Political science: Unit 1

The Fifth Amendment to the Bill of Rights protects which right of American citizens?

Against Double Jepordy, Due process of law before the government can deprive someone of life, liberty and happiness ,

Which of the following statements best illustrates the significance of Shay's Rebellion in American history?

it exposed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, ultimately leading to calls for a stronger federal government and the creation of the U.S. Constitution

Which of the following decided the issue of representation of slaves

Three-Fifths Compromise

The Bill of Rights includes:

the first 10 amendments

In developing the United States Constitution, which of the following plans called for a strong national government with three separate branches

Virginia Plan

Which of the following best describes a result of the Great (Connecticut) Compromise

resulted in a bicameral legislature,

In order to secure ratification of the Constitution, what did James Madison and the Federalist offer as a carrot to to Anti-Federalist?

to add a "Bill of Rights" to the document

Which of the following items was NOT included in the Articles of Confederation?

to ability to tax state governments

Using actions rather than words to convey an idea would be an example of

symbolic speech

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause?

Establishment Clause provides a separation between Church and state, Free exercise protects most religious practices

Which of the following government would be an example of a unitary government?

Great Britan

According to the capitalist theory and Adam Smith, what role should the government play in the regulation of the economy?

the government should have a laissez-faire approach and encourage free enterprise

Which of the following IS allowed under the 1st amendment?

expression

Which amendment states any right not stated in the Constitution belongs to the poeple?

9th Amendment

One real problem the U.S. Government had that lessened the confidence that people had in its ability to survive was...?

The Central government could not pay off its war debts to its soldiers or other countries

According to the compromise reached in creating the U.S. Constitution, how much were slaves counted in terms of taxation and representation?

Counted as 3/5 of the person for both taxes and representation

The Supreme Court has ruled on many 1st amendment cases. Which of the following has been ruled ALLOWED by the court?

burning the American flag in protest

In which of the following is a warrant absolutely NEEDED to search?

to search a person's home

If you are unable to afford an attorney, the government DOES NOT need to provide on for you.

False

In a democracy, where is the sovereignty located?

the people

Which is not a basic concept of democracy?

equal distribution of wealth

Which is not a feature of a state?

Democracy

What type of government is also known as a totalitarian dictatorship?

autocracy

Which of the following is NOT one of the six principles of the Constitution?

majority rule respecting minority rights

How does the legislative branch check the power of the judicial branch?

the power of impeachment

Which of the following is the BEST example of checks and balances as it functions today?

The ratification of treaties by the Senate

Which of the following documents BEST describes a government based on unity, natural rights, and the social contract theory?

Declaration of Independence

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of pluralist and elite theory?

Pluralist: No one group dominates on every issue, but groups compete for power

ELITE THEORY: A powerful group of corporate leaders that strongly influence government

Which of the following is an example of the system of checks and balances under the U.S. Constitution?

Congress can pass legislation over a presidential veto by a two-thirds votes of both houses of Congress.

Which of the following documents is based on the principles of natural rights and social contract?

Declaration of Independence 

In the original Constitution, which would be an example of a direct democracy?

Popular election of the House of Representatives

The fabric of the American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of "the consent of the people". The streams of national power ought to flow from that pure original fountain of all legitimate authority.

-Alexander Hamilton, Federalist #22

What tenet of American government is Hamilton referring to in the Federalist #22?

Popular sovereignty 

The social contract theory calls for an agreement between

The people and the government

The judicial branch's primary powers in checks and balances is to

declare laws and executive orders unconstitutional.

We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

-Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence

In the Constitution that was written after the Declaration of Independence, what part is a good example of unalienable rights?

Bill of Rights

Which pairing presents examples of the constitutional principles of checks and balances and separation of powers?

Congress's ability to override a veto | The advice and consent role of the Senate.

The United States in Congress assembled shall never engage in a war, nor grant letters of marque or reprisal in time of peace, nor enter into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money, nor regulate the value thereof, nor ascertain the sums and expenses necessary for the defense and welfare of the United States, or any of them, nor emit bills, nor borrow money on the credit of the United States, nor appropriate money, nor agree upon the number of vessels of war, to be built or purchased, or the number of land or sea forces to be raised, nor appoint a commander in chief of the army or navy, unless nine States assent to the same.

-The Articles of Confederation, 1781

Which of the following statements best illustrates the central idea of this except from the Articles of Confederation?

A majority of states had to agree on major decisions affecting the new nation.

A majority of states had to agree on major decisions affecting the new nation. - no response given

The United States in Congress assembled shall never engage in a war, nor grant letters of marque or reprisal in time of peace, nor enter into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money, nor regulate the value thereof, nor ascertain the sums and expenses necessary for the defense and welfare of the United States, or any of them, nor emit bills, nor borrow money on the credit of the United States, nor appropriate money, nor agree upon the number of vessels of war, to be built or purchased, or the number of land or sea forces to be raised, nor appoint a commander in chief of the army or navy, unless nine States assent to the same.

-The Articles of Confederation, 1781

The excerpt best supports which of the following arguments?

the Articles of Confederation created an inefficient national government.

Which of the following is an accurate comparison between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan?

Virgina Plan: Representation by population in Congress

New Jersey Plan: Equal representation in Congress

Compared to government under the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution:

called for separation of powers among the three branches.

Amending the Constitution is a multi-step process. Which of the following is one of those steps?

proposal at the national level.

Which of the following BEST describes the position of the Federalist and Anti-Federalist regarding the powers given to the national government under the proposed U.S. Constitution?

The Federalist wanted a stronger national government while the Anti-Federalist wanted stronger state governments.

Which of the following is an example of an informal amendment to the Constituion

use of executive agreements rather than treaties.

The powers of the federal government are enumerated; it can only operate in certain cases; it has legislative powers on defined and limited objects, beyond which it cannot extend its jurisdiction.

-James Madison

In the above quote, James Madison is making an argument that the Constitution calls for a

limited government

The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those that are to remain in the state governments are numerous and indefinite.

-James Madison, Federalist #45

In Federalist #45, Madison is trying to sell the new Constitution to citizens of New York. His pitch to the citizens is that this is a constitution that promotes

limited government

The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those that are to remain in the state governments are numerous and indefinite.

-James Madison, Federalist #45

What powers is Madison describing that the federal government has that are "few and defined"?

expressed powers

The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those that are to remain in the state governments are numerous and indefinite.

-James Madison, Federalist #45

What is Madison describing that gives the state governments "numerous and indefinite" powers?

reserved powers

The New Jersey Plan, an alternative to the Virginia Plan, received states' rights support because it

maintained the one-state, one-vote structure that existed under the Articles of Confederation

In a federal government, how is the power of the government organized?

The power is shared between the states and the central government

Federalism as a form of government has many disadvantages. A major disadvantage is

Conflicts may arise over authority of government

Cooperative federalism can best be describes as

"marble cake" federalism

All of the following are examples of reserved powers EXCEPT:

power to establish tax on imports (tariff).

All of the following are examples of an expressed power EXCEPT:

power to tax

"Many causes contribute to dispersed power in the federal system. One is the simple historical fact that the states existed before the nation. A second is in the form of creed, the traditional opinion of Americans that expresses distrust of centralized power and places great value in the strength and vitality of local units of gov­ernment. Another is pride in locality and state, nurtured by the nation's size and by variations of regional and state history. Still a fourth cause of decentralization is the sheer wealth of the nation. It allows all groups, including state and local governments, to partake of the central govern­ment's largesse, supplies room for experimenta­tion and even waste, and makes unnecessary the tight organization of political power that must follow when the support of one program neces­sarily means the deprivation of another."

-Morton Grodzins, The Federal System

Which statement best summarizes the author's argument?

The purpose of federalism is the distribution of power between central and regional units of government.

Which of the following is American federalism most clearly exemplified?

The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution

The principle that states MUST honor each other's laws and court records is known as: Example: If you receive a driver's license in one state it is legal in any other state you travel or move to.

full faith and credit

Concurrent Powers

those powers that are shared by both the federal and state governments.

Reserved Powers

are those powers that are not specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution and are instead reserved for the states. This concept is established by the Tenth Amendment.

Express Powers

are those powers specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution.

Implied Powers

are those powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but are suggested through the use of the Necessary and Proper Clause

Inherent powers

that are not explicitly outlined in the Constitution but are assumed to be held by the federal government as a sovereign entity.

The principle that states NO laws may go against the Contitution?

Supremacy Clause

Which of the following best describes a disadvantage of federalism?

It may create a duplication of offices.

Under the Constitution, who elects the president?

E;ectoral college

Which founding father was concerned? The Constitution gave too much power to the national government?

Thomas Jefferson

The Articles of Confederation created a government that was weak in inefficient.

True

The Constitution was created to be inflexible and difficult to adapt to changing times.

False

This model of democracy belives that those with power and money are the only ones with influence in government

Elitist

This model of democracy believes that having many groups of different interest and goals drives public policy

pluralist

Under the system created by the Framers, government powers derive authority from

The people

Before the ratification of the Constitution, the US was organized as a(n)

Confederation

The 17th Amendment gave the people the power to elect which of the following?

Senators

The power of both the state & federal govs to levy taxes is an example of what type of power

Concurrent powers

The New Deal best exemplifies which type of federalism?

cooperative

What was the dominant form of federalism before the New Deal

Dual

Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution is home to which powers?

Legislative

The protest of farmers who were upset by foreclosures by state courts was...

Shay's Rebellion

To ratify (approve) an amendment, the Constitution requires consent from...

3/4ths of the states

The idea of the Consent of the Governed comes from which of the following?

Social Contract Theory

Which article in the Constitution sets up the Legislative Branch?

1

Which article of the Constitution sets up the Executive Branch?

2

Which Article of the Constitution sets up the Judicial Branch

3

Civil liberties protections are protected in which part of the Constitution?

The Bill of Rights

Why did we need the Great Compromise?

for representation in Congress

Who liked the idea of a strong state gov. and weak national gov?

The Anti-Federalists

Which was a major problem under the Articles of Confederation?

legislative branch had no real power

The power to prevent tyranny in any one branch represents which principle of the Constitution?

Checks and Balances

What is found in Article I of the Constitution?

necessary and proper clause

What was the purpose of the Federalist Papers?

To persuade others on strengths of The Constitution

What two types of powers are set up in Article I section 8 of the Constitution?

Which Amendment holds the Reserved Powers?

10th

What type of Powers are shared by the states and national governments?

concurrent

Which clause makes sure that judicial contracts are binding and enforced from state to state?

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Which grant allocates money for a specific purpose?

categorical

Which is a reserved power of the states?

graduation requirements

In a democracy, where is sovereignty located?

the people

Which of the following is a check of power compared to a separtion of power?

president veto; presidnt enforce federal laws

The Virginia Plan proposed what in regards to representation?

by population