Intro to US Government Final

delegates

A person who is chosen or elected to represent a person or group

_______________ believed that the American system of government was a hybrid system because there had never been a monarch in the country and the people had more advanced democratic ideals.

Alexis de Tocqueville

What are three (3) of the offices that comprise the Executive Office of the President?

Chief of staff, Cabinet Affairs, and Public Liaison

A filibuster is found only in the U. S. House of Representatives.

False

The last state to ratify the Constitution was ______________________.

Rhode Island

Which one of the following was NOT a right guaranteed in the U. S. Constitution?

Right of slave ownership

What is meant by the term "senatorial courtesy"?

The President's consideration of Senatorial opinion in the appointment of justices.

early voting

accommodation to vote up to two weeks before Election Day

What are the differences between concurring and dissenting opinions? (Response MUST be in complete sentence form.)

agree for a different reason or disagree

A presidential veto may be overridden by a ________________ of both houses of Congress.

2/4

What are three (3) of the requirements mentioned in the U. S. Constitution for members of the U. S. Senate?

30 or older, US citizen 9 years or more, 6 year term

There are _______ members of the U. S. House of Representatives.

435

What were the provisions of the Three-Fifths Compromise?

A slave counted as 3/5 a man.

What were the major provisions of the 14th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution?

African-Americans and former rebels have rights to equal protection under law and due process.

What is meant by the term "elastic clause"?

Article I, Section 8, necessary and proper clause

The ________________________, Article II, Section 2, paragraph 1 of the U. S. Constitution, established the president as civilian control of the armed forces.

Commander in Chief Clause

What were the provisions of the Privileges and Immunities Clause of Article IV of the U. S. Constitution?

Congressmen could not be arrested during a session of Congress

What were the major political provisions of Montesquieu's theory of government?

Executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Committee appointments in Congress are of no importance to a congressman's standing with his constituents.

False

Shays' Rebellion was an example of one of the strengths of the Articles of Confederation government.

False

Shays's Rebellion was an example of one of the strengths of the Articles of Confederation government.

False

The term "congress" means the number of members required to be present in order to carry out official business.

False

What was the "court packing plan" of 1937? What were the results of this plan?

Franklin Roosevelt's attempt to fill court positions with pro-New Deal justices. Proposed bill would let FDR appoint up to 6 justices for every court member over 70.5. Bill died and Roosevelt lost public support.

Who were the three men credited with writing The Federalist Papers?

John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton were credited for writing The Federalist Papers.

Which of the following is NOT true?

John Locke supported the interrelationship between religion and politics.

The current Chief Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court is _____________________.

John Reberts

What is meant by the term "iron triangle?" (Response MUST be in complete sentence form.)

Legislators, bureaucrats, interest groups

The ___________________ was established by Congress in 1883 to replace the spoils system and patronage with the merit system.

Pendleton Act

The _________________ is in charge of conducting business in the U. S. Senate in the absence of the vice president.

President pro tempore

The 20th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution is also known as the "Lame Duck" Amendment. What is meant by the term "lame duck," and what were the provisions of that amendment?

President that rules until last term day, amendment hasted transition of power

The ____________________, passed by Congress, was the first major reorganization to the executive branch of government since 1787.

Reorganization Act of 1939

What was the overriding decision of the Supreme Court case of Marbury v. Madison (1803), and what principle was established as a result of this case? (Response MUST be in complete sentence form.)

Section 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789 went against the Constitution and was therefore invalid, established judiciary review

___________________ are special or temporary committees that last only during the Congress in which they were created.

Select committees

What were the major provisions of the Supreme Court case of Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. v. Sawyer (1952)? Be specific.

Signaled SCOTUS would intervene on political questions, President could not seize private property without statutory authority granted by Congress except in extreme circumstances.

The __________________ is the government's trial lawyer and the third-ranking official of the U. S. Justice Department.

Solicitor General

___________________________ were written because of strong opposition to the Constitution in the state of New York.

The Federalist Papers

One of the last actions of the Articles of Confederation Congress, June of 1787, was enacting the ___________________, which provided for the government and future statehood of the lands west of Pennsylvania, established the basis for public education, and banned slavery in that territory.

The Northwest Ordinance

(What were some of the differences between the Succession Act of 1886 and the Succession Act of 1947? (Be specific!)

The first line of succession was the first three secretaries, head of justice and post, then the heads of the newest two departments. The second line goes House, Senate, then the original order with the heads of new departments coming after in order of creation.

What is meant by the terms "separation of powers" and "federalism," and what were their intended purposes?

The first refers to separate branches and the second means a division between federal and state governments.

What were the provisions of James Madison's "Federalist #10"?

The separation of powers would prevent tyranny.

Even with the congressional reforms of the 1970s, both houses' committees are still largely influenced by seniority.

True

One of the main drawbacks of a confederate system of government is that it maximizes regional self-rule at the expense of effective national government.

True

The 27th Amendment, ratified in 1992, was the longest ratification of a constitutional amendment in American history.

True

The Federalists supported a strong central government while the Anti-Federalists were opposed to a strong central government.

True

The rise of the primary system during the Progressive Era came at the cost of party regular's control of candidate selection.

True

There is no judicial method to compel a state to extradite a criminal to another state.

True

district system

base of the Electoral College

Explain what is meant by the term "realigning elections," and give an example of this type of election. (Response MUST be in complete sentence form.)

bring a long term shift of party values, leadership, or voter base, 1932 FDR election brought Democrat domination, New Deal ideas, and a shift of Democrat voters to poor minorities

A ______________ is a large organization, either governmental or non-governmental, that is composed of appointed officials.

bureaucracy

A _________________ is used by the Senate to end or limit debate in that body.

cloture rule

_______________ are those shared between the president and the Senate.

concurrent powers

When differences arise between House and Senate versions of a bill, a _______________________ is used to iron out the differences.

conference committee

midterm elections

congressional elections held between presidential elections

The term __________________, found in the Declaration of Independence, held that governments were designed for man and not the other way around.

consent of the governed

Electoral College

constitutional group of people, chosen by the states, to formally select the President

incumbent

current office holder

ballot fatigue

drop-off in voting from the top of the ballot to the bottom

The judiciary today continues as a ______________________, with courts at both the national and state levels.

dual court system

The judiciary today continues as a ________________________, with courts at both the national and state levels.

dual court system

incumbency advantage

edge given to those already in office

The right of the president to refuse information requested by Congress and the courts is known as _______________.

executive privilege

Of the many ways in which the chief executive's powers grew over the first several decades, the most significant was the _____________________________________.

expansion of war powers

Cabinet-level departments can be created or abolished by the president without an act of Congress.

false

Candidates for the presidency must graduate from the Electoral College in order to become president.

false

Eight justices must be present in order to form a quorum or a majority to conduct the business of the Supreme Court.

false

George Washington drew up what was known as the Connecticut Compromise, which was an effort to iron out the differences between the Virginia and the New Jersey plans during the Constitutional Convention.

false

In 1939, the Brownlow Committee held that the president did not need any help or reorganization of the executive department.

false

Legislative courts are those created by Article II of the U. S. Constitution.

false

Per the Supreme Court decision of U. S. Term Limits v. Thornton (1995), there are now term limits for U. S. senators and representatives.

false

Redistricting occurs every 20 years, after the U. S. Census establishes how many persons live in the United States and where,

false

The Executive Office of the President (EOP) and the Oval Office are the same thing.

false

The Executive Office of the President and the "cabinet" are the same thing.

false

The plurality system means that in most U. S. elections, the winner who gets the most votes must also get a majority of the votes in order to capture office.

false

The politico theory holds that representatives vote the way their constituents would want them to vote in Congress

false

The position of the Speaker of the House is the only House officer mentioned in the Constitution.

false

The protection of religion, speech, press, and assembly that are granted in the 1st Amendment all existed under English law.

false

There are provisions in the U. S. Constitution for the president's cabinet.

false

What were the provisions of the Albany Plan of Union?

federalism

Interest groups that develop as ______________________________ start from the bottom up among a small number of people at the local level.

grassroots movements

political action committees

groups that collect money for candidates who support certain issues

What is meant by the judicial term "standing?" (Response MUST be in complete sentence form.)

have to have been harm or intend to harm

Explain two (2) considerations a president uses when making appointments to the U. S. Supreme Court? (Response must be in complete sentence form.)

ideology and diversity

What were the major provisions of the 25th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution?

if the President leaves office, the Vice-President will replace him and name a replacement.

A president can leave office by death, disability, resignation or ___________.

impeachment

The Supreme Court case of McCulloch v. Maryland confirmed the national government's

implied powers

Joint committees are formed by __________________ or when both houses of Congress agree to form such a committee.

joint resolutions

What is meant by the term "congressional oversight," and how does this pertain to the federal bureaucracy? (Response MUST be in complete sentence form.)

keeping track of the bureaucracy with annual budget reports and bi-yearly questioning

chronic minority

minority party voters in non-competitive states

What did Alexander Hamilton write about in his Federalist #78? (Response MUST be in complete sentence form.)

neither force nor will, weakest branch, interpreters, check the power of Congress

The doctrine of __________ holds that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the state's opinion, violates the Constitution.

nullification

The doctrine of __________________ held that states had the right to reject national laws they deemed unconstitutional.

nullification

Westbury v. Sanders (1964) developed the theory of _______________; that the voters in one congressional district should have the same representation as the voters in any other congressional district.

one man, one vote

What are the differences between original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction, with regards to the U. S. Supreme Court? (Response MUST be in complete sentence form.)

originals started in SCOTUS while appelates were brought from below

open primary

party caucus or primary free for all

The ___________ is the assistant majority or minority leader responsible for party discipline and attendance for key votes.

party whip

James David Barber held that the __________ type of president was the worst type.

passive-negative

"First-past-the-post" or ______________________ is based on the principle that the candidate with the most votes wins, whether or not he/she gains a majority (51% or greater) of the total votes cast. You Answered

plurality voting

initiative or proposition

policy passed by citizens and review by state courts

________________ are organizations of invidiuals who seek to control government by gaining votes and capturing elective office.

political parties

cottail effect

popular party leaders bringing votes for fellow party members

closed primary

primary reserved for one party

What is meant by the term "letters of marque and reprisal"?

property seizure without warrant

_____________________ attempt to promote public, or collective, goods, which are benefits --- tangible and intangible --- that help most or all citizens.

public interest groups

What is meant by the term "ex post facto laws"?

punish people for legal acts later criminalized

What is the meaning of the term "gerrymandering?"

redrawing electoral districts to secure votes for a certain political party

What are some of the major functions of the Rules Committee in the U. S. House of Representatives? Be specific.

regulates debate times, and debaters.

recall

removal of an official by voters

What is meant by issuing a writ of certiorari, and how is it used regarding the U. S. Supreme Court? (Response MUST be in complete sentence form.)

request to appeal to a higher court

What were some of the powers the Framers gave to the individual state governments?

reserved powers provided by the 10th amendment

Among the president-elect's more important tasks is ___________________________________.

selecting a cabinet

What is meant by the term "cooperative federalism?"

shared jurisdiction between federal and state government

chronic minority causes

small numbers and Electoral College system distribution

John Locke believed that people entered into a ___________ to accept the established laws and allow the government to protect their rights.

social contract

Which of the following is NOT a way in which appellate cases can reach the U. S. Supreme Court?

stare decisis

An informal rule of judicial decision-making has been _____________, meaning "let the decision stand."

state decisis

referendum

state government proposal voted on by citizens

______________________ believe that all federal power is limited to the powers expressly stated in the Constitution.

strict constructionists

When a congressional committee votes to ________________, that is the same as killing the bill.

table a bill

The first ten amendments to the U. S. Constitution are known as _________________.

the Bill of Rights

What is known as the "fourth branch" of the U. S. government?

the Bureaucracy

Unanimous decisions handed down from the U. S. Supreme Court are usually written by ____________________.

the Chief Justice

What is the "rally around the flag effect?"

the sudden and short-lived spike in the President's popularity during the beginning of wars or crisis.

platform

the sum of a party's issues

The term _____________ refers to parties that are usually single-issue groups that are not perpetuated because of their platforms.

third party

caucus

town-hall style party candidate nomination

Effective presidents, especially in peacetime, are those who work with the other branches through persuasion and compromise to achieve policy objectives.

true

Executive orders are considered legally binding unless Congress passes a law countermanding that order or the Supreme Court finds the order unconstitutional.

true

In the United States, the president serves as both the chief of state and head of government.

true

Independent executive agencies report directly to the president, with heads appointed by the president.

true

Less-populous states favored the Constitution and the protection of a strong federal government.

true

Lobbyists and interest groups are restricted by laws that require them to register with the federal government and abide by a waiting period when moving between lobbying and lawmaking positions.

true

Many critics of the Constitution believed in 1787 that peaceful succession to the presidency in the United States would not happen.

true

Supreme Court justices consider each case that comes before them and do not always rule in a consistently predictable or expected way.

true

The Virginia Plan provided for a modified parliamentary form of government.

true

The courts are affected by the court of public opinion, and are likely to keep up with public opinion in order to remain relevant

true

Third parties movements usually do more harm to the party from which they have separated.

true

U. S. District Courts have original jurisdiction only; they do not hear cases on appeal from lower courts.

true

What is meant by the term "bicameral"?

two-house legislation

A _________________ is when all nine justices of the U. S. Supreme Court agree upon a decision.

unanimous decision

The only official task of the vice president is to ________________________________________.

vote in a Senatorial tie as its head