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125 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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According to Aristotle's typology of governments, which of the following best describes an aristocracy? |
Rule by the few in the interest of the entire community |
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The most fundamental element of democracy is |
Majority rule |
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The writers of the United States Constitution... |
were distrustful of democracy |
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Who wrote that, in the absence of an all-powerful government, human beings would experience a war of all against all in which life is "solitary, nasty, brutish, and short"? |
Thomas Hobbes |
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Which political philosopher's ideas were directly incorporated into the Declaration of Independence? |
Locke |
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According to Plato, the best form of government is one that is ruled by... |
A philosopher king |
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To which area of human relations did Adam Smith apply the principles of classical liberalism? |
Economy |
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According to the text and our discussion in class, which of the following was NOT a characteristic of democracy as practiced in the ancient city-state of Athens? |
A deep respect for the individual rights and liberties of all citizens |
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Which two political philosophers are associated with social contract theory? |
Locke and Hobbes |
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What two things does classical liberalism favor? |
Limited government and individual rights
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The United States government under the Articles of Confederation can best be described as... |
weak and ineffective |
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Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? |
Thomas Jefferson |
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Why did the British impose the Sugar Act of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765 on the American colonies? |
To raise revenue to pay off Britain's debts incurred from fighting the French & Indian War |
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The Articles of Confederation reflected |
the fear of a strong central government |
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Which document served as the country's first constitution? |
The Articles of Confederation |
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The phrase "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence was a modification of John Locke's three natural rights of "life, liberty, and ________." |
property |
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A small band of farmers in western Massachusetts took up arms to prevent judges from foreclosing on their farms in what is remembered as... |
Shays' Rebellion |
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Which of the following is FALSE about the United States government under the Articles of Confederation? A. There was no president or judicial system B. Each state had only one vote in Congress C. To amend the Articles, all thirteen states had to agree unanimously D. Most authority rested with the Congress rather than the state governments |
D |
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A confederation is a form of government best described as which of the following? A. The central government possess primary authority B. Member state governments possess primary authority C. The people control the government directly D. There is no central government at all |
B |
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Which of the following was NOT a problem with the national government under the Articles of Confederation? A. the lack of power given to the state governments B. The unwillingness of the states to send money requested by the central government C.The inability of the central government to regulate foreign trade or regulate the national economy D. The lack of an executive to lead the nation |
A. |
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The plan that provided for each state to be represented in a unicameral Congress with one vote regardless of the size of its population was known as the... |
New Jersey Plan |
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A principal concern about the Constitution held by the Anti-Federalists was... |
its lack of a Bill of Rights |
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Gridlock is one negative consequence of having a separation of powers |
True |
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Who is commonly regarded as the "Father" of the U.S. Constitution? |
James Madison |
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Which of the following statements accurately describes the branches of government as established by the first three articles of the Constitution? A.Article I established the executive branch, Article II established the legislative branch, and Article III established the judicial branch B.Article I established the executive branch, Article II established the judicial branch, and Article III established the legislative branch C.Article I established the legislative branch, Article II established the executive branch, and Article III established the judicial branch |
C |
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The system of checks and balances created by the Constitution means that... |
change usually comes slowly, if at all, and requires moderation and compromise |
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To propose a formal amendment to the Constitution, one needs to have a... |
two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress |
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According to the U.S. Constitution, the Senate has which of the following powers? A. Originate tax bills B. Bring articles of impeachment C. Try impeachment cases D. Approve or reject treaties E. B & D F. C & D |
F |
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The Federalist Papers were... |
essays that were written in support of ratification of the Constitution |
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The Anti-Federalists attacked the Constitution on the grounds that it... |
laid the foundation for tyranny |
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The _____________________ Plan called for a much stronger national government than did the _________________________ Plan. |
Virginia / New Jersey |
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Amending the current United States Constitution requires... |
supermajorities in both chambers of Congress and a supermajority of states |
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To which branch of government does the "Necessary and Proper" clause apply? |
Congress |
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Of the following four decision-making bodies established by the Constitution, the only one(s) originally elected by the citizenry was... A. the Senate B. the House of Representatives C. the Supreme Court D. the President E. A & B |
B |
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The U.S. Constitution explicitly grants the Supreme Court the power of judicial review. |
False |
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According to the U.S. Constitution, the criteria by which electors are chosen to participate in the Electoral College is determined by... |
each individual state government |
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Under the Constitution, members of the House of Representatives are selected by ______________________ and serve _________________ year terms. |
voters / two |
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The Bill of Rights refers to the first ______________ amendments to the U.S. Constitution |
Ten |
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Under the Virginia Plan... |
representation would be based on population |
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Under the Great Compromise, the basis for representation in both chambers of Congress would be the size of a state's population |
False |
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According to Federalist Paper #10, the Constitution was designed to... |
foster a diffusion of power, preventing the government from being dominated by minority or majority factions |
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The Constitution was ratified by. |
special conventions in each of the states |
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According to the U.S. Constitution, each state is entitled to how many senators? |
Two |
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One of the methods for ratifying an amendment to the U.S. Constitution is approval by... |
three-fourths of state legislatures |
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One example of a check that Congress can exercise over the president is... |
confirmation of Supreme Court justice nominees |
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Of the first three articles of the U.S. Constitution, which is the most specific? |
Article I |
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In determining both representation in Congress and taxation, the Constitution... |
counted slaves as three-fifths of a person |
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Ratification of the Constitution... |
needed the approval of nine states |
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Which of the following terms refers to a political system in which power is divided among three branches of government? |
Separation of powers |
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According to Federalist Paper #10, most people are motivated by... |
self-interest |
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According to James Madison and many of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention, what is the primary source of political conflict? |
The unequal distribution of wealth |
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A form of government in which all power resides in the central national government is known as... |
unitary |
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A form of government in which the national government is weak and most or all power is in the hands of its constituent member states is known as... |
a confederation |
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All of the following nations have federal systems except: |
Great Britain |
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In the American federal system, the powers of the state governments are ultimately granted by... |
the United States Constitution |
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A marriage or driver's license issued in one state is valid and honored in all states under which constitutional provision? |
The full faith and credit clause |
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What is an example of a concurrent power? |
Taxation |
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Only the federal government is allowed to... |
regulate commerce with foreign nations |
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Which type of grant is the most specific regarding how the money can be spent? |
Categorical |
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The Tenth Amendment... |
establishes that powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the states |
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The McCulloch v. Maryland case dealt with what specific grievance? |
A state taxing a national bank |
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In _______________________ federalism, the powers and policy responsibilities of different levels of government are like a marbled cake, with mingled responsibilities and blurred boundaries between levels of government. |
cooperative |
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Federal regulation of state governments is usually accomplished through... |
attaching conditions to grants it gives them |
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Congress succeeded in making the drinking age 21 years across all fifty states by... |
withholding highway funds from those states that did not comply |
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Which one of the following countries has federalism as its method of governing? A. China B. No other country uses federalism C. Canada D. France |
C |
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The Constitution's provision that Congress has the right to "make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution" its powers is often referred to as the... |
elastic clause |
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Which of these was NOT a principle established in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland? |
State governments are forbidden spending more money than they raise each year, while there is no such restriction on the federal government |
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American federalism is best described as... |
a two-tiered system comprised of the federal government and the state governments |
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The Constitution states that Congress has the power to establish post offices. This is an example of... |
enumerated powers |
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The enumerated powers of Congress and the federal government are those... |
specifically spelled out in the Constitution |
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Federalism is... |
a system of shared power by the state and national governments |
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The Constitution requires that states give ______________________ to the public acts, records, and the judicial proceedings of every other state. |
full faith and credit |
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Federalism is a way of organizing a nation so that... |
both national and state levels of government have authority over the same land and people |
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If the distribution of power under dual federalism were compared to a cake, it would be most like... |
a layer cake, with two distinct layers |
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In its McCulloch v. Maryland decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of... |
the supremacy of the federal government over the states |
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In dual federalism... |
states and the federal government each remain supreme within their own spheres |
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How is a unitary system different from a federal one? |
The national government can change the boundaries of states, or abolish them |
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In what case did the Supreme Court rule that criminal suspects must be told of their constitutional rights to (1) remain silent, (2) that what they say can be sued against them in a court of law, and (3) their right to have an attorney present during any questioning? |
Miranda v. Arizona |
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"Pleading the Fifth" refers to the what specific right guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment |
The right to not testify against oneself |
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This U.S. Supreme Court case determined that requiring school children to say a prayer every day would violate the establishment clause |
Engle v. Vitale |
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__________________ refers to a government's censorship of material before its published |
Prior restraint |
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In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that the government could not exercise "prior restraint" to prevent a newspaper from publishing negative information about the country's involvement in the Vietnam War. |
New York Times v. United States |
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The free exercise clause is part of which freedom in the Bill of Rights? |
Freedom of religion |
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The passage of the Fourteenth Amendment following the Civil War eventually enabled the U.S. Supreme Court to use the amendment's due process clause to do which of the following things? |
strike down state laws that violate federal rights |
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What does the establishment clause say regarding religion? |
There may not be a national religion established in the United States |
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Found in both the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, this clause protects individuals against arbitrary deprivation of life, liberty, or property. |
Due process clause |
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This U.S. Supreme Court case established the principle that freedom of speech is not an absolute and can be limited in times of "clear and present danger". |
Schenck v. United States |
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In the case of ________________________, the Supreme Court ruled that the protection against unreasonable search and seizure applies to state and local governments, as well as the federal government. |
Mapp v. Ohio |
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The Bill of Rights is primarily a list of what? |
Civil liberties |
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In the 1963 case of ________________________________, the Supreme Court ruled that defendants in all felony cases had a right to legal counsel, and if they could not afford to hire a lawyer, one must be provided |
Gideon v. Wainwright |
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The publication of statements known to be false that are malicious and intended to damage a person's reputation is called... |
libel |
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Which of the following is an example of a civil liberty? A. Freedom of the press B. Freedom of speech C. Freedom of religion D. All of the above |
D |
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The idea that the Constitution guarantees a right to privacy was first enunciated in which Supreme Court case? |
Griswold v. Connecticut |
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In the case of ________________________________ the Supreme Court approved new procedures for determining if a guilty defendant should receive the death penalty, thereby reaffirming its acceptance of capital punishment as constitutional. |
Gregg v. Georgia |
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Civil Liberties are... |
areas of social and political life where government is restricted or prohibited from intruding on individuals |
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In the case of _____________________, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Bill of Rights restrained only the federal government, not state or local governments. |
Barron v. Baltimore |
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This amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects individual citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures by government authorities, especially the police. |
Fourth Amendment |
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According to the Supreme Court's ruling in _______________________, burning the United States flag is an example of _____________________: actions that do not consist of speaking or writing but that express an opinion. |
Texas v. Johnson / symbolic speech |
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The _______________________________ is the final interpreter of the content and scope of Americans' civil liberties |
Supreme Court |
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Americans' civil liberties are defined by... |
the Bill of Rights |
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According to the exclusionary rule... |
unlawfully obtained evidence cannot be used in court |
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In the case of __________________________________ the Supreme Court suspended capital punishment in all fifty states because the Court said that the procedures through which the death penalty was being applied to guilty defendants was inconsistent, biased, and unfair. |
Furman v. Georgia |
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In Lemon v. Kurtzman, the U.S. Supreme Court established that government financing of church-related schools must do all of the following EXCEPT... |
inhibit religion |
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In the case of New York Times v. Sullivan (1964), the Supreme Court ruled that... |
statements made about political figures are libelous only if made with malice and reckless disregard for the truth |
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Which of the following is NOT specifically stated in the Bill of Rights? |
The right to privacy |
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Cruel and unusual punishment is forbidden by the... |
Eight Amendment |
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The Fifth Amendment includes all of the following provisions EXCEPT... |
The 6th amendment right to a speedy trial |
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Which U.S. Supreme Court decision established the "separate but equal" doctrine as the guiding principle in determining whether the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of civil rights to blacks had been violated? |
Plessy v. Ferguson |
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The first and only place in which the concept of equality before the law explicitly appears in the Constitution is in the... |
Fourteenth Amendment |
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Civil Rights... |
are policies that extend basic rights to groups historically subject to discrimination |
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All of the following devices were used to disenfranchise African Americans in the Jim Crow South except... A. white primaries B. property qualifications C.Literacy tests D. poll taxes |
B |
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What set of amendments to the U.S. Constitution are commonly referred to as the "Civil War Amendments"? |
The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments |
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The white primary... |
excluded blacks from voting in primary elections, thus depriving them of a voice in the real electoral contests in the South |
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Which of the following is an example of a civil right? A. The right to vote B.The right to be free from discrimination based on one's race or gender or sexual orientation C. The right to a free press D. A & B |
D |
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Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote? |
Nineteenth |
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"Due Process" and "Equal Protection" are key clauses from which constitutional amendment? |
Fourteenth |
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What three things did the Civil War Amendments give collectively to African Americans? |
Freedom, citizenship, and the right to vote |
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In the case of ____________________, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a black man, slave or free, had no rights under a white man's government. It also ruled that Congress had no power to ban slavery in the western territories. |
Scott v. Sanford |
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Which of the following statements most accurately defines and distinguishes civil liberties and civil rights? A.Civil liberties are the protections for individuals and minorities provided by the U.S. Constitution, while civil rights are similar protections found outside the Constitution B.Civil liberties and civil rights are different words for the same thing: the right of all individuals to enjoy equal liberty under the law C.Civil liberties restrict and control the power of government over individuals, while civil rights promise that government power will be used to ensure that individuals are treated equally and fairly D. A & C |
C |
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Coverture... |
was the legal doctrine that deprived married women of any identify separate from that of their husbands |
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The _____________________________ Amendment outlawed slavery in the United States |
Thirteenth |
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Which of the following was NOT an amendment to the U.S. Constitution concerning voting rights (i.e., suffrage) |
Twelfth |
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The Civil Rights Act of 1964... A. made racial discrimination illegal in places of public accommodation B.forbade discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, or gender C. prohibited gender discrimination in the work place D. Both A & B |
D |
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Which Supreme Court decision overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine? |
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas |
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Blacks were first given the legal right to vote by the... |
Fifteenth Amendment |
