AP Government Midterm study guide

The Framers adopted a federal system for all of the following reasons EXCEPT: Transportation and communication systems were too primitive for a unitary government to work. The confederation had clearly failed in managing the country's problems. Americans' loyalty to state governments was stronger than it was to the United States. Americans had weak allegiance to their states. The population was too dispersed for a unitary system to work.

Americans had weak allegiance to their states.

The President can do which of the following with out seeking the consent of either the House or the Senate? Appoint district court judges. Deploy troops. Appoint ambassadors Ratify a treaty. Declare war

Deploy troops

In the Constitution, as originally ratified in 1788, the provisions regarding which of the following most closely approximate popular, majoritarian democracy? Election of the President Election of members of the Senate Ratification of treaties Election of members of the House of Representatives Confirmation of presidential appointments

Election of members of the House of Representatives

Which of the following statements accurately describe the system of check and balances? I. The system of checks and balances prevents the rule of the majority, because one institution cannot gain total power over the others. II. The power to veto bills allows the president to check Congress. III. The system of checks and balances grew out of a long political tradition but is not defined by the Constitution. IV. Congress checks the power of the judicial branch by nominating justices. I only III and IV only I and II only III only I, II, and III only

I and II only

Congress would be required to use the "elastic clause" of the Constitution to impose workplace safety standards authorize the treasury to print money change citizenship requirements increase tax rates declare war

Impose workplace safety standards

In which of the following ways does the constitution protect the rights of individuals? It divides government into the national and state levels. It invests the president with the powers of commander in chief. It gives Congress the power to impeach the president. It allows states to collect taxes. It prevents Congress from passing bills of attainder.

It prevents Congress from passing bills of attainder.

Which of the following is true about divided party control of the presidency and Congress? It promotes quick action by the President and Congress on such issues as the federal budget. It results from the reapportionment of House seats after the decennial census. It reflects a frequent election pattern over the past three decades. It is a natural occurrence due to the constitutional system of checks and balances. It rarely occurs in United States elections, because of straight-ticket voting.

It reflects a frequent election pattern over the past three decades

The principle of the supremacy of federal law over state law was affirmed in the presidential election of 1800. McCulloch v. Maryland Marbury v. Madison. the Tenth Amendment. United States v. Lopez.

McCulloch v. Maryland

Which of the following statements reflects a pluralist theory of American politics? American politics is dominated by a small elite. Public policies emerge from cooperation among elites in business labor and government. American politics is dominated by cities at the expense of rural areas Public policies emerge from compromises reached among competing for groups The American political arena is made up of isolated individuals who have few group affiliations outside the family.

Public policies emerge from compromises reached among competing for groups

Which of the following actions by the federal government best illustrates the concept of unfunded mandates? Requiring all municipalities to impose a minimum property tax on all residential and business properties Requiring that polling booths remain open beyond the hours of the workday Requiring states and municipalities to privatize many previously publicly funded services Requiring state governments to guarantee short-term bonds issued by large municipalities in their states Requiring states and municipalities to provide certain services for their citizens without providing resources to pay for those services

Requiring states and municipalities to provide certain services for their citizens without providing resources to pay for those services

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. The federal Bill of Rights places no limitations on the states. The federal government has the power to regulate commerce. The judicial branch cannot intervene in political disputes between the President and Congress. It is within the judiciary's authority to interpret the constitution.

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

The Tenth Amendment most often comes into conflict with which section of the Constitution? The "necessary and proper" clause The provisions for the impeachment of a president The "full faith and credit" clause The clause prohibiting states from coining money and entering into treaties The provisions for constitutional amendment

The "necessary and proper" clause

Which of the following is true under the system of checks and balances? The Supreme Court can remove members of Congress, and Congress can impeach the President. A bill becomes law when the House and the Senate pass it, and the Supreme Court declares it constitutional. The Senate must ratify treaties negotiated by the President before they become law. The Supreme court can overrule the President's policy proposals. House of Representatives appoints justices to the Supreme Court & the Senate approves the appointments.

The Senate must ratify treaties negotiated by the President before they become law.

The procedure for formally amending the United States Constitution best illustrates which of the following? The Founding Fathers' desire to facilitate rapid constitutional revisions The Supreme Court's power to review constitutional amendments The dominance of the national government over the state governments The dominance of the state governments over the national government The federal structure of the United States

The federal structure of the United States

Which of the following was NOT a problem with the national government under the Articles of Confederation? the unwillingness of the states to provide money for the central government the lack of a standing army the inability of the central national government to regulate the national economy the lack of an executive to lead the nation the lack of power given to state legislatures

The lack of power given to state legislature

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

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

Which one is NOT a presidential role authorized by the Constitution? To present the State of the Union address To lead the political party of the President To be chief executive To be commander in chief of the armed forces To negotiate treaties with foreign nations

To lead the political party of the President

In which of the following scenarios would a presidential veto most likely be upheld? The President has the support of the Supreme Court. Two-thirds of the representatives and senators are members of the same party as the president. The President is in a second term, removed from partisan. The proposed legislation was originally adopted by a large majority in both houses of Congress. The proposed legislation enjoys widespread bipartisan support.

Two-thirds of the representatives and senators are members of the same party as the president.

The United States has increasingly relied on the national government to solve problems primarily because: of persistent corruption in state and local government. a problem or policy often requires the authority and resources of the national government. its unitary system of government. of incompetence of state governments. the Tenth Amendment gave increased power to the national government.

a problem or policy often requires the authority and resources of the national government

All of the following are consequences of the federal system in the United States EXCEPT opportunities for experimentation in government programs decentralization of political conflict inequality in government services across subnational entities multiple points of access for interest groups a strict division of power among levels of government

a strict division of power among levels of government

Shays' Rebellion was an uprising by farmers to prevent judges from foreclosing on farms. a slave uprising in Virginia. an uprising by small merchants demanding credit. the most decisive battle of the Revolutionary War. an uprising by Revolutionary War veterans demanding pensions.

an uprising by farmers to prevent judges from foreclosing on farms.

In The Federalist Papers, James Madison expressed the view that political factions should be nurtured by a free nation are undesirable but inevitable in a free nation are necessary to control the masses in a free nation should play a minor role in any free nation are central to the creation of a free nation

are undesirable but inevitable in a free nation

The legislative process at the national level reflects the intent of the framers of the Constitution to create a legislature that would allow majorities virtually unlimited control over policy be cautious and deliberate involve as many citizens as possible ensure that all groups be equally represented be less powerful than the executive

be cautious and deliberate

States and localities have the most discretion in establishing policy when federal funding is derived from project grants categorical grants block grants grants-in-aid matching grants

block grants

The Madisonian requirement that each branch of government acquire the consent of the others for many of its actions created a system of constitutional republic. checks and balances. confederated government. unitary government. cross-cutting requirements.

checks and balances.

Informal changes to the Constitution have come about as a result of all of the following EXCEPT congressional legislation. custom constitutional amendments. tradition. judicial interpretation.

constitutional amendments.

In a federal system of government, political power is primarily divided between the central government and regional governments vested in the central government vested in local governments divided between regional governments and local governments

divided between the central government and regional governments

Cooperative federalism includes each of the following EXCEPT federal guidelines. federal funding with no strings attached. categorical grants block grants. shared administration.

federal funding with no strings attached.

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

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

"The Congress shall have the power ... to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by the Constitution in the government of the United States, or any department or officer thereof." Interpretations of this clause have been central to attempts to define the nature of which of the following aspects of the United States political system? Republicanism federalism Judicial review Pluralism Due process of law

federalism

A consequence of separation of powers and checks and balances has been streamlined, but hasty, government decision making. the inability of groups to get their grievances heard. fragmented policymaking processes. an "imperial presidency." the tyranny of the majority.

fragmented policymaking processes.

A birth certificate issued in one state is valid in all states under the constitutional provision of national supremacy. privileges and immunities. full faith and credit. separation of powers. national licensure.

full faith and credit.

Federal policies to regulate food and drugs are examples of: expressed powers reserved powers constitutionally specified powers implied powers categorical grants

implied powers

As originally ratified, the United States Constitution included provisions designed to limit the importation of foreign manufactured goods increase the economic importance of the agrarian sector relative to that of the manufacturing sector guarantee the states a greater role in economic policy-making expand the states' powers to regulate their own commerce with foreign countries increase the economic powers of the central government

increase the economic powers of the central government

Anti-Federalists argued against the adoption of the Constitution for all the following reasons EXCEPT it placed too many restrictions on the states it failed to centralize power it neglected individual rights it favored property owners it responded to the needs of the minority, not the majority

it failed to centralize power

All of these are advantages of federalism EXCEPT: it reduces the amount of experimentation on public policy it increases access to government. it allows customization of policies for local needs. it allows for a greater diversity of opinion to be reflected in public policies. it allows more opportunities for political participation.

it reduces the amount of experimentation on public policy

Madison believed that in order to prevent a "tyranny of the majority" the new government should include all the following EXCEPT limiting the ability of the electorate to vote directly for government officials except for members of the House limiting the president's term of office creating different branches of government with distinctive and separate powers creating political institutions that could function with the consent of a majority creating a system of checks and balances

limiting the president's term of office

Pluralist theory contends that in the United States many groups vie for power with no one set of groups dominating. the many members of Congress dominate a singular official such as the president. too many influential groups cripple government's ability to govern. most citizens fail to pay attention to serious issues. society is governed solely by an upper-class elite.

many groups vie for power with no one set of groups dominating.

The reserved powers of the state governments can best be described as those powers implied in the Fifth Amendment granted to states as part of the implied powers doctrine not specifically granted to the national government or denied to the states exercised by both national and state governments listed specifically in the Tenth Amendment

not specifically granted to the national government or denied to the states

The government designed at the Constitutional Convention allowed the voters to directly elect the president and all members of Congress. both the House and Senate. only the president. only the Senate. only the House of Representatives.

only the House of Representatives.

One way Congress can respond to a Supreme Court ruling that declares a law unconstitutional is to draft a referendum that the voters would approve reargue the case in a state court pass new legislation that addresses the issues raised by the Court appoint new justices pass a law limiting the terms of the justices

pass new legislation that addresses the issues raised by the Court

The framers of the Constitution all believed that one of the primary functions of government is educating citizens protecting individual property rights protecting new immigrants from persecution ensuring that anyone accused of a crime has the right to legal representation expanding the borders of the nation

protecting individual property rights

The Connecticut Compromise at the Constitutional Convention added the Bill of Rights to the Constitution. settled the dispute over whether slavery should be allowed in the final constitution. established an indirectly-elected president. resolved the impasse over the issue of representation in Congress. involved the federal judiciary

resolved the impasse over the issue of representation in Congress

A constitutional amendment would be required to ban flag burning because that activity is currently protected by the right to assembly free exercise protection against the confiscation of private property symbolic free speech due process

symbolic free speech

On the issue of slavery, the Constitution specified that slavery was guaranteed in all states. that a gradual end to slavery must be worked out by Congress and the states within ten years. that slavery would be banned beginning in 1800. the Mason-Dixon line to establish free and slave states. that three-fifths of the slaves would count for population in determining the number of House seats to which each state would be entitled.

that three-fifths of the slaves would count for population in determining the number of House seats to which each state would be entitled.

Which of the following is one of the central concerns of the First Amendment? the protection of rights of those accused of committing a crime the supremacy of the national over the state governments the division of powers among the three branches the right of the citizens to bear arms the right of citizens to petition the government for a redress of grievances

the right of citizens to petition the government for redress of grievances

Under the Articles of Confederation, most governmental power rested in the president. the state governments. the town councils the national government. the judiciary.

the state governments.

Political parties are an important example of the Third Amendment. rigidity of the Constitution. formal amendment process unwritten constitution. wishes of the founders.

unwritten constitution

All of the following issues were decided at the Constitutional Convention EXCEPT qualifications for members of the House and Senate method of electing the President voting qualifications of the electorate representation in the legislature congressional power to override a presidential veto

voting qualifications of the electorate

The new Republican majority in Congress in the 1990s preferred block grants to categorical grants because of it: wanted the federal government to exercise less authority over the states. wanted to increase federal aid to state governments. wanted to decrease federal aid to state governments. wanted federal money to be spent at the neighborhood level rather than the state level. intended to raise more money from state governments to reduce the federal budget deficit.

wanted the federal government to exercise less authority over the states.