US Government Mastery Tests

Which sentence best explains why politicians continually need to reevaluate domestic policy?

A solution might become obsolete over time

What is NAFTA?

An association dedicated to free and open trade between North American countries

What is the tendency to report on events from a liberal point of view an example of?

Bias

Which case allowed the Supreme Court to claim the power of judicial review (the suthority to declare a law unconsititutional)?

Marbury v. Madison

Which program created during President Johnson's administration focuses on providing health coverage to the elderly?

Medicare

Why was the Reappointment Act of 1929 passed?

Membership in the House needed to be capped to prevent an excessive number of members

What tool does the Federal Reserve use to influence the volume of money in the economy by buying and selling government securities?

Open-market operations

Which information source do political campaigns have complete control over?

Paid media

Which recent presidential candidate led one of the most successful independent campaigns?

Ross Perot

Which ideal is not an essential element of the English political tradition?

Royal Absolutism

What did de Tocqueville warn might threaten American civic life and democracy?

a desire for personal gain over the common good

Where do congressional leaders usually refer a proposed bill after its introduction?

a standing committee

How are presidents elected?

indirectly, by the Electorical College

Although the Anti-Federalists lost their main goal, what important task did they accomplish?

protecting individual liberties through the inclusion of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution

How long is a term for a US senator

six years

In which decade of the twentieth century did the government begin to take a much longer role in the US economy?

1930s

Which sentence describes a legislative referendum?

A legislature passes a bill that must be approved by voters

Which type of law governs the relationship between private individuals or companies?

Civil law

For the first 11 years of its existance, which governmental system did the United States use?

Confederation

Why do federal district courts not try cases dealing with military matters, grievances against the government, or tax disputes?

Congress has created specialized courts to deal with such cases.

Which action is an example of the government pursing a fiscal policy?

Congress increases income tax rates

Which of the following is the best example of a check on presidential power?

Congress overriding a presidential veto

Which action is an example of domestic policy?

Congress passes a law that grants tax credits for installing solar panels

Which issue was at the heart of one of the compromises made between northern and southern states during the Constitutional Convention of 1787?

Counting slaves in the population

What, in some states, is a valid reason for denying someone the right to vote?

Criminal conviction

According to the Ninth Amendment to the Constitution what do the "enumerated rights" in the Bill of Rights not do?

Deny other rights to the people

How are Republican and Democratic presidential candidates chosen?

Each is nominated by his or her respective party

Which function are local governments responsible for meeting?

Education

Who is the only US president to be elected to more than two terms?

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Imagine driving down the highway and reading a sign that states "Save the Planet-don't litter" Which technique of policy entactment is being used?

Hortatory

Which of the following most inspired the inclusion in the Declaration of Independence of the right of the people to revolt against a tyrannical government?

Locke's Second Treatise

Under fedualism, which group was responsible for ruling different regions of a country?

Lords

What effect did the Mayflower Compact have on American Government?

It contributed to the development of representative democracy.

How did the Civil War influence the role of government in the United States?

It highlighted how the national government was the sovereign power

Which statement best describes federalism?

It is the division of powers between a national government and the state government

What did the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment during Reconstruction accomplish?

It outlawed voting discrimination based on race

Which statement does not characterize Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech?

It pointed out racial problems in the South but ignored radical injustice in the North

What is one of the biggest criticisms of the USA PATRIOT Act?

It weakens the protection of civil liberties

Which feature of government does Montesquieu argue for in his book De l'Esprit des Lois (Spirit of Laws)?

Seperation of powers between different branches of government

Which issue led to the split in the Democratic-Republican Party in the late 1850s?

Slavery

Compared with the US Constitution, how difficult is it to amend state constitutions?

State constitutions are easier to amend

In what ways does the international system resemble Thomas Hobbes's view of the state of nature?

Stronger nationals prey upon the weak

During the 1970s, which piece of legislation did the National Organization for Women actively promote, though it was never ratified?

The Equal Rights Amendment

Which government legislation established a federal income tax in 1913?

The Sixteenth Amendment

Which issue did the Great Compromise resolve?

Whether the states' representation should be equal or proportional

What impact did the US Supreme Court case Griswold v. Connecticut have on women's rights?

The case overturned a statute that prevented the use of contraceptives

What is the primary source of uncertainty over the limits on presidential power?

The constituional definition of executive powers is broad and unspecific

What does a strict constructionist believe

The government should exercise only the powers specifically listed in the Constitution

Which of the following is not a concurent power?

The power to sign treaties

Which sentence best explains why critics argue against social welfare programs?

The programs' costs have risen dramitically in the recent past

What is the difference between the State Department and the Department of Defense?

The state Department deals with diplomacy, and the Department of Defense oversees the military

What does the Constitution require for a condidate to be aprroved as a federal judge?

There are no constitutional requirements for becoming a federal judge.

How are electors to the electoral college chosen

They are appointed by the state legislatures

Which Enlightenment Philosopher introduced the idea that people enter a social contract with the purpose of maintaining order in society?

Thomas Hobbes

What is the main purpose of taxation?

To pay for government programs and operations

Why did the Crown pass the so-called Intolerable Acts?

To punish the colonists for their disobedience

What type of responsibility are voting and serving in the military?

Voluntary

Which piece of legislation made it illegal for employers to discriminate against qualified applicants who have disabilities?

the Americans with Disabilities Act

Which group does the president most rely upon for day-to-day advice?

the Executive Office of the President

What legal document explains the legal reasoning behind a Supreme Court decision?

the majority opinion

Which commitment of the framers is most clearly reflected in the Constituion as ratified in 1788?

the principle of limited government

How can Congress initiate the formal constitutional amendment process?

though a two-thirds majority vote of each house

What was the purpose of Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England?

to advocate for common law

According to the Constitution, which of the following is a requirement to be a condidate for president?

to be at least 35 years old

When is the president of the Senate allowed to vote on legislative matters?

to break a tie vote on a bill

What is the primary purpose of a political action committee?

to financially support condidates who further their interests

Why did the Founding Fathers include the Bill of Rights with the Constitution?

to protect the rights of individuals from the federal government

What was the goal of the Marshall Plan

to provide funding to rebuild parts of Europe after World War II