AP American Government Unit 1

29. Which of the following actions by the federal government best illustrates the concept of unfunded mandates? (A) Requiring that polling booths remain open beyond the hours of the work day (B) Requiring states & municipalities to provide certain services for their citizens without providing resources to pay for those services (C) Requiring state governments to guarantee short-term bonds issued by large municipalities in their states (D) Requiring all municipalities to impose a minimum property tax on all residential and business properties

(B) Requiring states & municipalities to provide certain services for their citizens without providing resources to pay for those services

26. Which of the following is an example of the full faith and credit clause? A) Being married in MO and recognized in all other states B) Having a positive tax return from the federal and state governments C) Only allowing the federal government to declare war D) All of the above

A) Being married in MO and recognized in all other states

9. The central issue in the framing of the US Constitution was that of a) how strong to make the central government b) how best to divide powers among the branches of government c) how best to break with Great Britain d) how to adopt liberty but still allow slaveholding e) how to create a truly independent judiciary

A) How strong to make the central government

14. Supreme Court justices were given tenure subject to good behavior by the framers of the Constitution in order to ensure that (A) justices are free from direct political pressure (B) justices remain accountable to the public (C) justices are encouraged to make politically popular decisions (D) cooperation between the judicial and legislative branches is assured (E) Presidents are encouraged to seek younger nominees for the Supreme Court

A) Justices are free from direct political pressure

16. The reserved powers of the state governments can best be described as those powers (A) not specifically granted to the national government or denied to the states (B) implied in the Fifth Amendment (C) listed specifically in the Tenth Amendment (D) exercised by both national and state governments (E) granted to states as part of the implied powers doctrine

A) Not specifically granted to the national government or denied to the states

31. Which of the following resulted from this Supreme Court decision? A) The power of the national government was strengthened B) The power of the Supreme Court was weakened C) The power of state governments to tax individual citizens was clearly limited D) Congress was given the power to coin money E) Congress alone was given the power to charter banks

A) The power of the national government was strengthened

33. Which of the following is a concurrent power? A. Ability to collect taxes C. to coin money B. To declare war D. to regulate intrastate commerce

A) ability to collect taxes

28. States and localities have the most discretion in establishing policy when federal funding is derived from (A) categorical grants (B) matching grants (C) block grants (D) project grants (E) grants-in-aid

A) categorical grants

38. In Federalist #51 James Madison makes which argument? A. The Constitution will guard against tyranny B. The Articles of Confederation will provide security C. The Constitution will limit the freedom of men D. The Articles of Confederation must be replaced

A. The Constitution will guard against tyranny

39. Which of the following best illustrates a use of the elastic clause? A) The Supreme Court allows a lower court ruling to stand by refusing to hear an appeal B) Congress passes legislation establishing a national speed limit C) A governor issues an executive order requiring all state employees to submit to a test D) A Senator introduces a bill to increase federal income tax rates

B) Congress passes legislation establishing a national speed limit

34. The 10th Amendment most often comes into conflict with which section of the Constitution? A) The "full faith and credit" clause B) The "necessary and proper" clause C) The provisions for the impeachment of a president D) The provisions for constitutional amendment

B) The "necessary and proper" clause

18. Which of the following is generally regarded as a weakness of the Articles of Confederation? A) There were too many judges C) The president had too much power B) There was no national judicial system D) There was no Bill of Rights

B) There was no national Judicial System

35. The national and state governments share all of the following powers EXCEPT the power to (A) administer elections (C) impose taxes (B) establish courts (D) borrow money (E) enact laws

B) establish courts

40. Which document created a compromise that led to the formation of a bicameral legislature? A. Articles of Confederation C. NJ Plan B. Connecticut Compromise D. Virginia Plan E. ⅗'s Compromise

B. Connecticut Compromise

21. Which of the following most accurately describes The Federalist Papers? (A) The Federalist party platform during the presidency of John Adams (B) A popular anti- British booklet of the pre-Revolutionary era (C) A collection of essays arguing the merits of the Constitution (D) A series of congressional acts defining the relationship between the federal and state Governments

C) A collection of essays arguing the merits of the Constitution

20. According to Brutus #1, which form of government was more likely to protect and preserve personal liberties? A) A large national republic C) a confederation of small republics B) A monarchy D) an oligarchy

C) A confederation of small republics

13. All of the following are considered enumerated powers of the Congress EXCEPT A. Coining US currency after the Constitution was ratified B. Establishing inferior courts in addition to the Supreme Court C. Conducting national election D. Regulating commerce among the several states

C) Conducting national election

We are unanimously of opinion, that the law passed by the legislature of Maryland, imposing a tax on the Bank of the United States, is unconstitutional and void...This is a tax on the operation of an instrument employed by the government of the Union to carry its powers into execution. Such a tax must be unconstitutional... 30. This decision of the Supreme Court upheld the principle that (A) the federal government and the state governments are equal (B) Congress has only those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution (C) Congress has the power to make laws to carry out its constitutional duties (D) taxation without representation is unconstitutional (E) the federal government alone may levy taxes

C) Congress has the power to make laws to carry out its constitutional duties

15. The importance of Shay's Rebellion to the development of the Constitution was that it (A) revealed the necessity of both adding the Bill of Rights to the Constitution and creating a new system of checks and balances (B) demonstrated the intensity of antiratification sentiment within the thirteen states (C) indicated that a strong, constitutionally designed national government was needed to protect property and maintain order (D) convinced the delegates attending the Constitutional Convention to accept the Connecticut Plan

C) Indicated that a strong, constitutionally designed national government was needed to protect property and maintain order

1. In The Federalist No. 10, James Madison argued that factions in a republic are a) a more serious threat if the republic is large b) not likely to occur if people are honest c) natural but controllable by institutions d) prevented by majority rule e) prevented by free elections

C) Natural but controllable by institutions

25. The necessary and proper clause is oftentimes referred to as A) Popular sovereignty C) the elastic clause B) Due Process D) the supremacy clause E) none of the above

C) The elastic clause

32. Which of the following best defines the constitutional interpretation of federalism? (A) The federal government and the states each have separate and mutually exclusive roles and responsibilities; neither controls the other (B) The states have some powers reserved to theme which they may exercise if the Supreme Court permits (C) The federal government and the states have separated but overlapping powers; where these powers conflict the federal government prevails (D) The states may only exercise those powers delegated to them by Congress (E) The federal government may exercise only those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution

C) The federal government and the states have separated but overlapping powers; where these powers conflict the federal government prevails

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government..." 6. The quotation reflects acceptance of John Locke's principle of a) equality in the state of nature b) federalism c) the social contract d) separation of powers

C) The social contract

19. Which statement is most accurate about Articles I, II and III of the US Constitution? A) They created federalism B) They established the concept of popular sovereignty C) They created separation of powers D) They established due process

C) They created separation of powers

36. Where are the goals of government listed? A. Article I C. in the Preamble B. Article III D. throughout the Bill of Rights E. none of the above

C) in the Preamble

17. All of the following are examples of checks and balances EXCEPT A. The 35 successful vetoes made by President Bush B. The Senate rejection of the 1999 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty C. The Supreme Court ruling the Flag Desecration Act unconstitutional D. Congress passing the Crime Bill after a conference committee made changes E. Congress overriding a presidential veto

D) Congress passing the Crime Bill after a conference committee made changes

The US has which type of government? A) Constitutional monarchy C) oligarchy B) Direct democracy D) federal republic E) none of the above

D) Federal republic

11. The Supreme Court case that established national supremacy was a) U.S. v. Wilson b) United States v. Virginia c) Brown v. Maryland d) McCulloch v. Maryland e) Marbury v. Madison

D) McCulloch v. Maryland

4. The Three-fifths Compromise at the Constitutional Convention was intended primarily to solve disputes between a) Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton b) Britain and the United States c) East and West d) North and South e) merchants and farmers

D) North and South

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government..." 5. The quotation above is found in a) Article I of the Constitution b) The 1st Amendment c) Federalist #10 d) the Declaration of Independence e) Common Sense

D) The Declaration of Independence

2. Which of the following was the most important effect of replacing the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution in 1787? a) The protection of free speech b) the guarantee of states' rights c) The establishment of direct democracy d) The creation of a strong national government e) The establishment of judicial review

D) The creation of a strong national government

10. All of the following are characteristics of marble cake federalism EXCEPT A. There are mingled responsibilities and blurred distinctions between the levels of gov B. The federal government becomes more intrusive in state affairs C. There is a greater sharing of responsibilities between federal and state levels D. The national government exercises its power independently from state governments E. There is greater cooperation between the federal and state governments

D) The national government exercises its power independently from state governments

7. What type of political system by its definition divides policy-making powers between the central government and sub-units? a) representative democracy b) direct democracy c) unitary system d) confederation e) federal system

E) Federal system

8. The liberties that the colonists fought to protect were based on a) the language of the individual state constitutions b) the rights proclaimed originally by the king of Great Britain c) a historical understanding of the essentials of human progress d) colonial charters e) natural rights

E) Natural rights

12. Under their powers, states can enact and enforce all of the following, except: a) police criminal codes b) require children to attend school c) restrict the activities of drug dealers d) set standards for DUI convictions e) regulate interstate commerce

E) Regulate interstate commerce

23. The swift adoption of the Bill of Rights in the years following ratification of the Constitution demonstrates the (A) framers' unqualified commitment to individual rights (B) small states' determination to receive equal representation in the legislature (C) Northern states' support for abolitionism (D) Federalists' concerns that the system of checks and balances would weaken the national government (E) States' fears of an overpowerful national government

E) States' fears of an overpowerful national government

3. Which of the following is an example of checks and balances, as established by the Constitution? a) A requirement that states lower their legal drinking age to eighteen as a condition of receiving funds through federal highway grant programs b) Media criticism of public officials during an election campaign period c) The Supreme Court's ability to overturn a lower court decision d) The election of the President by the electoral college rather than by direct election e) The requirement that presidential appointments to the Supreme Court be approved by the Senate

E) The requirement that presidential appointments to the Supreme Court be approved by the Senate

27. The terms "fiscal federalism" and "cooperative federalism" refer to situations in which A) the federal government completely dominates state and local governments B) states are forbidden any activity that has not been specifically approved by the Supreme Court C) the federal judiciary uses its power of judicial review to ensure congressional dominance over state legislature D) state, municipal, and local income taxes are pooled by special agreement and redistributed in accordance with individual need E) federal, state, and local governments work together to complete a project, with the federal government providing much of the project funding

E) federal, state, and local governments work together to complete a project, with the federal government providing much of the project funding

37. The notion that ultimate authority in society rests with the people is called A. Majority rule C. habeas corpus B. Minority rights D. due process E. popular sovereignty

E) popular sovereignty

24. People who interpret the Tenth Amendment as greatly restricting the powers of the national government are often referred to as (A) Federalists (B) isolationists (C) laissez-faire capitalists (D) loose constructionists (E) states' rightists

E) states' rightists