AP Government | Foundations of Government Exam Questions
In The Federalist 10, James Madison argued that the new constitution would help control faction by doing which of the following? A) By creating a large republic, the new constitution made it less likely that a faction could gain enough power to completely dominate. B) The new constitution had significant limits on the freedom of expression, thereby limiting the ability of factions to organize. C) The new constitution gave political parties specific powers in the government which limited their influence. D) The use of the electoral college and the indirect election of senators would limit the influence that factions could wield.
A) By creating a large republic, the new constitution made it less likely that a faction could gain enough power to completely dominate.
Cooperative federalism can best be described by which of the following statements? A) Different levels of government are involved in common policy areas B) Government must have cooperation from the people in order to make legislative decisions. C) Local levels of government can make decisions on issues more efficiently than state and national governments can. D) The federal government must make regulations that can be applied across every state in the same way.
A) Different levels of government are involved in common policy areas
The Declaration of Independence states "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." This was a revolutionary change from the system of British monarchy, which was based on the divine right of kings. For which of the ideals of democracy does this quote provide a foundation? A) Popular sovereignty B) Federalism C) Separation of power D) Limited government
A) Popular sovereignty
"[A] pure democracy... can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction. . . . [S]uch democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. . . . The two great points of difference between a democracy and a republic are: first, the delegation of the government, in the latter, to a small number of citizens elected by the rest; secondly, the greater number of citizens, and greater sphere of country, over which the latter may be extended. . . . [I]t may well happen that the public voice, pronounced by the representatives of the people, will be more consonant to the public good than if pronounced by the people themselves, convened for the purpose. On the other hand, the effect may be inverted. Men of factious tempers, of local prejudices, or of sinister designs, may, by intrigue, by corruption, or by other means, first obtain the suffrages, and then betray the interests, of the people." - James Madison, The Federalist 10 Which of the following best describes Madison's primary concern about representative government? A) Those who seek to represent the people may be tempted to act in their own interests instead. B) A truly representative government will quickly become too large to function effectively. C) Local government is ineffective because there are not enough competitive factions. D) Long term lengths may lead to political representatives who are disengaged from their constituents.
A) Those who seek to represent the people may be tempted to act in their own interests instead.
The United States Constitution says that Congress has the power to coin money. This is an example of: A) an enumerated power B) an implied power C) an inherent power D) a reserved power
A) an enumerated power
Brutus was an example of an Anti-Federalist because he A) believed a centralized government posed a major threat to individual rights B) argued that a national military force was needed to deal with insurrections C) argued that the laws passed by the national government were supreme over state laws D) believed that compromise between the branches of government would ensure a limited government
A) believed a centralized government posed a major threat to individual rights
The term "bicameralism" refers to the A) establishment of two legislative chambers that have different structures and rules B) members of the House of Representatives having two-year terms C) president having veto power over both chambers of Congress D) members of the House and Senate having to appease their mutual constituencies
A) establishment of two legislative chambers that have different structures and rules
Under the Articles of Confederation, which of the following were true? I. Congress could not tax the states directly. II. The executive branch of government exercised more power than Congress. III. Congress was a unicameral body. IV. States were represented in Congress proportionally according to population. A) I and II B) I and III C) I and IV D) II and III E) II and IV
B) I and III
Which of the following procedures results in the removal of the President from office? A) The House and Senate vote for impeachment, and the Supreme Court reaches a verdict B) The House votes for impeachment, and the Senate conducts a trial and reaches a guilty verdict C) The House and the Senate both vote for a bill of impeachment D) A criminal court finds the President guilty of "high crimes and misdemeanors"
B) The House votes for impeachment, and the Senate conducts a trial and reaches a guilty verdict
Which of the following is true under the system of checks and balances? A) The Supreme Court can overrule the President's policy proposals B) The Senate must ratify treaties negotiated by the President before they become law C) A bill becomes law when the House and the Senate pass it, and the Supreme Court declares it Constitutional D) The Supreme Court can remove members of Congress, and Congress can impeach the President
B) The Senate must ratify treaties negotiated by the President before they become law
All of the following are checks on the power of the federal courts EXCEPT A) Federal judges can be impeached B) The voters can oust federal judges in national elections C) Presidents, governors, and local executives can refrain from enforcing court rulings D) Congress and the state legislatures can amend the Constitution
B) The voters can oust federal judges in national elections
All of the following were weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation EXCEPT A) nine of the thirteen states had to approve all laws B) a national court system ruled on the constitutionality of laws C) all states were required to approve amendments D) Congress could only raise money by borrowing or asking states for money
B) a national court system ruled on the constitutionality of laws
"The Congress shall have power... to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof." - Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 The practical effect of this clause has been to A) make the legislature the most powerful branch of the national government B) allow the national government to extend its powers beyond those enumerated in the Constitution C) allow state governments to nullify federal laws within their borders D) ensure that any power not delegated by the Constitution to the US government are reserved to the states and the people
B) allow the national government to extend its powers beyond those enumerated in the Constitution
The Connecticut Compromise resolved the controversy at the Constitutional Convention involving A) the method of choosing the president B) representation in Congress C) the protection of the institution of slavery D) ratification of the Constitution
B) representation in Congress
A concurrent power is A) shared by the President and Congress B) shared by the federal government and state governments C) shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate D) shared by local governments and state governments
B) shared by the federal government and state governments
The supremacy clause in the Constitution states that A) Congress is the most important branch of government B) the Constitution, federal laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land C) the federal government has more power than the states D) the President has supreme power as the Commander-in-Chief
B) the Constitution, federal laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land
If the United States were operating today under the Articles of Confederation instead of the Constitution, a problem such as air pollution or the preservation of endangered species would most likely be handled by A) the Supreme Court B) the individual states C) the President D) Congress
B) the individual states
Which of the following is a key concept of federalism, as practiced in the U.S. today? A) state constitutions may override the national constitution in certain matters B) the line between national and state matters is often unclear and flexible C) in the federal system, state governments cannot exercise any powers other than those delegated to them in the U.S. Constitution D) state governments often make use of the necessary and proper clause
B) the line between national and state matters is often unclear and flexible
All of the following are ways that the legislative branch can check the powers of the executive branch EXCEPT A) Congress may remove the president through its impeachment and conviction powers B) Congress may override a presidential veto C) Congress may pass a law declaring a presidential action unconstitutional D) The Senate may refuse to approve a presidential nomination
C) Congress may pass a law declaring a presidential action unconstitutional
"The Congress shall have power... to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof." - Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 Interpretations of this clause have been central to attempts to define the nature of which of the following aspects of the United States political system? A) pluralism B) Due process of law C) Federalism D) Separation of Powers
C) Federalism
The division of constitutional authority among the three branches of the federal government is known as A) Federalism B) Direct democracy C) Separation of Powers D) Representative democracy
C) Separation of Powers
An election involving more than two candidates in which the person who receives the most votes is the winner is called a A) majority election B) a proportional election C) a plurality election D) a simple election
C) a plurality election
Which of the following is a policy area that states are NOT responsible for? A) education B) police C) interstate commerce D) taxation
C) interstate commerce
Which of the following is an example of checks and balances in action? A) the House and Senate cannot agree on the same version of a bill to send to the president. B) the president issues an executive order that freezes federal government hiring. C) the president vetoes a bill passed by Congress. D) the voters reject the status quo and elect all new members of Congress.
C) the president vetoes a bill passed by Congress.
Which of the following forms of financial aid from the national government gives states the broadest discretion in the spending of the money? A) Categorical grants-in-aid B) Foreign aid C) Unfunded mandates D) Block grants
D) Block grants
In 2005, the Utah legislature passed a law that allowed school districts to ignore parts of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), a law passed by Congress in 2001 that supported standards-based education reform. Utah did this despite the fact that it endangered losing $76 million in federal aid to Utah public schools. Which of the following statements best explains why Utah took this action? A) Utah argued that because the majority of its citizens are Mormon, the No Child Left Behind Act infringed upon their free exercise rights. B) The Supreme Court ruled several parts of the No Child Left Behind Act unconstitutional, so Utah had to create policy to address those areas. C) Since education is a policy clearly delegated to the states, the No Child Left Behind Act was a clear violation of the Constitution. D) Educational policy is not mentioned in the Constitution, which has created debate about the proper role for the national government in educational policy.
D) Educational policy is not mentioned in the Constitution, which has created debate about the proper role for the national government in educational policy.
Which of the following constitutional principles best explains why there is variation among states on the use of capital punishment? A) Separation of powers B) Judicial review C) Checks and balances D) Federalism
D) Federalism
Which of the following policies would an individual who identifies as a Democrat most likely support? A) Reducing regulations on Wall Street to stimulate economic growth B) Decreasing the role of the federal government to ensure access to health care C) Increasing federal enforcement of immigration laws D) Strengthening anti-discrimination policies for married gay couples
D) Strengthening anti-discrimination policies for married gay couples
Which of the following is true of voter turnout in the United States? A) Three-fourths of the electorate votes in a presidential election. B) The South votes in larger numbers than does any other region of the country. C) There is no relationship between the age of the voter and participation rates. D) The voter-participation rate is one of the lowest of any industrialized nation
D) The voter-participation rate is one of the lowest of any industrialized nation
Concurrent powers have which of the following effects on the United States political system? A) They reinforce the expansion of the power of the national government and the supremacy of the national law. B) They eliminate disputes between the states and the national government by creating completely separate spheres of influence. C) They foster cooperation between the states and the national government by requiring that the two levels of government work together. D) They make it possible for the states and the national government to simultaneously exercise influence in the same areas of public policy.
D) They make it possible for the states and the national government to simultaneously exercise influence in the same areas of public policy.
In The Federalist papers, James Madison expressed the view that political factions A) should be nurtured by a free nation B) should play a minor role in any free nation C) are central to the creation of a free nation D) are undesirable but inevitable in a free nation
D) are undesirable but inevitable in a free nation
The Supreme Court issued a ruling that was unpopular with a majority of Americans. The president and Congress might be able to lessen the impact of the decision by A) reducing the pay of the justices to pressure them to reverse their decision B) overruling the Supreme Court's decision by a two-thirds vote in Congress C) impeaching the justices in the majority D) refusing to actively enforce the decision
D) refusing to actively enforce the decision
Generally speaking, which of the following is a liberal position in the United States today? A) advocating for an increase in military spending B) advocating for prayer in public schools C) the preventing of newly arrived immigrants from voting D) the use of affirmative action type policies
D) the use of affirmative action type policies
