American Government - Chapters 3&4
What is a grand jury?
-a jury that determines whether there is enough evidence to justify a trial
The privileges and immunities clause of Article IV is also referred to as the______
-comity clause
How has the structure of federalism made way for the longevity of the US government?
-it has allowed for many divisive policy decisions to be made by states, rather than the national government -it has kept the national government small and aloof throughout most of america's history -it has allowed states to develop in numerous and different ways
What was the fate of the alien and sedition acts during the 1970s?
-the acts were allowed to expire without the supreme court ruling on them
The supreme court has traditionally allowed government aid to religious schools only if______
-the aid has a secular purpose -the aid neither advances nor inhibits religion -the aid does not excessively entangle government in the affairs of religious institutions
Which of the following is an example of the police powers of state government?
-the establishment and funding of a system of criminal law -the regulation of health codes -law establishing curfews
The constitutional basis for the nationalization of the bill of rights is______
14th amendment
The bill of rights was ratified by the states in_______
1791
In what year was freedom of speech extended to protect against the acts of state governments?
1925
In _________, the supreme court reinterpreted the commerce clause, changing it from a check on national power to a source of national power.
1937
Congressional grants paid for_______ percent of the development of an interstate highway after WWI.
90%
Which nation does not have a strong federal system?
France
Which president presided over the new deal?
Franklin Roosevelt
Which president was the first to promote new federalism?
Richard Nixon
What did the supreme court decide in kelo v. city of new london (2005)?
a city can seize land from private owner and transfer it to another private owner as part of a redevelopment plan
When both state and national governments possess a certain level of authority, it is called______.
a concurrent power
Griswold v. connecticut (1965) and roe v. wade (1973) have been extremely important in the development of _____
a constitutional right to privacy
When the national government appropriates money to the states but simultaneously demands the authority to dictate its distribution, this money is identified as_______
a grant-in-aid
During the great depression, a camp of unemployed individuals who had lost their homes was referred to as______
a hooverville
The due process clause of the fifth amendment is best described as________
a procedural civil liberty
Which of the following best reflects the supreme court's position on commercial speech such as advertisements?
advertisements receive limited first amendment protection
Federal officials seeking to give state governments more authority are most likely to support________
block grants
. A federal grant for states to afford increasing health care facilities would be an example of a______
categorical grant
In west virginia state board of edu v. barnette the supreme court announced that_______
children cannot be required to attend school past the age of twelve
Which level of government is not mentioned at all in the constitution?
city government
The first and most famous test for determining when the gov could intervene to suppress political speech was called the
clear and present danger test
Chartering banks is a ______ power, because both federal and state governments have the authority to do it.
concurrent
When the national government funds a project that is actually implemented by the states, it is an example of_______
cooperative federalism
The eighth amendment prohibits________
cruel and unusual punishment
________ describes the strategy of delegating a policy program to a lower level of government
devolution
Many of the debates concerning federalism reflect_____
differing views about the ultimate goal of government itself
Nations that adopt a federal arrangement tend to have_______
diverse ethnic or language groups
According to the text, what is the constitutional problem relating to the nationalization of the bill of rights?
does the bill of rights put limits only on the national government, or does it limit state governments as well?
Which of the following is not a liberty protected by the bill of rights?
equal protection of the laws
Gibbons v. Ogden was important because it
established the supremacy of the national government in all matters affecting interstate commerce
The lemon test involves what part of the constitution?
establishment clause
During most of the 19th century, congress used its powers to ________ commerce.
facilitate
"Due process of law" in the US is generally defined by the______
fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth amendments
The _________ of the first amendment protects an individual's right to believe and practice whatever religion she or he chooses
free exercise clause
The rights to assembly and petition are guaranteed by the same amendment guaranteeing________
free speech
The _______clause of the constitution requires that states should normally recognize the laws, acts, and judicial decisions of other states.
full faith and credit
The form of federal assistance called______ provides money to the state governments with no strings attached.
general revenue sharing
Which supreme court case has not limited federal power?
gibbons v. ogden
In criminal cases, the burden of proof lies with the
government prosecutor
What was the main reason that Alexander Hamilton did not want a bill of rights?
he believed it was unnecessary for a government that possessed only specifically delegated powers
If a state grants a city the ability to govern its own local affairs, this delegation of power is known as_____
home rule
The term "marble cake" federalism is meant to refer to what development?
intergovernmental cooperation blurring the lines between different layers of government
The bill of rights_____
is the first ten amendments to the constitution
What is the main purpose behind the privileges and immunities clause of article IV?
it prevents a state from discriminating against nonresidents
Which of the following statements concerning west virginia state board of edu v. barnette is false?
it was decided in 1968, in the midst of the vietnam war
Why was the supreme court case United States v. Lopez important?
it was the first time since the new deal that the supreme court limited the power of congress outlined under the commerce clause
Who wrote the supreme court opinions in both McCulloch v. Maryland and Gibbons v. Ogden?
john marshall
What were the alien and sedition acts?
laws passed in the 1790s that made it a crime to say or publish anything that would defame the government of the united states
The requirement that persons under arrest be informed of their right to remain silent is known as the __________ rule.
miranda
The source of an implied power under the constitution is the _______ clause
necessary and proper
Which of the following describes constitutionally permitted relationships between the states?
no state shall enter into a contract or agreement with another state
. Which figure is most closely associated with the idea that the first amendment protects the "marketplace of ideas"?
oliver wendell holmes
A state's authority to regulate the safety, health, and morals of its citizens is called _______ power.
police
Which of the following forms of speech are given the highest level of protection by the supreme court?
political sedition
About what did justice potter stewart confess, "i know it when i see it"?
pornography
When alaska passed a law in the 1970s that gave state residents preference over nonresidents in obtaining work on oil pipelines, this law violated the ________
privileges and immunities clause
A ________ grant requires state and local governments to submit proposals to the federal government and compete for funding.
project
The fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth amendments are largely about____
protections for those accused of committing a crime
The substantive constraints found in the bill of rights________
put limits on what government shall and shall not have the power to do
The tenth amendment of the united states constitution addresses______
reserved powers
Which of the following rights has never been incorporated into the 14th amendment?
right to bear arms
The process by which the supreme court has expanded specific parts of the bill of rights to protect citizens against states and federal actions is called_________
selective incorporation
In a federal system a majority of governmental responsibilities are________
shared by both state and federal authorities
The right to legal counsel in a criminal proceeding is guaranteed by the
sixth amendment
Which of the following types of speech does not receive full first amendment protection?
slander, fighting words, obscenity
Which of the following is not a contractual topic between states?
state passport requirements
Over the course of american history, the federal government has grown ________ compared to the states
stronger
The court does not give full protection to fighting words because______
such words are not part of the essential exposition of ideas
Which constitutional amendment has been used to restrict the scope of authority by the federal government over the states?
tenth
The bill of rights was written because______
the anti-federalists demanded it as the price of ratification of the constitution
Which of the following is best description of the supreme court's first ruling on the issue of the nationalization of the bill of rights in 1833?
the bill of rights limits the national government but not state governments
Why was massachusetts's decision to recognize gay and lesbian marriages such a controversial issue of federalism?
the constitution requires all states to honor and recognize the official acts of other states
The case of gideon v. wainwright established the right _______
the counsel in felony cases
Why did the supreme court rule that the religious freedom restoration act was unconstitutional?
the court argued that only the judiciary can interpret the scope of the bill of rights
Which statement best describes the supreme court's trend in interpreting federalism since the mid 1900s?
the court has limited the power of the national government over the state governments
Federal laws concerning crime mostly deal with________
the district of columbia and other federal territories
The wall of separation between church and states is best found in what clause of the constitution?
the establishment clause
. How did the traditional system of dual federalism establish a "commercial republic"?
the function of the federal government was to promote and assist commerce
Which event was most influential in the rise of a more active national government?
the great depression
What was one effect of dual federalism during the early republic?
the national government was spared the task of making difficult policy decisions, such as the regulation of slavery, because the states did it themselves
The term eminent domain describes
the power of the government to take private property for public use
What was the "Southern Manifesto"?
the refusal by southern congressmen in 1956 to obey supreme court decisions outlawing racial segregation
The second amendment to the US constitution deals with
the right to bear arms
The current prohibition on states to criminalize abortion is based on_____
the right to privacy
Which level of government writes the majority of criminal laws?
the state governments
In order for a public official to win a libel suit against a news medium, the official must prove_________
the story was false and malicious
Which of the following statements concerning the death penalty is false?
the united states legally executes more people than any other nation in the world
What principle did the supreme court establish in 2002, concerning the use of tax-supported vouchers for religious schools?
the use of vouchers was acceptable, as long as the parents had a choice between secular and religious schools
During the era of dual federalism, what was the primary goal of the federal government's domestic policies?
to assist the development of commercial activity within and between the states
What is the purpose of the 10th amendment?
to limit the powers of the central gov by establishing reserved powers for states and individuals
The controversy over suspicionless drug tests as school and in the workplace pits the government's war on drugs against the right_____
to privacy from unwarranted searches
Disapproval over unfunded mandates is most common among those who want_____
to reduce the power of federal government
Since 1973, the right to an abortion has been
upheld but narrowed in scope
Which of the following statements regarding the law and the internet is false?
while there have been a number of bills concerning internet regulation, as of 2008 no federal laws have been passed