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- 1. Multiple Choice
Of the following, which has been used most to expand the power of the national government? *
The commerce clause of the Constitution
The habeas corpus clause of the Constitution
The Fifth Amendment
The bill of attainder clause of the Constitution
The First Amendment
- 2. Multiple Choice
The Connecticut (Great) Compromise drafted at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 is significant for which of the following reasons? *
It established the presidential system and gave the United States Supreme Court power to serve as the ultimate arbiter of constitutional disputes.
It allowed southern states to count each slave as three-fifths of one person for determining representation in the House of Representatives.
It provided equality of representation among the states in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
It proposed a Senate with equal representation for each state and a House of Representatives with membership established according to the population of each state.
It denied Congress the power to establish tariffs on exported merchandise.
- 3. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is argued by James Madison in The Federalist paper number 10? *
A system of republican representation helps to limit the excesses of factionalism.
Small republics are better able to ensure individual liberty than are large republics.
The elimination of the causes of factionalism is the best protection against tyranny.
The presence of a few large factions helps to protect the rights of minorities.
Participatory democracy is the surest way to prevent tyranny.
- 4. Multiple Choice
All of the following were concerns about the Articles of Confederation that led to the calling of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 EXCEPT *
dissatisfaction over safeguards of individual rights and liberties
fear for the stability of the central government
desire to promote trade among the states
the need to give the central government the power to levy taxes
dissatisfaction with the central government’s ability to provide for national defense
- 5. Multiple Choice
In The Federalist No. 10, James Madison argued that factions in a republic are *
a more serious threat if the republic is large
natural but controllable by institutions
not likely to occur if people are honest
prevented by free elections
prevented by majority rule
- 6. Multiple Choice
The importance of Shays' Rebellion to the development of the United States Constitution was that it *
revealed the necessity of both adding the Bill of Rights to the Constitution and creating a new system of checks and balances
demonstrated the intensity of antiratification sentiment within the thirteen states
indicated that a strong, constitutionally designed national government was needed to protect property and maintain order
convinced the delegates attending the Constitutional Convention to accept the Connecticut Plan
reinforced the idea that slavery should be outlawed in the new Constitution
- 7. Multiple Choice
The decision in United States v. Lopez (1995) reflected new ideas about federalism at the time that can be best characterized by which of the following? *
A consolidation of power in the national government based on national supremacy
A delegation of power from the federal government to state governments, increasing state and local sovereignty
A delegation of power from the state governments to the federal government, increasing the power of the United States government
An increase in cooperative federalism, where power and duties are shared between the federal and state governments
- 8. Multiple Choice
In 2015, the United States Supreme Court decided the case Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), which ruled that states must recognize same sex couples’ right to marry. Which of the following ideals of democracy would the attorneys for the same sex couple most likely put forth as their argument? *
Limited government would more likely defer to state laws on same sex marriage rather than a blanket directive from the Supreme Court.
Natural rights of life and liberty include the right to marry whom you choose.
Popular sovereignty requires that elected representatives in the state should decide right- to-marry issues.
Social contract theory guarantees that the right to marry is enshrined in a constitutional framework.
- 9. Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements reflects a pluralist theory of American politics? *
American politics is dominated by a small elite.
Public policies emerge from cooperation among elites in business labor, and government.
American politics is dominated by cities at the expense of rural areas
The American political arena is made up of isolated individuals who have few group affiliations outside the family.
Public policies emerge from compromises reached among competing groups
- 10. Multiple Choice
The legislative process at the national level reflects the intent of the framers of the Constitution to create a legislature that would *
be less powerful than the executive
be cautious and deliberate
involve as many citizens as possible
ensure that all groups be equally represented
allow majorities virtually unlimited control over policy
- 11. Multiple Choice
Which of the following constitutional principles best explains why there is variation among states on the use of capital punishment? *
Separation of powers
Judicial review
Checks and balances
Federalism
- 12. Multiple Choice
The Connecticut (Great) Compromise provided for *
all revenue bills to originate in the Senate
all judicial appointments to be nominated by the president
an electoral college and rules for the removal of the president
the elimination of the importation of slaves
a bicameral legislature with one house’s composition based upon state population and another’s on equal state representation
- 13. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is a correct statement about the federal government’s role in interstate commerce? *
The federal government has no role in regulating interstate commerce.
The federal government’s role is limited to regulating activities that may lead to federal crimes.
The federal government’s role is limited to regulating commerce transported on interstate waterways such as the Mississippi River.
The federal government’s role is limited to regulating the transport of agricultural goods.
The federal government’s role has been greatly expanded through the interpretation of the interstate commerce clause.
- 14. Multiple Choice
The terms “fiscal federalism” and “cooperative federalism” refer to situations in which *
the federal government completely dominates state and local governments
states are forbidden any activity that has not been specifically approved by the Supreme Court
the federal judiciary uses its power of judicial review to ensure congressional dominance over state legislatures
state, municipal, and local income taxes are pooled by special agreement and redistributed in accordance with individual need
federal, state, and local governments work together to complete a project, with the federal government providing much of the project funding
- 15. Multiple Choice
In contrast to revenue sharing, categorical grants-in-aid provide state and local governments with *
substantial discretion in deciding how to use the grants to solve their problems
the power to impose regressive taxes
funds sufficient to support a high level of local service
funds to administer programs clearly specified by the federal government
aid that reflects tax base and population
- 16. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is an example of checks and balances in action in the United States government? *
The House and Senate cannot agree on the same version of a bill to send to the president.
The president vetoes a bill passed by Congress.
The voters reject the status quo and elect all new members of Congress.
The voters at the state level elect a governor from a party other than the president’s.
The president issues an executive order that freezes federal government hiring.
- 17. Multiple Choice
Which of the following features of the United States Constitution would most concern the author of Brutus 1? *
The Bill of Rights, which protects individual liberties and states’ rights
The reservation of any power not given to the federal government to the states
The supremacy clause, which gives the federal government supremacy over states
The two-year term for members of the House of Representatives
- 18. Multiple Choice
Concurrent powers have which of the following effects on the United States political system? *
They reinforce the expansion of the power of the national government and the supremacy of the national law.
They eliminate disputes between the states and the national government by creating completely separate spheres of influence.
They foster cooperation between the states and the national government by requiring that the two levels of government work together.
They make it possible for the states and the national government to simultaneously exercise influence in the same areas of public policy.
- 19. Multiple Choice
In The Federalist 10, James Madison argued that the new constitution would help control faction by doing which of the following? *
By creating a large republic, the new constitution made it less likely that a faction could gain enough power to completely dominate.
The new constitution had significant limits on the freedom of expression, thereby limiting the ability of factions to organize.
The new constitution gave political parties specific powers in the government which limited their influence.
The use of the electoral college and the indirect election of senators would limit the influence that factions could wield.
- 20. Multiple Choice
Constitutional checks and balances, especially applied to the president, are designed to *
provide for a balanced budget
minimize the threat of tyranny from any one branch of government
ensure efficient government
ensure that the federal government is militarily strong
ensure that the states do not become too powerful
- 21. Multiple Choice
The practical effect of the below clause has been to: *
make the legislature the most powerful branch of the national government
allow the national government to extend its powers beyond those enumerated in the Constitution
allow the state governments to nullify federal laws within their borders
give the President uncontested powers in the area of foreign policy
ensure that any powers not delegated by the Constitution to the United States government are reserved to the states and the people
- 22. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is an accurate description of the decision in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) ? *
The federal government exceeded its authority in establishing a national bank, and Maryland’s tax was unconstitutional.
Maryland was within its authority to tax the federal government, but the Bank of the United States exceeded federal authority.
The federal government had the authority to establish a national bank, but it had to pay Maryland’s tax.
The federal government had the authority to establish a national bank, and Maryland’s tax was unconstitutional.
- 23. Multiple Choice
Which of the following constitutional provisions broadened the power of Congress? *
The necessary and proper clause
The equal protection clause
The Tenth Amendment
The Ninth Amendment
The eminent domain provision in the Fifth Amendment
- 24. Multiple Choice
The framers of the Constitution intended to establish *
a representative republic
a direct democracy
an authoritarian state
a socialist democracy
a parliamentary republic
- 25. Multiple Choice
Throughout most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, most African Americans were prevented from voting in many Southern states despite the Fifteenth Amendment, which extended the right to vote to African American males. Southern states were able to take this action because *
the Fifteenth Amendment did not apply to all states
Congress passed legislation that restricted the application of the Fifteenth Amendment to placate Southerners
the framers allowed the individual states to create voting processes and voter qualifications
the Supreme Court had declared the Fifteenth Amendment unconstitutional
- 26. Multiple Choice
the Supreme Court had declared the Fifteenth Amendment unconstitutional
Give states far too much power over national monies
Broaden state power beyond that outlined in the Constitution
Give new life to the idea of dual federalism
Weaken the power of state governors and legislators
Strengthen the impact of the Tenth Amendment
- 27. Multiple Choice
In a federal system of government, political power is primarily *
vested in local governments
vested in the regional governments
vested in the central government
divided between the central government and regional governments
divided between regional governments and local governments
- 28. Multiple Choice
The Declaration of Independence states “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” This was a revolutionary change from the system of British monarchy, which was based on the divine right of kings. For which of the ideals of democracy does this quote provide a foundation? *
Popular sovereignty
Federalism
Separation of power
Limited government
- 29. Multiple Choice
The debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists were primarily about which of the following issues? *
The right of the people to rebel
The existence of slavery
The scope of power of the central government
The need to establish a standard currency
The representation of large and small states
- 30. Multiple Choice
States and localities have the most discretion in establishing policy when federal funding is derived from *
categorical grants
matching grants
block grants
project grants
grants-in-aid
- 31. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is an accurate description of the decision in United States v. Lopez (1995) ? *
The Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was upheld as constitutional because regulating arms is an enumerated power.
The Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was upheld as constitutional because any interstate commerce is implied in the commerce clause.
The Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was struck down as unconstitutional because it exceeded the commerce clause.
The Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was struck down because it exceeded the state’s power to regulate guns.
- 32. Multiple Choice
Brutus was an example of an Anti-Federalist because he *
believed a centralized government posed a major threat to individual rights
argued that the laws passed by the national government were supreme over state laws
believed that compromise between the branches of government would ensure a limited government
argued that a national military force was needed to deal with insurrections
- 33. Multiple Choice
The framers of the United States Constitution left decisions on voting eligibility to the *
civil rights agencies
individual states
United States Supreme Court
House of Representatives
Senate
- 34. Multiple Choice
The most significant trend in federal-state relations during the 1980s was *
giving the federal government control over social welfare programs
bringing about greater equality in the provision of social services in different states
limiting state governments’ ability to assess income taxes
expanding the authority of county and municipal governments at the expense of state governments
shifting the responsibilities and costs for many programs to state governments
- 35. Multiple Choice
According to James Madison, which of the following best controls the effects of faction? *
Direct democracy
The popular election of state judges
A large republic
Property requirements for eligibility to work The creation of a merit-based civil service
The creation of a merit-based civil service
- 36. Multiple Choice
In McCulloch v. Maryland , the Supreme Court established which of the following principles? *
States cannot interfere with or tax the legitimate activities of the federal government.
The judicial branch cannot intervene in political disputes between the President and Congress.
The federal Bill of Rights places no limitations on the states.
The federal government has the power to regulate commerce. It is within the judiciary's authority to interpret the constitution.
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