American Government Unit 10

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have formal and informal qualifications for membership. What is the main difference between formal and informal qualifications?

Formal qualifications are outlined in the Constitution.

Which statement gives an example of how the types of jurisdiction are structured within the judicial branch of government?

Federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction of federal matters.

What affect have both the Reagan and Bush plan of lowering taxes and the Obama economic stimulus plan of greater spending had on the federal budget?

They both increased the public debt.

This excerpt was written to

convince people that the Constitution contained safeguards against government becoming too strong

What is the goal of Affirmative Action programs?

correct the effects of past discrimination

Which one of the following is a legislative power held by state legislators?

defining crimes and punishments

What was the purpose of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

ending racial and gender discrimination

In this message, James Monroe promoted a foreign policy that would become known by which of the following names?

isolationism

What Theory was Thomas Hobbes describing when he wrote about an agreement between the people and government to work in concert with each other and sacrifice some power to make society work?

social contract theory

A state constitution states that it has been written to establish justice, maintain order, and perpetuate liberty. This closely aligns with which section of the U.S. Constitution?

the Preamble

Which answer choice contains the missing information for (A) and (B) on the chart?

A: Contains Title IX, which outlaws discrimination on the basis of gender for any educational activity receiving federal funding; B: outlaws housing discrimination against people who have children

Why did the Framers decide that federal judges should be appointed for life rather than elected every few years?

Appointed judges are not swayed by public opinion.

How can the Congressional power to investigate provide for checks and balances among the branches of government?

Congress can use its power to investigate to oversee the operations of various agencies of the executive branch.

What is the difference between criminal law and civil law?

Criminal law regulates citizens' behavior and protect public order. Civil law deals with citizens' behavior that does not involve a crime.

"His 1863 Emancipation Proclamation... freed Confederate slaves but scholars still debate whether it rested on any firm constitutional foundation." Based on the excerpt, which statement best illustrates the impact of Lincoln's proclamation on government?

It expanded the power and scope of the executive office.

How did the Bill of Rights help to satisfy the arguments of some critics of the U.S. Constitution?

It guaranteed certain freedoms and rights to the people.

Identify a main difference between socialism and capitalism.

Public health programs are more likely to be found in socialist systems than they are in capitalist systems.

To which clause in the Bill of Rights does this quotation most specifically relate?

The Establishment Clause

If the U.S. Constitution began as suggested by the cartoon, what might be the impact on the supreme court?

The court would make decisions that favored corporations over individuals.

Why are conflicts between the executive and legislative branches of a parliamentary government unlikely to occur?

The executive branch is part of the Parliament, which is the legislature.

What criteria might a judge who abides by a philosophy of judicial restraint use to decide a case?

The judge would consider both the intent of the Framers who wrote the part of the Constitution in question and previous court decisions on the topic.

Which of the following became a valid criticism of the Electoral College system after the 2000 Bush v. Gore presidential elections?

The winner of the popular vote was not guaranteed the presidency.

The Department of Defense is responsible for which of the following? Select all that apply.

advising the president; the armed forces

How does the federal government try to use its fiscal and monetary policies to influence the economy at a national level?

by maintaining employment, price stability, and economic growth

Every governor has certain judicial powers. Which is a judicial power that allows the governor to release a prisoner before her sentence is fully served?

parole

Which of the following are examples Congress's expressed powers? Select all that apply.

printing money; declaring war

What is the constitutional basis for the right being discussed in this cartoon?

the protections of the Due Process Clause

What is the main purpose of this excerpt from The Federalist No. 51, and which of the following best illustrates it?

to outline the system of checks and balances among the three branches; the Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional

Which of the following are reasons that the government may limit individual rights for the public good? Select all that apply.

to promote health; to promote morals; to promote safety

What is the role of conference committees in the legislative process?

to resolve the differences between House and Senate versions of a bill