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Foreign Policy and National Security — High School Government practice questions

20 multiple-choice questions and 6 flashcards on Foreign Policy and National Security, about 8% of the High School Government bank. Every one carries a written rationale.

Written and maintained by the CoStudy team · last updated 2026-10-02 · how we write and review questions

What this chapter covers

Foreign Policy and National Security is one of 12 chapters in CoStudy's High School Government bank, and it holds 20 of the bank's 240 multiple-choice questions — roughly 8% of the total. That proportion is not arbitrary: chapters follow the certifying body's published exam outline, and the number of questions in each is set by that domain's published weight, so the share of your practice time this chapter takes matches the share of the real exam it accounts for.

Studying by chapter is worth doing once you have a diagnostic score. A single overall percentage tells you whether you are close; it does not tell you which domain is dragging. Working a weak chapter in isolation, and re-testing it in isolation, is the fastest way to move a score that has stalled — and it is why the mock exams in CoStudy report by domain rather than as one number.

Free Foreign Policy and National Security practice questions

5 questions drawn from this chapter, with the full rationale shown — the controlling principle behind the right answer, and why each wrong option tempts and fails.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) mainly:

  1. gathers foreign intelligence
  2. enforces federal laws inside the U.S.
  3. commands the Army
  4. ratifies treaties

Answer: A — gathers foreign intelligence

A) Correct — It reports to the Director of National Intelligence. B) Is mainly the FBI. C) Military officers do. D) The Senate does.

Presidents often use executive agreements instead of treaties because executive agreements:

  1. are permanent
  2. do not need Senate ratification
  3. require House approval
  4. override the Constitution

Answer: B — do not need Senate ratification

B) Correct — They can be made more quickly. A) A later President can change them. C) They do not. D) Nothing overrides the Constitution.

Article 5 of the NATO treaty states that:

  1. members must use the same currency
  2. the U.S. commands all member armies
  3. an attack on one member is an attack on all
  4. members cannot trade with nonmembers

Answer: C — an attack on one member is an attack on all

C) Correct — It is the core of collective defense. A) Is not part of NATO. B) Is not in the treaty. D) Is not in the treaty.

U.S. ambassadors are appointed by the President and:

  1. elected by citizens abroad
  2. approved by the House
  3. chosen by the United Nations
  4. confirmed by the Senate

Answer: D — confirmed by the Senate

D) Correct — This is part of the Senate's advice and consent power. A) Ambassadors are not elected. B) The House plays no role. C) The UN does not choose them.

As chief diplomat, the President:

  1. declares war
  2. ratifies treaties alone
  3. negotiates treaties
  4. funds embassies around the world

Answer: C — negotiates treaties

C) Correct — The Senate must approve treaties. A) Congress does. B) The Senate ratifies. D) Congress funds them.

Foreign Policy and National Security flashcards

3 cards from the 6 in this chapter.

What is the War Powers Resolution (1973)?

Requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of sending troops into hostilities and to withdraw them within 60 days (plus 30) without congressional approval.

What is the United Nations?

International organization founded 1945 to promote peace, security, human rights, and cooperation among nations.

What was containment?

The Cold War policy of stopping the spread of communism, through alliances, aid (Marshall Plan), and sometimes war (Korea, Vietnam).

Practise the full chapter

These are a sample. The full Foreign Policy and National Security chapter runs 26 items with per-chapter progress tracking, on the web and in the iOS app.

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