AP gov answers test 2
Brutus 1 Which of the following excerpts from the passage best describes the author's reason for opposing an expansion of the scope of the federal government?
"... [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."
The Federalist 15 Which of the following excerpts from Article I of the United States Constitution resolves a problem described by the author?
"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;"
At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, delegates from larger states argued that each state's representation in the legislature should be proportional to its population. Smaller states argued that each state should have equal representation, regardless of population. The disagreement over representation threatened to derail the ratification of the United States Constitution. Which statement accurately describes the compromise that led to both sides reaching agreement?
A bicameral legislature with an upper house representing each state equally and a lower house with representation proportional to each state's population
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 best characterizes the general argument made in Brutus 1?
A large republic is dangerous to personal liberty and undermines the states.
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 the best example of a president using the bully pulpit?
A president making a televised speech to gain public support for a policy initiative
"At War with the Separation of Powers" Which of the following describes a possible method that can check the power of the president who willingly violates the constitutional balance of power as described in the passage?
Congress can impeach and remove a president who is unable or unwilling to perform his or her official functions.
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 elected by popular vote within states and the Senate elected by state legislatures. The direct election method conforms most to which of the following democratic ideals?
Government should be based on the consent of the governed.
Which of the following is the correct pairing of procedures or rules of each house of the legislative branch?
House of Representatives: Has a Rules Committee that decides how long debate will be on most bills. Senate: Has use of the filibuster and cloture, which can help the minority to defeat a bill.
The House and the Senate have some different constitutional responsibilities. Which of the following pairs correctly matches House and Senate constitutional responsibilities?
House of Representatives: Initiates revenue bills. Senate: Ratifies treaties.
Which of the following is an accurate pair of descriptions of the two chambers of Congress?
House of Representatives: Serves 2-year terms Senate: Serves 6-year terms
Article I, Section 9 of the United States Constitution lists several powers that are denied to the federal government, such as granting titles of nobility and passing ex post facto laws. This best demonstrates which of the following ideals of democracy?
Limited government
Which of the following cases expanded the powers of Congress by defining the necessary and proper clause more broadly?
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
In a press briefing, the White House press secretary issues a statement criticizing members of Congress who refuse to act on the president's judicial nominees to the federal courts. This scenario best illustrates which of the following?
Members of the White House staff are strategically used to help the president pass an agenda.
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.
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, liberty, and property
Brutus 1 Brutus is most concerned with the conflict between which of the following political ideas?
Participatory democracy and elite democracy
Which of the following is the best example of a president using technology to communicate and obtain public support for a public policy agenda?
President John F. Kennedy outlining Cold War challenges and urging Americans to civic action in his inaugural address
Which of the following was the ruling in Shaw v. Reno (1993) ?
Racial gerrymandering violates the Fourteenth Amendment.
Which of the following correctly describes the facts in Shaw v. Reno (1993) ?
Redistricting in order to confine minority voters to a majority in one district was challenged under the Fourteenth Amendment.
"At War with the Separation of Powers" Which of the following principles of government is most related to the author's argument in the passage?
Separation of powers is necessary to our constitutional system to limit the power of the three branches and guarantee limited government.
The Federalist 15 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?
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.
"At War with the Separation of Powers" Which of the following political processes would best solve the problem regarding the system of checks and balances, as articulated by the author in the passage?
The Supreme Court rules on a suit brought by an interest group that legislation permitting the president to launch military strikes without congressional approval is unconstitutional.
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 Federalist 15 Which of the following experiences most likely influenced the perspective conveyed in the passage?
The debt crisis of the 1780s which the national government was unable to address due to lack of authority
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)
President Theodore Roosevelt took his case directly to the American people to gain public support for his progressive reform initiatives by appearing in a movie newsreel. This type of presidential communication is an example of which of the following?
Using the bully pulpit
On February 13, 2016, following the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement that the Supreme Court vacancy should be left to the next president of the United States, who would be elected that November. Nonetheless, President Obama nominated circuit judge Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy. The Senate judiciary committee never held a hearing nor was a vote scheduled on the nomination. The scenario demonstrates that
because federal judges are lifetime appointments, Senate confirmation can oftentimes be challenging
In order to appease both Federalists and Anti-Federalists, it was agreed at the Constitutional Convention that a group of delegates would be charged with selecting the president. This would ensure that
the most capable individuals would decide which candidate would be president
Prior to his confirmation, Democrats on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions questioned President Trump's Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price about the ethics of some of his investments. He was eventually confirmed with support of Republicans in the Senate. This check on presidential power illustrates that
the process of confirming members of the president's Cabinet can lead to conflict with members of the Senate
