Government Final Study Guide 2022

The president's basic pay and benefits include a salary of__________ per year, free health care and transportation, and lifetime security and__________ benefits.

$400,000, pension

Identify the salary and benefits of the president.

-A salary of $400,000 a year -A travel allowance of $100,000 and a $50,000 expense account -Free medical care and housing -Lifetime security services and a lifetime pension

Identify the powers of the Speaker of the House. (Check all that apply.)

-Appointing members to committees -Being third in line to the presidency -Scheduling bills for votes or referral to committee -Deciding which members to recognize in what order

Identify the formal requirements for someone to be eligible to become president according to the Constitution. (Check all that apply.)

-At least 35 years of age -A resident of the United States for at least 14 years -Natural-born citizen of the United States

Identify how the president carries out the role of chief diplomat.

-By recognizing foreign governments as legitimate -By negotiating and signing treaties -By signing executive agreements with foreign heads of state

Identify the powers that the vice president has in the Senate.

-Casting tie-breaking votes in the Senate -Putting questions to a vote -Recognizing members of the Senate -Acting as president of the Senate

Identify the president's main roles. (Check all that apply.)

-Chief executive -Economic planner -Party leader -Head of state -Legislative leader -Commander in chief -Chief diplomat

Identify the traits that presidents consider when nominating a judge to the Supreme Court. (Check all that apply.)

-Communication skills -Personal integrity -Judicial temperament -Professional expertise

Identify the true statements about how the Constitution divides government powers.

-Delegated powers are granted to the national government. -Concurrent powers are shared and independently exercised by the national government and the states. -Reserved powers are granted to the states.

Identify the true statements about deregulation. (Check all that apply.)

-Deregulation is often called for by businesses that view regulations as costly and harmful to consumers. -Deregulation is the removal of regulations.

Identify the sources of tension between Congress and the president. (Check all that apply.)

-Differing political constituencies -Party politics -Differing political timetables -The organization of Congress -Checks and balances written into the Constitution

Identify the powers reserved exclusively for the president under the Constitution. (Check all that apply.)

-Engaging with foreign leaders -Vetoing legislation -Commanding the military -Executing the laws

Identify the true statements about federal grants to state governments. (Check all that apply.)

-Federal grants redistribute income among the states. -Federal grants are sums of money given to state or local governments for specific purposes. -Federal block grants are based on the population of the states.

Identify the ways in which the legislative and executive branches of government maintain checks on the Supreme Court's power. (Check all that apply.)

-If the American people disagree with a Supreme Court ruling on a federal law, they can change the law through their elected officials. -The president appoints justices, while the Senate approves or rejects the appointment of justices. -If the American people do not agree with a Supreme Court ruling about the Constitution, they must go through the process of amending it.

Identify the powers granted by the Constitution to both the executive and the Senate. (Check all that apply.)

-Making treaties -Appointing ambassadors and judges

Which of the following are qualifications to be a U.S. senator? (Check all that apply.)

-Must be at least 30 years old -Must have been a U.S. citizen for at least nine years -Must be a legal resident of the relevant state

Match each type of bill (in the left column) with its definition (in the right column). Instructions

-Revenue Bill - A proposed law for raising funds -Appropriations Bill - A proposed law that approves funds for a given purpose -Authorization Bill - A proposed law that establishes a program and designates a sum of money for that purpose

Identify the duties of the vice president specified in the Constitution.

-Taking over the presidency if the president dies, resigns, or is disabled or impeached -Helping to decide if the president is unfit for duty -Presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes there

Identify the true statements about the Executive Office of the President (EOP). (Check all that apply.)

-The EOP has become the president's closest group of advisers. -The EOP is supervised by the White House chief of staff and has more than 1,500 employees. -The EOP staff is composed of technical or professional personnel who gather information, develop policy, and advise the president.

Identify the true statements about the Electoral College. (Check all that apply.)

-The Electoral College, not the voters, elects the president and vice president. -It is an institution composed of electors chosen to elect a president and vice president every four years.

Identify the true statements about the Supreme Court's role in settling conflicts between the national government and state governments.

-The Supreme court ruled in 1819 that in conflicts between state governments and the national government, the national government is supreme. -Over time, the Supreme Court's views have shifted on how powers should be divided between the state governments and the national government. -By settling disputes between national government and state governments, the Supreme Court acts as the umpire for our federal system.

Identify the leadership skills that a president must have to be successful.

-The ability to communicate ideas and persuade people -The ability to understand the public to gain their support -A sense of when to take or delay action -The courage to sometimes go against public opinion -The ability to compromise

What are the nonlegislative powers of Congress?

-The amendment power -The removal power -The ratification power -The confirmation power

Identify the true statements about the president's cabinet. (Check all that apply.)

-The cabinet is the group of people who serve as the president's closest advisers. -The cabinet includes the secretaries of the 15 executive departments, the vice president, and other key officials.

Identify federal protections for the states guaranteed in Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution.

-The national government must protect states from foreign invasion, and from civil unrest when asked to do so by the states. -The national government must guarantee each state a republican form of government.

Which of the following are expressed (or enumerated) powers granted to Congress in the Constitution?

-The power to collect taxes -The power to grant copyrights and patents -The power to declare war

Identify the extra powers that Congress has given to the president in times of emergency. (Check all that apply.)

-The power to seize property -The power to declare martial law -The power to control transportation and communications systems

Identify the true statements about how a new president is inaugurated.

-The president gives an inaugural address after being sworn in. -The chief justice of the Supreme Court administers the oath of office to the new president. -The new president is inaugurated on January 20 of the year following the election.

How can a candidate who loses the popular vote still win the presidential election?

-The winner-take-all system enables the candidate who wins the largest number of popular votes in a state to win all of that state's electoral votes. -A candidate who narrowly wins several large states may gain more electoral votes than a candidate who easily wins several smaller states.

Identify the factors that have contributed to the growth of the federal bureaucracy.

-Threats to national security -The growing global economy -Industrial and technological advances -Population growth

Identify the actions the president performs as head of state.

-Throwing out the first pitch to begin the baseball season -Granting awards to notable Americans -Receiving ambassadors and other heads of state -Providing words of comfort during natural disasters and national tragedies

Match the nonlegislative power of Congress (on the left) with its description (on the right).

-the removal power - the power of the senate to approve presidential appointments to the office -the confirmation power - the power of congress to impeach federal officials and remove them from office -the ratification power - the power of the senate to ratify treaties with other nations -the amendment power - the power of congress (along with state legislatures) to propose amendments to the Constitution

Rank the three types of bills in the order they must be enacted to raise and spend money

1. Revenue bills 2. Authorization bills 3. Appropriations bills

List the steps in the life cycle of a piece of legislation from top (beginning of the process) to bottom (end of the process).

1. The bill is introduced in the House 2. The speaker of the House refers the bill to a committee 3. The committee votes on the bill 4. The bill is put on one of the House calendars

Place the events of a presidential inauguration in chronological order.

1. The outgoing president and the incoming president ride together from the White House to the Capitol 2. The chief justice of the Supreme Court administers the oath of office to the new president 3. The new president gives the inaugural address 4. The inaugural parade goes from the Capitol to the White House 5. Parties are held to celebrate the new administration and thank supporters

The succession to the presidency and the vice presidency was clarified by the ______.

25th Amendment

United States senators must be at least __________years old, be citizens of the United States for__________ years before they are elected, and must be legal__________ of the state that they represent.

30, 9, residents

To be eligible for the presidency, the U.S. Constitution requires that a person be a natural-born citizen who is at least__________ years old and who has resided in the United States for at least__________ years before taking office.

35, 14

Match the number of members (in the left column) with the house of Congress (in the right column). Instructions

435 - House of Reps 100 - Senate 6 - Delegates or voting commissioners in the House of Reps

True or false: The goal of the complex rules of the House is to move legislation to the floor as quickly as possible.

False

True or false: There are 535 senators, representatives, and delegates in the U.S. Congress.

False

The freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition are protected in the__________ __________ .

First, Amendment

Match each presidential role (on the left) with its description (on the right).

Head of State-Serving as a ceremonial figure representing the United States Chief Executive-Leading the executive branch of government Commander in Chief-Being in charge of the military and responsible for national security Chief Diplomat-Meeting with foreign leaders, appointing ambassadors, and making treaties Legislative Leader-Making the State of the Union address, proposing laws, signing and vetoing bills, and calling Congress into special session as needed Economic Planner-Meeting with business leaders, preparing an annual budget, and submitting economic reports to Congress Party Leader-Rewarding political supporters with positions in government, raising money for fellow party members, and campaigning for others

Match each chamber of Congress (on the left) with its characteristics (on the right). Instructions

House - It meets in a relatively large room, has strict rules, and engages in time-limited debate Senate - It meets in a relatively small room, has flexible rules, and usually engages in unlimited debate

The Constitution states that seats in the _________of __________must be divided among the states based upon each state's population.

House, Representatives

Which of the following acts falls under the president's role as head of state?

Providing words of comfort after a national disaster

When conflicts arise between the national government and one or more of the state governments, the ______ is often called upon to settle the dispute.

Supreme Court

Identify a true statement about the Supreme Court's jurisdiction.

The Court has both original and appellate jurisdiction, but original jurisdiction cases represent an average of less than one case per year.

Identify a true statement about the constitutional requirements for becoming a Supreme Court justice.

The person must be nominated by the president and receive Senate consent.

What determines the number of representatives in the House per state?

The size of a state's population

Which of the following is the primary function of the Supreme Court?

To resolve pertaining to the meaning of federal law and the U.S. Constitution

Identify a true statement about the difference between trial court cases and Supreme Court cases.

Trial court cases may include juries, evidence, and witness testimony, while Supreme Court cases do not.

Although the Supreme Court has original and appellate jurisdiction, the majority of its cases fall under the Court's__________ jurisdiction.

appellate

What does the Speaker of the House do with a bill after it is introduced in the House?

assign it to the proper committee

The United States Congress is a__________ legislature, because it consists of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

bicameral

The legislative branch of the United States is made up of two houses; therefore, it is called a ______ legislature.

bicameral

Unanimous consent means that ______.

both parties have agreed to a legislative action and no one objects

The president's role as commander in chief has caused controversy over the years because the Constitution's definition of this role is ______.

brief and vague

Inherent powers are those powers claimed by the president ______.

but not explicitly granted by the Constitution

The group of people who serve as the president's closest advisers are known as the president's ______.

cabinet

In the role of chief executive, a president is expected to ______.

carry out the laws and programs that Congress passes

The Founders created a new system of government called federalism in an effort to keep the ______ from having too much power.

central government

Among the many roles a president must fulfill, that of ______ involves carrying out the laws and programs that Congress passes.

chief executive

With the aim of moving legislation quickly once it reaches the floor, the House has______________ rules.

complex

Powers that the states and the national government both exercise independently of each other are called ______ powers.

concurrent

Powers granted to the national government are called ______ powers.

delegated

When the government removes costly and burdensome regulations on businesses, it is called ______.

deregulation

The most fundamental source of tension between the president and Congress is ______.

due to the checks and balances that are built into the separation of powers system

There are limitations on free speech rights because some kinds of speech can ______.

endanger public safety

Inherent powers ______ the power of the presidency.

expand

The right to regulate interstate commerce, establish bankruptcy laws, and borrow money are some of the__________ (or enumerated) powers of Congress.

expressed

The main way the national government provides money to the states is through ______.

federal grants

The Founders created a system called________ in order to create one nation in a way that would protect the liberties of citizens from an all-powerful government.

federalism

In general, the president fulfills the role of chief diplomat by working with leaders and representatives of__________ governments.

foreign

The purpose of the Executive Office of the President is to ______.

gather information, develop policy, and advise the president

A president can have an impact beyond the terms of the presidency by nominating an intelligent justice with outstanding oral and written communication skills who shares the president's ______.

ideological perspective

A congressional committee, a client group, and a federal department closely working together to make public policy is called an__________ triangle.

iron

When congressional committees, client groups, and a federal department or agency continually work together to make public policy, it creates what is called a(n) ______.

iron triangle

The belief that the Supreme Court should avoid becoming overly involved in social and political issues is known as ______.

judicial restraint

In times of emergency, Congress has given the president the power to seize property and declare__________ law.

martial

Factors contributing to the growth of the federal bureaucracy include__________ growth, technological advances, and the growing global__________ .

population, economy

The Supreme Court's decisions tend to reflect changes in American society over time because ______.

practices that were acceptable at one time may become unacceptable in another era

The Twenty-fifth Amendment was ratified to clarify the succession to the ______.

presidency and vice presidency

The constitutional duties of the vice president are to take over the________ if the president is unable to fulfill his or her duties, to preside over the__________ and break any tie votes, and to help decide if the president is__________ for duty.

presidency, Senate, unfit/fit

The stated course of action that the government takes to address problems or issues is known as the government's ______.

public policy

Some of the most important leadership skills a successful president must have are the ability to understand and communicate with the__________ and the__________ ability to with one's opponents to get things done.

public, compromise

The stated course of action the government takes to address problems or issues is known as

public, policy

The stated course of action the government takes to address problems or issues is known as__________ __________ .

public, policy

Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution requires the national government to guarantee each state a _______form of government, and it requires the national government to protect the states from_______ .

republican, invasion

One main reason that legislation can take much longer to move through the Senate than the House is that ______.

senators enjoy the right of unlimited debate

An example of how the Court's decisions pertaining to racial segregation have changed with the times, Brown v. Board of Education demonstrates that as__________ changes, attitudes and practices that were acceptable in one__________ may not be acceptable in another.

society, era

Although juries and witness testimony are important components of trial court cases, decisions in Supreme Court hearings are based on ______.

the justices' review of arguments from the parties

The people who elect the president are ______.

the members of the Electoral College

In order to become a Supreme Court justice, a person must be nominated by ______ and receive Senate consent.

the president

Because the Constitution does not spell out exactly how a president is to fulfill his or her role as commander in chief, presidents have argued that ______.

they possess all powers necessary to defend the nation

The Speaker of the House is ______ in line to the presidency.

third

Under what circumstances may the vice president vote in the Senate?

to break a tie

Nearly all Senate bills are brought to the floor by ______.

unanimous consent

By resolving disputes about the meanings of federal law and the U.S. Constitution, the Supreme Court ensures that federal law is____________ .

uniform

The _____ enables a candidate who loses the popular vote to still win the electoral vote.

winner-take-all system