Unit 1

How did Shays' Rebellion and others similar to it influence the future of America?

A convention was called to create the U.S. Constitution.

Under Article III of the Constitution, which situation would the Judicial Branch be concerned with?

A dispute between the state of Arizona and the federal government over the proper scope of a law enacted by Congress.

Why were state conventions responsible for the ratification of the Constitution rather than the state government?

Because state governments would want to yield the least amount of power they possibly could.

Why was the tenth amendment enacted?

Because the states were fearful of giving too much power to the federal government.

In The Federalist 10, James Madison argued that the new constitution would help control faction by doing which of the following?

By creating a large republic, the new constitution made it less likely that a faction could gain enough power to completely dominate.

All of the following are ways that the legislative branch can check the powers of the executive branch EXCEPT:

Congress may pass a law declaring a presidential action unconstitutional.

A group of citizens wants to amend the Constitution. Taking into account how to most efficiently conduct the process, which of the following course of action should they take?

Contact their local Congressman and urge him to propose a bill.

Which of the following is the best example of a categorical grant?

Money given to states for special education programs

Which of the following was the LAST state to ratify the Constitution?

Rhode Island

In McCulloch v. Maryland , the Supreme Court established which of the following principles?

States cannot interfere with or tax the legitimate activities of the federal government.

Which of the following documents served as our nation's first constitution?

The Articles of Confederation

Which of the following procedures results in the removal of the President from office?

The House votes for impeachment, and the Senate conducts a trial and reaches a guilty verdict.

Which of the following is an example of the constitutional design of checks and balances?

The Senate rejects a president's nomination for secretary of state.

What does ratification mean in the context of a constitutional amendment?

Three-fourths of the state legislatures must approve the proposed amendment

Brutus was an example of an Anti-Federalist because he

believed a centralized government posed a major threat to individual rights

Constitutional checks and balances, especially applied to the president, are designed to

minimize the threat of tyranny from any one branch of government

In the Three-Fifths Compromise, 3/5 of the _____ population was counted toward the overall state population.

southern slave

According to James Madison, which of the following best controls the effects of faction?

A large republic

Which of the following is a fundamental element of the United States Constitution?

Division of government authority across political institutions

Which of the following statements is true?

State constitutions preceded the United States Constitution

Which of the following features of the United States Constitution would most concern the author of Brutus 1?

The supremacy clause, which gives the federal government supremacy over states

Diversity of public policy throughout the United States is primarily a consequence of

federalism

Article I of the Constitution establishes _____.

the legislative branch of the government, the Congress.

Which of the following is argued by James Madison in The Federalist paper number 10?

A system of republican representation helps to limit the excesses of factionalism.

Article I, Section 9 of the United States Constitution lists several powers that are denied to the federal government, such as granting titles of nobility and passing ex post facto laws. This best demonstrates which of the following ideals of democracy?

Limited government

Which of the following was the most important effect of replacing the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution of 1787?

The creation of a strong national government

Which power did the central government not have under the Articles of Confederation?

The power to tax

How does the sixth amendment differ from the seventh amendment?

The sixth amendment focuses on the rights of those accused of a crime, while the seventh focuses on the right of trial by jury in civil cases.

In The Federalist 10, which of the following did James Madison argue would best control the negative effects of factions?

A large federal republic

Which of the following best characterizes the general argument made in Brutus 1?

A large republic is dangerous to personal liberty and undermines the states.

Which of the following statements accurately describes the majority opinion of the Supreme Court in United States v. Lopez (1995) ?

Congress may not use the commerce clause to make possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime.

Which of the following policies involves more state spending than federal spending?

Education

Why did Congress debate for two days whether they should discipline the delegates of the Constitutional Convention?

For creating a new form of government instead of just modifying the Articles of Confederation.

_____, known for his patience and fairness, was chosen to preside over the convention.

George Washington

Why is divided government significant to the U.S. political system?

It allows the individual branches of government to keep the power of the other branches equally balanced and in check.

When both the House of Representatives and the Senate approve by a two-thirds majority vote, it's known as a:

Joint resolution

Which of the following cases expanded the powers of Congress by defining the necessary and proper clause more broadly?

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

The Declaration of Independence cites specific reasons for separating from British rule, including the British imposing taxes and maintaining a standing army without consent. Which of the following principles or ideas would these grievances be most related to?

Natural rights such as life, liberty, and property

What were the long term effects of Marbury v. Madison?

The Supreme Court's power was increased due to the official recognition of the powers of Judicial Review

Why did the Revolutionary War break out in 1775 and which document officially ended the Revolutionary War in 1783?

The war was spawned by the Patriot movement, with an initial goal of fighting for the rights of colonists. The war ended after the ratification of the Treaty of Paris.

In The Federalist No. 10, James Madison argued that factions in a republic are

natural but controllable by institutions

The Northwest Ordinance:

1). Organized the territories and gave a clear path to statehood. 2). Abolished slavery in the territories. 3). Granted freedom of religion and the right to trial by jury to settlers.

The Articles of Confederation established a central government that was too weak. Which of the following describes the effect of a weak central government?

1). States were asked to send troops to form an Army; however they did not have to do so. 2). Money was printed, but since the states could not be taxed, the money was worthless. 3).Primary power was left to the states; in Congress, 9 of 13 states had to agree to make a law. 4). created a strong working economy for the new nation.

What led to Shays Rebellion?

1). The national debt grew. 2). Farmers lost their land and couldn't feed their families. 3). As a result of lost land, farmers couldn't vote. 4). An infant in the Revolution.

Which of the following is an accurate summary of James Madison's argument in The Federalist 10?

A large republic presents more opportunities for groups to participate, compete, and limit each other.

A government has only those powers the people have expressly given to it. Which of the following best describes such a government?

A limited government

The police have raided your house, but they do not have a warrant or the legal authority to do so. Why is this prohibited by the fourth amendment?

Because it provides you with the freedom from unreasonable searches and seizure

There were several murders in Washington State. The Washington State police and attorney's office have jurisdiction there, but so does the FBI. This is due to which of the following?

Because of the federalism in the United States.

As a compromise, the framers agreed on a bicameral legislature, with the House of Representatives elected by popular vote within states and the Senate selected by state legislatures. The direct election method conforms most to which of the following democratic ideals?

Government should be based on the consent of the governed.

How did the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan differ?

The Virginia plan favored big states and preferred representation based on state population while the New Jersey plan favored small states and preferred equal representation for all states.

A Michigan citizen publishes a news pamphlet criticizing the governor. State officials demand that he cease publishing his pamphlets. He refuses, claiming the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects his rights in this case. Which of the following would likely happen if this case were brought before The Supreme Court of the United States?

The citizen would win through the precedent set by Marbury v. Madison.

What did Shays' Rebellion reveal about the federal government?

The federal government was weak under the Articles of Confederation.

The president claims that he can, through the use of executive action, assume some of the authority of Congress. He claims that Congress is moving the country in the wrong direction and that he should be the one making the laws. Which of the following would such an action breach?

The separation of powers

The Gun-Free School Zones Act made it illegal for individuals knowingly to carry a gun in a school zone. The Supreme Court determined this act to be an unconstitutional stretch of the commerce clause in

United States v. Lopez (1995)

In which of the following scenarios is the fifth amendment NOT relevant?

When you saw somebody commit a crime, but you refuse to testify about it because you fear retribution from that person.

All of the following are consequences of the federal system in the United States EXCEPT

a strict division of power among levels of government

In The Federalist papers, James Madison expressed the view that political factions

are undesirable but inevitable in a free nation

The United States Constitution _____.

declares itself the Supreme Law of the Land

Our U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights are based on principles that place emphasis on the good of the people, allowing their participation while protecting their individual rights. These principles are known as _____.

democratic principles

Giving state governments greater discretion in deciding how to achieve the specific goals of welfare reform is an example of

devolution

In contrast to revenue sharing, categorical grants-in-aid provide state and local governments with

funds to administer programs clearly specified by the federal government

In The Federalist papers, James Madison argues that political liberty is best protected by

the fragmentation of political power in a large republic

In order to appease both Federalists and Anti-Federalists, it was agreed at the Constitutional Convention that a group of delegates would be charged with selecting the president. This would ensure that

the most capable individuals would decide which candidate would be president

All of the following issues were decided at the Constitutional Convention EXCEPT

voting qualifications of the electorate