AP NSL QUIZ

What kind of poll would most likely have led the Tribune to make this erroneous prediction? "DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN"

a straw poll

The following questions refer to the following clause from the Constitution: "The Congress shall have power...to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof." The practical effect of this clause has been to

allow the national government to extend its powers beyond those enumerated in the Constitution

Which of the following is not part of American political culture?

anarchy

Popular sovereignty is the belief that

authority in society ultimately rests with the people.

Brutus was an example of an Anti-Federalist because he

believed a centralized government posed a major threat to individual rights

States and localities have the most discretion in establishing policy when federal funding is derived from

block grants

A Libertarian candidate for president would be most likely to support which of the following proposals.

cutting non-defense government spending

In a federal system of government, political power is primarily

divided between the central government and regional governments

Which of the following is the belief that the national government should not exceed its enumerated powers and that all other powers should be reserved to the states or the people?

dual federalism.

In Federalist 10, Madison argued that the best way to prevent the tyranny of factions was to

establish a representative democracy.

The supremacy clause in the Constitution states that

federal law takes precedence over state law when the laws conflict

Under the ________, an adoption recognized by the Pennsylvania courts would be recognized by Colorado.

full faith and credit clause

According to social contract theory,

government gains its authority from the consent of the governed.

A power that is not stated explicitly in the Constitution but is considered to reasonably flow from a power stated in Article I, section 8, is called a(n)

implied power.

As originally ratified, the United States Constitution included provisions designed to

increase the economic powers of the central government

The importance of Shays' Rebellion to the development of the United States Constitution was that it

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

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts, and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general welfare of the United States;... To regulate Commerce with foreign nations.... To coin money... To declare war... And To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States..." --Article I, United States Constitution, 1787 Based on this passage, which of the following powers is outlined in Article I, section 8 of the Constitution?

legislative powers

Which principle of government did the Supreme Court's decision in McCulloch v. Maryland most directly support?

national supremacy

In The Federalist 10, James Madison argued that factions in a republic are

natural but controllable by a representative democracy.

In The Federalist No. 10, James Madison argued that factions in a republic are

natural but controllable by institutions

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." --Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence, 1776 On which of the following enlightenment ideas does the Declaration of Independence rely?

natural rights

The reserved powers of the state governments can best be described as those powers

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

According to Aristotle's classifications of government, rule by the many in their own self interest is a(n)

oligarchy

Which of the following actions can be best described as a civic responsibility of U.S. citizenship?

registering to vote and participating in the democratic process

The congressional power that has been contested most frequently in the federal courts is the power to

regulate interstate commerce

The Americans with Disabilities Act was widely unpopular with governors and mayors because it...

required that states and cities pay for federally mandated construction and remodeling

The Constitution has a long list of enumerated powers, but few state powers are spelled out. This is because

states had all the power at the writing of the Constitution and a list was deemed unnecessary.

Which of the following concepts would a member of the Republican Party most likely support?

supply side economics

The clause in the United States Constitution that states that federal law will prevail in the event of a conflict between federal and state law is known as the

supremacy clause

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. -Declaration of Independence Which idea in the Declaration expresses John Locke's belief that government derives its authority from the people?

the consent of the governed

According to Locke, the legislative power is limited by _____.

the impartial rule of established laws

A prominent example of the process of returning more of the responsibilities of governing from the national level to the state level is

welfare reform

Which of the following constitutional provisions broadened the power of Congress?

The necessary and proper clause

Which of the following is necessary for a public opinion poll to be valid and reliable?

The poll must have a low margin of error.

In a public opinion poll of a representative sample of a population, 1,200 people were asked to agree, disagree, or express neutrality toward the following statements. Statement A: The government should spend more money on welfare.Result: 35 percent of the respondents agreed. Statement B: The government should spend more money on helping the poor.Result: 60 percent of respondents agreed. Which of the following most likely accounts for the different results?

The questions contained a difference in wording.

The debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists were primarily about which of the following issues?

The scope of power of the central government

Which of the following Civil War era examples demonstrates Popular Sovereignty?

The settlers in a given territory have the right to decide whether or not slavery will be permitted

Which of the following features of the United States Constitution would most concern the author of Brutus1?

The supremacy clause, which gives the federal government supremacy over states

Why does a republic operate less efficiently in a large country than in a small one?

There are too many clashing opinions.

Which of the following is true about exit polls?

They are used by the media to project election winners before most votes have been counted except in close races.

Concurrent powers have which of the following effects on the United States political system?

They make it possible for the states and the national government to simultaneously exercise influence in the same areas of public policy.

According to Aristotle's classifications of government, rule by one in his/her own self interest is a(n)

Tyranny

"Breaking | HOUSE TAX REFORM BILL News | HAS ENOUGH VOTES TO PASS" How does the above headline demonstrate a difference between the U.S. Constitution and the Article of Confederation?

Under the Constitution, the Federal government has the power to pass tax laws

According to Locke, when do the citizens have a right to revolution?

When the government has broken the social contract by violating citizens' natural rights.

All of the following were concerns about the Articles of Confederation that led to the calling of the Constitutional Convention of 1787

-fear for the stability of the central government -desire to promote trade among the states -the need to give the central government the power to levy taxes -dissatisfaction with the central government's ability to provide for national defense

American political culture is characterized by strong popular support for all of the following

-the rule of law -limited government -individual liberty -equality of opportunity

The founders did not include in the U.S. Constitution an explicit statement of state powers but added it later with which amendment?

10th

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of contemporary conservative and liberal political views? Liberal Conservative A) Believes in expanding government's role Believes government should do less B) Accepts higher taxes in return for more government services Believes in increasing the minimum wage C) Believes government should set limits on personal intimacy decisions Believes government should not intrude on personal intimacy decisions D) Believes in supply-side economic theory Believes in Keynesian economic theory

A

Of the following profiles, who would be most likely to vote for a Liberal candidate?

A 35 year old female with a Master's Degree, living in San Francisco.

The decision in United States v. Lopez (1995) reflected new ideas about federalism at the time that can be best characterized by which of the following?

A delegation of power from the federal government to state governments, increasing state and local sovereignty

According to James Madison, which of the following best controls the effects of faction?

A large republic

Which of the following statements best explains the overall decline in faith in American institutions?

Americans have high and often unrealistic expectations for government.

Which of the following scenarios best reflects the process of political socialization?

An individual takes a civics course in school and develops opinions about politics.

What group was concerned about the Constitution's provisions for the strength of the president and the lack of specific guarantees of states' and citizens' rights and liberties?

Anti-Federalists

Articles of Confederation Constitution A Required unanimous approval by the states for amendment Requires the Supreme Court to approve an amendment B No common currency Federal government can coin money C Gives the national and state governments the power to tax Gives only the state governments the power to tax D Created a National Executive branch headed by a Prime Minister Created a national executive branch, headed by an elected preside Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the the Articles of Confederation and the US Constitution?

B

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of federal block and categorical grants Block Grants Categorical Grants A)Let members of Congress control how to spend money in their districts Give states control over how to spend federal money locally B) The federal government will have less control over the way grant money is spent Require states or localities to meet certain criteria C) Are used primarily to combat terrorism at the local level Are available to state governments but not city governments D) Specify how the grant money is to be spent Have declined in favor of block grants

B

Why would the ancient Greeks disapprove of the U.S. Congress?

Because the U.S. Congress is a representative democracy.

Which of the following forms of financial aid from the national government gives the states the broadest discretion in the spending of money?

Block grants

In The Federalist 10, James Madison argued that the new constitution would help control faction by doing which of the following?

By creating a large republic, the new constitution made it less likely that a faction could gain enough power to completely dominate.

Articles of Confederation Constitution A Required unanimous approval by the states for amendment Requires the Supreme Court to approve an amendment B Gives the national and state governments the power to tax Gives only the state governments the power to tax C Established a unicameral legislature Established a bicameral legislature D Created a National Executive branch headed by a Prime Minister Created a national executive branch, headed by an elected president

C

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the two court cases? McCulloch v Maryland (1819) Gibbons v. Odgen (1824) (A) Declared an act of Congress unconstitutional Recognized the importance of state sovereignty and local control (B) Decided that Congress had implied powers Ruled that state laws were supreme to national laws (C) Led to an increase in power for the national government Solidified Congress' power to regulate interstate trade (D) Decided that a state had the power to tax a national bank Declared the Gun-Free-School Zones Act unconstitutional

C

Who has the power to lay and collect direct taxes on citizens?

Congress only

John Locke's ideas heavily influenced the language used in the

Declaration of Independence.

Use the infographic above to help answer this question. Which of the following is true regarding the power of the national and state governments?

Delegated powers include the power to regulate interstate and foreign trade

Cooperative federalism can best be described by which of the following statements?

Different levels of government are involved in common policy areas.

What does Article VI declare as the "supreme law of the land"?

Federal laws

Which of the following generally favored a stronger national government and supported the proposed U.S. Constitution?

Federalists

The most important question that was ever proposed to your decision, or to the decision of any people under heaven, is before you, and you are to decide upon it by men of your own election, chosen specially for this purpose. --Brutus 1 The excerpt referenced above best illustrates which model of representative democracy?

Indirect Democracy

Which of the following best explains how the push poll referenced in the cartoon effects elections?

It can cause voters to rethink who they are voting for.

Why is Brutus concerned about the last element of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution?

It gives the federal government too much power.

Which of the following describes the social contract theory as advanced by John Locke?

It is an agreement in which the government promises to protect the natural rights of people.

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. -Declaration of Independence According to the Declaration of Independence, which of the following describes the first action that had to be taken to in dissolving the political bonds with England?

Listing grievances against the King and Parliament that described the reasons the colonies want independence

Which of the following is the best example of a categorical grant?

Money given to states for special education programs

"We hear much of special interest groups. Well, our concern must be for a special interest group that has been too long neglected. It knows no sectional boundaries or ethnic and racial divisions, and it crosses political party lines. It is made up of men and women who raise our food, patrol our streets, man our mines and factories, teach our children, keep our homes, and heal us when we're sick—professionals, industrialists, shopkeepers, clerks, cabbies, and truck drivers. They are, in short, "We the people," this breed called Americans." President Ronald Reagan, First Inaugural Address, January 20, 1981 The excerpt referenced above best illustrates which model of representative democracy?

Participatory Democracy

The Declaration of Independence states "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." This was a revolutionary change from the system of British monarchy, which was based on the divine right of kings. For which of the ideals of democracy does this quote provide a foundation?

Popular sovereignty

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. -Declaration of Independence Which of the following concepts is mostly strongly reflected in the second paragraph of this excerpt?

Social Contract

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.

Which of the following statements correctly supports the artist's view in the cartoon above?

States like receiving aid from the national government, but don't always appreciate the conditions of aid

Which of the following is an accurate description of the decision in United States v. Lopez (1995) ?

The Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was struck down as unconstitutional because it exceeded the commerce clause.

According to Brutus, all of the following are potential consequences of a republic EXCEPT:

The armed forces will overpower the legislatures.

Of the following, which has been used most to expand the power of the national government?

The commerce clause of the Constitution

Which of the following is an accurate description of the decision in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) ?

The federal government had the authority to establish a national bank, and Maryland's tax was unconstitutional.

Which of the following is a correct statement about the federal government's role in interstate commerce?

The federal government's role has been greatly expanded through the interpretation of the interstate commerce clause.

The United States is expected to have a minority majority population by 2050. What does this mean?

The minority populations will outnumber the Caucasian population.