AP GOV
Which of the following constitutional principles best explains why there was variation among states on the legality of same-sex marriage?
Federalism
In 1972, both houses of Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a Constitutional Amendment guaranteeing equal rights for all citizens regardless of sex. However, the amendment failed, as 3/4 of the states did not ratify it before the deadline expired.
The sharing of power between states and the federal government constrains national policy making
In The Federalist 10, which of the following did James Madison argue would best control the negative effects of factions?
A large federal republic
Which of the following is an accurate summary of James Madison's argument in The Federalist 10?
A large republic presents more opportunities for groups to participate, compete, and limit each other.
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of Supreme Court rulings regarding the scope of the power of the federal government?
Increases the power of the national government Sets a limit to Congress' power under the Commerce Clause
The Declaration of Independence cites specific reasons for separating from British rule, including the British imposing taxes and maintaining a standing army without consent. Which of the following principles or ideas would these grievances be most related to?
Natural rights such as life and liberty
Which of the following statements accurately describes the majority opinion of the Supreme Court in United States v. Lopez (1995) ?
Congress may not use the commerce clause to make possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime.
As a compromise, the framers agreed on a bicameral legislature, with the House of Representatives directly elected by popular vote within states and the Senate selected by state legislatures. The method chosen for electing members of the House of Representatives conforms most to which of the following democratic ideals?
Government should be based on the consent of the governed.
Which of the following best characterizes the general argument made in Brutus 1?
A large republic is dangerous to personal liberty and undermines the states.
In 2015, the Supreme Court heard a case challenging laws in several states that refused to recognize legal same-sex marriages. Which of the following actions could a group who supported the legalization of same-sex marriage take to influence the Supreme Court decision?
Petition to file a brief on behalf of the same-sex couple involved in the case
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan?
Virginia Plan favored a bicameral legislature and the NJ plan favored the Northern States
Which of the following excerpts from the passage best describe the author's reason for opposing an expansion of the scope of the federal government? "In every free government, the people must give their assent to the laws by which they are governed. This is the true criterion between a free government and an arbitrary one. The former are ruled by the will of the whole, expressed in any manner they may agree upon; the latter by the will of one, or a few. If the people are to give their assent to the laws, by persons chosen and appointed by them, the manner of the choice and the number chosen, must be such, as to possess, be disposed, and consequently qualified to declare the sentiments of the people; for if they do not know, or are not disposed to speak the sentiments of the people, the people do not govern, but the sovereignty is in a few. Now, in a large extended country, it is impossible to have a representation, possessing the sentiments, and of integrity, to declare the minds of the people, without having it so numerous and unwieldy, as to be subject in great measure to the inconveniency of a democratic government...." Brutus 1
"... [I]t is impossible to have a representation, possessing the sentiments, and of integrity, to declare the minds of the people, without having it so numerous and unwieldy, as to be subject in great measure to the inconveniency of a democratic government."
In 1974, Congress created a program that grants money to state and local governments to help revitalize low-income communities. State and local governments can decide how best to use their money and used it to rebuild streets, fund libraries, and fix drinking water systems. This is an example of which of the following types of federal aid?
Block Grants
In 1972, the federal government established the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Recipients of aid must be women who are pregnant or breastfeeding or children under the age of 5 whose family income falls below 185% of the federal poverty line. This is an example of which of the following types of federal aid?
Categorical grants
During the 1980s, members of the Republican Party advocated for devolution (transferring responsibilities for programs from the federal government to state and local governments). Which of the following describes a difficulty Congress might face in implementing devolution?
Due to the concurrent powers of state and national government, many programs are administered by both state and federal agencies.
Which of the following cases expanded the powers of Congress by defining the necessary and proper clause more broadly?
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
"In every free government, the people must give their assent to the laws by which they are governed. This is the true criterion between a free government and an arbitrary one. The former are ruled by the will of the whole, expressed in any manner they may agree upon; the latter by the will of one, or a few. If the people are to give their assent to the laws, by persons chosen and appointed by them, the manner of the choice and the number chosen, must be such, as to possess, be disposed, and consequently qualified to declare the sentiments of the people; for if they do not know, or are not disposed to speak the sentiments of the people, the people do not govern, but the sovereignty is in a few. Now, in a large extended country, it is impossible to have a representation, possessing the sentiments, and of integrity, to declare the minds of the people, without having it so numerous and unwieldy, as to be subject in great measure to the inconveniency of a democratic government...." -Brutus 1 Which of the following statements would the author of the passage most likely agree with?
Nations with extended territory cannot fairly represent their citizens in a republican form of government.
In the passage, Brutus is most concerned with the conflict between which of the following political ideas? "In every free government, the people must give their assent to the laws by which they are governed. This is the true criterion between a free government and an arbitrary one. The former are ruled by the will of the whole, expressed in any manner they may agree upon; the latter by the will of one, or a few. If the people are to give their assent to the laws, by persons chosen and appointed by them, the manner of the choice and the number chosen, must be such, as to possess, be disposed, and consequently qualified to declare the sentiments of the people; for if they do not know, or are not disposed to speak the sentiments of the people, the people do not govern, but the sovereignty is in a few. Now, in a large extended country, it is impossible to have a representation, possessing the sentiments, and of integrity, to declare the minds of the people, without having it so numerous and unwieldy, as to be subject in great measure to the inconveniency of a democratic government...." Brutus 1
Participatory democracy and elite democracy
Which of the following experiences most likely influenced the perspective conveyed in the passage? While [opponents of the Constitution] admit that the government of the United States is destitute of energy, they contend against conferring upon it those powers which are requisite to supply that energy. They seem still to aim at things repugnant and irreconcilable; at an augmentation of federal authority, without a diminution of State authority; at sovereignty in the Union, and complete independence in the members. . . . This [requires that] a full display of the principal defects of the Confederation [is] necessary, in order to show that the evils we experience do not proceed from minute or partial imperfections, but from fundamental errors in the structure of the building, which cannot be amended otherwise than by an alteration in the first principles and main pillars of the fabric. . . . [T]he United States has an indefinite discretion to [plead for] for men and money; but they have no authority to raise either, by regulations extending to the individual citizens of America. The consequence of this is, that though in theory their resolutions concerning those objects are laws, constitutionally binding on the members of the Union, yet in practice they are mere recommendations which the States observe or disregard at their option. Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist 15
Shay's Rebellion, which was an armed response to the inability of the national government to address unjust economic state policies.
Which of the following is a difference between the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution that is a response to a problem expressed in the passage? While [opponents of the Constitution] admit that the government of the United States is destitute of energy, they contend against conferring upon it those powers which are requisite to supply that energy. They seem still to aim at things repugnant and irreconcilable; at an augmentation of federal authority, without a diminution of State authority; at sovereignty in the Union, and complete independence in the members. . . . This [requires that] a full display of the principal defects of the Confederation [is] necessary, in order to show that the evils we experience do not proceed from minute or partial imperfections, but from fundamental errors in the structure of the building, which cannot be amended otherwise than by an alteration in the first principles and main pillars of the fabric. . . . [T]he United States has an indefinite discretion to [plead for] for men and money; but they have no authority to raise either, by regulations extending to the individual citizens of America. The consequence of this is, that though in theory their resolutions concerning those objects are laws, constitutionally binding on the members of the Union, yet in practice they are mere recommendations which the States observe or disregard at their option. Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist 15
The Articles of Confederation allowed for the federal government to request revenues from states but did not permit it to tax citizens directly, whereas under the United States Constitution the federal government could tax citizens directly.
In the 1950s Southern states attempted to prevent integration of their public schools. In return, the National Guard was sent to force states to implement federal regulations. This scenario illustrates which of the following about the relationship between the state and national governments?
The debate over the role of the central government and state powers is ongoing.
The Gun-Free School Zones Act made it illegal for individuals knowingly to carry a gun in a school zone. The Supreme Court determined this act to be an unconstitutional stretch of the commerce clause in
United States v. Lopez (1995)
Which of the following excerpts from Article I of the United States Constitution resolves a problem described by the author? While [opponents of the Constitution] admit that the government of the United States is destitute of energy, they contend against conferring upon it those powers which are requisite to supply that energy. They seem still to aim at things repugnant and irreconcilable; at an augmentation of federal authority, without a diminution of State authority; at sovereignty in the Union, and complete independence in the members. . . . This [requires that] a full display of the principal defects of the Confederation [is] necessary, in order to show that the evils we experience do not proceed from minute or partial imperfections, but from fundamental errors in the structure of the building, which cannot be amended otherwise than by an alteration in the first principles and main pillars of the fabric. . . . [T]he United States has an indefinite discretion to [plead for] for men and money; but they have no authority to raise either, by regulations extending to the individual citizens of America. The consequence of this is, that though in theory their resolutions concerning those objects are laws, constitutionally binding on the members of the Union, yet in practice they are mere recommendations which the States observe or disregard at their option. Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist 15
"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;"
