FINAL MASTER QUIZ

No, he is not a natural-born citizen

Fabio, a 44-year-old, was born in Italy but immigrated to the United States with his parents when he was only 4 years old. He has been living here most of his life and does have U.S. citizenship. Can he attain the office of U.S. president?

What is the minimum age for a House of Representatives member and a U.S senator, respectively?

25, 30

Around what age does voter turnout peak in the United States? a. 25 b. 60 c. 45 d. 30

60

The only way to stop a filibuster is by invoking cloture, a motion to end debate that requires a supermajority. How many senators constitute a supermajority?

60

Most congressional powers are listed in which section of the Constitution?

Article 1, section 8

How do freshman congress members typically choose their committee assignments?

Based upon the needs of their district or state

lame duck

Because a president in his second term cannot seek reelection, he is commonly referred to as a(n)

the "Great Communicator."

Because he came across well on television, Ronald Reagan is referred to as

Which historical protest involved the dumping of tea in opposition to the British government-backed monopoly? a. Shays's Rebellion b. Watts Riots c. Boston Tea Party d. Tea Party Rally

Boston Tea Party

Prior to the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, how were senators elected?

By selection from members of state legislatures

Nearly three-fourths of which group of people vote in elections? a. College-educated b. The 1 percent c. Latinos d. Grade-school educated

College-educated

Which form of political participation continues to rise dramatically, especially in the last decade? a. Recruiting for a political party b. Communicating directly with members of Congress c. Working for a political candidate d. Attending political meetings

Communicating directly with members of Congress

In which type of voting system (like Australia's) are citizens required by law to vote? a. Proxy voting b. Compulsory voting c. Plurality voting d. Preferential voting

Compulsory voting

In which model do citizens consider the costs and benefits of voting—i.e., when the benefits exceed the costs, they turn out to vote? a. Psychological b. Economic c. Genetic d. Institutional

Economic

Which amendment extended voting rights to African American males? a. Twelfth b. Eleventh c. Nineteenth d. Fifteenth

Fifteenth

Where do bills concerning raising revenue originate?

House of Representatives

Which political body is subject to redistricting, or the redrawing of the boundaries of congressional districts in a state to make them approximately equal in population size?

House of Represnatives

Pardon

In June 2018, the White House announced that the president exonerated the prison sentence of two Oregon cattle ranchers who started fires that damaged federal lands. What power is the president using?

Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. v. Sawyer

In which case did the Supreme Court rule that the president could not seize domestic property when the U.S. was at war abroad?

In which model of voting is the voting process shaped by the rules of the system, political party behavior, the ways candidates run their campaigns, and the context of the election? a. Genetic b. Institutional c. Psychological d. Economic

Institutional

How does the average rate of voter turnout in the U.S. compare to that of other democracies? a. It is about the same. b. It is lower. c. It is slightly higher. d. It is much higher.

It is lower.

Franco believes that equality and citizen participation are important political values. He believes that the more people are allowed to vote, the better the government can respond to people's interests. Franco believes in which model of voting? a. Jeffersonian model b. Psychological model c. Hamiltonian model d. Economic model

Jeffersonian model

To assess their educational skills, potential voters in 1960s Alabama were required to answer questions like these: Whose duty is it to keep Congress informed of the state of the union? In which document or writing is the "Bill of Rights" found? How many states were required to approve the original Constitution in order for it to be in effect? In what type of assessment are these potential votes participating? a. Grandfather clauses b. Jim Crow laws c. Literacy tests d. White primaries

Literacy tests

commander in chief

The president directs all war efforts and military conflict under the title

Great Society

Lyndon Johnson's federal social welfare programs became known as the

Which Supreme Court case established judicial review whereby laws could be declared unconstitutional?

Marbury v. Madison

Who was the first female Speaker of the House?

Nancy Pelosi

presidential directives

President Trump signed more executive orders than any other recent president in his first 100 days in office. Some notable ones were to reverse the Affordable Care Act and ban admission to the U.S. for a range of immigrants and refugees. These instructions do not require congressional approval. This exemplifies the power of the president to issue

Leroy grew up in a household with parents who voted in every election, national and local. Now as an adult, Leroy votes similarly, and when people ask him about his loyalty to the process, he simply tells them, "It is my duty to vote." Which model of voting does Leroy exemplify? a. Genetic b. Institutional c. Psychological d. Economic

Psychological

No more than 90

Pursuant to the War Powers Act, how many days may the president send troops into military conflict without an official declaration of war or authorization from Congress?

Which Supreme Court case outlawed the practice of the white primary? a. California Democratic Party v. Jones b. Griswold v. Connecticut c. Marbury v. Madison d. Smith v. Allwright

Smith v. Allwright

Ironically, which state elected Joseph Rainey, the first African American member of the House of Representatives? a. South Carolina b. North Carolina c. West Virginia d. Virginia

South Carolina

Which is the top leadership position in the House of Representatives?

Speaker of the House

Which women's suffrage advocate was arrested after her attempt to vote in 1872? a. Elizabeth Cady Stanton b. Susan B. Anthony c. Victoria Claflin Woodhull d. Eleanor Roosevelt

Susan B. Anthony

Which political movement began with protests against the nearly $800 billion stimulus package, which Congress passed in 2009 in the hopes of ending the financial crisis that began in 2008? a. Tea Party b. March for Our Lives c. Women's Rights d. Civil Rights

Tea Party

Which statement accurately describes the aim of the Constitution and the states in regard to elections? a. The Constitution includes guidelines for all state and national elections, and it requires the national government to establish eligibility requirements for the states. b. The Constitution divides the responsibility for holding elections equally between the federal government and the states c. The Constitution is specific about the dominant role of the federal government in holding elections, and the states play a limited role. d. The Constitution is silent on the rules about voting in elections, leaving such choices to states.

The Constitution is silent on the rules about voting in elections, leaving such choices to states.

Franklin Roosevelt

The president's tenure was limited to two terms following which president's election to a fourth term?

Which statement describes the relationship between income and voting? a. The lower one's income, the more likely one is to vote. b. Those with a high income and those with a low income are equally likely to vote. c. Those who represent the annual median family income in the U.S. are most likely to vote. d. The higher one's income, the more likely one is to vote.

The higher one's income, the more likely one is to vote.

Why did the Framers establish Congress as a bicameral institution?

To allow each chamber to check each other's power

Andrew Johnson

Who was the first president to have impeachment charges brought against him?

In recent years, what has been the most common nonvoting form of political participation in the United States? a. Trying to influence others' votes b. Working for a party or candidate c. Giving money to campaigns d. Attending political meetings

Trying to influence others' votes

Which amendment set the voting age at 18? a. Nineteenth b. First c. Twenty-Sixth d. Second

Twenty-Sixth

What is the most common form of political participation in the U.S.? a. Working for a party or candidate b. Making financial donations to campaigns c. Voting d. Attending a political meeting

Voting

Why has Oregon recently had such a high rate of voting (i.e., 70 percent in 2008 and 68 percent in 2016)? a. Early voting b. Internet ballots c. Extended voting hours d. Voting by mail

Voting by mail

The voting-age population measure has been in error because it has not considered increases in the number of immigrants and convicted felons who are ineligible to vote. What new measure corrects for these trends? a. Available voter b. Adjusted voter c. Legal voter d. Voting-eligible population

Voting-eligible population

The nomination of judges in the federal judicial system, including supreme court justices

What authority or role does the president have regarding the judicial system?

Constitution

What determines the presidential order of succession?

Official record of government regulations

What is the Federal Register?

2/3

What percentage of votes is necessary for Congress (both chambers) to override a presidential veto?

signing statements

When a president signs a bill into law, he can issue written remarks that reflect his interpretation of the law that are not required or authorized by the Constitution. These remarks are called

Twelfth

Which amendment set the eligibility requirements for vice president?

Hamdi v. Rumsfeld

Which case blocked the Bush administration from denying habeas corpus privileges to an enemy combatant who was a U.S. citizen?

United States v. Nixon

Which case indicated that the president's power of executive privilege is not absolute?

Eleanor Roosevelt

Which first lady showed her support for civil rights by arranging for the first African American opera singer to perform on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial?

Iran-Contra scandal

Which major controversy marred the presidency of Ronald Reagan?

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Which president appointed the first chief of staff?

Franklin Roosevelt

Which president's program, known as the New Deal, was designed to address problems associated with the Great Depression?

Watergate

Which scandal led to the resignation of Richard Nixon?

Chief of staff

Who controls the flow of staff and paperwork, focuses the president's attention on key issues, monitors the coherence of presidential policies across cabinet departments, serves as a referee for disagreements among senior staff members, and forms bridges between the president and Congress?

In recent sessions, how do the House and Senate compare demographically to the U.S. population?

Women and ethnic minorities make up smaller percentages in the House and Senate than their percentages in the overall U.S. population.

Which federal organization issues regulations and creates policy like reducing waste and chemical risks, protecting U.S. water supplies, and limiting emissions from coal-fired plants? a. Environmental Protection Agency b. National Transportation Safety Board c. Department of Agriculture d. National Park Service

a. Environmental Protection Agency

In 1966, which act established a procedure by which ordinary citizens could directly request nonclassified reports from the federal government for a nominal fee? a. Freedom of Information b. Government in the Sunshine c. General Services Administration d. Government Accountability

a. Freedom of Information

Which department or agency is responsible for promoting road safety by trying to limit drunk driving? a. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration b. Environmental Protection Agency c. Department of Health and Human Services d. Transportation Management Service

a. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration

What were the layer of federal employees President Eisenhower appointed to oversee civil service employees? a. Schedule C appointees b. Civil Service appointees c. Oversight Committee appointees d. Senior Executive Service

a. Schedule C appointees

Which group is comprised of experienced personnel the president assigns to senior management positions throughout the federal bureaucracy? a. Senior Executive Service b. Foreign Service c. Schedule C appointees d. Civil Service Commission

a. Senior Executive Service

What were the first three departments created by Congress in 1789? a. State, Treasury, and War b. State, Agriculture, and Education c. State, Agriculture, and Interior d. State, Justice, and Treasury

a. State, Treasury, and War

Members of Congress may send mail to their constituents free of charge. This is called

franking

Why was the Department of the Interior established? a. To regulate the sale of federal lands and the management of Indian affairs b. To handle the design and remodeling of the White House c. To oversee border disputes with Canada and Mexico d. To negotiate agreements among different independent agencies

a. To regulate the sale of federal lands and the management of Indian affairs

Federal employees who have connections to politically powerful people, who have participated in other presidential administrations, and/or who carry out the president's political and partisan agenda are called a. political appointees. b. merit system employees. c. career civil servants. d. executive employees.

a. political appointees.

In July 2017, President Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. This judicial nomination required the approval by two-thirds of the Senate in a Congressional power known as

advice and consent

The National Voter Registration Act requires states to a. register all eligible voters, though the states can define "eligible." b. allow absentee ballots so voters can vote by mail. c. allow voters to register when they apply for or renew their driver's licenses. d. remove ineligible voters from their rolls.

allow absentee ballots so voters can vote by mail.

Who are the president's key advisers responsible for carrying out federal policies for areas under their jurisdictions? a. Senate b. Cabinet c. Supreme Court d. Pentagon

b. Cabinet

Who exercises power of the purse to keep the bureaucracy accountable and responsive? a. Cabinet b. Congress c. Vice president d. President

b. Congress

The Department of Homeland Security was created to purportedly remedy the lack of coordination among the nation's national security and disaster relief agencies. The new department consolidated several key units that had been operating independently and created new intelligence offices that would try to serve as bridges between the FBI and the CIA. Which component of a bureaucracy was this change meant to fix? a. Mission b. Culture c. Decision-making process d. Expertise

b. Culture

Which description best depicts whistleblowers? a. Members of the executive branch who referee disputes between two or more agencies when there is conflict b. Individuals who report mismanagement, corruption, or illegal activity within their agencies c. Members of Congress who have oversight authority over agencies that are mismanaged d. Regulators who have authority to shut down businesses that do not comply with federal standards

b. Individuals who report mismanagement, corruption, or illegal activity within their agencies

What is the primary disadvantage to the hierarchical decision-making process that exists within the federal bureaucracy? a. It often results in uninformed decisions. b. It can present an obstacle to speedy decision making. c. It fails to ensure that policies are administered equally. d. It blocks governmental transparency.

b. It can present an obstacle to speedy decision making.

In the early days of government, civil service jobs were given to those who pledged their loyalty to the president. What was this early system called? a. Civil servant b. Patronage c. Nonprofit d. Merit

b. Patronage

Which section of the Constitution gave the president the power of appointment and helped lay the foundations of the modern bureaucracy? a. Article I b. Article IV c. Article II d. Article III

c. Article II

Congress can hold the bureaucracy accountable through which two powers that allow it to evaluate federal agencies and withhold funds if there are dissatisfactions? a. Intervention and organization b. Evaluation and implementation c. Authorization and appropriation d. Interpretation and approval

c. Authorization and appropriation

The federal bureaucracy is a collection of departments, agencies, boards, and commissions that carry out the responsibilities of the federal government for which group? a. Legislative branch b. Congressional committees c. Executive branch d. Judicial branch

c. Executive branch

Which act was created in response to the mistrust of the federal government that grew out of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal? a. Economic Stabilization b. Freedom of Information c. Government in the Sunshine d. Voting Rights

c. Government in the Sunshine

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 prompted the creation of which department? a. Veterans Affairs b. Interior c. Homeland Security d. Defense

c. Homeland Security

"The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the principal Federal agency responsible for programs concerned with the Nation's housing needs, fair housing opportunities, and improvement and development of the Nation's communities...It takes steps to encourage a strong private sector housing industry that can produce affordable housing; and to stimulate private sector initiatives, public/private sector partnerships, and public entrepreneurship." What is this formal summary that agencies like HUD offer to the general public called? a. Preamble b. Constitution c. Mission d. Handbook

c. Mission

The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 led to the creation of which agency? a. Interstate Commerce Commission b. Internal Revenue Service c. Office of Personnel Management d. Environmental Protection Agency

c. Office of Personnel Management

Signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur in 1883, the first reform that helped slowly change the federal bureaucracy from a corrupt, partisan insider organization to a neutral, policy-based organization is known as the a. Office of Personnel Management. b. General Services Administration. c. Pendleton Act. d. Government in the Sunshine Act.

c. Pendleton Act.

Who is ultimately responsible for the policy decisions that come out of a federal department? a. Bureau chief b. Deputy secretary c. Secretary d. Assistant secretary

c. Secretary

Which office has final authority over the federal budget? a. Internal Revenue Service b. Securities and Exchange Commission c. U.S. Department of Treasury d. Office of Management and Budget

d. Office of Management and Budget

The Framers wanted to make sure the president followed the intent of Congress, but they gave him wide discretion in how he carried out the laws. In Article II, Section 3, they gave him the power to "take Care that the Laws be a. summarily discharged." b. legally administered." c. morally applied." d. faithfully executed."

d. faithfully executed."

In 2012, the Washington Post reported that a Georgia congressman secured $6.3 million in taxpayer money to replenish a beach close to his vacation home. Similarly, a Michigan representative secured $486,000 to build a bike lane near her home. While the ethics behind these actions are questionable, they are legal. What type of funding projects are these congresspeople using?

earmarks

In the summer of 2017, Connecticut senator Christopher S. Murphy took control of the Senate floor for 15 hours in an attempt to force the majority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell, to allow votes on Democrats' amendments to an annual bill that sought to tighten U.S. gun laws. In what tactic is Murphy engaging?

fillibuster

A trend in which older voters who die are replaced in the electorate by less reliable young voters is known as a. the voting-eligible population. b. generational replacement. c. graveyard voting. d. the grandfather clause.

generational replacement.

Redrawing district boundaries so most voters in a district favor one party is called

gerrymandering

The way members of Congress portray themselves to constituents is known as

home style

Congress may remove judges and executive officials from office via

impeachment

The president may wait for Congress to go out of session and simply not sign a bill. This decision is called a(n)

pocket veto

To which collective body does unanimous consent apply?

senate

What are the terms of office in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, respectively?

six, two

Which type of congressional committee is permanent and reports to the full chamber?

standing

What authority given to Congress has been the most instrumental in expanding its power relative to the other branches of government?

taxation and approval

Who can break a tie vote in the Senate?

vice president