AP Gov. Chapter 2 Quiz Questions

Which of the following comprised the core of agreement among the delegates to the Constitutional Convention? a. Beliefs about the causes of political conflict b. Understanding about the nature of republican government c. Shared views regarding the objectives of government d. Beliefs about human nature e. All of the answers are true.

All of the answers are true.

Which of the following was NOT one of the features of the Madisonian system that sought to limit majority tyranny? a. Bill of Rights b. Federalism c. Separation of powers d. Life term tenure for judges e. Bicameral Congress

Bill of Rights

Which of the following is NOT one of the checks and balances? a. Congress approves presidential nominations and controls the budget. b. The president nominates judges and enforces judicial decisions. c. The Senate confirms the president's nominations. d. The court can declare presidential actions unconstitutional. e. Congress vetoes presidential actions.

Congress vetoes presidential actions

The document approved by the American colonies in 1776 stating grievances against the British monarch and declaring the colonies independence was the a. Declaration of Independence. b. Articles of Confederation. c. Bill of Rights. d. U.S. Constitution. e. Magna Carta.

Declaration of Independence.

According to the U.S. Constitution, the House of Representatives has how many members from each state? a. Depends on the state's population b. A total of three c. Two d. Six e. One

Depends on the state's population

Which of the following is NOT true of state governments after the American Revolution? a. Elites entered state legislatures at higher numbers. b. States were increasingly influenced by civic republicanism. c. State constitutions concentrated power in state legislatures. d. Government in the states became more responsive to the people. e. States were increasingly influenced by the idea of equality.

Elites entered state legislatures at higher numbers.

The constitutional amendment passed by Congress in 1972 stating that "equality of rights under the law shall not be abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex" is also known as the _______________ Amendment. a. Equal Rights b. Civil Rights c. Equal Opportunity d. Women's Liberation e. Gay Rights

Equal Rights

Among the primary differences between Federalists and Anti-Federalists, a. All of these are primary differences between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. b. Federalists favored shorter terms for elected officials; Anti-Federalists favored longer terms for elected officials. c. Federalists favored stronger state governments; Anti-Federalists favored a stronger national government. d. Federalists insisted on a Bill of Rights; Anti-Federalists opposed a Bill of Rights. e. Federalists favored a stronger national government; Anti-Federalists favored stronger state governments.

Federalists favored a stronger national government; Anti-Federalists favored stronger state governments

Which statement best describes the view of human nature held by delegates to the Constitutional Convention? a. Humans are solely the product of their environment. b. Humans are naturally altruistic. c. Human beings are basically selfish and self-interested. d. Humans are basically good. e. Humans are basically evil.

Human beings are basically selfish and self-interested

Which of the following is true of the system of representation established by the Connecticut Compromise? Select one: a. It gives more power to people living in states with large populations. b. Both b and d are true. c. It gives more power to people living in states with small populations. d. It distributes power among people of large and small states exactly equally. e. It gives more power to large states, particularly in presidential elections.

It gives more power to people living in states with small populations.

What was the significance of the Annapolis meeting? a. It issued the first call for the Constitutional Convention, which would form in Philadelphia in 1787. b. It dissolved the Continental Congress. c. It was the first national convention of women demanding the right to vote. d. It selected George Washington as the first post-Revolutionary president. e. It issued the Declaration of Independence.

It issued the first call for the Constitutional Convention, which would form in Philadelphia in 1787

Which of the following was NOT among Anti-Federalist objections to the proposed Constitution? a. It did not include a Bill of Rights. b. It weakened the power of the states. c. It was far too decentralized and fragmented. d. It promised to create a government run largely by wealthy elites. e. It would erode fundamental liberties including freedom of the press.

It was far too decentralized and fragmented

Which of the following best describes the United States government under the Articles of Confederation? a. It was a puppet for George Washington. b. It was frequently involved in foreign affairs. c. It was weak and ineffective. d. It was very large and bureaucratic. e. It was dictatorial.

It was weak and ineffective

Who authored The Second Treatise of Civil Government? a. Thomas Jefferson b. John Locke c. Thomas Paine d. Peyton Randolph e. James Madison

John Locke.

Which of the following was NOT one of the economic difficulties the writers of the Constitution attempted to address? a. States that kept printing virtually worthless money b. The tariffs states had erected against one another to protect their state-made products c. The difficulty of the Continental Congress in raising money from the states d. All of these were dealt with in the Constitution. e. Lack of unemployment compensation and welfare payments

Lack of unemployment compensation and welfare payments.

Judicial review was established in a. Dred Scott v. Sandford. b. U.S. v. Lopez. c. McCulloch v. Maryland. d. Marbury v. Madison. e. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas.

Marbury v. Madison.

The case in which Chief Justice John Marshall first asserted the right of the Supreme Court to determine the meaning of the U.S. Constitution was a. United States v. Eichman. b. McCulloch v. Maryland. c. Marbury v. Madison. d. Dred Scott v. Sandford. e. None of the answers are true.

Marbury v. Madison.

Which of the following is NOT true of the United States government under the Articles of Confederation? a. All of these are false. b. Each state had only one vote in Congress. c. There was no president. d. Most authority rested with the United States Congress rather than the state governments. e. The Congress had only one house.

Most authority rested with the United States Congress rather than the state governments.

Which of the following characteristics do NOT apply to the 55 delegates who convened the Constitutional Convention? a. Most were residents of western frontiers. b. They were all men. c. They were mostly wealthy planters. d. Many were college graduates. e. A significant number were urbanites.

Most were residents of western frontiers

Which of the following statements represents John Locke's understanding of the relationship between natural rights and human law? a. Natural rights are higher than, that is superior to, human law. b. Natural rights are less important than human law. c. Human law protects property rights, making human law the equivalent to natural rights. d. Human law is the source of natural rights. e. Human law and natural rights are equivalent.

Natural rights are higher than, that is superior to, human law

An amendment to the Constitution may be proposed by a. All of these are true. b. a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress. c. the request of the president of the United States. d. None of these is true. e. a national convention called by Congress at the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures.

None of these is true.

Which of the following was favored by the Anti-Federalists? a. Indirect elections of elected officials b. Longer terms for elected officials c. Weaker state governments d. Stronger state governments e. Weakened protections for individuals liberties

Stronger state governments.

What was the series of articles written by Publius called? a. The Bill of Rights b. CommonSense c. The Constitution d. The Second Treatise of Civil Government e. The Federalist Papers

The Federalist Papers

__________ was proposed by William Patterson, in which each state was to be equally represented in the new Congress. a. The Virginia Plan b. The New Jersey Plan c. The Federalist Papers d. The Articles of Confederation e. The Connecticut Compromise

The New Jersey Plan

Which of the following was NOT a power given to Congress by the Constitution in terms of the economy? a. The ability to borrow money b. The ability to force states to abolish slavery c. The ability to levy taxes d. The ability to pay debts e. The ability to regulate interstate and intrastate foreign commerce

The ability to force states to abolish slavery.

Which of the following statements regarding the Constitution is FALSE? a. The original Constitution offers numerous guidelines on voter eligibility. b. Political change, such as the emergence of political parties, has contributed to the changing nature of the Constitution. c. The original Constitution was characterized by numerous restrictions on direct voter participation. d. Five of the 17 constitutional amendments passed since the Bill of Rights have focused on the expansion of the electorate. e. One of the central themes of American history has been the gradual democratization of the Constitution.

The original Constitution offers numerous guidelines on voter eligibility

Which of these has no formal role in amending the Constitution? a. The House of Representatives b. The president c. The Senate d. None of the above; they all have a formal role in amending the Constitution. e. The states

The president

The Fifteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-third, Twenty-fourth, and Twenty-fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution have what in common? a. They each pertain to the voting rights of African Americans. b. They each are part of the Bill of Rights. c. They each were a direct result of the Civil War. d. They each contributed to the shrinkage of the electorate. e. They each contributed to the expansion of the electorate.

They each contributed to the expansion of the electorate.

Which of the following is NOT true of the Articles of Confederation? a. They gave the president too much power. b. They vested all meaningful power in the states. c. They provided for a unicameral national legislature. d. They provided for no judiciary. e. They represented a "league of friendship" among the states.

They gave the president too much power.

Which of the following is TRUE of state legislatures after the American Revolution? a. They were comprised more of landless farmers than of landholders. b. They were increasingly comprised of middle-class representatives rather than wealthy members. c. They were comprised primarily of former Revolutionary War militiamen. d. They were comprised of more wealthy planters, lawyers, and merchants than ever before. e. They were increasingly comprised of wealthy representatives rather than middle-class members.

They were increasingly comprised of middle-class representatives rather than wealthy members

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? a. John Adams b. Benjamin Franklin c. Thomas Paine d. Thomas Jefferson e. Richard Henry Lee

Thomas Jefferson

What was the purpose of the Twenty-sixth Amendment? a. To give African Americans the right to vote b. To prohibit flag burning c. To give women the right to vote d. To lower the voting age to 18 e. To abolish slavery

To lower the voting age to 18

Which of the following does NOT, in general, describe the "Gentlemen in Philadelphia"? a. College educated b. Western c. Wealthy d. An "assembly of demigods," according to Thomas Jefferson e. Successful

Western.

According to the U.S. Constitution, how many senators does each state have? a. Depends on the state's population b. Two c. Six d. One e. A total of three

Two

The Framers of the Constitution gave chief economic policymaking power to the a. states. b. president. c. U.S. Congress. d. courts. e. Federal Reserve Board.

U.S. Congress

Which of the following was NOT occurring under the Articles of Confederation? a. Expanded political participation b. None of the above was occurring under the Articles. c. Upper-class dominance d. Adoption of bills of rights e. Abolition of religious qualifications for office holding

Upper-class dominance.

The ____________, offered as a proposal at the Constitutional Convention, called for giving each state in Congress representation in proportion to the state's share of the population. a. Connecticut Plan b. Rhode Island Plan c. New York Plan d. Virginia Plan e. New Jersey Plan

Virginia Plan

According to John Locke, the "state of nature" refers to a. a state of uninhabited territory ripe for government control. b. a state ruled by the people, or a democracy. c. a state in which human law is able to create natural rights. d. a state in which there are no formal laws or government. e. All of the above are true.

a state in which there are no formal laws or government

According to your textbook, the separation of powers and the checks and balances established by the Constitution a. have acted to discourage the growth of groups in American society. b. have made the United States one of the most democratic countries in the world. c. create so many obstacles that groups have no place for their policy demands to be heard. d. allow almost all groups some place in the political system where their demands for public policy can be heard. e. are basically undemocratic since only elites can formulate policies within the system.

allow almost all groups some place in the political system where their demands for public policy can be heard.

The Lockean phrase "life, liberty, and property" captures Locke's belief in a. government's obligation to spread property equally among citizens. b. the notion that happiness was secondary to the right to own land. c. laissez-faire economics. d. consent of the governed and government's obligation to protect property. e. the state of nature as the locale of human happiness.

consent of the governed and government's obligation to protect property.

In determining congressional representation and taxation, the Constitution a. counted slaves as three-fifths of a person. b. counted slaves as one-half of a person. c. was silent on the issue of how slaves would be counted, instead leaving the issue to each state to decide. d. counted slaves as free persons. e. did not count slaves.

counted slaves as three-fifths of a person.

A major purpose of the economic provisions in the Constitution was to a. guarantee the states a significant economic role. b. promote a more equal distribution of wealth in the country. c. create a strong national government so as to bring stability out of economic chaos. d. preserve and strengthen the farm economy to the disadvantage of manufacturing. e. establish a comprehensive set of social welfare programs to assist people in times of need.

create a strong national government so as to bring stability out of economic chaos.

Regarding the right to vote in national elections, the Framers of the Constitution a. included a requirement that all free, adult males be allowed to vote. b. provided that free men and women over the age of 20 be allowed to vote. c. decided to leave it up to the individual states to determine voter qualifications in their own states. d. required that all free, adult males with property worth at least $50 be allowed to vote. e. finally granted women the right to vote.

decided to leave it up to the individual states to determine voter qualifications in their own states.

The foundation of Locke's philosophy was that human beings a. are granted rights by their king. b. derive their rights from God. c. have rights that are granted them by government. d. derive their rights from nature. e. determine their own rights.

derive their rights from nature

The Seventeenth Amendment provided for a. suffrage for all citizens age 18 and older. b. women's suffrage. c. direct election of members of the House of Representatives. d. direct election of senators. e. African American suffrage.

direct election of senators

The Constitution prohibited the states from doing each of the following EXCEPT a. harboring runaway slaves. b. establishing a republican form of government. c. placing duties on imports from other states. d. printing paper money. e. interfering with lawfully contracted debts.

establishing a republican form of government

Some scholars have suggested that a consequence of separation of powers and checks and balances has been a. political instability. b. tyranny of the majority. c. an inability of groups to get their grievances heard. d. streamlined but hasty government decision making. e. gridlock and inadequate policy.

gridlock and inadequate policy

According to John Locke, natural rights are a. inherent in human beings, not dependent on government. b. given to individuals from governments. c. None of these is true. d. inclusive of the right to free speech and gun ownership. e. secondary to the government's primary purpose of protecting property.

inherent in human beings, not dependent on government.

The power of the courts to determine whether acts of Congress and the executive branch are constitutional is called a. judicial review. b. laissez-faire. c. Liberalism. d. precedent. e. stare decisis.

judicial review

Two key elements of the Madisonian model were to a. combine the powers of different institutions and create a powerful presidency. b. keep as much of the government as possible beyond the control of a popular majority and extend the right to vote to everyone. c. require a system of checks and balances and extend democracy. d. keep most of the government beyond the control of a popular majority and separate the powers of different institutions. e. promote state power while separating the powers of different national institutions.

keep most of the government beyond the control of a popular majority and separate the powers of different institutions

Constitutional amendments are usually ratified by a. a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress. b. a national convention. c. a majority of the Supreme Court. d. legislatures of three-fourths of the states. e. state conventions called by a two-thirds vote in Congress.

legislatures of three-fourths of the states

The idea that there must be restrictions placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens is known as a. American republicanism. b. natural law. c. the consent of the governed. d. a confederation. e. limited government.

limited government

Madison was most fearful of tyranny of the _________; one result in the U.S. Constitution was the _______________. a. majority; Bill of Rights b. minority; Bill of Rights c. minority; direct elections of the U.S. House of Representatives d. majority; separation of powers e. minority; separation of powers

majority; separation of powers.

Ratification of the Constitution a. needed the approval of nine states. b. was by a two-thirds vote of the Continental Congress. c. needed the approval of all the states. d. occurred when it was approved by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention. e. needed the approval of a majority of the people.

needed the approval of nine states

Locke believed that government must be built a. on laws given by the king. b. on the morals of the rulers. c. on the consent of the governed. d. on the continuity of government, thus all efforts to overthrow a government are treason. e. on the laws of the previous government.

on the consent of the governed

Among the most important ends of government for the delegates at the Constitutional Convention was the a. prevention of tyranny. b. All of these were among the most important. c. abolition of slavery. d. extension of suffrage, that is, the right to vote. e. redistribution of wealth.

prevention of tyranny.

The sole purpose of government, according to John Locke, was to a. prevent anarchy. b. protect individuals from violence. c. protect natural rights. d. educate the people. e. promote the common good.

protect natural rights

Opposition to ratification of the Constitution was based on the belief that it would a. produce more democratic elements than desirable for a strong central government. b. All of the above are true. c. provide for elite control, endanger liberty, and weaken the states. d. promote pluralism, which would threaten liberty. e. give too much power to the states.

provide for elite control, endanger liberty, and weaken the states.

The Connecticut Compromise at the Constitutional Convention a. involved all of these elements. b. threw out the idea of having a monarch in the United States, opting instead for an indirectly elected president. c. added the Bill of Rights to the Constitution in order to lessen concerns about too much power for the new government. d. resolved the impasse between those who favored the New Jersey Plan and those who preferred the Virginia Plan. e. settled the dispute about whether slavery should be permitted in the final Constitution.

resolved the impasse between those who favored the New Jersey Plan and those who preferred the Virginia Plan.

Lockean thought and the Declaration of Independence are similar in that both a. were developed in the late 1700s. b. seek common ideals in government through the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. c. support the concept of natural rights and the idea that the government is built on the consent of the governed. d. value the preservation of private property. e. recognize the right of people to determine their own form of government, short of resorting to revolution.

support the concept of natural rights and the idea that the government is built on the consent of the governed

Each of the following violations of individual rights is forbidden in the original Constitution EXCEPT a. passing bills of attainder. b. suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. c. suspension of freedom of speech. d. passing ex post facto laws. e. strict limits on the prosecution of treason.

suspension of freedom of speech

On the issue of slaves, the Constitution specified a. a boundary, known as the Mason-Dixon line, south of which slavery would be legal. b. that slavery would be banned beginning in 1800. c. nothing; it was too controversial a subject, and the delegates could not agree on anything regarding it. d. that a gradual end to slavery must be worked out by Congress and the states within ten years. e. that slaves would count as three-fifths of a person for counting the nation's population and determining seats in the House.

that slaves would count as three-fifths of a person for counting the nation's population and determining seats in the House

The British government stepped up its control over the American colonies with new taxes and stronger commerce right after a. the assassination of the Duke of Windsor. b. the French and Indian War. c. King George's War. d. King Philip's War. e. the Civil War.

the French and Indian War

According to James Madison, the "most common and durable source of factions" was a. the unequal division of property. b. urban and rural divisions. c. aristocracy. d. racial inequalities. e. the British army.

the unequal division of property.

After the American Revolution, under the Articles of Confederation, power in the states began to shift from ___________ to _________________. a. cities; countryside b. the middle class; a handful of wealthy individuals c. countryside; cities d. wealthy individuals; the middle class e. the East Coast; the western frontier

wealthy individuals; the middle class.