AP Gov. Unit 1 Multiple Choice Questions

In which case did the Supreme Court decide that a compelling interest for promoting diversity on campus existed? a. Grutter v. Bollinger b. Johnson v. Transportation Agency, Santa Clara County c. Regents of the University of California v. Bakke d. Reed v. Reed e. Brown v. Board of Education

a. Grutter v. Bollinger

The case in which Chief Justice John Marshall first asserted the right of the Supreme Court to determine the meaning of the U.S. Constitution was a. Marbury v. Madison b. McCulloch v. Maryland c. United States v. Eichman d. Dred Scott v. Sandford e. None of the above is true

a. Marbury v. Madison

The principle that "obscenity is not within the area of constitutionally protected speech or press" was established in a. Roth v. United States b. Osborne v. Ohio c. Miller v. California d. United States v. Snepp e. Ohio v. Pussycat Theater

a. Roth v. United States

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? a. Thomas Jefferson b. Benjamin Franklin c. Richard Henry Lee d. Thomas Paine e. John Adams

a. Thomas Jefferson

In its 1995 ruling in Adarand Constructors v. Pena, the Supreme Court a. changed direction and began to curtail federal use of affirmative action programs b. outlawed discrimination against women in the construction industry c. mandated an expansion of federal affirmative action programs d. upheld federal affirmative action programs as constitutional e. broadened the scope of state and local affirmative action programs that it considers constitutional

a. changed direction and began to curtail federal use of affirmative action programs

Which is responsible for enforcing the Voting Rights Act? a. congress b. county boards of elections c. state governments d. the U.S. justice department e. the equal opportunity commission

a. congress

The foundation of Locke's philosophy was that human beings a. derive their rights from nature b. have rights that are granted them by the government c. determine their own rights d. derive their rights from God e. are granted rights by their king

a. derive their rights from nature

The Constitution states that Congress has the power to establish post offices. This is an example of a. enumerated powers b. delegated powers c. implied powers d. reserved powers e. shared powers

a. enumerated powers

The supremacy clause a. establishes the Constitution, laws of national government, and treaties as the supreme law of the land b. establishes the Supreme Court as the final arbiter in all civil and criminal disputes c. declares that the national government is superior to the states in every concern d. states that powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by the states, are reserved to the states e. states that the people are the supreme authority in the United States and that the government shall be subservient to them

a. establishes the Constitution, laws of national government, and treaties as the supreme law of the land

Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the _______ Amendment a. first b. second c. third d. fourth e. tenth

a. first

The Thirteenth Amendment a. forbade slavery and involuntary servitude b. gave African Americans the right to vote c. repealed the twelfth amendment d. established the principle of separate but equal e. repealed prohibition

a. forbade slavery and involuntary servitude

In NAACP v. Alabama (1958), the Supreme Court ruled that forcing the NAACP to turn over its membership list to the state of Alabama was an unconstitutional violation of the NAACP's a. freedom of association b. freedom of expression c. freedom of religion d. freedom of belief e. None of these are correct

a. freedom of association

In Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 (2007), the Supreme Court a. held that the school district's use of race in voluntary integration plans violated the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of equal protection b. held that the school district's use of race in voluntary integration plans was constitutional c. held that school districts inherently possessed an inherent interest in remedying the effects of past segregation and, thus, could consider race in their strategies toward integration d. ruled that school districts could consider race as a primary factor in preventing resegregation of public schools e. overturned previous rulings that prohibited the consideration of race in determining the boundaries of public school districts

a. held that the school district's use of race in voluntary integration plans violated the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of equal protection

When it comes to classifications on the basis of race, the Supreme Court applies the ___________ standard of review a. inherently suspect b. intermediate scrutiny c. reasonableness d. strict scrutiny e. stare decisis

a. inherently suspect

The Voting Rights Act of 1982 a. insisted that minorities be able to "elect representatives of their choice" b. upheld states' practices of racial gerrymandering to increase the numbers of racial minorities elected to office c. required that the redrawing of district boundaries avoid discriminatory intent but not necessarily discriminatory results d. required that the redrawing of district boundaries avoid both discriminatory intent and results e. ruled that district lines could not be redrawn

a. insisted that minorities be able to "elect representatives of their choice"

Which of the following best describes the United States government under the Articles of Confederation? a. it was weak and ineffective b. it was frequently involved in foreign affairs c. it was very large and bureaucratic d. it was dictatorial e. it was a puppet for George Washington

a. it was weak and ineffective

Which of the following comprised the core of agreement among the delegates to the Constitutional Convention? a. most were residents of western frontiers b. they were all men c. a significant number were urbanites d. many were college graduates e. they were mostly wealthy planters

a. most were residents of western frontiers

Locke believed that government must be built a. on the consent of the governed b. on the laws of the previous government c. on the morals of the rulers d. on laws given by the king e. on the continuity of government, thus all efforts to overthrow a government are treason

a. on the consent of the governed

In Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), the Supreme Court a. ruled that various portions of the Bill of Rights cast "penumbras" protecting a right to privacy, including a right to family planning b. overturned a woman's legal right to abortion c. ruled that the state of Connecticut could legally ban the sale of contraceptives under state police powers of the Tenth Amendment d. held that abortion was a woman's legal right e. overturned a Connecticut state sodomy law

a. ruled that various portions of the Bill of Rights cast "penumbras" protecting a right to privacy, including a right to family planning

The Tenth Amendment is sometimes referred to as the ____________ amendment. a. states' rights b. implied powers c. delegated powers d. necessary and proper e. prohibition

a. states' rights

Which of the following was favored by the Anti-Federalists? a. stronger state governments b. weaker state governments c. longer terms for elected officials d. indirect elections of elected officials e. weakened protections for individuals liberties

a. stronger state governments

_____________ was proposed by William Patterson, in which each state was to be equally represented in the new Congress a. the New Jersey Plan b. the Connecticut Compromise c. the Virginia Plan d. the Federalist Papers e. the Articles of Confederation

a. the New Jersey Plan

All of the following areas provide examples of how federalism decentralizes our policies EXCEPT a. the federal income tax b. the regulation of abortion c. the death penalty d. the funding of education e. environmental protection

a. the federal income tax

Fiscal Federalism is a. the pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system b. the distinct separation of national government spending versus state and local government spending c. the federal government's regulation of the money supply and interest rates d. the federal income tax e. a sharing of local and national resources practice in other countries but not in the United States

a. the pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system

On the whole, federal grant distribution follows the principle of a. universalism b. stinginess c. cronyism d. to the victors go the spoils e. needs testing

a. universalism

Which Supreme Court justice wrote the opinion for Brown v. Board of Education (1954) a. Richard Taney b. Earl Warren c. William Rehnquist d. John Marshall e. John Roberts

b. Earl Warren

The 1954 Supreme Court case that extended protection against discrimination to Hispanics was a. Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martinez b. Hernandez v. Texas c. Thornburg v. Gingles d. Miller v. Johnson e. Hunt v. Cromartie

b. Hernandez v. Texas

The Supreme Court has ruled that government aid to church-related schools a. Is acceptable for things such as field trips and teacher salaries but not for textbooks or transportation to school b. Is permitted when the aid is for a non religious purpose c. Is acceptable if the school is affiliated with a major religion but not for small, fringe religious sects d. Violates the establishment clause

b. Is permitted when the aid is for a nonreligious purpose

Who authored The Second Treatise of Civil Government? a. Thomas Jefferson b. John Locke c. Thomas Paine d. James Madison e. Peyton Randolph

b. John Locke

Federalism is a way of organizing a nation so that a. power is centralized in state and local government b. both national and state levels of government have some authority over the same land and people c. there is one federal government, and all regional governments are administrative sub units of it d. power is centralized in the national government e. there are three branches of government and a system of checks and balances

b. both national and state levels of government have some authority over the same land and people

Funding for the interstate highway system is an example of a. dual federalism b. cooperative federalism c. tripartite federalism d. a unitary system of government e. national federalism

b. cooperative federalism

Title IX of the Education Act of 1972 a. requires gender parity in public school enrollments b. forbids gender discrimination in federally subsidized education programs, including athletics c. prohibits single-sex educational institutions and schools d. requires public school institutions to demonstrate equal average scores among male and female students on standardized tests e. allows gender discrimination in education if it can be demonstrated to be an "educational necessity"

b. forbids gender discrimination in federally subsidized education programs, including athletics

In 2008 in Boumediene v. Bush, the Supreme Court ruled that a. foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay do not have any constitutional right to challenge their detention in U.S. courts b. foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay have constitutional rights to challenge their detention in U.S. courts c. national security agency domestic spying and wiretapping of international telephone calls without court-approved warrants were unconstitutional d. national security agency domestic spying and wiretapping of international telephone calls without court-approved warrants were constitutional e. the USA PATRIOT Act was unconstitutional

b. foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay have constitutional rights to challenge their detention in U.S. courts

A marriage license issued in one state is valid and honored in all states under the constitutional provision of a. separation of powers b. full faith and credit c. national supremacy d. national licensure e. privileges and immunities

b. full faith and credit

Civil liberties are legal and constitutional protections against a. criminals b. government c. foreign invasions d. minority tyranny e. factions

b. government

Which of the following is NOT a constitutionally permissible limitation on the Second Amendment right to bear arms? a. background checks for gun buyers b. mandatory trigger locks c. prohibitions on concealed weapons d. limits on the possession of firearms by the mentally ill and by felons e. restrictions on dangerous and unusual weapons not typically used for self defense

b. mandatory trigger locks

Obtaining evidence in a haphazard or random manner, in violation of the Fourth Amendment, is known as a. bounty hunting b. unreasonable search and seizure c. a violation of privacy d. cruel and unusual punishment e. an ariel search

b. unreasonable search and seizure

The legal concept through which the Supreme Court has nationalized the Bill of Rights is called the a. Implied powers doctrine b. Enumerated powers doctrine c. Incorporation doctrine d. Disincorporation doctrine e. Due process doctrine

c. Incorporation doctrine

In what case did the Supreme Court rule that a newspaper, no matter how outrageous its opinions, must be allowed to publish without prior restraint? a. Wisconsin v. Yoder b. Miranda v. Arizona c. Near v. Minnesota d. New York Times v. Sullivan e. Mapp v. Ohio

c. Near v. Minnesota

The Supreme Court decision in Barron v. Baltimore (1833) maintained that the Bill of Rights intended to prevent a. Both the national and state governments from violating civil rights b. Cities from taking private property without due process c. Only the national government from abridging civil liberties d. The states from infringing on individual rights e. The United States government from granting titles of royalty

c. Only the national government from abridging civil liberties

Which amendment extended suffrage to African American men? a. thirteenth b. fourteenth c. fifteenth d. sixteenth e. nineteenth

c. fifteenth

The __________ amendment forbids forced self-incrimination, stating that no person "shall be compelled to be a witness against himself." a. first b. twenty-sixth c. fifth d. fourth e. ninth

c. fifth

Which of the following statements regarding the Constitution is FALSE? a. one of the central themes of American history has been the gradual democratization of the Constitution b. the original Constitution was characterized by numerous restrictions on direct voter participation c. the original Constitution offers numerous guidelines on voter eligibility d. five of the 17 constitutional amendments passed since the Bill of Rights have focused on the expansion of the electorate e. political change, such as the emergence of political parties, has contributed to the changing nature of the Constitution

c. the original Constitution offers numerous guidelines on voter eligibility

An amendment to the Constitution may be proposed by a. a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress b. a national convention called by Congress at the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures c. the request of the president of the United States d. All of these are true e. None of these are true

d. All of these are true

The largest minority group in the United States is a. Native Americans b. African Americans c. Japanese Americans d. Hispanic Americans e. Asian Americans

d. Hispanic Americans

In what case did the Supreme Court rule that suspects must be told of their constitutional rights to remain silent, that what they say can be used against them, and of their right to have an attorney present during any questioning? a. Gideon v. Wainright b. Near v. Minnesota c. Plucennik v. United States d. Miranda v. Arizona e. Mapp v. Ohio

d. Miranda v. Arizona

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 a. made racial discrimination illegal in places of public accommodation b. prohibited gender discrimination in the workplace c. prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the workplace and in educational settings d. all of these things are true e. none of these is true

d. all of these things are true

Over time, there has been a gradual change from a dual federalism to a(n) _________________ a. unitary b. single c. tripartite d. cooperative e. fiscal

d. cooperative

The set of interactions among national, state, and local governments is called a. pluralism b. bicameralism c. hyperpluralism d. intergovernmental relations e. international relations

d. intergovernmental relations

The publication of statements known to be false that are malicious and tend to damage a person's reputation is called a. obscenity b. symbolic speech c. slander d. libel e. fraud

d. libel

____________ requires employers to make "reasonable accommodations" and prohibits employment discrimination against people with disabilities a. the Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 b. the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 c. the Civil Rights Act of 1964 d. the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 e. the Age Discrimination in Employment Act

d. the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

In our federal system, the powers of the state governments are ultimately granted by a. their state's Supreme Court b. the people of their state c. their state legislature d. the United States Constitution e. the United States government

d. the United States Constitution

In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), Chief Justice Marshall argued that a. in cases of conflict between national and state law, the national law was supreme as long as the national law was in accordance with the Constitution b. the national government has implied powers that go beyond those explicitly enumerated in Article I, Section 8. c. Congress' enumerated power to coin money, regulate its value, and impose taxes implied the right of Congress to do whatever was necessary and proper for carrying out these powers, including the power to create a bank. d. Maryland could not tax the national bank e. All of the above were argued by Marshall

e. All of the above were argued by Marshall

The Dred Scott v. Sandford ruling was handed down by the Supreme Court a. a few years after the Civil War b. in 1896 c. during the Civil War d. in the 1950s e. a few years prior to the Civil War

e. a few years prior to the Civil War

Which of the following comprised the core of agreement among the delegates to the Constitutional Convention? a. beliefs about human nature b. beliefs about the causes of political conflict c. shared views regarding the objectives of the government d. understanding about the nature of republican government e. all of the above are true

e. all of the above are true

Since the mid-1990s, Republicans in Congress have taken a pragmatic approach to federalism evidenced by a. efforts to restrict state power while turning to the federal government in policy areas such as environmental regulation, immigration, and health b. legislation removing class action lawsuits from state courts c. the federal government's regulation of the money supply and interest rates d. extending federal criminal penalties e. all of these are evidence of Republicans' pragmatic approach

e. all of these are evidence of Republicans' pragmatic approach

Which of the following was NOT one of the features of the Madisonian system that sought to limit majority tyranny? a. separation of powers b. bicameral congress c. federalism d. life term tenure for judges e. bill of rights

e. bill of rights

A major purpose of the economic provisions in the Constitution was to a. promote a more equal distribution of wealth in the country b. guarantee the states a significant economic role c. preserve and strengthen the farm economy to the disadvantage of manufacturing d. establish a comprehensive set of social welfare programs to assist people in times of need e. create a strong national government so as to bring stability out of economic chaos

e. create a strong national government so as to bring stability out of economic chaos

What was the significance of the Annapolis meeting? a. it was the first national convention of women demanding the right to vote b. it issued the Declaration of Independence c. it dissolved the Continental Congress d. it selected George Washington as the first post-Revolutionary president e. it issued the first call for the Constitutional Convention, which would form in Philadelphia in 1787

e. it issued the first call for the Constitutional Convention, which would form in Philadelphia in 1787

According to Democracy in America, the rapid growth of the national government is largely due to the fact that a. the diversity of interests within and among the states requires a national focus b. states are constitutionally prohibited from maintaining independent defense forces and policies c. the states have failed to adequately represent their interests d. the Constitution requires that most programs be administered by the national government e. most problems and policies require the authority and resources of the national government

e. most problems and policies require the authority and resources of the national government

T or F: Discrimination on the basis of sex or gender must meet a higher standard of review than discrimination on the basis of race and/or ethnicity

false

T or F: Fiscal Federalism refers to a transferring of responsibility for public policy from the federal government to state and local governments

false

T or F: In the early part of American history, cooperative federalism characterized intergovernmental relations; the course of the twentieth century, in contrast, is primarily characterized by dual federalism.

false

T or F: Lethal injection has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court

false

T or F: Of the two types of factions, Madison and the Federalists feared minority tyranny the most.

false

T or F: The Equal Rights Amendment was ratified in 1973

false

T or F: The First Amendment, as originally understood, applied only to the national government

false

T or F: The numbers of death sentences grew dramatically between 1998 and 2009

false

T or F: The right to peaceably assemble is protected by the second amendment

false

T or F: There were 105 delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

false

T or F: the national government's share of American governmental expenditures has declined over the course of the twentieth century.

false

T or F: A constitution is a nation's basic law.

true

T or F: A warrant is not a constitutional requirement for a reasonable police search

true

T or F: After the Revolutionary War, power in state legislatures began to shift from the hands of the wealthy to those with more moderate incomes.

true

T or F: American's civil liberties are set down in the first 10 amendments to the Constitution

true

T or F: Civil Rights laws increase the scope and power of government

true

T or F: Federal aid to states and cities is more equitably distributed than income, access to education, or taxes in the United States

true

T or F: Federalism creates more layers of government and more opportunities for political participation

true

T or F: Hispanic Americans now constitute the largest minority group in the United States

true

T or F: In Gibbons v. Ogden, the Supreme Court ruled that national government's power to regulate interstate commerce encompasses virtually every form of commercial activity.

true

T or F: In Korematsu v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that the public order requiring Japanese Americans to be removed from the West Coast during WWII and placed in internment camps was racist and unconstitutional

true

T or F: Increased government activity in protecting civil rights can actually lead to greater checks on government

true

T or F: John Locke's Second Treatise of Civil Government set down the principles of natural rights, limited government, and consent of the governed.

true

T or F: Prior restraint refers to government actions preventing material from being published

true

T or F: Publius authored the Federalist Papers

true

T or F: The Connecticut Compromise created a bicameral Congress and a system of representation that ultimately gives greater representation to citizens of less populous states.

true

T or F: The Constitution left it to the states to decide qualifications for voting

true

T or F: The First Amendment prohibits an established national religion

true

T or F: The Fourteenth Amendment forbids the states from denying anyone equal protection of the laws.

true

T or F: The New Jersey Plan called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population.

true

T or F: The Supreme Court has ruled that it is cruel and unusual punishment to sentence a juvenile offender to life in prison without parole for a nonhomocide crime

true

T or F: The Supreme Court recently ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in the militia.

true

T or F: The defense of marriage act, passed in 1996, permits states to disregard same-sex marriages even if they are legal elsewhere in the U.S.

true

T or F: The nineteenth amendment guaranteed women the right to vote

true

T or F: The notion that a citizen of one state receives the privileges and immunities of any other state is the notion that states cannot discriminate against citizens of other states.

true

T or F: The primary source of federal aid to state and local governments is categorical grants

true

T or F: Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government was too weak to govern effectively.

true

T or F: Voting rights for African Americans were not fully secured until the Voting Rights Act of 1965

true

T or F: the government's failed response to Hurricane Katrina illustrates the problems that can arise when unfunded mandates are paired with insufficient funds for states.

true

T or F: there are close to 90,000 governments in the United States

true