AP Government Unit 1 Practice Multiple Choice Questions

The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation were:

The national government could not resolve state boundary disputes, currency was not accepted outside of local areas, the military could not put down even the smallest rebellions, and there was no national judicial system.... The national government did not have too much power

What was the result of the Great Compromise?

States were represented in the upper house, and individuals were represented in the lower house

Under the original Constitution, which branch or branches of government were selected directly by the citizens?

The House of Representatives

What is the main result of Judicial Review?

The Constitution is safeguarded from popular passions (of the majority)

The amendment process includes

a proposal accepted by 2/3 vote of Congress, a proposal accepted at a national convention called by Congress as requested by 2/3 of states, ratification by 3/4 of state legislatures, and ratification by 3/4 of states in special conventions

How does the Constitution provide an executive check on the judicial branch?

By nominating Federal judges, subject to Senate confirmation

How did the Anti-Federalists differ from the Federalists?

The Anti-Federalists believed that a strong central government would be too distant from the people

What guarantees of individual liberties were found in the original Constitution?

No religious tests to hold office

Some criticisms of of separation of powers are that

it creates gridlock in policy making, it makes it difficult for the government to act decisively in times of crisis, it makes it difficult to stimulate economic growth, and it damages our position of international leadership

What would be the impact of the line item veto on the separation of powers?

It would strengthen the presidency in relation to Congress

The best example of devolution is

block grants, by which money from the national government is given to the states for discretionary use with broad guidlines

The Founding Fathers devised a federal system because

federalism is one method for checking government's power and protecting personal liberty, concentrating power in a single entity might create tyranny, under the Articles of Confederation the national government was too dependent on states for survival, and a federal system provides balance of power between the state and national governments

The impact of the Tenth Amendment

is that it rarely had much practical significance

The constitutional provision that has been interpreted as weakening the 10th Amendment is

The Necessary and Proper clause

In McCulloch v Maryland, the Supreme Court determined that

To carry out its economic powers Congress may reasonably decide to create a national bank, the Necessary and Proper clause enables Congress to take actions not specifically listed in the Constitution, and that states may not tax any federal institution

The concept that the national government is supreme in its own sphere while the states are equally supreme in theirs is known as

Dual Federalism

States have found federal funding attractive because

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the national government had surplus money to spend on the states, in the late 20th century the income tax provided a flexible source of federal grant money, the federal government can print money when it is needed to fund programs, and state politicians can get federal money without having to take the unpopular political position of supporting expanding government

States prefer block grants to categorical grants because

Block grants allow states to spend funds on any governmental purpose

Various pollution control laws require states to comply with federal standards for clean air, pure drinking water, and sewage treatment. These provisions are examples of

Mandates

For representative government to work, what must be present?

The opportunity for individuals to run for office, freedom of expression, competition among political parties, and voter perception that there is a meaningful choice

What were the beliefs of the Framers of the Constitution?

They favored representative democracy over direct democracy, they believed that most citizens did not have the time, information, and expertise to make informed decisions, they recognized that representative democracy would proceed slowly, and they insisted on the protection of civil rights and civil liberties

The pluralist theory states that

There are so many groups that none of them can dominate the political process

Political events that show that Americans have sometimes taken risks too benefit future generations include

The revolutionary movement of the 1770's and 1780's and the battle for civil rights in the 1950's and 1960's

An example of political beliefs changing overtime is

Americans wanting the federal government to play a bigger role in our lives until the 1980's, when this trend was reversed

One of the best barometers for measuring changes in who governs is

An analysis of the policy process and changes in the laws

The best evidence that direct democracy is expanding in America today is that

In many states voters can decide on issues through referendums

The most basic definition of democracy is

Rule by the many

Criticisms of direct democracy include

People have limited time and energy to consider the issues, people don't have enough expertise in many policy areas, people make decisions based on fleeting passions, and people will respond to popular demagogues

How are power and authority related?

A government can have power without having authority