AP US Government Quiz 3

Which of the following clauses in the Constitution justifies the "implied powers doctrine" ? A The necessary and proper clause B The privileges and immunities clause C The contract clause D The debts and engagements clause E The executive power clause

A

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 A necessary and proper clause B supremacy clause C presentment clause D confrontation clause E equal protection clause

B

Which of the following sets of Supreme Court cases best illustrates how views of federalism have shifted in the United States? A. Brown v Board of Education; Baker v Carr B. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819); United States v. Lopez (1995) C. Roe v. Wade (1973); McDonald v. Chicago (2010) D. Schenck v. United States (1919); New York Times v. United States (1971)

B

Cooperative federalism can best be described by which of the following statements? A Different levels of government are involved in common policy areas. B Government must have cooperation from the people in order to make legislative decisions. C Local levels of government can make decisions on issues more efficiently than state and national governments can. D The federal government must make regulations that can be applied across every state in the same way. E Business and government can work together to more effectively accomplish shared goals.

A

In McCulloch v. Maryland , the Supreme Court established which of the following principles? A States cannot interfere with or tax the legitimate activities of the federal government. B The judicial branch cannot intervene in political disputes between the President and Congress. C The federal Bill of Rights places no limitations on the states. D The federal government has the power to regulate commerce. E It is within the judiciary's authority to interpret the constitution.

A

Which of the following is the best example of a categorical grant? A Money given to states for special education programs B Money given to individuals in the form of tax rebates C Money given to states unconditionally D Money given to states to spend at their discretion on transportation E Money given directly to private business for economic development

A

"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 A make the legislature the most powerful branch of the national government B allow the national government to extend its powers beyond those enumerated in the Constitution C allow the state governments to nullify federal laws within their borders D give the President uncontested powers in the area of foreign policy E ensure that any powers not delegated by the Constitution to the United States government are reserved to the states and the people

B

Refer to the passage for the following question. In many places, classrooms are overcrowded and curricula are outdated. Most of our qualified teachers are underpaid, and many of our paid teachers are unqualified. So we must give every child a place to sit and a teacher to learn from. Poverty must not be a bar to learning, and learning must offer an escape from poverty. But more classrooms and more teachers are not enough. We must seek an educational system which grows in excellence as it grows in size. This means better training for our teachers. It means preparing youth to enjoy their hours of leisure as well as their hours of labor. It means exploring new techniques of teaching, to find new ways to stimulate the love of learning and the capacity for creation.... . . . While our Government has many programs directed at those issues, I do not pretend that we have the full answer to those problems. But I do promise this: We are going to assemble the best thought and the broadest knowledge from all over the world to find those answers for America. I intend to establish working groups to prepare a series of White House conferences and meetings... on the quality of education, and on other emerging challenges. And from these meetings and from this inspiration and from these studies we will begin to set our course toward the Great Society. The solution to these problems does not rest on a massive program in Washington, nor can it rely solely on the strained resources of local authority. They require us to create new concepts of cooperation, a creative federalism, between the National Capital and the leaders of local communities. President Lyndon B. Johnson, May 22, 1964 Which of the following actions did President Johnson suggest he would take to address problems in public schools? A Driving down the cost of education by removing ineffective teachers B Calling on experts to advise the federal government in finding ways to improve public education C Increasing school accountability by requiring schools to show evidence of improvement D Scaling back the role of the federal government and allowing state and local governments to take the lead in education policy

B

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 A consolidation of power in the national government based on national supremacy B A delegation of power from the federal government to state governments, increasing state and local sovereignty C A delegation of power from the state governments to the federal government, increasing the power of the United States government D An increase in cooperative federalism, where power and duties are shared between the federal and state governments

B

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

B

Which of the following is an accurate description of the decision in United States v. Lopez (1995) ? A The Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was upheld as constitutional because regulating arms is an enumerated power. B The Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was upheld as constitutional because any interstate commerce is implied in the commerce clause. C The Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was struck down as unconstitutional because it exceeded the commerce clause. D The Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was struck down because it exceeded the state's power to regulate guns.

C

"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." 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? A Republicanism B Pluralism C Due process of law D Federalism E Judicial review

D

Concurrent powers have which of the following effects on the United States political system? A They reinforce the expansion of the power of the national government and the supremacy of the national law. B They eliminate disputes between the states and the national government by creating completely separate spheres of influence. C They foster cooperation between the states and the national government by requiring that the two levels of government work together. D They make it possible for the states and the national government to simultaneously exercise influence in the same areas of public policy.

D

Giving state governments greater discretion in deciding how to achieve the specific goals of welfare reform is an example of A an unfunded mandate B implied powers C dual federalism D devolution E affirmative action

D

Which of the following constitutional principles best explains why there is variation among states on the use of capital punishment? A Separation of powers B Judicial review C Checks and balances D Federalism

D

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

E

Which of the following is a correct statement about the federal government's role in interstate commerce? A The federal government has no role in regulating interstate commerce. B The federal government's role is limited to regulating activities that may lead to federal crimes. C The federal government's role is limited to regulating commerce transported on interstate waterways such as the Mississippi River. D The federal government's role is limited to regulating the transport of agricultural goods. E The federal government's role has been greatly expanded through the interpretation of the interstate commerce clause.

E