ap gov ch 2 test

Enumerated powers

Powers specifically given to Congress in the Constitution; including the power to collect taxes, coin money, regulate foreign and interstate commerce, and declare war.

Rule of law

principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern

What powers did the Articles of Confederation offer the central government?

Coin money, direct the post office, and negotiate with foreign powers (but couldn't direct a military so if things went south well...)

Articles of Confederation weaknesses

•weak union (central gov.)•no taxes imposed•could not regulate trade•no courts or President

How does federalism control factions?

Large republic means more factions will compete.

No executive branch.

The federal government could not enforce legislative decisions.

Which of the following is the best definition of separation of powers? Choose 1 answer: a. The ability of the president to veto legislation and the judicial branch to declare laws unconstitutional b. Parts of government act independently from each other and have different responsibilities c. State governments and the federal government have exclusive and concurrent powers

b

Brutus No. 1

This work by a prominent Anti-Federalist argued that that the new federal government would be too powerful. In particular, he pointed to the necessary-and-proper clause and the supremacy clause as ways that the government may stretch its powers oppressively. In addition, he objected to Congress's power to tax and raise a standing army and to the vast size of the proposed republic. The government would be at too much of a figurative distance and too consumed by elitist tendencies to hear the people. He felt this powerful new government would supplant the states.

Congressional proposal method

Two-thirds of both chambers of Congress must propose an amendment and then this amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of state conventions or state legislatures

Convention method

Two-thirds of states ask Congress to organize a convention and the amendment is proposed at this meeting. The proposed amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of state conventions or state legislatures. This method has never been used to introduce an amendment.

Virginia Plan

"Large state" proposal by James Madison for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress. There was to be a lower house directly elected and the upper house would be appointed by state legislatures (both were proportional to population). The plan favored larger states and thus prompted smaller states to come back with their own plan for apportioning representation.

The Articles of Confederation bound the states into a loose confederation that they called the

"League of friendship"

What economic weaknesses did the Articles have?

1. Only state governments could levy taxes so the national government had to request funding from the states. 2. No revenue meant accumulating debt from the Revolutionary War, lower credit with foreign nations, and worthless currency. 3. Couldn't impose tariffs on foreign imports or regulate interstate commerce - states started putting tariffs on each other and Americans couldn't compete with foreign competitors.

How many amendments does the Constitution have?

27

How long did the United States operate under the Articles of Confederation and what major event exposed the government's weakness?

About 13 years (1776-1789, the economy faltered because the Articles did not permit the central government to enforce tax laws or regulate commerce and the event that exposed the weakness of the government was an event known as Shay's rebellion. It was basically an irritated farmer movement because their land was being foreclosed on and they ran all along the Massachusetts countryside wreaking havoc until General Washington had to stop them.

Federalist No. 10

An essay composed by James Madison under the pen name "Publius" which argues that liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable. Anti-participatory democracy because it brings too much power to a majority, but favors a republic (representative government that can most easily rule over a greater number of citizens). Pro-elite democracy, favors pluralism

Shay's Rebellion

An uprising of Revolutionary War veterans in Massachusetts that both the state and national governments struggled to address due to a lack of centralized military power. It illustrated the need to create a stronger governing system because if a bunch of farmers could cause that many problems then imagine what a bunch of other American goons could do.

Supremacy Clause

Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

A member of the Senate makes a statement to the press that she is unsure of how she is going to vote on a bill. After numerous calls from her constituents asking her to vote for the bill, she votes in support of the bill. This is an example of which of the following democratic ideals? Choose 1 answer: a. Natural rights b. Limited government c. Republicanism d. Social contract

C

"The influence of factious leaders may kindle a flame within their particular states, but will be unable to spread a general conflagration through the other states: a religious sect may degenerate into a political faction in a part of the confederacy; but the variety of sects dispersed over the entire face of it, must secure the national councils against any danger from that source: a rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property, or for any other improper or wicked project, will be less apt to pervade the whole body of the union." -Publius (James Madison), Federalist No. 10, 1787 Which of the following models of representative democracy is most consistent with the passage? Choose 1 answer: a. Direct democracy b. Elite democracy c. Participatory democracy d. Pluralist democracy

D

Which of the following was a strength of the Articles of Confederation that the Constitution retained? Choose 1 answer: a. The federal government could levy taxes b. The federal government had the power to create a centralized military c. The federal government could regulate interstate and foreign commerce d. The federal government could negotiate treaties with other countries

D

The Constitution itself represents what democratic principle?

Limited government - the Constitution will limit the government's power

What kind of government did the Framers make?

Limited government based on ideas of natural rights, popular sovereignty, republicanism, and the social contract theory.

Does Madison have an optimistic or pessimistic view of human nature? How did this impact the drafting of the Constitution?

Madison is negative about human nature because people are driven by self-interest. In result: Separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism.

"Blessings of Liberty" is a reference to what democratic principle?

Natural rights

Passing laws required 9/13 states, amending the Articles required all 13 states.

Nothing gets passed. The Articles remain broken.

Describe the structure of government under the Articles of Confederation.

One branch called the Confederation Congress in which each state had one vote. Nine of the thirteen states must agree to pass a measure. All thirteen must agree to amend the Articles.

Concurrent Powers

Powers held jointly by the national and state governments. Taxation, lawmaking, law enforcement, chartering banks, eminent domain, establishing courts, borrowing money

Each state had 1 vote in the Confederation Congress, regardless of population.

Small states had disproportionately more political power than large states. (That's why Rhode Island didn't attend the Constitutional Convention.)

Article VI

Section of the Constitution continuing old Revolutionary War debts, establishing the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, and confirming there will never be religious test (supremeacy clause)

Article VII of the Constitution

Section of the Constitution regarding the ratification of the Constitution itself, requiring the approval of 9/13 states. The Framers went directly to the people in constitutional conventions for ratification, bypassing state legislatures. Antifederalists wanted unanimous consent from all states, but Federalists did not because they knew that Rhode Island would be bitter.

Factions

Self-interested groups, interest groups, which compete for political power. The Framers wanted to prevent too much political power going to one single group.

No judicial branch.

Territorial disputes between the states could not be resolved.

Article VI: Debts

The United States before the Constitution borrowed a lot of money during the Revolutionary War. In Article VI, it is stated that the United States will continue to pay off those debts. If the United States defaulted on those debts, other countries would be less likely to lend money to them in the future.

What concept limited the Articles of Confederation's power?

The belief in limited government was taken a bit too far out of proportion

The following lists a problem with the Articles

The federal government could only request money from state governments. Couldn't tax citizens directly. The federal government could not pay for anything because the states would not contribute. The federal government could not regulate international or interstate trade. The federal government could not stop states from making their own trade agreements with foreign nations. The federal government could only request soldiers from the states. Couldn't raise their own army. The states could refuse to contribute, making it difficult to defend the country.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution

Why are factions more easily controlled in a large republic?

The more people you have, the wider variety of opinion; competition.

New Jersey Plan

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population. Unicameral legislature - not much different from the Articles

Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)

Was established at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia and scrapped all original prospects of amending the Articles in favor of a plan that would create a stronger central government while meeting the needs of all of the states. Called for a bicameral legislative system in which the House of Representatives would be based on population and the Senate would have equal representation in Congress. The representatives in the House would be selected by direct elections by the people (white male landowners) while those in the Senate were to be appointed by state legislatures (two senators per state). In effect, it combined pieces of the New Jersey Plan, the Virginia Plan, and other proposals. It also included the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted slaves as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of apportioning representation and called for direct taxation on the states. The Electoral College was also born and the international slave trade was to be outlawed starting in the year 1808.

Which of the following scenarios is an example of a present-day constitutional issue about democracy and governmental power? Choose 1 answer: a. FBI agents being able to obtain phone records without a judge's approval b. Congress passing a law requiring restrooms in public buildings to be equipped with baby changing facilities c. Reducing the corporate tax rate as part of the 2017 tax reform bill d. Congress passing a bill that will increase taxes on the top 1% of earners

a

The necessary and proper clause is best defined as which of the following? Choose 1 answer: a. Congress has the power to regulate trade between states and with foreign countries b. The national government has authority over state or local governments c. Congress has the power to carry out its enumerated powers d. Each state must recognize and uphold laws passed by any other state

c

Based on the ruling in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), what is the difference between enumerated powers and implied powers? Choose 1 answer: a. Implied powers are powers given to the federal government, whereas enumerated powers are powers given to state governments b. Enumerated powers are powers given to the federal government, whereas implied powers are powers given to state governments c. Implied powers are powers that the Constitution explicitly grants to the federal government, whereas enumerated powers are not explicitly written but are necessary for carrying out implied powers d. Enumerated powers are powers that the Constitution explicitly grants to the federal government, whereas implied powers are not explicitly written but are necessary for carrying out enumerated powers

d

"When land-forces are raised by any state for the common defence, all officers of or under the rank of colonel, shall be appointed by the legislature of each state respectively, by whom such forces shall be raised, or in such manner as such state shall direct, and all vacancies shall be filled up by the State which first made the appointment." -Articles of Confederation, Article VII, 1777 Which of the following is a consequence of the policy described in the passage above? Choose 1 answer: a. The federal government did not have the power to create a centralized military during peace times b. Each state had to have a reserve of men fit for military service, and had to send funds and men for the nation's common defense c. Each state was responsible for its own protection and could not request help from the federal government or other states d. The federal government had the power to negotiate treaties with other countries in times of peace

A

Which of the following is one example of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? Choose 1 answer: a. The Articles placed too much power in the hands of the central government, which threatened to become tyrannical b. The Articles stipulated a steep tariff on foreign products that threatened to undermine American exports c. Amending the Articles required a unanimous vote of the states, which was nearly impossible d. The Articles required that the United States maintain a standing army, which was too expensive to fund

C

Which of the following policies is an example of a present-day debate about the balance of power between the federal government and state governments? Choose 1 answer: a. Congress passing the Every Student Succeeds (ESSA) Act that decreased the number of standardized tests b. Congress passing a law to name a US Postal service office located in New Jersey the "James C. 'Billy' Johnson Post Office Building" c. Congress passing a law replacing Andrew Jackson with Harriet Tubman on the 20 dollar bill d. Congress passing a law limiting the weight of trucks on interstate highways

a

Which of the following procedures results in the addition of an amendment to the Constitution? Choose 1 answer: a. Two-thirds of state legislatures propose a Constitution Amendment Bill, which is ratified by three-fourths of the states b. The House and the Senate pass a Constitution Amendment Bill by a majority and the Supreme Court approves the bill c. The House and the Senate pass a Constitution Amendment Bill by a simple majority d. Two-thirds of state legislatures propose a Constitution Amendment Bill which is ratified by three-fourths of the House and the Senate

a

Which of the following was a way in which Shays's Rebellion demonstrated the weaknesses of the national government under the Articles of Confederation? Choose 1 answer: a. It could not raise money to pay a militia to put down the rebellion b. It could not coin money to pay the veterans involved in the rebellion c. It could not negotiate with the Native American tribes who were in rebellion d. It could not appoint army officers who were skilled enough to fight the rebels

a

"Because of our two-party system, voters often find themselves voting for the 'lesser of two evils,' rather than a candidate they really feel would do the best job. . . . "Since most states distribute their electoral votes on a winner-take-all basis, the smaller party has no chance to gain support without seeming to take this support from one of the major parties. Few people will support a party that never wins, especially when they are supporting that party at the possible expense of their least favorite candidate taking power." Source: FairVote.org Which of the following governmental policies would the author of this passage most likely support? Choose 1 answer: a. Amending the Constitution to ban political parties b. Reforming or eliminating the Electoral College c. Preventing third party "spoilers" from running in national elections d. Requiring all states to allocate electoral votes on a winner-take-all basis

b

"Our Debts being unfunded and unprovided for, the Interest cannot be paid. Those therefore who trusted us in the Hour of Distress are defrauded. To expect that under such Circumstances others will confide in the Government would be Folly, and to expect that Foreigners will Trust a Government which has no Credit with its own Citizens must be madness . . . "The United States have call'd for eight Million of Dollars early in November last, of which the first quarterly Payment was to have been made on the first Day of April next. But I cannot find that a single State has laid the Taxes." -Robert Morris, letter to the president of Congress, 1782 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. State governments should retain all power of raising revenue through taxation in the United States b. The national government under the Articles lacks necessary tax enforcement power c. Foreigners are wrong to distrust US debtors d. The US government should declare all pre-Revolutionary War loans null and void

b

Which of the following statements best explains the compromise behind the creation of the Electoral College? Choose 1 answer: a. It was a compromise that dictated presidential impeachment procedures b. It was a compromise between big and small states so that states with a larger population cannot control presidential elections c. It was a compromise between slave and free states over how enslaved Africans would be counted for representation d. It was a compromise between Federalists and Anti-Federalists on the power of the Presidency

b

Which two were weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? I. The federal government could not levy taxes. II. The executive branch was more powerful than Congress. III. The federal government could not raise an army. IV. Each state had two votes in a bicameral Congress. Choose 1 answer: a. I and II b. I and III c. II and IV d. III and IV

b

"When the Articles of Confederation were drafted, Americans had little experience of what a national government could do for them and bitter experience of what an arbitrary government could do to them. In creating a central government they were therefore more concerned with keeping it under control than with giving it the means to do its job." -Edmund S. Morgan, The Birth of the Republic, 1763-89, 1956 Which of the following concepts is most consistent with the author's argument? a. Republicanism b. Participatory democracy c. Limited government d. Natural rights

c

Which of the following actions by the federal government would most likely be considered an implied power based on the precedent established by McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)? Choose 1 answer: a. Requiring states to establish police stations every 15 miles b. Punishing all violent criminals with the death penalty c. Outlawing the recreational use of marijuana d. Establishing a law requiring all elections be held on a Saturday

c

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of limited government? Choose 1 answer: a. A president is reelected after a successful first term in office b. An unpopular governor is replaced with his opponent on election day c. The Supreme Court ruled that a law passed by Congress was unconstitutional d. A senator decides to vote in favor of a law after a public opinion poll showing massive support for it in her district

c

Why are the compromises that were necessary to secure ratification of the Constitution still debated today? Choose 1 answer: a. They created strict requirements to change the Constitution b. The compromises did not account for changes in population c. They left some matters unresolved d. The compromises violated states' rights

c

Why did the Framers decide to include Article V of the Constitution, detailing an amendment process? Choose 1 answer: a. Concerns over the executive branch becoming too powerful b. Concerns about the central government becoming too powerful c. Concerns about protecting self-government d. Concerns over tyranny of the majorit

c

Why did the Framers decide to include Article V of the Constitution, detailing an amendment process? Choose 1 answer: a. Concerns over the executive branch becoming too powerful b. Concerns about the central government becoming too powerful c. Concerns about protecting self-government d. Concerns over tyranny of the majority

c

Which of the following aspects of the US Constitution best illustrates the concept of elite democracy? Choose 1 answer: a. The process for adding amendments to the Constitution b. The ban on "corruption of the blood" in cases of treason c. The original wording of the Constitution regarding the selection of US senators d. The apportionment of representatives in the House according to state population

c (state legislatures initially selected the senators)

"Our Debts being unfunded and unprovided for, the Interest cannot be paid. Those therefore who trusted us in the Hour of Distress are defrauded. To expect that under such Circumstances others will confide in the Government would be Folly, and to expect that Foreigners will Trust a Government which has no Credit with its own Citizens must be madness . . . "The United States have call'd for eight Million of Dollars early in November last, of which the first quarterly Payment was to have been made on the first Day of April next. But I cannot find that a single State has laid the Taxes." -Robert Morris, letter to the president of Congress, 1782 Which of the following statements best summarizes the author's argument? Choose 1 answer: a. The US government should call for considerably more than $8 million in taxes in order to meet its obligations b. The US decision to separate from Great Britain was a mistake that has alienated foreign investors c. The Articles of Confederation should immediately be replaced with a new Constitution d. The taxation structure under the Articles poses a serious threat to the economic well-being of the United States

d

Read the passage and answer the following question. "In so extensive a republic, the great officers of government would soon become above the control of the people, and abuse their power to the purpose of aggrandizing themselves, and oppressing them. The trust committed to the executive offices, in a country of the extent of the United States, must be various and of magnitude." -Brutus No. 1 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. Citizens should trust their elected representatives to act properly without supervision b. The United States is not large enough to require executive officers c. Government officers will oppress citizens no matter the size of the republic d. Citizens cannot hold distant elected representatives accountable for their actions

d

The commerce clause of the Constitution grants Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce. Which of the following might be an implied power that Congress would have to complete this task? Choose 1 answer: a. Banning billboard advertisements next to interstate highways b. Funding intrastate highways within a state c. Setting restrictions on how many crops a farm can produce d. Setting a federal minimum wage

d

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of "separation of powers" in the US Constitution? Choose 1 answer: a. Congress can pass a measure, while the Supreme Court can declare it unconstitutional b. Congress can pass a measure, while the president can veto it c. Mississippi can set educational policy for its students, while California can set education policy for its students d. Congress has authority over the federal budget, while the president appoints Supreme Court justices

d

After a House of Representatives member supports an unpopular tax despite protests from his constituents, he loses his bid for reelection. This is an example of which of the following democratic ideals? Choose 1 answer: a. Popular sovereignty b. Natural rights c. Checks and balances d. Limited government

A

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of limited government? Choose 1 answer: a. The president vetoing a bill from Congress b. The federal government replacing state curricula in public schools c. The president appointing state and federal judges d. The federal government restricting commerce within a state

A

Read the passage and answer the following question. "In revising the federal system we ought to inquire 1. into the properties, which such a government ought to possess, 2. the defects of the confederation, 3. the danger of our situation & 4. the remedy. The Character of such a government ought to secure 1. against foreign invasion, 2. against dissensions between members of the Union, or seditions in particular States, 3. to procure to the several States various blessings, of which an isolated situation was incapable, 4. to be able to defend itself against encroachment, & 5. to be paramount to the state constitutions." -Edmund Randolph, as recorded in James Madison's journal, 1787 Which of the following was a consequence of the ideas described in the passage? Choose 1 answer: a. The addition of a bill of rights to the US Constitution b. The development of a new national Constitution c. The decision to break ties with Great Britain and form the United States d. The creation of the Articles of Confederation

B

"In a pure democracy the people are the sovereign, and their will is declared by themselves; for this purpose they must all come together to deliberate, and decide. This kind of government cannot be exercised, therefore, over a country of any considerable extent; it must be confined to a single city, or at least limited to such bounds as that the people can conveniently assemble, be able to debate, understand the subject submitted to them, and declare their opinion concerning it." -Brutus No. 1, 1787 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. Pure democracy is impossible b. Elite democracy is the best model of representative democracy c. Participatory democracy does not work in large countries d. Countries should be limited to small territories

C

Read the passage and answer the following question. "As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed . . . The diversity in the faculties of men, from which the rights of property originate, is not less an insuperable obstacle to a uniformity of interests. The protection of these faculties is the first object of government. From the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property, the possession of different degrees and kinds of property immediately results; and from the influence of these on the sentiments and views of the respective proprietors, ensues a division of the society into different interests and parties." -Publius (James Madison), Federalist No. 10 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. Political liberty is best protected by a small republic with a unicameral legislature b. Political liberty is least protected in a large republic with lots of factions c. Political liberty is best protected by the fragmentation of political power in a large republic d. Political liberty is best protected by a participatory democracy

C

Article V of the Constitution

Describes the process for amending the Constitution. Three-fourths of the states have to ratify an amendment. There are two methods by which the Constitution may be amended: congressional proposal method and the convention method

What are the two ways of eliminating the causes of factions? Why are both unacceptable?

Destroying freedoms needed for a faction to exist and giving everyone the same beliefs.

Read the passage and answer the following question. "As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed . . . The diversity in the faculties of men, from which the rights of property originate, is not less an insuperable obstacle to a uniformity of interests. The protection of these faculties is the first object of government. From the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property, the possession of different degrees and kinds of property immediately results; and from the influence of these on the sentiments and views of the respective proprietors, ensues a division of the society into different interests and parties." -Publius (James Madison), Federalist No. 10 Which of the following statements is most consistent with the author's argument in this passage? Choose 1 answer: a. A large republic cannot meet the needs of all citizens b. Only the wealthiest and most educated people should control the government c. Political parties will strengthen the republic d. Factions, while inevitable, can be controlled

D

Read the passage and answer the following question. "In a pure democracy the people are the sovereign, and their will is declared by themselves; for this purpose they must all come together to deliberate, and decide. This kind of government cannot be exercised, therefore, over a country of any considerable extent; it must be confined to a single city, or at least limited to such bounds as that the people can conveniently assemble, be able to debate, understand the subject submitted to them, and declare their opinion concerning it." -Brutus No. 1 Which of the following political parties would have agreed with the ideological perspectives in the passage when it was written? Choose 1 answer: a. Progressives b. Federalists c. Whigs d. Anti-Federalists

D

Implied powers

Powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions

Implied powers

Powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions.

"In a single republic, all the power surrendered by the people is submitted to the administration of a single government; and the usurpations are guarded against by a division of the government into distinct and separate departments. In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself." -Publius (James Madison), Federalist No. 51, 1788 Which of the following principles of US government is most consistent with the author's argument? Choose 1 answer: a. Separation of powers b. Consent of the governed c. Natural rights d. Republicanism

a

Read the passage and answer the following question. "In revising the federal system we ought to inquire 1. into the properties, which such a government ought to possess, 2. the defects of the confederation, 3. the danger of our situation & 4. the remedy. "The Character of such a government ought to secure 1. against foreign invasion, 2. against dissensions between members of the Union, or seditions in particular States, 3. to procure to the several States various blessings, of which an isolated situation was incapable, 4. to be able to defend itself against encroachment, & 5. to be paramount to the state constitutions." -Edmund Randolph, as recorded in James Madison's journal, 1787 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. Individual states should have the right to form alliances with foreign powers b. State governments should be the primary political units of the United States c. The United States should retain the Articles of Confederation d. The United States would benefit from a stronger central government

D