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From 1980 to 1990, about ________ percent of incumbents who sought reelection were successful. A) 25 B) 55 C) 70 D) 80 E) 95

95

How many decisions did the Supreme Court issue in the 2005 -2006 term?

A) 88

Slavery was banned by the ________ Amendment. A) Twelfth B) Thirteenth C) Fourteenth D) Fifteenth E) Nineteenth

B) Thirteenth

What was the purpose of the Missouri Compromise? A) to prohibit the expansion of slavery into any new states admitted to the union B) to maintain the current balance of slave and free states C) to quell civil unrest resulting from Shays's Rebellion D) to guarantee women the right to vote while denying the right to vote to slaves E) to enhance the civil rights of non-citizens

B) to maintain the current balance of slave and free states

There are ________ members of the House of Representatives and ________ members of the Senate. A) 376; 50 B) 435; 50 C) 435; 100 D) 527; 50 E) 527; 100

C) 435; 100

Women's suffrage was guaranteed by the ________ Amendment. A) Fourteenth B) Fifteenth C) Nineteenth D) Twenty-first E) Twenty-second

C) Nineteenth

In ________, the Supreme Court found that segregated rail transportation was constitutional because separate but equal accommodations did not violate the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. A) the Civil Rights cases B) the Slaughterhouse cases C) Plessy v. Ferguson D) Bradwell v. Illinois E) Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District

C) Plessy v. Ferguson

If the president dies in office and the vice presidency is vacant, the next in the line of succession is the A) President Pro Tempore of the Senate. B) Secretary of Defense. C) Speaker of the House. D) Secretary of State. E) Secretary of the Army.

C) Speaker of the House.

The leader of the House of Representatives is called the A) majority leader. B) President of the House. C) Speaker of the House. D) ombudsman. E) president pro tempore

C) Speaker of the House.

The issue in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) was A) cruel and unusual punishment. B) search and seizure. C) birth control for married couples. D) abortion. E) Miranda rights.

C) birth control for married couples.

In a case involving Gregory Johnson, the Supreme Court ruled that A) limits on campaign spending were unconstitutional. B) limits on campaign contributions were unconstitutional. C) flag burning was constitutionally protected freedom of speech. D) cross burning was constitutionally protected freedom of speech. E) pornography was constitutionally protected freedom of speech, but obscenity could be limited.

C) flag burning was constitutionally protected freedom of speech.

The NAACPʹs first target in its efforts to overturn Jim Crow laws and Plessy v. Ferguson was segregation in A) restaurants. B) vocational schools. C) professional and graduate schools. D) transportation. E) the workforce.

C) professional and graduate schools.

What is the line-item veto? A) the refusal to spend money allocated by Congress B) when the president does not sign a bill within the last ten days of a congressional session, causing the bill not to become law C) when the president allows the bill to become law without his signature D) the authority to invalidate specific spending items without vetoing the entire bill E) a vote in Congress where a majority of Democrats vote for a bill and a majority of Republicans vote against it

D) the authority to invalidate specific spending items without vetoing the entire bill

The membership of the Cabinet is determined by A) the Constitution. B) the Secretary of State. C) seniority within each executive department. D) the president. E) the Congress.

D) the president.

Who was the most powerful vice president? A) Walter Mondale B) Al Gore C) Nelson Rockefeller D) Spiro Agnew E) Dick Cheney

E) Dick Cheney

3) The Supreme Court ruled that states could not limit free speech protections guaranteed by the Constitution in A) Near v. Minnesota. B) Gitlow v. New York. C) Palko v. Connecticut. D) Pointer v. Texas. E) Romer v. Evans.

Gitlow v. New York

7) Who is the current Chief Justice of the United States? A) William Rehnquist B) John Roberts C) John Paul Stevens D) Clarence Thomas E) Antonin Scalia

John Roberts

Which of the following best summaries the reaction in the South to the Fifteenth Amendment? A) Southern states complied with both the letter and the spirit of the amendment. B) Southern states used Jim Crow laws to enforce racial integration. C) Southern states engaged in a massive get-out-the-vote effort among former slaves. D) Southern states decided that it would be better to close all public schools than to admit black students to otherwise white schools. E) Southern states found creative ways to avoid enfranchising blacks, such as literacy tests and grandfather clauses.

Southern states found creative ways to avoid enfranchising blacks, such as literacy tests and grandfather clauses.

2) What was the Supreme Court's decision in Barron v. Baltimore? A) All citizens are entitled to substantive due process. B) Government can not infringe on citizens' "fundamental freedoms." C) The incorporation doctrine is an unconstitutional infringement on states' rights. D) The Bill of Rights did not restrict the actions of state governments. E) The direct incitement test is consistent with the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech.

The Bill of Rights did not restrict the actions of state governments.

In court rulings, a reliance on past decisions or precedents to formulate decisions on new cases is called A) stare decisis. B) solicitation. C) strict construction. D) certiorari. E) fiat lux.

A) stare decisis.

The Constitution gives formal law-making powers to A) Congress. B) the House of Representatives but not the Senate. C) the Senate but not the House of Representatives. D) the bureaucracy. E) the executive branch.

A) Congress.

Laws enacted by southern states that resulted in segregation by race were also known as A) Jim Crow laws. B) Black Codes. C) grandfather clauses. D) freedmen statutes. E) sharecropper statutes.

A) Jim Crow laws.

In which decision did the Supreme Court declare that it could exercise judicial review over acts of the national government? A) Marbury v. Madison B) Martin v. Hunter's Lessee C) McCulloch v. Maryland D) Gibbons v. Ogden E) The People v. Larry Flint

A) Marbury v. Madison

In 1947, the ________ was established to advise the president on military affairs and foreign policy. A) National Security Council B) Central Intelligence Agency C) Council on Foreign Relations D) Executive Office of the President E) Military Tribunal

A) National Security Council

What was the decision in U.S. v. Nixon? A) Presidents have extensive executive privilege. B) President Nixon must comply with court orders relating to Watergate. C) The president can accept gifts from lobbyists and foreign dignitaries, but he must pay taxes according to the value of the gift. D) Nixon was a crook and, therefore, had failed to uphold his presidential oath of office. E) When the president does it, that means it's not illegal.

A) Presidents have extensive executive privilege.

President ________ used the pardoning power to give unconditional amnesty to 10,000 men who had avoided the draft during the Vietnam War. A) Richard Nixon B) Jimmy Carter C) Ronald Reagan D) Bill Clinton E) George W. Bush

A) Richard Nixon

Agreements that the president enters into with foreign nations that do not require the advice and consent of the Senate are called A) executive agreements. B) executive orders. C) memos of understanding. D) memos of commitment. E) covenants.

A) executive agreements.

One decade after Brown v. Board of Education, what percent of African American children in the South attended integrated schools? A) fewer than 1 percent B) about 25 percent C) about 50 percent D) nearly 100 percent

A) fewer than 1 percent

When a president "goes public," A) he is trying to persuade the public and hopes that the public will persuade Congress. B) he is trying to persuade Congress and hopes that the Congress will persuade the public. C) he is adopting the policy preference of the public in order to increase his popularity. D) he is preventing Congress from convening. E) he is establishing rapport with the journalists who cover the president.

A) he is trying to persuade the public and hopes that the public will persuade Congress.

The foundation for the Court's decision in Roe v. Wade is the right to A) privacy. B) lethargy. C) equality. D) due process. E) equal protection of the laws.

A) privacy.

Which of the following types of speech can government restrict? A) slander B) symbolic speech C) political speech D) unpopular speech E) hate speech

A) slander

10) The direct incitement test allows government to limit speech A) that is intended and likely to result in imminent lawless action. B) that criticizes the government during wartime. C) that advocates for a non-democratic form of government. D) of accused terrorists. E) that is likely to be offensive according to contemporary community standards.

A) that is intended and likely to result in imminent lawless action.

Which of the following is a constitutional requirement to become president? A) to be at least 35 years old and a natural born citizen B) to be a male citizen for at least 14 years C) to be "experienced in government and well versed in the law" D) to win a majority of the popular vote E) to be married

A) to be at least 35 years old and a natural born citizen

What was the original purpose of the Fourteenth Amendment? A) to guarantee citizenship to newly freed slaves B) to ensure that the state governments abided by the Bill of Rights C) to reward the South for its efforts during Reconstruction D) to deny the right to vote to former slaves E) to protect the interests of slave-holding

A) to guarantee citizenship to newly freed slaves

The War Powers Act A) was an unsuccessful attempt to reassert Congressional authority over the executive branch. B) was declared unconstitutional in Bowers v. Hardwick. C) hinders the ability of Congress to declare war. D) was nullified by Richard Nixon's signing statement. E) has been precisely followed by all sitting presidents since the law was enacted.

A) was an unsuccessful attempt to reassert Congressional authority over the executive branch.

The congressional leaders who line up members on partisan issues and serve as a link between the rank-and-file members and the leadership are called A) whips. B) majority leaders. C) minority leaders. D) parliamentarians. E) sergeants at arms.

A) whips.

In New York Times v. Sullivan (1964), the Supreme Court ruled that A) libel and slander were constitutionally protected forms of speech. B) "actual malice" must be proved to support libel against a public figure. C) prior restraint was unconstitutional. D) false or negligent speech was not protected by the First Amendment. E) the government could prevent the New York Times from publishing stolen classified military documents.

B) "actual malice" must be proved to support libel against a public figure.

Which of the following accurately represents American public opinion about affirmative action? A) African Americans are more likely to believe that university admissions should be based solely on merit than are Hispanics. B) About half of all Americans favor affirmative action, but about two-thirds of all Americans think that university admissions should be based solely on merit. C) A majority of non-Hispanic whites favors affirmative action. D) Nearly three-quarters of non-Hispanic whites think that university admissions should take into account race and ethnicity. E) Most Americans favor affirmative action, both in general and for university admissions.

B) About half of all Americans favor affirmative action, but about two-thirds of all Americans think that university admissions should be based solely on merit.

For several decades, the trend has been for the president to play a more important decision-making role. This trend began in earnest with A) Herbert Hoover. B) Franklin Roosevelt. C) Dwight Eisenhower. D) Ronald Reagan. E) Bill Clinton.

B) Franklin Roosevelt.

In which decision did the Supreme Court declare that it could exercise judicial review over acts of state governments? A) Marbury v. Madison B) Martin v. Hunter's Lessee C) McCulloch v. Maryland D) Gibbons v. Ogden E) The People v. Larry Flint

B) Martin v. Hunter's Lessee

In 1966, the Supreme Court ruled that arrested individuals must be informed of their constitutional rights in A) Mapp v. Ohio. B) Miranda v. Arizona. C) Weeks v. United States D) Gideon v. Wainwright E) McCleskey v. Zant.

B) Miranda v. Arizona.

According to various Supreme Court decisions regarding the Fourth Amendment, what can the police search without a warrant or consent? A) the trunk of your car B) a person being arrested C) a person walking down the street in an African-American neighborhood D) your home E) your backpack

B) a person being arrested

Members of the House of Representatives must A) be at least thirty years old. B) have lived in the United States for at least seven years. C) pass a religious test. D) take an oath to uphold socialist principles. E) all of the above

B) have lived in the United States for at least seven years.

In order to make a treaty, the president must A) have the approval of the House Foreign Relations Committee. B) have the advice and consent of the Senate. C) have the approval of the State Department. D) include stipulations that no American soldiers will be placed in jeopardy, nor abandoned on the battlefield. E) certify to the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that the treaty is in the best interest of the country.

B) have the advice and consent of the Senate.

In Miller v. California (1973), the Supreme Court concluded that material was obscene if it A) depicts sexual conduct in artistic way. B) lacks literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. C) violates "global standards of decency." D) encourages lewd and lascivious thoughts. E) all of the above.

B) lacks literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

What were Black Codes? A) laws passed in northern states to guarantee rights to newly freed blacks B) laws passed in southern states that denied legal rights to newly freed slaves C) restrictions placed on the right of newly freed slaves to own property in the North D) Supreme Court decisions that mandated separate but equal facilities for newly freed slaves E) unsuccessful attempts by northern states to recruit newly freed blacks to work in northern factories

B) laws passed in southern states that denied legal rights to newly freed slaves

The Office of Management and Budget A) handles the president's personal finances. B) prepares the president's budget proposal. C) prepares the president's State of the Union proposal. D) rewards young entrepreneurs.

B) prepares the president's budget proposal.

8) The constitutional doctrine that government cannot prohibit speech or publication before the fact is called A) a priori limitation. B) prior restraint. C) amicus curiae. D) in re Anastaplo. E) the prohibition clause.

B) prior restraint.

In Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that A) slaves were U.S. citizens. B) slavery was prohibited north of a set geographical boundary. C) the Missouri compromise was unconstitutional. D) women were U.S. citizens but did not have the right to vote. E) women were not U.S. citizens and, therefore, did not have the right to vote.

B) slavery was prohibited north of a set geographical boundary.

Who conducts impeachment trials? A) the House of Representatives B) the Senate C) a joint session of Congress D) the Supreme Court E) the president's cabinet

B) the Senate

What was Watergate? A) A series of illegal searches of the foreign embassies of communist countries. B)The break-in of the Democratic Party's national headquarters and the proceeding coverup. C) Warrantless wiretaps of the international phone calls of American citizens. D) A scandal involving Nixon's use of the White House for illegal campaign purposes that ultimately led to his resignation. E) Secret negotiations with the Soviet Union in which Nixon agreed not to challenge the Berlin Wall if the Soviets released several Americans spies who were being held hostage.

B)The break-in of the Democratic Party's national headquarters and the proceeding coverup.

All of the following are checks on the judiciary EXCEPT A) Congress can alter the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. B) Court decisions can be reversed by constitutional amendment. C) Congress can pardon those convicted by the courts. D) Judges can be impeached and removed from office. E) The president appoints judges with the "advice and consent of the Senate."

C) Congress can pardon those convicted by the courts.

Why are Indian tribes permitted to run casinos A) to compensate for decades of discrimination B) because gambling has a long tradition in Native American customs C) because tribal lands are not subject to state and federal laws D) because many Native Americans live in poverty E) because Native Americans are not American Citizens

C) because tribal lands are not subject to state and federal laws

The standard that illegally seized evidence can not be used at trial is known as the A) due process clause. B) procedural rights rule. C) exclusionary rule. D) Mapp rule. E) search and seizure rule.

C) exclusionary rule.

Which president appointed the highest proportion of women to senior administrative positions requiring Senate confirmation? A) Jimmy Carter B) Ronald Reagan C) George Bush D) Bill Clinton E) George W. Bush

D) Bill Clinton

) The 1954 Supreme Court decision that overturned Plessy was A) the Sweatt case. B) Missouri v. Gaines. C) McLaurin v. Oklahoma. D) Brown v. Board of Education. E) Cooper v. Aaron.

D) Brown v. Board of Education.

The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments are collectively known as the A) civil liberties amendments. B) Bill of Rights. C) Natural Law Legislation. D) Civil War Amendments. E) Bill of Liberties.

D) Civil War Amendments.

What was the federal government's argument in front of the Supreme Court in Hamdi et al. v. Rumsfeld? A) Hamdi was denied his right to habeas corpus. B) The U.S. government could hold Hamdi indefinitely, without formal charges, and without access to a lawyer. C) The president has the authority to suspend the Bill of Rights during wartime. D) Hamdi was not entitled access to the American judicial system because he was not an American citizen. E) The military has a right to hold foreign nationals captured on the battlefield during wartime.

D) Hamdi was not entitled access to the American judicial system because he was not an

What did the Supreme Court decide in Lawrence v. Texas? A) Abortion restrictions requiring parental consent for underage women must include judicial bypass options. B) Congress can not restrict access to abortions. C) Homosexuality is "immoral and repugnant"; therefore, states have a compelling interest in limiting such behavior. D) States can not criminalize private sexual behavior. E) States can criminalize sodomy by heterosexual couples, but not by homosexual couples.

D) States can not criminalize private sexual behavior.

How is a tie broken in the Senate? A) A tie is broken by drawing lots. B) The president pro tempore breaks the tie. C) The president of the United States breaks the tie. D) The vice president of the United States breaks the tie. E) There is no way to break a tie. If there is a tie vote, the measure does not pass.

D) The vice president of the United States breaks the tie.

9) In Schenck v. U.S. (1919), the Supreme Court ruled that Congress could ban certain types of speech if they constituted A) abstract advocacy of overthrowing the government. B) a threat to law and order. C) seditious acts. D) a clear and present danger to society. E) disparaging remarks about government policies.

D) a clear and present danger to society.

In the Civil Rights Cases (1883), the Supreme Court determined that A) the national government can discriminate on the basis of race. B) state governments can discriminate on the basis of race. C) private citizens can discriminate on the basis of race. D) all forms of discrimination based on race are unconstitutional. E) all forms of discrimination are unconstitutional.

D) all forms of discrimination based on race are unconstitutional.

Why do members of Congress pass pork and earmarks? A) because each project benefits the country as a whole B) because agricultural subsidies are necessary to ensure that the United States has enough domestic food sources in case an armed conflict cuts off supplies of imported food C) because Congress prefers to pass bills that are in the long-term best interests of the country D) because they help members of Congress get reelected E) because it is important for the United States to be a good global citizen

D) because they help members of Congress get reelected

The Supreme Court will hear a case if ________ justices vote to do so. A) seven B) six C) five D) four E) two

D) four

The idea that judges should use their power broadly to further justice is called A) stare decisis. B) original intent. C) judicial restraint. D) judicial activism. E) conservative restoration

D) judicial activism.

A senator may agree to vote for a bill that will bring money to a colleague's district. In exchange, the colleague will agree to vote for a future bill that the initial senator supports. This is called A) using the frank. B) discharging the petition. C) fishmongering. D) logrolling. E) casework.

D) logrolling.

The justices of the Supreme Court are A) elected in nonpartisan balloting. B) appointed by Congress and ratified by the president. C) nominated by the House and confirmed by the Senate. D) nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. E) nominated by the president and confirmed by the House

D) nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

Who is the ultimate authority on what the Constitution means? A) the president B) the solicitor general C) the attorney general D) the Supreme Court E) Congress

D) the Supreme Court

What is the role of conference committees? A) to set the congressional agenda B) to ensure ethical behavior by members of Congress C) to hear testimony from citizens and interest groups D) to reach compromises on bills after both chambers have passed similar bills E) to reach compromises on a bill after they have been referred from standing committees

D) to reach compromises on bills after both chambers have passed similar bills

Nancy Pelosi is the first woman A) to serve in Congress. B) elected to Congress from California. C) selected as the Democratic whip in the House of Representatives. D) to serve as Speaker of the House. E) to serve as President of the Senate.

D) to serve as Speaker of the House.

Which of the following is a presidential check on judicial power? A) euthanasia B) the line-item veto C) the pardon D) impeachment E) all of the above

E) all of the above

What are members of Congress most likely to do when they leave Congress? A) run for local office B) run for state office C) work in the executive branch D) work in the judicial branch E) become lobbyists

E) become lobbyists

Most bills introduced in Congress A) are passed quickly. B) are passed eventually. C) are passed but not enacted because they are unconstitutional. D) are vetoed by the president. E) die.

E) die

When are presidents most likely to get their policies through Congress successfully? A) when they are advocating for a bill proposed by someone else B) when they are advocating for a bill that lacks public support C) just before a midterm election D) just before a presidential election E) early in the president's first year

E) early in the president's first year

Who is most likely to write an amicus brief? A) Congress B) the chief justice C) the chief justice if he is in the majority; the associate justice with the most seniority if the chief justice is in the minority D) the media E) interest groups

E) interest groups

An executive order of the president A) is not enforceable. B) serves as a recommendation of legislation for Congress to consider. C) has the effect of law. D) can only be modified by an act of Congress. E) is used to ensure order and civility in the Executive Office of the President.

E) is used to ensure order and civility in the Executive Office of the President.

What is the term of office for Supreme Court justices and federal judges? A) 4 years B) 8 years C) 10 years D) 20 years E) life

E) life

All of the following are advantages of incumbency EXCEPT A) name recognition. B) access to the media. C) easier fund raising. D) the frank. E) publicly funded campaigns.

E) publicly funded campaigns.

The idea that judges should give deference to the decisions of elected lawmakers is called A) precedent ruling. B) judicial restraint. C) stare decisis. D) extralegal decision making. E) statutory extrapolation.

E) statutory extrapolation.

Where does the Constitution discuss equality? A) the Preamble B) Article I, section 8 C) the First Amendment D) the Tenth Amendment E) the Fourteenth Amendment

E) the Fourteenth Amendment

Elected representatives who listen to their constituents' opinions and then use their best judgment to make decisions are A) incommunicados. B) politicos. C) simpaticos. D) delegates. E) trustees.

E) trustees.

How are presidential vetoes overridden? A) with a simple majority in the Senate B) with a simple majority in the House C) with a simple majority in the House and in the Senate D) with a two-thirds majority in each chamber E) with a two-thirds majority of a joint session of Congress

E) with a two-thirds majority of a joint session of Congress

Racial discrimination that results from practice rather than law is called ________ discrimination. A) de jure B) de facto C) in vino veritas D) direct E) practical

de facto

5) Which of the following freedoms is absolute and can not be limited by government? A) freedom of religion B) freedom of speech C) freedom to believe D) freedom to act E) All of the freedoms listed above are absolute.

freedom to believe

How many justices sit on the Supreme Court? A) seven B) nine C) eleven D) twelve E) thirteen

nine

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 A) prohibited discrimination in public accommodations engaged in interstate commerce. B) guaranteed full voting rights to all legal U.S. residents. C) provided federal funds to discriminatory state and local programs. D) prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. E) All of the above.

prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

6) The establishment clause A) prohibits the adoption of an official national religion. B) tears down the wall of separation between church and state. C) establishes a national church and a national religion. D) requires all elected officials to pass a religious test before taking office. E) prohibits the government from interfering with citizens' religious practices.

prohibits the adoption of an official national religion

4) According to the incorporation doctrine, A) the due process clause requires states to abide by provisions in the Bill of Rights. B) corporations have the same legal rights as citizens. C) the Ninth Amendment compels states to restrict "life, liberty, and property" without due process of law. D) Congress must enforce the fundamental freedoms doctrine consistently, regardless of the race or gender of those involved. E) Congress has no authority to regulate economic conditions.

the due process clause requires states to abide by provisions in the Bill of Rights.

1) Where can the Bill of Rights be found? A) the Declaration of Independence B) the Declaration of the Rights of Man C) the Preamble of the Constitution D) Article IV of the Constitution E) the first 10 amendments to the Constitution

the first 10 amendments to the Constitution

The House of Representatives has the sole power to A) try impeached officials. B) approve treaties. C) make agreements with the executive. D) initiate revenue bills. E) declare war.

try impeached officials.