Gov Final

What is constitutional government?

A state whose government's powers are limited by a constitution

Which of the following was NOT one of the ways or influences the Founders learned about government?

Local self-government could not coexist with a distant central authority

The devotion of citizens to the common good in the Roman Republic was a central feature of the political ideas we now call _______.

classical republicanism

What three aspects of classical republicanism were particularly influential for the founding generation of Americans?

Small, uniform communities; citizenship and civic virtue; moral education

Which of the following was NOT a component of moral education according to classical republicans?

Young people should be free to pursue their self-interest, even if this meant that they also abstained from participating in political debate and performing military service.

Which of the following was NOT a feature of the natural rights philosophy that influenced the founding generation?

Equality for all humans

How did the Renaissance and the Reformation contribute to ideas about rights?

A. Both movements stimulated ideas about the importance of the individual and moved society toward the idea that the individual was more important than the class or group into which the individual had been born

How did the Enlightenment inspire the Founding Fathers?

They believed that reason and observation, complemented by the study of history and writers such as Locke and Montesquieu, would enable them to understand the workings of governmental and social institutions.

Which of the following is NOT true about the development of common law in England?

Under the common law there can be no changes made by judges that violate precedent, even minor ones.

At least three principles contained in the Magna Carta were important in the later development of constitutional government. What are they?

rule of law, basic rights, government by agreement or contract

What is the important connection to constitutional government of the Mayflower Compact to the future United States of America?

D. Both A and B

Who did NOT benefit from the rights expressed in colonial documents?

All of the above

All of the following were features of colonial constitutions and charters, EXCEPT

Universal male suffrage

How did government in the Colonies compare to government in Britain?

Since land was relatively easy to obtain in America, the body of eligible voters was far larger than in Britain

Which of the following best describes the political relationship between Great Britain and its American colonies up until the mid-1760s?

The colonists were British subjects, subject to the authority of the King and Parliament, yet it was their local elected assemblies that mattered most since they made the laws and decided on the taxes paid in each colony.

Which of the following is TRUE about the Declaration of independence?

All of the above

Which of the following is NOT found in the Declaration of Independence?

justification for revolution against government

What was the status of the colonies after the signing of the Declaration of Independence?

E. All of the above

All of the following were true about state constitutions, EXCEPT

Governors played an important role in lawmaking.

Which of the following is TRUE about the United States after it declared independence, but remained at war with Great Britain?

C. To the people, their state was their country

Which of the following is a way the Founders dealt with the fears of the people when they created the Articles of Confederation?

They created a weak central government

All of the following was a serious problem the nation faced under the Articles of Confederation, EXCEPT

Congress could not declare war.

How did the Articles of Confederation deal with the issue of representation in Congress?

It gave the states with large populations more representatives

What was an important outcome of Shays Rebellion?

Because the national government was weak, many people worried that it might not be able to maintain law and order.

What was the purpose of the convention that Congress called for in Philadelphia in 1787?

C. To recommend amendments to the Articles of Confederation

Which of the following is a basic idea about government that the Framers agreed should be included in the new government created by the U.S. Constitution?

The purpose of government should be to protect fundamental rights and promote the common good.

All of the following were TRUE about the Virginia Plan, EXCEPT

The citizens of each of the states would elect members of both houses of the legislature.

What was one of the most important conflicts that the Framers (delegates) discussed at the Philadelphia Convention?

Whether states or people were represented in the national legislature

How did the Great Compromise solve the problem of representation in the legislature?

All of the above

Under the Three-Fifths Compromise

All of the above

When it comes to the Framers' ideas about the balance of power among branches of government, all of the following are true, EXCEPT?

The Framers strongly believed that elected judges would be more likely to uphold individual rights and resist majority pressures.

What are enumerated powers?

Powers given (to Congress) that are specifically listed in a constitution

The Framers faced all of the following challenges in creating the executive branch, EXCEPT

There was disagreement on whether an executive branch was even needed

All of the following were key points of discussion and disagreement about the executive branch the Framers discussed and resolved at the Philadelphia Convention, EXCEPT

Should the executive be able to commit the armed forces to military action for extended periods without congressional authorization?

How is the president of the United States elected?

By winning a majority of the electoral votes.

Why did the Framers create the Electoral College?

D. Both A and B

Which of the following is NOT an argument for keeping the Electoral College?

The Electoral College reflects the principle of "one person, one vote".

On what did the Framers agree when it came to judicial power and the organization of a judicial branch?

A national government needed a system for deciding cases involving its laws that were not subject to different enforcement or interpretation depending on the state.

What does the supremacy clause of the Constitution do?

D. Both a and b

What obligations does the national government have to the states under the Constitution?

D. Both a and b

Which of the following is NOT a limitation the Framers placed on the national government when they wrote the Constitution in 1787?

Congress could not establish an official religion, nor inhibit or aid any religion.

Which of the following was NOT a limit the Framers placed on state governments?

regulating intrastate commerce

What was the strongest argument of the Anti-Federalists?

the lack of a bill of rights

Which of the following is TRUE about Federalist 10?

E. All of the above

The Fourteenth Amendment specifically forbids the states from denying to anyone

equal protection of the laws.

Over the last 100 years, the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment have become the vehicle for

expansive constitutional interpretation to outlaw arbitrary classifications which deny equality under the law.

Jim Crow laws

imposed legal segregation on African Americans in the South after the Civil War.

One consequence of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was

dramatic increase in the number of African Americans registered to vote in the South.

The Supreme Court in Marbury v. Madison (1803) asserted the power of the Court to

check the actions of the other branches through judicial review.

In the case of Dred Scott v. Sanford, the United States Supreme Court

ruled that a black man, slave or free, was ʺchattel,ʺ and upheld slavery itself as constitutional.

All of the following amendments expanded suffrage, EXCEPT

25th

Which of the following best states what the Framers thought of political parties?

They saw them as factions that could be controlled by the Constitution.

Political parties play all of the following roles in in today’s political system, EXCEPT

They help to unite Americans around supporting the president's policies.

Under which of the following circumstances did the Supreme Court allow the government to impose restrictions on a group of people under the strict scrutiny test?

the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II

All of the following statements are TRUE about the Framers and the Amendment process, EXCEPT

The Framers gave the President an important role in the amendment process.

On the subject of slavery, the US Constitution written in 1787

gave the national government no enumerated power over slavery within states.

What issues did the Civil War and Reconstruction resolve that were left unanswered by the Framers?

All of the above

The principle that government must follow known and established procedures and may not act arbitrarily or unpredictably in negatively altering life, liberty, or property

All of the above

An important distinction between the Fifth Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment is that

the Fourteenth Amendment imposes the requirement of due process on the states and gives Congress the power to enforce the requirement through appropriate legislation, while the Fifth Amendment only applies to the national government.

All of the following are subject to judicial review, except:

Decisions by private corporations affecting employees

Which of the following is NOT true about procedural due process in the United States?

It applies to criminal matters or only to those civil matters involving threats to life and liberty.

The legal system of the United States

is known as an adversarial system.

Which of the following is NOT true about substantive due process?

Supreme Court justices have been fairly consistent on what rights they deem fundamental.

Which of the following is TRUE about the doctrine of incorporation?

It uses the Fourteenth Amendment to apply certain Bill of Rights protections to the states.

How did some states prevent African American men (as well as many Mexican American men) from voting after the Fifteenth Amendment was added?

All of the above

Which of the following is TRUE about the rational basis level of scrutiny?

It assumes the law or action is valid as long as it is reasonably related to a legitimate government interest.

How does the separation of powers in the U.S. government differ from that in the British parliamentary system?

In the U.S., the executive and legislative branches are separate, while in Britain they are closely linked.

Which of the following best exemplifies Congress's enumerated powers as outlined in the Constitution?

The power to regulate commerce with foreign nations

. The "necessary and proper" clause, also known as the elastic clause, is significant because it:

Allows Congress to make laws essential for executing its enumerated powers

Why is gerrymandering a controversial practice in the context of congressional districting?

It can manipulate district boundaries to favor a particular political party

What role does the Senate play in the appointment of federal officials, according to Article II of the Constitution?

The Senate must advise and consent to presidential appointments

Which of the following best describes the tension in theories of representation for members of Congress?

Whether to act as delegates mirroring constituents' views or as trustees using their own judgment

How might a member of Congress's engagement in casework affect their relationship with constituents? 73

It may create a positive view even if the constituent disagrees on issues

How did the Framers of the Constitution envision the presidency? 83

As an official above partisan politics with exceptional character

Which of the following best describes how the modern presidency has evolved compared to the Framers' original vision? 84

It has taken on a more partisan role than originally intended

What is the primary purpose of congressional committees and subcommittees?

To examine proposals carefully and hear various perspectives

How do oversight hearings contribute to the work of Congress?

They enable Congress to review how administrative agencies carry out laws

What is a key difference between House and Senate rules regarding debate?

The Senate allows filibusters, while the House does not

What is the significance of the cloture vote in the Senate?

It can end a filibuster and bring a proposal to a vote

Which of the following best describes the role of the Speaker of the House?

A powerful figure who controls committee appointments and the legislative agenda

What is the primary role of the Rules Committee in the House?

To decide which bills come to the floor and set debate rules

Which of the following best describes the process of how a bill becomes a law?

It goes through committee review, floor votes in both chambers, possible conference committee, and presidential action

Which of the following statements about the lawmaking process is most accurate?

The process demonstrates checks and balances in action

What is the purpose of a conference committee?

To reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill

What did Alexander Hamilton mean when he argued for an "energetic" executive?

he president should have the capacity to act efficiently and vigorously

Which president is credited with establishing the "bully pulpit" concept?

Theodore Roosevelt

How did Franklin D. Roosevelt expand the power of the presidency during his tenure?

By consolidating power through New Deal reforms and wartime leadership

Which of the following is NOT one of the president's constitutional powers in foreign policy and national security?

Declaring war

How has the commander-in-chief power been used by modern presidents?

To send troops abroad without declarations of war

Which of the following best explains why presidential powers tend to expand during wartime and national emergencies?

Congress and the Supreme Court typically defer to the president in such times

Which statement best characterizes the historical trend of presidential power in the United States?

It has steadily increased since the founding of the nation

What paradoxical attitudes do polls show Americans hold about the presidency?

They want strong presidents but also fear activist ones

Which of the following is NOT listed as a reason for the expansion of presidential power?

Amendments to the Constitution granting new powers

How does the War Powers Resolution attempt to limit presidential authority?

By giving Congress sole power to declare and fund wars

According to the lesson, what factor can most significantly limit a president's power to carry out policy agendas?

Congressional opposition

Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of administrative agencies in the U.S. government?

To implement and enforce laws

What was the main reason Congress created the civil service system in 1883?

To replace patronage with merit-based hiring

Which of the following is NOT one of the three main categories of administrative organizations described in the lesson?

Congressional oversight committees

How do administrative agencies exercise "quasi-legislative" powers?

By adopting rules to implement congressional mandates

What was a major factor that contributed to significant growth of the national bureaucracy in the 1930s and 1940s?

The Great Depression and New Deal