Plsc 121 #1-2

Front 1

The struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal groups that can grant or withhold benefits or privileges is known as
a. government.
b. popular sovereignty.
c. politics.
d. liberty.
e. legitimacy.

Back 1

c

Front 2

Politics exist
a. only within national governments that have constitutions.
b. wherever there is a community that makes decisions through formal and informal rules.
c. wherever there is a problem that needs to be solved.
d. in governments and other institutions but not in communities of family and friends.
e. wherever a community has been formed for at least ten years.

Back 2

b

Front 3

The institution in which decisions are made that resolve conflicts or allocates benefits and privileges is known as
a. aristocracy.
b. authority.
c. politics.
d. government.
e. democracy.

Back 3

d

Front 4

One of the oldest purposes of government is
a. acting to protect the rights of the minority.
b. guaranteeing freedom for all people.
c. establishing benefits for the most wealthy and influential in society.
d. maintaining order by protecting members of society from violence and criminal activity.
e. printing money and controlling the economy.

Back 4

d

Front 5

After coalition forces drove Saddam Hussein from power in 2003, the immediate problem facing Iraq was the absence of
a. liberty.
b. order.
c. oil.
d. ethnic conflict.
e. civil rights.

Back 5

b

Front 6

The purpose of limiting government power is to
a. reduce operating costs.
b. maintain order.
c. concentrate power.
d. protect liberties.
e. increase security.

Back 6

d

Front 7

The greatest freedom of individuals that is consistent with the freedom of other individuals is known as
a. fairness.
b. liberty.
c. authority.
d. equality.
e. due process.

Back 7

d

Front 8

The right and power of a government to enforce its decisions and compel obedience is known as
a. liberty.
b. authority.
c. equality.
d. due process.
e. fairness.

Back 8

b

Front 9

The refusal of Sunni Arabs in Iraq to recognize the authority of the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority demonstrates an absence of
a. liberty.
b. authority.
c. legitimacy.
d. democracy.
e. equality.

Back 9

c

Front 10

Totalitarianism means
a. that government controls all aspects of the political and social life of a nation.
b. a condition of having no government and no laws.
c. the ultimate political authority is vested in the people.
d. people elect officials to make decisions for them for a specific period of tim.
e. a unified government.

Back 10

a

Front 11

A government that controls all aspects of the political and social life of a nation is a(n)
a. authoritarian government.
b. totalitarian government.
c. authoritative government.
d. fascist government.
e. republic.

Back 11

b

Front 12

Which of the following is an example of a direct democracy?
a. Louisiana's use of the parish
b. New England town meetings
c. Somalia during the 1990s
d. the Soviet Union in the Twentieth Century
e. California's system of allocating money for baseball stadiums

Back 12

b

Front 13

The procedure by which voters can propose a law or constitutional amendment is the
a. referendum.
b. initiative.
c. recall.
d. filibuster.
e. roll call.

Back 13

b

Front 14

The framers of the Constitution chose to create a(n)
a. democracy.
b. republic.
c. authoritarian regime.
d. totalitarian regime.
e. oligarchic regime.

Back 14

b

Front 15

The framers of the Constitution viewed direct democracy
a. favorably, because they believed the vast majority of Americans to be capable of making decisions regarding the governing of the country.
b. favorably, because it was the best way for minority rights to be protected against the tyranny of the majority.
c. favorably, because it was seen as the best way to resist manipulative politicians.
d. unfavorably, because of the likelihood that it would deteriorate into mob rule.
e. unfavorably, because direct democracy had never been used anywhere in the world.

Back 15

d

Front 16

Popular sovereignty is
a. the concept that ultimate political authority is based on the will of the people.
b. a theory that views politics as a conflict among interest groups involving bargaining and compromise.
c. the idea that representatives elected by the people make and enforce laws and policies.
d. the right of all adults to vote for their representatives.
e. a basic principle of democracy asserting that the greatest number of citizens in any political unit should select officials and determine policies.

Back 16

a

Front 17

The concept that ultimate political authority is based on the will of the people is known as
a. majority rule.
b. universal sufferage.
c. limited government.
d. popular sovereignty.
e. eminent domain.

Back 17

d

Front 18

Democratic Republic refers to a form of government in which
a. a single ruler controls all aspects of the government but not economic and social institutions.
b. a single ruler controls all aspects of government as well as economic and social institutions.
c. representatives are elected by the people to make and enforce laws and policies.
d. representatives are appointed by a ruler to create laws and policies for the population.
e. representatives elected by the people control only the economic matters essential to the well-being of the nation.

Back 18

c

Front 19

The British chose to call their government a Representative Democracy rather than a Democratic Republic because they
a. do not allow initiatives.
b. have no legislature.
c. do not allow universal suffrage.
d. have preserved their monarchy.
e. have no recall procedures.

Back 19

d

Front 20

The American Revolution, the French Revolution, and many subsequent revolutions aspired to a government based on
a. freedom of speech.
b. consent of the people.
c. the recall process.
d. direct democracy.
e. universal suffrage.

Back 20

b

Front 21

Universal suffrage, the right of all adults to vote for their representatives,
a. existed at the time of the writing of the Constitution, but does not exist today.
b. existed at the time of the writing of the Constitution and continues to exist today.
c. did not exist at the time of the writing of the Constitution, but does exist today.
d. did not exist at the time of the writing of the Constitution, and does not exist today.
e. was a requirement imposed by the British on the American colonies.

Back 21

c

Front 22

Women did not receive the right to vote in national elections in the United States until
a. 1787.
b. 1865.
c. 1920.
d. 1944.
e. 1967.

Back 22

c

Front 23

To guarantee the continued existence of a representative democracy, there must be
a. a commitment to minority rights.
b. a division of power between the federal and state levels of government.
c. an independent judiciary.
d. free and competitive elections.
e. an army capable of putting down insurrections by the citizenry.

Back 23

d

Front 24

To ensure that majority rule does not become oppressive, modern democracies must act to protect
a. universal suffrage.
b. representative elections.
c. minority rights.
d. written constitutions.
e. free and competitive elections.

Back 24

c

Front 25

Limited government
a. means that only a limited number of people should be involved in making political decisions.
b. is defined as government playing a very limited role in economic policy.
c. is the principle that the powers of government should be limited, either through a written document or widely shared beliefs..
d. is a concept that was rejected by the framers of the Constitution.
e. is only a theoretical construct since it has never been used in the real world.

Back 25

c

Front 26

Why do many scholars believe that majoritarianism is a poor description of how U.S. democracy works?
a. A number of 18-21 year olds do not participate in elections.
b. The turnout for elections in the U.S. is relatively low.
c. The president is so frequently from a different political party than the one that controls Congress.
d. Most adults are not qualified to vote.
e. Political polling has not advanced to the extent that it can accurately reflect what the people actually want their government to do.

Back 26

b

Front 27

The perspective that society is ruled by a small number of people who exercise power to further their self-interest is known as
a. pluralism.
b. elite theory.
c. the oligarchic conundrum.
d. the Madisonian effect.
e. the totalitarian equation.

Back 27

b

Front 28

Elite theory
a. implies that the president must come from the party that holds the majority in Congress.
b. emphasizes governmental control over economic policy, but not social institutions.
c. is viewed by political scientists as a theory that works well as a description of both how democracies should function and how democracies actually do function.
d. indicates that a single ruler controls all aspects of the government but not economic and social institutions.
e. is the perspective that society is ruled by a small number of people who exercise power to further their self-interest.

Back 28

e

Front 29

Pluralism is
a. the perspective that politics is the exclusive domain of a few very powerful forces in the nation.
b. viewed by political scientists as a theory that works well as a description of how democracies should function, but not one that works well as a description of how democracies actually do function.
c. viewed by political scientists as a theory that works well as a description of both how democracies should function and how democracies actually do function.
d. a theory that views politics as a conflict among interest groups involving bargaining and compromise.
e. a theory that emphasizes governmental control over economic policy, but not social institutions.

Back 29

d

Front 30

The theory that politics involves conflict among interest groups using bargaining and compromise is known as
a. pluralism.
b. elite theory.
c. liberalism.
d. majoritarianism
e. libertarianism

Back 30

a

Front 31

The process by which individuals learn a set of political attitudes and form opinions about social issues is
a. political science.
b. political transmission.
c. political socialization.
d. political dissemination.
e. political passage.

Back 31

c

Front 32

The dominant culture in the United States favors
a. placing family over individualism.
b. the rejection of materialism.
c. placing the community over individualism.
d. the rejection of women's pursuit of careers in the workplace.
e. individualism and private property.

Back 32

e

Front 33

_______ is one of our most prized liberties, because democracy could not endure without it.
a. Freedom of speech
b. The free exercise of religion
c. The separation of church and state
d. The right to bear arms
e. The protection against cruel and unusual punishment

Back 33

a

Front 34

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the government of the United States acted in a manner that
a. emphasized liberty over security.
b. emphasized security over liberty.
c. dismissed the significance of both security and liberty.
d. elevated the significance of both security and liberty.
e. did not change the balance between security and liberty established prior to 9/11.

Back 34

b

Front 35

As a political value, equality is defined as the idea that all people
a. should make the same amount of money.
b. should be in a position to succeed economically.
c. should have equal access to their elected representatives.
d. should have access to the courts to enforce their rights.
e. are of equal worth.

Back 35

e

Front 36

________ equality remains a highly controversial value in America.
a. Economic
b. Religious
c. Racial
d. Gender
e. Cultural

Back 36

a

Front 37

An economic system characterized by the private ownership of wealth-creating assets, relatively free markets and freedom of contract is known as
a. socialism.
b. communism.
c. capitalism.
d. fascism.
e. majoritarianism.

Back 37

c

Front 38

Americans are most likely to call for the benefits of a big government when
a. taxes are too high.
b. freedoms are restricted.
c. new policies must be developed.
d. an election is upcoming.
e. faced with a crisis.

Back 38

e

Front 39

A closely linked set of beliefs about politics is known as
a. political science.
b. a political ideology.
c. habeas corpus.
d. aristocracy.
e. capitalism.

Back 39

b

Front 40

The set of beliefs that includes a limited role for the national government in helping individuals, support for policies favoring traditional values and lifestyles and a cautious response to change, is
a. oppositionalism.
b. liberalism.
c. socialism.
d. libertarianism.
e. conservatism.

Back 40

e

Front 41

The set of beliefs that includes the advocacy of positive government action to improve the welfare of individuals, support for civil rights, and tolerance for political and social change is known as
a. oppositionalism.
b. liberalism.
c. socialism.
d. libertarianism.
e. conservatism.

Back 41

b

Front 42

________ would oppose governmental attempts to regulate personal behavior and to promote moral values as well as governmental regulation of the economy and redistribution of income.
a. Liberals
b. Conservatives
c. Socialists
d. Libertarians
e. Totalitarians

Back 42

d

Front 43

________ advocate replacing investor ownership of major businesses with either government ownership or ownership by employee cooperatives, in the hopes of breaking the power of the very rich and leading to an egalitarian society.
a. Liberals
b. Conservatives
c. Socialists
d. Libertarians
e. Totalitarians

Back 43

c

Front 44

Most Americans today associate liberalism with
a. big corporations.
b. big government.
c. limited government.
d. tolerance.
e. religion.

Back 44

b

Front 45

Democrats today prefer to call themselves ________ rather than liberal.
a. progressive
b. tolerant
c. free-thinking
d. cutting-edge
e. libertarian

Back 45

a

Front 46

An example of a local legislative body would be
a. the U.S. Congress.
b. the Supreme Court.
c. the various state legislatures.
d. a city council.
e. a school food drive.

Back 46

d

Front 47

The colonists at Jamestown instituted a ________, or a legislature composed of individuals who represented their population.
a. constitutional monarchy
b. representative assembly
c. continental congress
d. house of representatives
e. house of commons

Back 47

b

Front 48

The _______ represented a willingness of the first colonists coming ashore at Plymouth to submit to the authority of a government and established a prototype for other agreements that depended on the consent of the governed.
a. Waterfront Protocol
b. Articles of Confederation
c. Mayflower Compact
d. Constitution
e. Declaration of Independence

Back 48

c

Front 49

The Boston Tea Party was prompted by
a. British taxes on a wide range of goods and products.
b. British refusal to allow representatives of the colonies to sit in Parliament.
c. British infringement of the individual liberties of colonists.
d. British massacres at Lexington and Concord.
e. British attacks on Fort Sumter.

Back 49

a

Front 50

The First Continental Congress that met in 1774
a. approved a declaration of war against England.
b. called for King George III to step down from the throne.
c. approved a resolution calling for a declaration of independence from England.
d. called on the colonies to raise armies but encouraged colonies to continue trade with England so as to improve economic conditions.
e. approved a resolution requesting that the colonies send a petition to King George III expressing their grievances..

Back 50

e

Front 51

The Second Continental Congress that met in 1775
a. established an army and named George Washington as commander in chief.
b. established a navy and named John Paul Jones supreme commander.
c. entered into an agreement with France to go to war with Great Britain.
d. declared war on Great Britain, France and Spain.
e. drafted a peace treaty which was rejected by Great Britain.

Back 51

a

Front 52

Common Sense, written by _______, argued in favor of declaring independence from Great Britain and establishing a new government for the citizens of a new country.
a. Thomas Jefferson
b. James Madison
c. Patrick Henry
d. Thomas Paine
e. Paul Revere

Back 52

d

Front 53

The first version of the Declaration of Independence was written by
a. Thomas Jefferson.
b. Thomas Paine.
c. Paul Revere.
d. James Madison.
e. Patrick Henry.

Back 53

a

Front 54

The Declaration of Independence
a. established a framework for a new system of government.
b. provided a list of individual rights that government could not violate.
c. called for a delicate balance of federal and state power.
d. identified the reasons the colonies saw separation from Britain as necessary.
e. demanded a separation of church and state.

Back 54

d

Front 55

The _____ identified the reasons the colonists saw for independence from Britain.
a. Waterfront Protocol
b. Articles of Confederation
c. Mayflower Compact
d. Constitution
e. Declaration of Independence

Back 55

e

Front 56

The original draft of the Declaration of Independence included a provision _________, which had to be removed to gain the unanimous approval of all the colonies.
a. calling for the separation of church and state
b. establishing that the United States would be a Christian nation
c. arguing the necessity of allowing women to vote
d. calling for the assassination of King George
e. condemning the slave trade

Back 56

e

Front 57

This idea is NOT included as a “Truth” in The Declaration of Independence:
a. taxation without representation is unjust.
b. all men are created equal.
c. all men have rights such as the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
d. governments derive their power from the consent of the governed.
e. it is the right of the people to alter or abolish their government and to institute a new one.

Back 57

a

Front 58

The Declaration of Independence reflects the philosophy of John Locke, who argued that
a. government must pledge its allegiance to God before it can claim legitimacy.
b. government cannot interfere with the reality that life is nasty, brutish and short.
c. government must be divided into executive, legislative and judicial branches in order to be effective.
d. all people possess certain natural rights and it is government's job to protect those rights.
e. people possess only those rights which government grants to them.

Back 58

d

Front 59

A ________ is a voluntary association of independent states, in which the member states agree to only limited restraints on their freedom of action.
a. confederation
b. monarchy
c. legislature
d. senate
e. protectorate

Back 59

a

Front 60

After the United States gained its independence, the first system of government was created by the
a. Declaration of Independence.
b. Mayflower Compact.
c. Constitution.
d. Articles of Confederation.
e. Franklin Proclamation.

Back 60

d

Front 61

The Articles of Confederation operated in a manner that
a. put the Supreme Court in a position to reject the actions of the people's elected representatives and force the views of an elite on a reluctant public.
b. prevented Congress from having the power to demand revenue from the states or the ability to enforce its decisions throughout the land.
c. allowed the President of the United States to grow more and more powerful and to threaten individual liberties.
d. weakened states and undermined the ability of these states to govern themselves.
e. dramatically expanded the power of the federal government.

Back 61

b

Front 62

The actions of _______ demonstrated the inability of the federal government under the Articles of Confederation to protect the citizenry from armed rebellion or provide adequately for the public welfare.
a. George Washington
b. Daniel Shays
c. Paul Revere
d. Patrick Henry
e. John Locke

Back 62

b

Front 63

The publicly stated purpose of the convention to be held in May of 1787 was to
a. develop and write a new Constitution.
b. revisit the principles established in the Declaration of Independence.
c. consider the exigencies (needs) of the union.
d. expand the rights of individuals who did not own property.
e. create a system of government that would abolish the institution of slavery.

Back 63

c

Front 64

We know much about the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention because________ kept a daily, detailed personal journal.
a. George Washington
b. Benjamin Franklin
c. Alexander Hamilton
d. James Madison
e. Thomas Jefferson

Back 64

d

Front 65

A group of delegates from ________ arrived at the convention ahead of the other delegates and set the agenda for the remainder of the convention.
a. New York
b. Virginia
c. Rhode Island
d. Delaware
e. Massachusetts

Back 65

b

Front 66

The Great Compromise resolved the impasse between the
a. large and small states regarding the executive branch.
b. large and small states regarding representation.
c. northern and southern states regarding representation.
d. northern and southern states regarding slavery.
e. Federalists and Anti-Federalists regarding the executive branch.

Back 66

b

Front 67

The Great Compromise
a. established that all states would be represented equally in the House of Representatives.
b. established that states would be represented according to the size of their populations in the Senate.
c. created a unicameral Congress.
d. provided that slavery would not be allowed to exist under the new Constitution.
e. created a Congress composed of two chambers: one with representation based on population and the second with equal state representation..

Back 67

e

Front 68

The Three-Fifths Compromise, which was crafted to address the impasse on slavery,
a. avoided the use of the word "slave," instead referring to "all other persons."
b. did not abolish slavery but did bring an immediate end to the importation of slaves into this country.
c. illustrated the power of the northern states at the convention.
d. brought an immediate end to the institution of slavery.
e. enhanced the influence that northern states would have in a newly-created Congress.

Back 68

a

Front 69

At the Constitutional Convention, the South insisted that
a. export taxes not be imposed.
b. an income tax never be imposed.
c. lower federal courts be created as well as a Supreme Court.
d. slavery be abolished.
e. the power to regulate interstate commerce must belong to Congress.

Back 69

a

Front 70

James Madison argued in Federalist Paper No. 51 that "the greatest security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department" was the
a. selection by the voters of men of good character and conscience who would resist the temptation to extend their power.
b. establishment of a Bill of Rights that limited governmental power.
c. establishment of a single branch of government that would be clearly superior to the other branches, thus ensuring consistency and regularity.
d. identification in the Constitution of each specific power that the branches of government would possess.
e. granting of the means and the motive to each branch of government to resist encroachment upon their areas of authority.

Back 70

e

Front 71

The President of the United States checks the Supreme Court by
a. vetoing a decision of the Court.
b. declaring a decision of the Court to be unconstitutional.
c. impeaching a member of the Court.
d. overriding a decision of the Court.
e. refusing to enforce a decision of the Court.

Back 71

e

Front 72

The Supreme Court checks the Congress by
a. impeaching a member of Congress.
b. vetoing legislation passed by Congress.
c. overriding a veto performed by Congress.
d. confirming individuals appointed by the president to Congress.
e. declaring legislation passed by Congress unconstitutional.

Back 72

e

Front 73

The President of the United States checks the Congress by
a. appointing individuals to Congress.
b. vetoing legislation passed by Congress.
c. impeaching a member of Congress.
d. declaring legislation passed by Congress unconstitutional.
e. overriding a veto performed by Congress.

Back 73

b

Front 74

The electoral college
a. ensured that Congress would be able to control the presidency.
b. has guaranteed that the candidate who wins the presidency is the one with the greatest public support.
c. insured that the president would be subjected to direct popular control.
d. was seen by some delegates as an alternative to allowing Congress to choose the president.
e. was designed to select a plural executive composed of representatives from various regions of the country.

Back 74

d

Front 75

The Constitution creates a
a. confederal system of government that grants fewer powers to the national government than the Articles of Confederation.
b. federal system of government that grants fewer powers to the national government than the Articles of Confederation.
c. confederal system of government that divides powers between the states and national government.
d. federal system that allows for states’ rights, because the states feared too much
centralized control.
e. unitary system of government that divides powers between the states and national government.

Back 75

d

Front 76

The Framers established that the Constitution would be ratified if approved by
a. all thirteen state legislatures.
b. nine of thirteen state legislatures.
c. nine of thirteen ratifying conventions to be held in the states.
d. all thirteen ratifying conventions to be held in the states.
e. nine of thirteen state legislatures and both houses of Congress.

Back 76

b

Front 77

An argument against the electoral college is that
a. in certain cases it allows a candidate who wins the most votes to lose the election.
b. it is much more costly than other systems.
c. it favors small states over large ones.
d. it is not what the framers of the Constitution intended.
e. it favors certain political parties over others.

Back 77

a

Front 78

An argument in favor of the electoral college is that it
a. protects voters from making bad choices.
b. keeps small states from being ignored, as they might be under a popular vote system.
c. reduces the importance of the media in presidential campaigns.
d. reduces voter fraud.
e. allows votes to be counted more quickly.

Back 78

b

Front 79

The Federalist Papers were written by
a. Madison, Hamilton, Jay.
b. Madison, Jefferson, Hamilton.
c. Madison, Jefferson, Franklin.
d. Madison, Hamilton, Franklin.
e. Washington, Franklin, Jefferson.

Back 79

a

Front 80

The Anti-Federalists
a. favored ratification of the Constitution.
b. represented a radical fringe and constituted a very small minority in their position on the Constitution.
c. believed the Constitution created an overly powerful central government that would be hostile to personal liberty.
d. were mainly wealthy bankers, lawyers and plantation owners.
e. were at a disadvantage because they were arguing in favor of changing the status quo and thus had the burden of advocating change.

Back 80

c

Front 81

________ had to cull through more than two hundred recommendations from the states when drafting the Bill of Rights.
a. Alexander Hamilton
b. James Madison
c. George Washington
d. John Jay
e. Benjamin Franklin

Back 81

b

Front 82

Constitutional amendments can be ratified by
a. a majority vote in both houses of Congress.
b. two-thirds of state legislatures.
c. two-thirds of state conventions.
d. two-thirds of both houses of Congress.
e. three-fourths of state legislatures.

Back 82

e

Front 83

Congress chose to use state conventions instead of state legislatures as the method of ratification of the amendment
a. requiring equal protection of the laws.
b. abolishing slavery.
c. establishing Prohibition.
d. giving women the right to vote.
e. repealing Prohibition.

Back 83

d

Front 84

The constitutional amendment process has been used to
a. require the president to get the approval of Congress before committing the armed forces to battle.
b. limit the president's ability to employ the power of the pardon.
c. define the actions for which the president can be impeached.
d. limit the number of terms a president can serve.
e. require the president to deliver a “State of the Union” address.

Back 84

d

Front 85

The Constitution was amended to extend the right to vote to
a. those pardoned by governors.
b. convicted felons.
c. eighteen-year-olds.
d. twenty one-year-olds.
e. citizens of the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.

Back 85

c

Front 86

The constitutional amendment process has been used to
a. limit Senators to serving two terms.
b. limit members of the House of Representatives to serving five terms.
c. limit the total time any individual can spend in Congress to twenty years.
d. require Congress to construct a balanced budget.
e. allow Congress to impose an income tax.

Back 86

e

Front 87

The Constitution was amended to prohibit which of the following?
a. white primaries
b. literacy tests
c. grandfather clauses
d. poll taxes
e. separate drinking fountains

Back 87

d

Front 88

Which practice was abolished by a constitutional amendment?
a. dueling
b. flag burning
c. slavery
d. execution by the electric chair
e. polygamy

Back 88

c

Front 89

The practice of slavery in the U.S. was abolished by
a. constitutional amendment.
b. executive order.
c. judicial review.
d. executive agreement.
e. the Constitutional Convention.

Back 89

a

Front 90

The practice of slavery in the U.S. was abolished in the
a. 3rd Amendment.
b. 13th Amendment.
c. 15th Amendment.
d. 17th Amendment.
e. 24th Amendment.

Back 90

b

Front 91

The _____ prohibited the denial of the right to vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
a. 4th Amendment.
b. 13th Amendment.
c. 15th Amendment.
d. 18th Amendment.
e. 21st Amendment

Back 91

c

Front 92

Women received the right to vote in national elections in the U.S. with the passage of the
a. 9th Amendment.
b. 14th Amendment.
c. 15th Amendment.
d. 19th Amendment.
e. 22nd Amendment.

Back 92

d

Front 93

Eighteen year olds received the right to vote in national elections in the U.S. with the passage of the
a. 9th Amendment.
b. 17th Amendment.
c. 18th Amendment.
d. 26th Amendment.
e. 27th Amendment.

Back 93

d

Front 94

Congress has employed _______ to enact thousands of pieces of legislation.
a. executive agreements
b. the commerce clause
c. the constitutional amendment process
d. the impeachment power
e. judicial review

Back 94

b

Front 95

International agreements between the president and other nations that do not require the approval of the Senate are known as
a. treaties.
b. executive agreements.
c. contracts.
d. memoranda of understanding.
e. executive orders.

Back 95

b

Front 96

The power of the Supreme Court to declare actions of the other branches of government to be unconstitutional was
a. given to the Court by President Washington.
b. given to the Court by an act of Congress.
c. specifically identified in Article III of the Constitution.
d. claimed by the Court in the case of Marbury v. Madison.
e. vigorously opposed by one of the most influential Framers, Alexander Hamilton.

Back 96

d

Front 97

Judicial review refers to the
a. power of the president to review decisions of the Supreme Court before he determines whether to enforce them.
b. process the president's advisors go through as they review a potential judicial nominee's background in order to determine his or her suitability for the Court.
c. role played by the Senate as it decides whether to confirm a president's nomination to the Supreme Court.
d. power of the Court to review actions of the government and determine whether they violate the Constitution.
e. prerogative of the American people to decide whether they want to follow the decision handed down by the Court.

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d

Front 98

The power of the Supreme Court to declare actions of the other branches of government to be unconstitutional is known as
a. judicial review.
b. judicial activism.
c. legislative ratification.
d. the supremacy doctrine.
e. the Madisonian model.

Back 98

a

Front 99

The modern process for nominating candidates for office
a. is the creation of the two major political parties and not the Constitution.
b. reflects the resistance of the Constitution to the ways of doing political business.
c. is detailed in Article II of the Constitution.
d. shows that the founding fathers understood how government would develop over time.
e. suggests how the party system has failed to change the way the president is elected.

Back 99

a

Front 100

An individual can actively work to re-write the U.S. Constitution by
a. voting for a third-party candidate.
b. getting elected to local office.
c. staging illegal actions to challenge the interpretation of the Constitution.
d. joining a group that supports ratification of an amendment to the Constitution.
e. doing new research on the framers of the Constitution

Back 100

e

Front 101

The centralized governmental system in which local governments exercise only those powers given to them by the central government is known as
a. a unitary system.
b. a confederal system.
c. a federal system.
d. an authoritarian system.
e. a bicameral system.

Back 101

a

Front 102

A unitary system of government is one in which
a. the legislative branch is composed of only one chamber.
b. local governments exercise only those powers given to them by the central government.
c. a league of independent states exists with each state having sovereign powers and the central government having limited powers.
d. authority is divided between a central government and regional governments.
e. sovereign power rests with a king or monarch, rather than with the people.

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b

Front 103

The system consisting of a league of independent states, each having essentially sovereign powers and a central government with limited powers is known as
a. a unitary system.
b. a confederal system.
c. a federal system.
d. an authoritarian system.
e. a bicameral system.

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b

Front 104

A confederal system of government is one in which
a. sovereign power rests with a king or monarch, rather than with the people.
b. local governments exercise only those powers given to them by the central government.
c. the legislative branch is composed of only one chamber.
d. a league of independent states exists with each state having sovereign powers and the central government having limited powers.
e. authority is divided between a central government and regional governments.

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d

Front 105

Most countries today, including France, Britain, Israel and Japan, have
a. unitary systems.
b. confederal systems.
c. federal systems.
d. authoritarian systems.
e. bicameral systems.

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a

Front 106

The system of government in which authority is divided between a central government and regional, or subdivisional, governments is a(n)
a. authoritarian system.
b. bicameral system.
c. confederal system.
d. federal system.
e. unitary system.

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d

Front 107

A federal system of government is one in which
a. a league of independent states exists with each state having sovereign powers and the central government having limited powers.
b. local governments exercise only those powers given to them by the central government.
c. sovereign power rests with a king or monarch, rather than with the people.
d. the legislative branch is composed of only one chamber.
e. authority is divided between a central government and regional governments.

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e

Front 108

The United States employs a(n)
a. unitary system.
b. confederal system.
c. federal system.
d. authoritarian system.
e. bicameral system.

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c

Front 109

The advantages of a federal system of government include which of the following?
a. All citizens would gain the benefit of uniform policies in every state, ensuring the same level of educational spending and achievement as well as crime prevention efforts for every person no matter where they live.
b. The federal government is the focal point of political dissatisfaction for the people of the nation, thus sparing lower levels of government from criticism.
c. Given the changes and developments in transportation and communications systems, it is more practical to locate power in one place.
d. State governments are frequently testing grounds for new governmental initiatives.
e. Smaller political units such as cities and states are less likely to be dominated by a single political group.

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d

Front 110

Powers specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution are ________ powers.
a. implied
b. inferred
c. inherent
d. reserved
e. enumerated

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e

Front 111

Enumerated powers are powers
a. specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution.
b. derived from a nation’s inherent right to ensure its own survival.
c. based on a nation’s ability to act in its own interest among the community of nations.
d. held jointly by the national and state governments.
e. exercised for the protection of the health, morals, safety, and welfare of the people.

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a

Front 112

The final provision in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, sometimes known as the "elastic clause,"
a. lists the enumerated powers of Congress.
b. identifies five ways that enumerated powers can be carried out.
c. states that Congress can make laws that are necessary and proper to carry out its enumerated powers.
d. states that Congress can declare war in situations that can be characterized as demanding flexibility.
e. provides a justification for the established process of impeachment to be disregarded and for Congress to immediately remove the president from office.

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c

Front 113

The special category of national powers that derive from the fact that the United States is a sovereign power among nations and thus its national government must be the only government that deals with other nations is known as ________ powers.
a. implied
b. inferred
c. inherent
d. expressed
e. enumerated

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c

Front 114

Inherent powers are powers
a. derived from a nation’s inherent right to ensure its own survival and to act in its own interest.
b. that the national government cannot deny to the states.
c. specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution.
d. held jointly by the national and state governments.
e. exercised for the protection of the health, morals, safety, and welfare of the people.

Back 114

a

Front 115

The United States’ acquisition of new land through the Louisiana Purchase is an example of the use of ________ powers.
a. implied
b. inferred
c. inherent
d. expressed
e. enumerated

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c

Front 116

The authority to legislate for the protection of the health, morals, safety, and welfare of the people is ________ power
a. expressed
b. implied
c. inherent
d. police
e. reserved

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d

Front 117

Powers not given to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, are
a. nonetheless retained by the federal government.
b. reserved to the states or to the people.
c. identified as implied powers.
d. known as enumerated powers.
e. identified as inherent powers.

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a

Front 118

Powers held jointly by the national and state governments are ________ powers.
a. concurrent
b. cooperative
c. dual
d. federal
e. reserved

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a

Front 119

Which of the following is an example of a concurrent power?
a. the power to declare war
b. the power to regulate interstate commerce
c. the power to tax
d. the power to negotiate treaties
e. the power to print money

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c

Front 120

Most concurrent powers
a. are not specifically stated in the Constitution, but rather are only implied.
b. prevent Congress from regulating business within specific states.
c. have been held to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
d. encourage state governments to restrict the number of non-citizens who are employed by the state.
e. can be traced to Article IV.

Back 120

a

Front 121

The Constitution prohibits the national government from exercising certain powers, such as
a. declaring war on other nations.
b. taxing exports.
c. regulating interstate commerce.
d. acquiring new lands.
e. printing money.

Back 121

b

Front 122

The supremacy clause
a. was added to the Constitution in the Bill of Rights because critics of the Constitution believed it was a glaring omission not to have included such a provision in the original document.
b. states that when the President of the United States is acting in the best interests of the American people, his judgment shall be supreme over Congress and the Supreme Court.
c. provides that when state laws are in conflict with the Constitution or laws of the United States, state law must prevail since the states are closer to the people and their concerns.
d. provides that when state policies are in conflict with the Constitution or laws of the United States, states must yield to the authority of the federal government.
e. states that when the policies of states come into conflict, the state that has been a part of the United States of America for the longest period of time shall be supreme.

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d

Front 123

Legislation enacted on the national level is said to _______ conflicting state or local laws in that area.
a. supplant
b. supplement
c. satiate
d. preclude
e. preempt

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e

Front 124

Article IV of the Constitution requires states to give full faith and credit to
a. laws enacted by Congress.
b. treaties negotiated by the President of the United States.
c. the acts and judicial decisions of other states.
d. the decisions of the United States Supreme Court.
e. declarations of the United Nations Security Council.

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c

Front 125

The full faith and credit clause
a. specifies that local governments exercise only those powers given to them by the central government.
b. protects the rights of citizens as they move from state to state.
c. provides that when state laws conflict with the U.S. Constitution the Constitution prevails.
d. requires states to recognize one another’s laws regarding criminal matters.
e. states that government authority will be divided between the national and regional governments.

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d

Front 126

Through the ________, Congress prevented states that do not recognize same-sex marriages from being required to recognize the same-sex marriages of states that do allow them.
a. Civil Rights Act
b. Equal Rights Act
c. Equal Rights Amendment
d. Defense of Marriage Act
e. Same-Sex Marriage Act

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d

Front 127

The Defense of Marriage Act
a. allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
b. required states to define marriage exclusively as the union of a man and a woman.
c. provided that same-sex marriages would be recognized at the federal level but allowed the states to decide for themselves whether to recognize these marriages.
d. required states to recognize same-sex marriages.
e. required states to recognize same-sex marriages if states also allowed polygamy in their jurisdiction.

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a

Front 128

If the Defense of Marriage Act were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court,
a. the separation of church and state would not be respected.
b. states could still pass their own laws banning same-sex marriage.
c. all state laws that refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in another state would be unconstitutional as well.
d. same-sex couples would still always be denied federal marriage benefits.
e. it would still take an amendment to the Constitution for same-sex couples to receive federal marriage benefits.

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c

Front 129

A strong argument in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act is that
a. it reflects the American federal system by allowing individual states to serve as “laboratories of democracy.”
b. the Bill of Rights defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
c. some discrimination is always necessary in a democracy.
d. every major world religion supports states’ rights.
e. the Constitution defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

Back 129

a

Front 130

In the early years most of the disputes over the boundaries of national versus state power involved
a. differing interpretations of the inherent powers of the national government.
b. the role of the national government in mediating disputes between the states.
c. the ability of the states to enter into international treaties.
d. the enforcement of the Bill of Rights.
e. differing interpretations of the implied powers and the power to regulate commerce.

Back 130

e

Front 131

Chief Justice ________ did much to increase the power of the national government and to reduce that of the states in the early part of the Nineteenth Century.
a. Warren Burger
b. John Marshall
c. William Rehnquist
d. Roger Taney
e. Earl Warren

Back 131

b

Front 132

The controversy over _______ took the form of a dispute over national government supremacy versus the rights of the separate states.
a. economic depression
b. whether to align with England or France
c. whether Abraham Lincoln could serve an unlimited amount of time as president
d. slavery
e. the role of America in the world

Back 132

d

Front 133

The first national income tax was passed to
a. pay for the huge debt caused by the Civil War.
b. limit the power of state governments in the area of taxation.
c. increase the power of Congress.
d. assist the nation in its attempt to recover from the Great Depression.
e. make slavery uneconomical.

Back 133

a

Front 134

Both the increased spending by the national government and the nationally imposed income tax
a. were immediately ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
b. were precursors to the later expanded role of the national government.
c. were attempts by the state governments to restrict the role of the national government.
d. led to anti-tax riots in major cities.
e. were ultimately rejected in the form of constitutional amendments.

Back 134

b

Front 135

In the Civil War Era, the Supreme Court
a. lost influence because it had supported slavery up to the beginning of the war.
b. was a major influence on the great issues of the day.
c. ruled that the initial plan of Congress to reconstruct the South was unconstitutional.
d. declared unconstitutional the attempt by Congress to restrict its jurisdiction.
e. gained additional power, along with the rest of the national government.

Back 135

a

Front 136

States and the national government each remain supreme within their own sphere in the system. This is known as ________ federalism.
a. distinctive
b. dual
c. separate
d. complete
e. cooperative

Back 136

b

Front 137

The era of dual federalism
a. represented a period in which the power of the federal government greatly overshadowed the states.
b. was at its zenith when President Hayes ordered that federal troops continue to remain in the South for at least two more decades.
c. featured a decision of the United States Supreme Court upholding legislation enacted by Congress that outlawed child labor.
d. featured a decision of the United States Supreme Court that upheld the power of Congress to impose an income tax.
e. came to an end as the American people looked to the federal government to address the problems created by the Great Depression.

Back 137

a

Front 138

The Works Progress Administration is a program that demonstrates
a. distinctive federalism.
b. dual federalism.
c. separate federalism.
d. complete federalism.
e. cooperative federalism.

Back 138

e

Front 139

The theory that the states and the national government should cooperate in solving the nation's problems is ________ federalism.
a. distinctive
b. dual
c. separate
d. complete
e. cooperative

Back 139

e

Front 140

Cooperative federalism is
a. the theory that the states and the national government should cooperate in solving the nation's problems.
b. a model of federalism in which specific programs and policies involve all levels of government.
c. a system in which the states and the national government each remain supreme within their own spheres.
d. the transfer of powers from a national government to a state or local government.
e. federal grant transfers to state or local governments that are for specific programs.

Back 140

a

Front 141

_____ have traditionally opposed the increasing size and scope of the federal government.
a. Liberals
b. Conservatives
c. Libertarians
d. Southern states
e. Individuals who are culturally conservative but economically liberal

Back 141

b

Front 142

Under Republican presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan ________, or the transfer of power from the national government to state governments, became a major theme of the Republican party.
a. evolution
b. convolution
c. devolution
d. welfare reform
e. regulation

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c

Front 143

An examination of the perspectives of the presidents on the issue of federalism reveals that
a. Lyndon Johnson was enthusiastic about turning over his civil rights and antipoverty programs to the states.
b. Richard Nixon was suspicious of the trustworthiness of the states and called for an end to revenue sharing.
c. Ronald Reagan was an advocate of a strong role for the federal government but also greatly increased the financial support for the states.
d. Bill Clinton expanded the federal government's role in welfare programs.
e. George W. Bush increased federal funding and control of education, traditionally an area controlled by state and local governments.

Back 143

e

Front 144

Federal grants to state or local governments that are for specific programs or projects are called
a. block grants.
b. categorical grants.
c. federal mandates.
d. revenue sharing.
e. leverage packages.

Back 144

b

Front 145

Categorical grants
a. amounted to more than $100 billion a year in 1985 but they had declined to less than $10 billion a year by 2006.
b. are preferable to federal and state governments alike because there are so few restrictions and regulations associated with them.
c. were provided at their lowest levels during the Great Depression and the 1960s.
d. reduce the degree of control that the federal government maintains over the states.
e. have been used in the areas of Medicaid, highway construction, unemployment benefits, housing assistance and welfare programs.

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e

Front 146

Federal grants to the states have increased because
a. people have demanded fewer federally supervised programs.
b. crime has increased.
c. new federalism means a greater role for the national government.
d. Congress has decided to offload some programs onto the states and to help fund them.
e. states have more power over foreign trade policy now than they once did.

Back 146

d

Front 147

In the 1980s and 1990s, the federal government provided funds to states for highway improvement based on the condition that states would
a. raise the speed limits in their jurisdictions.
b. lower the speed limits in their jurisdictions.
c. raise the minimum drinking age to twenty-one.
d. lower the minimum drinking age to eighteen.
e. improve their performance in the area of speed-limit enforcement.

Back 147

c

Front 148

Federal programs that provide funds to state and local governments for general functional areas, such as criminal justice or mental health programs, are known as
a. block grants.
b. categorical grants.
c. federal mandates.
d. revenue sharing.
e. leverage packages.

Back 148

a

Front 149

Federal legislation that requires states and municipalities to comply with certain rules is a
a. block grant.
b. categorical grant.
c. federal mandate.
d. revenue sharing.
e. leverage package.

Back 149

c

Front 150

Since the 1990s, the Supreme Court's decisions on federalism have
a. continued the precedents established by John Marshall in McCulloch v. Maryland and Gibbons v. Ogden.
b. provided a broad interpretation of the commerce clause that justifies extensive national involvement in many areas.
c. allowed the federal government to involve itself in areas that are primarily local in character.
d. shown a willingness to allow the federal government to extend its power when it deals with sensitive areas such as gun control and violence against women.
e. been establishing limits on the national government's powers under the commerce clause.

Back 150

e

Front 151

In 1999 and the early 2000s, the Supreme Court has used the ______ amendments to justify decisions that bolstered the authority of state governments.
a. 5th and 7th
b. 10th and 11th
c. 14th and 18th
d. 19th and 20th
e. 19th and 22nd

Back 151

b

Front 152

Which of the following is an essential consideration when writing a letter to the editor of a local paper?
a. Covering a wide range of topics
b. Making your letter as detailed and in-depth as possible
c. Not making any judgments a reader might disagree with
d. Making sure your topic is newsworthy and timely
e. Leaving out your own experiences

Back 152

d