person can be elected to the office of
President more than twice or serve more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President.
Therefore, the total length of time that any person could serve as President is ten years.

4. Who must The President get an agreement from in order to make a treaty?

A majority of Congress

Two-thirds of the Senators present

Two-thirds of the House present

The President does not need to get an agreement from any one

Article 2, Section 2, Clause 2: “He shall have Power, by and with the
Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur ........”

Explanation

Article 2, Section 2, Clause 2: “He shall have Power, by and with the
Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur ........”

5. A U.S. President must have lived in the United States at least?

1 year

7 years

10 years

14 years

This is one of the three “absolute qualifications” for the presidency found in Article 2, Section 1,
Clause 5 of the Constitution: “No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time
of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to
that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the
United States.” The other two “absolute qualifications” are to be a “natural born” citizen of the United States and at
least thirty-five years of age

Explanation

This is one of the three “absolute qualifications” for the presidency found in Article 2, Section 1,
Clause 5 of the Constitution: “No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time
of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to
that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the
United States.” The other two “absolute qualifications” are to be a “natural born” citizen of the United States and at
least thirty-five years of age