every gov quiz/test so far
Which of the following grievances from the Declaration of Independence reflects the principle of social contract?
"For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent."
Which of the following quotes from the Constitution describes the Senate?
"No person who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen."
The U.S. Senate contains
100 members and is considered more stable and immune to passing popular whims
The qualifications for U.S. president are
35 years of age, U.S. citizen, and resident for previous 14 years under Article II of the Constitution
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.—Madison, Number 51 Based on the quote, which of the following statements would Madison have likely supported?
A government must have enough power to govern however, its power must also be limited by creating multiple branches within it.
The issue of slavery was largely responsible for the party realignment that followed the election of
Abraham Lincoln in 1860
Which of the following statements accurately describes the relationship between the principle of "separation of powers" and the Articles of Confederation?
Because the Articles of Confederation created a central government that contained only a legislative branch, it does not reflect the principle of "separation of powers".
The existence and monitoring of independent regulatory agencies depends on the
Congress
The powers and actions of independent regulatory agencies are created and overseen by
Congress and intended to help the government run smoother
"So my message is simple. It is time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America. Send me these tax reforms, and I will sign them right away."—President Obama, 2012 State of the Union Address In this quote, the president is asking the
Congress to change tax policies that favor employing people in other countries
An American with a political ideology that is primarily moderate, yet more liberal on some issues is most likely to be a member of the
Democratic Party
Which of the following is true about the Electoral College today?
Each state has a number of votes based on its representation.
Which of the following is true about responsibility in the U.S. Court system?
Federal courts handle most appeals from the state courts of last resort, whereas the state courts address most crimes and civil cases.
Early leaders of the United States who preferred a strong role for the central government became the first members of the
Federalist Party
You pass an officer making an arrest on the street. You hear her say to the suspect, "You have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you..." The officer's words to the suspect and reasons for them most relate to the
Fifth Amendment
Which of the following statements is true?
From the 1920s to 1940s, the radio was growing quickly as a source of political news.
A case appealed from a Georgia court of appeals would go to the
Georgia court of last resort
The Sixth Amendment was interpreted in
Gideon v. Wainwright to mean states must pay for counsel if the defendant cannot afford it
Which of the following statements correctly describes the significance of the case?
In Texas v. Johnson, the use of flag burning in protest was ruled protected speech under the First Amendment
How is the principle of "rule of law" evident in the Constitution?
It creates a government that can make, enforce, and review its own laws.
How does the Constitution distribute power?
It divides the central government into three branches and shares power with the state governments.
How did the invention of television change the nature of political communication?
It gave the public audience the ability to see what officials looked like and see the effects of their actions.
Which of the following is a valid statement about the Electoral College?
It is a plan that framers of the nation's government made to balance the relative power between the states.
Which of the following is true about the legislative branch of government?
It is divided into two separate houses.
What effect could the "necessary and proper clause" to the Constitution have on rights?
It places restrictions on rights during times of emergency such as a natural disaster.
Which of the following statements is true about the U.S. Senate?
Its members have six-year terms, with one-third of the total members up for re-election every two years.
Which of the following is a true statement about judges in the U.S. court system?
Judges are appointed at the federal level, and the system for selecting judges differs by state government.
What do Americans value as the basic individual or natural rights?
Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness
The outcome of the Supreme Court case
Plessy v. Ferguson was that separate but equal facilities did not violate the Constitution
An accused criminal has the right to a trial by an impartial jury. Which of the following also reflects a right, but is a potential threat to the accused's rights that the courts might limit?
Press access to evidence in the case before the trial begins
According to the U.S. Constitution, which of the following people would be eligible to run for U.S. president?
Robert, 36 years old, born and lived all his life in Georgia
"When the president does it, that means it is not illegal."—President Richard M. Nixon Which of the following concepts best contradicts this quote?
Rule of law
"In the government of this commonwealth, the legislative department shall never exercise the executive and judicial powers, or either of them. The executive shall never exercise the legislative and judicial powers, or either of them. The judicial shall never exercise the legislative and executive powers, or either of them. To the end it may be a government of laws and not of men."—Massachusetts Constitution, Part the First, Article XXX, 1780 Which two government principles does this quote reflect?
Rule of law, limited government
If the majority party in the House is the Democratic party, then the
Speaker will be a member of the Democratic party
What is the meaning of the idea "federalism?"
State governments and a central government share power and responsibility.
Which of the following amendments to the U.S. Constitution reflects the principle of federalism?
The 10th Amendment reserves rights to the states not assigned to the national government.
"The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age." Which of the following reflects the source and impact of this quote?
The 26th amendment protects the right to vote for all legal adults. Before this amendment, young adults could be in college or even serving the military in combat but not be eligible to choose their leaders for a few years.
Which of the following is true about the Supreme Court justices?
The Chief Justice and associate justices serve for life or until resignation.
Which of the following makes a true statement?
The Constitution limits the powers of governments as one way of securing individual rights.
Which of the following is a true statement?
The Constitution makes no mention of political parties or their role in policymaking.
How do the House and Senate differ in the powers related to impeachment?
The House can impeach federal officials and then the Senate would conduct the impeachment trial.
Which of the following explains the outcome and significance of the District of Columbia v. Heller case?
The Supreme Court decided in favor of Heller, that the Second Amendment allows law-abiding U.S. citizens to own and carry handguns in the district.
What is the role of a judge in a jury trial?
The judge makes sure the evidence is presented fairly and that the jurors understand the law and procedures.
Under the Constitution, who has the responsibility for relationships with foreign nations?
The president can make treaties, but the Senate must ratify them.
"Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power."—James Madison Which of the following statements both relates to the quote above and supports it by stating how the concern is reflected in American constitutional government?
Therefore, each branch of the central government will have the power to check the power of the other branches.
What do the executive powers of appointing federal judges and entering into foreign treaties have in common?
They both require the consent of the Senate.
The Democratic-Republican party was founded based on
Thomas Jefferson's leadership and the Anti-Federalist ideology
The federal court of original jurisdiction is the
U.S. District Court
Is the principle "separation of powers" evident in the U.S. Constitution?
Yes, it is shown because the first three articles describe the three branches of government.
Did the Declaration of Independence reflect the principle of individual rights?
Yes, it listed the grievances against the king for abuses of the colonists' rights.
The Department of State is
a cabinet department that is part of the executive branch under the Constitution
Which of the following cases would be heard first in an U.S. District Court?
a citizen of Mexico residing in Utah accuses a U.S. university of violating her civil rights
Which of the following cases would the U.S. Supreme Court be the first to hear?
a criminal trial involving a U.S. ambassador
An independent regulatory agency is
a department that functions mostly without executive or legislative control
The term federalism describes
a legal division of authority between the national, state, and local governments
Which of the following cases would be heard in a U.S. District Court?
a person claiming her state court of last resort violated her rights under the Constitution
A difference between a political party and an interest group is that the main goal of
a political party is to get its members elected into political office
Which of the following best describes who has decision-making power in an oligarchy?
a small group of people
In the Election of 2000, Florida was
a swing state with challenged votes
A committee that will only exist temporarily to create a certain type of bill would be a
ad hoc committee
"To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers." U.S. Constitution Article I, Section 8 The quote above is
also known as the "elastic clause" because it gives Congress flexibility in the types of legislation it passes
"The powers of government are too heavily weighted on the side of the national government and against the state governments." The author or speaker of this quote would have been
an Anti-federalist arguing against ratification of the Constitution in favor of a weaker national government
The framers of the Constitution could not have anticipated creating an air force. Therefore, its creation is an example of
an implied power
The Central Intelligence Agency operates as
an independent agency responsible for gathering intelligence about foreign nations
Examples of how Congress oversees the power of the executive branch is its power to
approve presidential appointments and conduct investigations
Which of the following reflects Congress acting on an implied power in the Constitution?
approving the spending of funds for new army vehicles
Which of the following lists the qualifications for U.S. House of Representatives as described in Article I of the Constitution?
at least 25 years old, at least seven years a U.S. citizen, and a resident of the state chosen to represent
Which of the following lists the qualifications for U.S. Senate as described in Article I of the Constitution?
at least 30 years old, at least nine years a U.S. citizen, and a resident of the state chosen to represent
Jurisdiction means the
authority to hear and rule on a certain type of case
The lawmaking process can be very time-consuming because the
bills go through committees of Congress members who carefully study each new idea
Of the following, turnout among young voters is likely to be highest among
black educated females
The President of the United States
can appoint officials to the federal bureaucracy with the approval of the Senate
The main function of the executive branch is to
carry out and enforce laws and policies
"Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States: If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated..."—U.S. Constitution This quote directly reflects the principle of
checks and balances
Which of the following describes the power to create and collect taxes in the United States?
concurrent
A government facing protests and demonstrations that are supported by most of its citizens and spread across its territory has lost
consent of the governed
Every election in U.S. society reaffirms the principle of
consent of the governed
Which of the following cases would be heard first in a state trial court?
damages related to a car accident
Article One of the Constitution illustrates how the national government's power is
derived from the states and the people
The Articles of Confederation reflected the principle of federalism because it
divided power between state and national governments
The Constitution reflects the principle "republicanism" because it
divides the legislative branch into two houses of elected officials
During a jury trial,
each side in a criminal or civil case will present evidence to support their position
An example of an important service the government provides to all U.S. citizens is
education
Thomas Jefferson would have supported
election of judges as a way to check judicial power
The term "voter turnout" refers to the portion of
eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election
Rule of Law means that
everyone in a society must follow the laws equally
The first three articles of the U.S. Constitution
explain the powers delegated to the national government
Article Four of the U.S. Constitution
explains the powers reserved to the state governments
Over time in U.S. history, court decisions and legislation have
extended civil liberties to more and more people
Article Five of the U.S. Constitution describes the amendment process. This power best reflects the principle of
federalism
The amendment process to the U.S. Constitution reflects the principle of
federalism because it requires support from state and national governments
The president and other federal officials may be impeached
for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors" under Article II of the Constitution
Interest groups
form based on people's shared issues, viewpoints, or experiences
Which of the following is a duty of the president outlined in Article II of the Constitution?
give yearly State of the Union speech
Trial by jury is an important right for a defendant on trial because it
gives citizens a meaningful way to participate in civic life
Popular sovereignty means that
government authority comes from the people and is subject to their will
According to the Constitution, the president has the power to
grant pardons for federal crimes
Expressed powers are
granted to the national government by the U.S. Constitution
Which of the following is an example of a reserved power?
granting professional licenses
The president's cabinet includes
heads of the executive departments
Powers not directly stated in the Constitution that have been interpreted as belonging to the national government are described as
implied powers
Petitions to the U.S. Supreme Court have
increased over time and are primarily accepted by writ of certiorari
A criticism of the American system of federalism is that it is
inefficient in responding to crises involving multiple levels of government
The wording of the Constitution is
intentionally vague to allow the document to survive changes in society
The "Coalition for the Homeless" has served as a valuable resource of information and assistance to those in poverty as well as lawmakers and other interested people in New York City. "Coalition for the Homeless" is a(n)
interest group promoting programs that help needy people
Which of the following foreign policy positions is based on diplomacy?
internationalism
When Judge Sanders makes his ruling, he is expected to base his decision on the
interpretation of law
A member of the House of Representatives
is not required to be a resident of the district elected to represent but usually is by tradition
An independent regulatory agency
is part of the executive branch
Individuals described as "left of center" have
liberal views and are likely to support policies that expand government services
The Constitution divides the U.S. government into three branches that can each stop, or check, actions of the other branches. This division of power is a result of the principle of
limited government
"The United States in Congress assembled shall never engage in a war, nor grant letters of marque or reprisal in time of peace, nor enter into any treaties or alliances, ...unless nine States assent to the same. Nor shall a question on any other point be determined, unless by the votes of the majority of the United States in Congress assembled."—Articles of Confederation This quote best reflects the principle of
limited government by restricting the powers of the federal government
The framers of the Constitution believed that they created a government
limited to the powers described in the document
The president is responsible for
making sure the laws are carried out
With regard to the Electoral College,
many states now mandate that their electors go to the candidate who wins the popular vote, fueling the argument that the Electoral College should be abolished
A person or group who is not satisfied with the outcome of a trial
may appeal the decision to a higher court
Which of the following best describes the membership of a joint committee, such as the Joint Economic Committee?
members from both the House and Senate
A primary election is the
method used to select candidates to run in an election, may be open or closed to other parties
Article III of the U.S. Constitution
names only the Supreme Court
People who take a "layer cake" view of federalism believe that
national and state governments are exclusively sovereign in their areas
Which of the following is an example of a delegated power?
national government creates a treaty with a sovereign nation
Which of the following is an example of an implied power?
national government creates an air force division of the military
The supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution has supported the
national government's sovereignty over matters of foreign policy and interstate commerce
Anti-federalists believed that a bill of rights was
necessary because the Constitution did not specify protection for individual rights
Smith, a candidate running against the current senator, says, "the senator has voted against health care. She is not in line with the principles of our party." Jones, the senator, responds, "my esteemed opponent neglected to mention I only voted against a health care bill once, because it would have actually reduced citizen benefits." Smith is using
omission to reduce support for Jones
Interpreting the phrase "We the People" in the Preamble to the Constitution to mean
only legal citizens explains the need for the 14th amendment
"A Bill to Raise the Tax Rate on Those Earning Over One Million Dollars Annually." A bill with a title like this one could
only originate in the House
According to Article I of the U.S. Constitution,
only the Senate has the power to approve foreign treaties and presidential appointments
In the United States, each state
organizes and conducts its own elections, reflecting the powers given to the state governments
Interest groups consist of
people with shared goals who work together to influence public policy
Listed from earliest creation to most recent, the media include the
press, radio, television, and Internet
Governments create laws and rules to
prevent chaos
According to Madison, the process of judicial review
prevents temporary views of special interests from controlling constitutional interpretations
Americans would be most likely to accept some limitations to their rights when
public safety is considered at risk
Elections to choose officials to stand for the people's interests in the work of government reflect the principle of
representative government
In 2011, a movement known as Occupy Wall Street began in New York City. The protestors asserted that large corporations had too much influence on government. They blamed this influence for greater financial problems for the majority of Americans, such as the lack of jobs. Which principle do the protestors most likely believe government violated?
representative government
Which of the following government type descriptions means the same as "indirect democracy"?
republic
One weakness of the Articles of Confederation was that it
required unanimous state consent to amend it
The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
reserves to the states any powers not delegated to the national government
The Declaration of Independence reflected the idea of social contract because it
said a new government must form due to the king's actions
Under the Constitution, the executive, legislative, and judicial branches
share power and responsibility
Federalism refers to the
sharing of power between state and national governments
This doctor has the right to assist this patient because
she is licensed by the government to practice medicine
When people complain about "big government," they are referring to the
size and power of the federal bureaucracy
The Articles of Confederation reflected a strong belief in the supremacy of
state government
The Articles of Confederation placed most government power and responsibility with the
state governments
The number of a state's electoral votes could change if the
state population has a major change compared to other states
"[The Constitution] intended to endure for ages to come, and consequently, to be adapted to the various crises of human affairs."—Chief Justice John Marshall The quote above
supports the Supreme Court's authority in judicial review
Third parties are similar to interest groups because they
tend to focus on a single issue
According to Article I of the U.S. Constitution, who has "the sole Power to try all Impeachments?"
the Senate
Which of the following is the most direct way an individual can influence public policy?
voting on proposed laws
A person with conservative views believes that government should have a
weak role in people's daily lives and is more likely to support the Republican Party
Most cases in the U.S. Supreme Court are accepted by
writ of certiorari