Gov Test 1
15. In order to become a law, a bill in Congress must? a. receive a 2/3 majority of the votes in Congress b. receive a 3/4 majority of the votes in each house of Congress c. pass as amended in the last house of Congress to consider it d. pass both houses of Congress in identical form
a
18. Under the Constitution, the status of the western Indian tribes was? a. not clearly defined b. that of conquered nations c. that of independent nations d. the same as states
a
24. The first amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, were added to protect? a. individual citizens from the power of the federal government and state governments b. the states from the power of the federal government c. individual citizens from the power of the state governments d. minorities from the majority
a
3. The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution were primarily designed to protect which of the following? a. Individual rights b. Interstate commerce c. The judicial branch d. Equal protection
a
32. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees a. that states will not deny anyone equal protection of the laws. b. that everyone except criminals will be counted when figuring a state's number of representatives in Congress. c. the right to vote to all former slaves. d. the same rights as those named in the Fifth Amendment.
a
35. Poll taxes were outlawed by the Twenty-fourth Amendment a. to prevent discrimination against certain voters. b. because the government no longer needed to raise money from such taxes. c. in all elections—state and national. d. during Reconstruction in the 1870s.
a
36. Which statement reflects a positive view of the Sixteenth Amendment? a. Taxes are needed to help the government do good for all of us b. Even women deserve to vote. c. Banning alcohol will help businesses and improve family life. d. One positive result of Reconstruction is the end of slavery.
a
40. Which powers do both state governments and the federal government have? a. power to tax b. power to regulate trade between states c. power to make treaties with other countries d. power to grant patents and copyrights
a
44. According to the Constitution, how is the President elected? a. by receiving the majority of the electoral votes b. by receiving the majority of the votes cast on election day c. by getting the most votes in any 27 states d. by gaining approval from a majority of state legislatures
a
46. The Supreme Court has the right to a. review decisions of the inferior courts. b. set up inferior courts. c. set punishment for traitors d. impeach the President.
a
47. Which statement is true about amendments? a. They have the same weight as the original articles of the Constitution. b. They must be approved by the Supreme Court. c. There can be no more than 27 amendments. d. Amendments are easy to add to the Constitution.
a
53. Which powers do both state governments and the federal government have? a. power to tax b. power to regulate trade between states c. power to make treaties with other countries d. power to grant patents and copyrights
a
56. Which phrase best completes the sentence? If a President is impeached, _____. a. the trial takes place in the Senate b. members of the House of Representatives can remove the President from office c. the President will go to jail d. the courts decide what should happen next
a
57. One of the chief reasons for the failure of the Articles of Confederation was?: a. their lack of an adequate mechanism for Congress to force states to comply with its decisions. b. their focus on the separation of powers within the federal branch of government. c. their failure to adequately curb the powers of the executive branch of government. d. their failure to provide women and free blacks with the right to vote. e. their strict tax collections provisions. These raised resentments among the people in the smaller states who believed that they were being overtaxed while residents of the larger states were being undertaxed.
a
72 During the early 1780s, the authority of the national government was vested in?: a the legislative branch. b the judicial branch. c the executive branch. d all of these choices are correct.
a
8. The primary powers of Congress as our legislative branch of government are listed in which article of the Constitution? a. Article I b. Article II c. Article III d. The Bill of Rights
a
According to the U. S. Constitution, revenue bills must originate with?: a) the House of Representatives. b) the Senate. c) either house of Congress. d) the House Ways and Means Committee. e) the president.
a
Both the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution provided for?: a) a Congress with legislative powers. b) a Supreme Court with judicial powers. c) president with executive powers. d) local governments with veto powers
a
10. The primary powers of the president and the executive branch function of our government are listed in which article of the Constitution? a. Article I b. Article II c. Article III d. The Bill of Rights
b
12. Federal court judges are selected according to which of the following methods? a. Appointed by the governor of the state in which the courthouse is located b. Appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate c. Elected by the voters residing in the judicial district or circuit in which the judicial vacancy has occurred d. Elected by the House of Representatives and Senate, and confirmed by the President
b
14. The groups most likely to approve of the Articles of Confederation would be? a. former officers in the Continental army b. those who feared strong central government c. those who held US government securities d. bankers, merchants, and financiers
b
2. Our system of government is based on the concept of a. might makes right b. federalism c. one person - one vote d. none of the above
b
20. A major weakness of the Articles of Confederation was that they? a. did not include a mechanism for their own amendment b. made it too difficult for the government to raise money through taxes and duties c. denied the federal government the power to mediate disputes between states d. created a too powerful chief executive
b
22. In the Constitutional Convention, voting qualifications were made residual powers because of the? a. desire to follow the practice of English common law b. widespread variation of voting requirements in the states c. realization that more state and local officers than federal officers were to be elected. d. conviction of the framers that the power to define citizenship should rest with the states
b
28. Which of the following rights and freedoms is specifically guaranteed by the first ten amendments? a. right to an education b. freedom of the press c. right to privacy d. freedom to own property
b
31. Which of the following is a key provision of the Fourteenth Amendment? a. It protects all citizens' freedom of speech. b. It defines citizenship. c. It abolishes slavery. d. It explains that people who fought for the South in the Civil War never be allowed to hold office in the United States
b
37. The legislative branch is made up of a. federal courts. b. two houses of Congress. c. the President and the Vice-President. d. the Assembly and the House of Burgesses.
b
41. Which power is held only by the House of Representatives? a. power to declare war b. power to initiate tax bills c. power to set punishments for counterfeiters d. power to override a presidential veto
b
49. A proposed amendment may be ratified by three fourths of the a. Senate. b. state legislatures c. House of Representatives. d. federal judges.
b
50. Which of the following must state and federal office holders do? a. take a religious test b. take an oath to support the Constitution c. pay all of their debts d. serve in the military
b
52. The legislative branch is made up of a. federal courts. b. two houses of Congress. c. the President and the Vice-President. d. the Assembly and the House of Burgesses.
b
55. Which power is held only by the House of Representatives? a. power to declare war b. power to initiate tax bills c. power to set punishments for counterfeiters d. power to override a presidential veto
b
59 A major weakness of the Articles of Confederation was that they? a) did not include a mechanism for their own amendment. b) made it too difficult for the government to raise money through taxes and duties. c) denied the federal government the power to mediate disputes between states. d) required the ratification of only a simple majority of states. e) created a too-powerful chief executive.
b
6. Which of the following correctly states one of the conclusions expressed by Justice Stevens in the case of William Jefferson Clinton v. Paula Corbin 14.1 Jones? a. The President of the United States is immune from legal proceedings during his term in office b. The separation-of-powers doctrine does not bar every exercise of jurisdiction by the judicial branch over the President of the United States c. The President of the United States is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States d. The Executive Branch takes precedence over the Legislative Branch in matters of legislative interpretation
b
In the Constitutional Convention, voting qualifications were made residual powers because of the?: a) desire to follow the practice of English common law. b) widespread variation of voting requirements in the states. c) unwillingness of the federal government to bear the expense of the elections. d) realization that more state and local officers than federal officers were to be elected. e) conviction of the framers that the power to define citizenship should rest with the states.
b
The Constitution was written to make it difficult for the majority of the population to impress their will on the federal government. Which of the following gave the people the most impact on the federal government?: a) length of the term of office for federal judges. b) length of the term of office for members of the House of Representatives. c) choosing the president by the Electoral College. the method of electing U. S. Senators.
b
When the Founding Fathers established the electoral college system, they expected that?: a) mass education would improve the electorate and make direct popular election reasonable. b) partisan conflict over the election of a president could be avoided. c) a democratic system would evolve whereby the people would select the president according to a weighted formula which equates the popular and electoral votes. d) a democratic party system would develop, thus making selection of the president a popular decision. e) Washington would serve two terms, after which an amendment would require the election of a president by the House of Representatives.
b
Which of the following statements most accurately describes the function of the "elastic clause" of the Constitution?: a) it gives the president authority to affect the course of Congressional legislation. b) it gives Congress greater powers than those explicitly delegated to it. c) it prevents Congress from enacting bills of attainder or ex post facto laws. d) it gives the Senate the power to approve or reject treaties negotiated by the President. e) it reserves certain powers to the states.
b
1. Our system of checks and balances is designed to a. maintain proper fiscal policy by controlling expenditures and following proper accounting practices b. promote affirmative action policy within our branches of government c. prevent any branch of government from encroaching on the power of another branch d. none of the above
c
16. According to the Constitution, the president is chosen by? a. the House of Representatives b. the Senate c. the electoral college d. popular vote of the people
c
21. The due process clause in the Constitution requires that? a. all labor management contracts must be reviewed by a commission of the federal government b. members of minority groups must be given preferential treatment in employment c. a standard set of procedures must be followed before any action is taken to punish persons accused of breaking the law d. the selection of the president and vice-president must follow an established set of steps
c
25. The fact that the Constitution provided for Federalism and system of checks and balances suggests that? a. The American people at the time supported a military government b. the original thirteen states sought to dominate the national government c. its writers feared a concentration of political power d. the writers desired the national government to rule over the states
c
26. During the 1780's, the authority of the national government was vested in? a. the judicial branch b. the executive branch c. legislative branch d. military
c
27. According to the Constitution, each of the following may be accomplished by a simple majority EXCEPT? a. Congress declares war b. Congress passes an immigration law c. the Senate ratifies a treaty d. the Senate approves the appointment of a Supreme Court Justice
c
30. What do the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, and Twenty-sixth amendments all have in common? a. They each define the rights of all citizens b. They each undo previous amendments c. They each give voting rights to a group that did not previously have them d. They were each adopted in the 1800s
c
34. In 1974, President Richard Nixon resigned from office. Which amendment explains what action had to be taken after that? a. Twentieth b. Twenty-second c. Twenty-fifth d. Twenty-sixth
c
38. How is representation in the House of Representatives determined? a. by the physical size of the state b. by the location of the state c. by the size of the state's population d. Every state has the same number of representatives.
c
4. The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution states which of the following? a. That the President is the supreme head of the Executive Branch b. That any Treaty, to be effective, must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate c. That any state or local law that directly conflicts with a valid federal law is void d. That the freedoms of speech, press, and religion are the primary freedoms cherished by all Americans
c
42. Which of the following is not a power of the President? a. to act as commander in chief of the armed forces b. to appoint ambassadors with consent of the Senate c. to choose the president of the Senate d. to make treaties
c
43. Which person could be elected President? a. a 35-year-old woman who was born in Russia b. a 40-year-old man who was born in the United States but who lived in Britain from age 5 to age 30 c. a 50-year-old woman who was born in the United States d. a 30-year-old man who was born in the United States
c
45. Which phrase best completes this sentence? The judicial branch _____. a. is a lawmaking body b. helps the President carry out laws c. consists of federal courts d. has no role in interpreting the meaning of the Constitution
c
54. Section 8, Clause 18, is sometimes called the "elastic clause" because it allows actions not specifically named in the Constitution. Which might be an example of such an action? a. designing and printing a new five-dollar bill b. setting a new tax on imported basketballs c. buying territory to expand the boundaries of the United States d. passing a law requiring immigrants to live in the United States for five years before becoming citizens
c
58. The American Constitutional Convention of 1787 was dominated by?: a)isolationists and speculators. b) officers and enlisted men of the Continental Army. c) men having large property holdings or commercial interests. backwoods farmers and frontiersmen. artisans and mechanics.
c
62 All of the following were weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation government EXCEPT?: a) it lacked the power to levy taxes. b) it lacked the power to regulate commerce. c) it lacked the power to borrow money. d) it could not compel the states to abide by the terms of international treaties it had made. e) it lacked a strong executive.
c
9. The primary powers of the Federal Judiciary, including the U.S. Supreme Court, as our judicial branch of government are listed in which article of the Constitution? a. Article I b. Article II c. Article III d. The Bill of Rights
c
In James Madison's tenth Federalist, the most dangerous threat to the U. S. Constitution was presented by?: a) the president's war powers. b) the Supreme Court. c) factions. d) a standing army. e) freedom of speech.
c
The 3/5 Compromise of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 provided that?: a) for purposes of representation and taxation, the votes of three free men were equal to those of five slaves. b) the votes of 3/5 of the southern states would be needed to pass any federal legislation affecting slavery. c) for purposes of representation and taxation, five slaves would be counted as three free persons. d) the votes of 3/5 of the southern states would be needed to pass any federal legislation affecting representation or taxation. e) for purposes of taxation, the numbers of slaves in a state would not be counted once they had exceeded 3/5 of the free population.
c
Which of the following provisions of the Constitution represents an abandonment of one or more of the principles on which the Articles of Confederation had rested?: a) the states had full freedom to act autonomously on purely internal matters. b) no one could interfere with the return of runaway slaves. c) Congress had the authority to levy and collect taxes, regulate commerce, and conduct diplomacy. d) none of these choices are correct.
c
11. Which of the following statements is true about the power of Congress? a. Congress has unlimited power to legislate b. Congress can legislate, interpret, and enforce the law c. Congress possesses only that limited legislative power granted to it by the Constitution d. Congress can legislate and execute, but must leave interpretation up to the judicial branch
d
13. Which of the following best describes a judicial activist? a. A judicial activist believes in following precedent b. A judicial activist tends to focus on the facts without questioning whether the law needs to be changed c. A judicial activist believes that the judiciary should refrain from determining the constitutionality of an act of Congress unless absolutely necessary d. A judicial activist is results-oriented and is interested in reaching the result that is best for society
d
17. Those who opposed ratification of the Constitution were called? a. Democrats b. Republicans c. Whigs d. Anti-Federalists
d
19. The American Constitutional Convention of 1787 was dominated by? a. artisans and mechanics b. officers and enlisted men of the Continental Army c. isolationists and speculators d. men having large property holdings or commercial interests
d
23. The central compromise of the Constitutional Convention involved the issue of? a. balance of powers within the federal government b. relationship of state and federal powers c. the powers of the presidency d. representation of large and small states
d
29. According to the Fourth Amendment, the police can search and seize a person's property only if a. the owner consents b. the neighbors sign a petition c. the chief of police gives permission d. a judge issues a warrant
d
33. Which amendment states that a person may be elected to no more than two consecutive terms as President? a. Twelfth b. Seventeenth c. Twentieth d. Twenty-second
d
39. Which of the following is not a power of Congress? a. to regulate trade with other nations b. to raise and support a navy c. to coin money d. to appoint judges
d
48. An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of a. state governors. b. the President's advisers. c. the Supreme Court. d. both houses of Congress.
d
5. The doctrine of separation of powers calls for which of the following? a. Separation of church and state b. Separation of civilian and military authority c. Separation of campaign finances from legislative appropriation decisions d. Separation of the functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches
d
7. Which of the following BEST explains why cases raising separation of powers as an issue are rare? a. The separation-of-powers doctrine has been ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court b. Matters of church and state are best left to their individual spheres c. It is difficult to determine where one branch's authority ends and another's begins d. Litigants prefer to raise these sorts of issues under the Bill of Rights rather than argue separation-of-powers
d
According to the United States Constitution, each of the following may be accomplished by a simple majority vote EXCEPT?: a) Congress declares war. b) the Senate approves the appointment of a Supreme Court Justice. c) Congress passes an immigration law. d) the Senate ratifies a treaty. e) the electoral college must select a president.
d
The Constitution failed to address an issue concerning the Native Americans that would dictate their future relationship with whites. This issue was?: a) the legitimacy of the treaties negotiated by the Confederacy. b) regulation of commerce with the Indians. c) the right of the federal government to tax the Native Americans. d) tribal sovereignty over their lands.
d
The central compromise of the Constitutional Convention involved the issue of?: a balance of powers within the federal government. b relationship of state and federal powers. c abandonment of the Articles of Confederation. d representation of large and small states. e the powers of the presidency.
d
The due process clause in the U. S. Constitution requires that?: a) all labor-management contracts must be reviewed by a commission of the federal government. b) members of minority groups must be given preferential treatment in employment. c) the selection of the president and vice president must follow an established set of steps. d) a standard set of procedures must be followed before any action is taken to punish persons accused of breaking the law.
d
The fact that the United States Constitution provided for Federalism and a system of checks and balances suggests that?: a) the original thirteen states sought to dominate the national government. b) the writers desired the national government to rule over the states. c) the American people at that time supported a military government. d) its writers feared a concentration of political power.
d
The U. S. Constitution includes provisions on all of the following subjects EXCEPT the?: a) powers reserved to the states. b) state militia. c) definition of treason. d) enumerated powers of Congress. e) size of the Cabinet.
e
The first amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, were added to protect?: a) the states from the power of the federal government. b) individual citizens from the power of the federal government and state governments. c) minorities from the majority. d) individual citizens from the power of the state governments. e) individual citizens from the power of the federal government.
e
What is the minimum number of years of citizenship required to serve as a justice on the U. S. Supreme Court?: a 5. b 7. c 14. d 20. e none of these choices are correct.
e
Which of the following civil liberties protected by the Bill of Rights was in the Constitution as originally ratified?: a) freedom of the press. b) freedom of religion. c) the right to bear arms. d) protection against self-incrimination. e) trial by jury.
e