Questions & Answers
Browse all 25 questions from the
Civics and Government Firsts study set below.
Each question shows the correct answer — select a study format above to practice interactively.
1
Which ancient civilization is credited with creating the world's first known democracy?
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A
Ancient Egypt
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B
Ancient Greece
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C
Ancient Rome
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D
Ancient China
2
What is the name of the 1215 document that first established that the King of England was subject to the law?
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A
The Bill of Rights
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B
The Constitution
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C
The Magna Carta
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D
The Declaration of Independence
3
Which country was the first to grant women the right to vote in national elections in 1893?
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A
New Zealand
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B
Australia
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C
United States
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D
United Kingdom
4
The first written set of laws in history, known for the concept 'an eye for an eye,' is called what?
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A
The Ten Commandments
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B
The Code of Hammurabi
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C
The Roman Twelve Tables
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D
The Napoleonic Code
5
In which city did the world's first modern parliamentary democracy begin to take shape through the 'Althing'?
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A
Oslo
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B
Stockholm
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C
Copenhagen
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D
Reykjavik
6
Who was the first woman to serve as a Prime Minister in any country, elected in 1960?
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A
Margaret Thatcher
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B
Indira Gandhi
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C
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
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D
Golda Meir
7
The first official written constitution of the United States went into effect in what year?
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A
1776
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B
1789
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C
1800
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D
1791
8
Which nation was the first to adopt a written constitution in 1791?
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A
Poland
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B
France
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C
United States
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D
Germany
9
The 'Great Law of Peace' is the oral constitution of which indigenous confederacy, considered one of the oldest participatory democracies?
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A
Inca
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B
Aztec
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C
Iroquois
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D
Maya
10
Which country became the first to introduce a secret ballot system in 1856?
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A
Canada
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B
Australia
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C
Switzerland
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D
Belgium
11
The first international organization established to maintain world peace after World War I was called what?
-
A
The United Nations
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B
The League of Nations
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C
The European Union
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D
NATO
12
Which country was the first to appoint an Ombudsman to protect citizens against government abuse?
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A
Sweden
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B
Norway
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C
Finland
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D
Denmark
13
The first universal declaration of human rights adopted by the United Nations occurred in what year?
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A
1945
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B
1948
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C
1950
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D
1960
14
Which was the first country to establish a secular government, separating church and state by constitutional law?
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A
United States
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B
France
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C
Turkey
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D
Mexico
15
The first parliament in the world to meet on a regular basis was established in which country?
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A
England
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B
Spain
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C
Iceland
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D
Italy
16
Which country was the first to officially recognize the rights of nature in its constitution in 2008?
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A
Ecuador
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B
Costa Rica
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C
New Zealand
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D
Brazil
17
The first head of government to be democratically elected through universal suffrage in Africa was who?
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A
Nelson Mandela
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B
Kwame Nkrumah
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C
Jomo Kenyatta
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D
Patrice Lumumba
18
What was the first country to grant full voting rights to all citizens, regardless of gender or race, at its inception?
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A
New Zealand
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B
Norway
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C
Finland
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D
Australia
19
The first written code of laws for the Roman Republic is known as the what?
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A
The Justinian Code
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B
The Twelve Tables
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C
The Edict of Milan
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D
The Roman Statutes
20
Which country became the first to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide in 2001?
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A
Denmark
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B
Netherlands
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C
Belgium
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D
Canada
21
The first President of the United States was inaugurated in which year?
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A
1776
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B
1783
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C
1789
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D
1791
22
The first international treaty to establish rules for the treatment of prisoners of war is known as the what?
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A
Geneva Convention
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B
Treaty of Versailles
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C
Vienna Convention
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D
Hague Convention
23
Which country was the first to implement a nationwide system of public education funded by the government?
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A
Prussia
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B
United Kingdom
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C
Japan
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D
United States
24
The first country to officially adopt the metric system for government use was which?
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A
Germany
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B
France
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C
Italy
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D
Russia
25
Which international court was the first permanent institution created to prosecute individuals for genocide and war crimes?
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A
International Court of Justice
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B
International Criminal Court
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C
Nuremberg Tribunal
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D
European Court of Human Rights
