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Social Studies
12th
grade
AP U.S. Gov. Unit 3- The 3 Branches of Government
20 questions
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- 1. Multiple Choice
After a national census has been taken, changes in population distribution cause the changing of congressional seats among the states. This effect is commonly called
Congressional districting
Apportionment
Gerrymandering
Reapportionment
- 2. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is NOT true of the Congress?
Each house determines its own leadership and rules.
Terms of Congress last for two years.
Congress is unicameral in nature.
Only the President may call special sessions of Congress.
- 3. Multiple Choice
Which of the following best describes a non-legislative power of Congress?
Power to declare war
Power to tax
Impeachment power
Power to regulate commerce
- 4. Multiple Choice
Which if the following is NOT considered to be a contributing factor to the incumbency effect?
name recognition
voting record
educational background
experience in campaigning
- 5. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the House of Representatives and the Senate?
The Speaker of the House may only vote to break a tie in the House, and the President of the Senate may vote on any legislation before the Senate.
In the House members can delay the vote on legislation by filibustering, and in the Senate members must send all legislation through the Rules Committee.
In the House members represent the entire state, and in the Senate members represent districts within the state.
The Speaker of the House is the most powerful position in the House, and the majority leader is the most powerful position in the Senate.
- 6. Multiple Choice
( DOC 1) Which of the following statements can be supported by the data in the chart?
Americans are becoming consistently more conservative over time.
Majorities in the Senate typically come from the same party as the president.
Midterm elections tend to attract more Republican voters than Democratic voters.
Staggered term lengths disrupt existing coalitions and the ruling party of the Senate.
- 7. Multiple Choice
When the Founding Fathers finally decided on the length of the presidential term of office, they established a term
of 8 years
of 4 years
not to exceed 10 years
that could not be renewed after 4 years
- 8. Multiple Choice
The President decides to send American troops into Syria to help in the fight against ISIS. This is an example of which of the President's powers?
power as party leader
power as commander-in-chief
power of appointment
power to "faithfully execute the law"
- 9. Multiple Choice
Which power is used by the president for enforcing federal law?
general executive power
veto power
executive agreements
patronage
- 10. Multiple Choice
(DOC 2) Which of the following statements best depicts the role of the president referred to in the quote?
The president serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
The President must "faithfully execute" the laws of the United States.
The President serves as a crisis manager and although he may have expanded powers during times of crisis, he can also be restrained by the other branches.
The President can check or restrain the other two branches of government.
- 11. Multiple Choice
(DOC 3) Which of the following best summarizes Alexander Hamilton's argument?
The executive branch is too powerful under the Articles of Confederation.
The executive branch should be the most powerful branch of government.
The executive branch is designed to handle emergencies and immediate crises.
The executive branch would function best with a single person in charge.
- 12. Multiple Choice
(DOC 3) Which of the following powers of the President best embodies the type of executive action Hamilton is arguing for?
Appointing cabinet officials
Commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Signing a bill into law
Delivering the State of the Union
- 13. Multiple Choice
Under the guidelines of the Constitution, which of the following is NOT within the jurisdiction of the federal courts?
cases involving federal law
cases involving interpretation of state constitutions
cases involving interpretation of the federal Constitution
treaties
- 14. Multiple Choice
Federal courts created by Congress under Article III of the Constitution include the Supreme Court, district courts, the Courts of Appeals, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. Court of International Trade. These courts can best be described as
legislative courts
territorial courts
constitutional courts
original courts
- 15. Multiple Choice
When making an appointment to the Supreme Court, presidents
remain impartial by refusing candidate endorsements from the Supreme Court
often select a candidate who is neither decidedly liberal or conservative
tend to ignore race as a consideration for selecting a judge
tend to choose judges from their own political party
- 16. Multiple Choice
Which of the following has little bearing when the president makes an appointment to the Supreme Court?
party affiliation
judicial philosophy
likability
"litmus test"
- 17. Multiple Choice
The majority opinion, issued by the Supreme Court as the final decision of a case, becomes the standard or guide that will be followed in deciding similar cases in the future. This standard or guide is known as a
precedent
brief
argument
decision
- 18. Multiple Choice
The judicial philosophy that advocates the courts' active role in policymaking is called
strict constructionist
judicial activism
loose constructionist
judicial restraint
- 19. Multiple Choice
(DOC 4) Alexander Hamilton is advocating for which of the following?
The use of common law
The power of judicial review
The supremacy of the Constitution
The need for a multilayered court system
- 20. Multiple Choice
(DOC 4) Which of the following would best contribute to the sort of independent, nonpartisan decision making for which Hamilton is advocating?
Having federal courts being seated with unelected judges and justices
Having the chief justice preside over impeachment hearings
Prohibiting justices from having political affiliations
Not confirming a president's particular selection to fill a judicial vacancy
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