Chapter 3 Study Questions

D

The federal government has been able to use categorical grants to coerce states into doing what it wants most of the time because ______. A. citizens want the federal government to force recalcitrant states to accept the grants B. the Supreme Court has ruled that states cannot turn down this money C. states fear that if they don't accept all categorical grants, they will not be offered any more D. states have become financially dependent on this aid

C

"Devolution" was a process that ______. A. enacted greater regulations on state and local policies B. provided more means for Congress to control the states C. shifted power from the national level to the states D. focused on favoring business rather than federalism

D

Although in general conservatives prefer smaller government, one area in which they have enacted bigger government solutions is ______. A. economic regulation B. women's rights C. affirmative action D. national security

D

Although the Constitution provides for both national and state powers, ______.A. state powers decreased so dramatically by the 1990s that states were little more than federal administrative unitsB. the state governments have ignored that division of powers at their whimC. the precise wording of the Constitution has made the division of powers between the two levels practically impossibleD. the balance between state and national powers has shifted considerably since 1787

D

Although the federal government is supreme, the relationship between it and states is characterized by ______. A. federal permissiveness B. constant conflict C. rapid changes D. overall flexibility

A

Although the states have the authority to set the minimum drinking age, the United States has a national legal alcohol consumption age of 21 because ______. A. the federal government threatened to withhold highway funds from any state that didn't have a drinking age of 21 B. all states are now sensitive to the consequences of underage drinking C. prohibition groups have lobbied successfully for a higher drinking age in all states D. the international standard for the legal drinking age is 21

D

An example of Congress preempting state legislation by passing national laws was ______. A. the desegregation of the military B. the Marbury v. Madison decision C. the enactment of the New Deal D. the passing of civil rights legislation

A

An example of a country with a unitary system of power distribution is ______. A. the United Kingdom B. Germany C. the United States D. Canada

D

An important effect of federalism is that state and local governments ______. A. rarely enable citizens to affect politics on a local level B. Americans can organize marches and demonstrations on social media C. citizens can easily move from one state to another with minimal effort D. allow many more opportunities for citizens to get involved in governance

D

As America has grown, so have/has ______. A. the powers of the states relative to the federal government B. our reliance on local rather than national policy C. the protections provided to marginalized groups D. our expectations of what the government will do for us

D

Barbour and Wright suggest that citizens can shape state and local policies by ______. A. emigrating to a country with more favorable living conditionsB. abstaining from voting when they disagree with local policiesC. ensuring the continuation of strong federal powersD. moving to a state or locality they would prefer to live in

D

Barbour and Wright suggest that liberals might be more likely to argue for small government when ______. A. it refuses to engage in regulating morals B. the economy is doing well C. there is a need to address national security issues D. they do not control the national government

A

Barbour and Wright suggest that the Constitution's vagueness on the balance of state and federal power was ______.A. a pragmatic choice in order to get the Constitution ratifiedB. meant to encourage friendly competition between the twoC. part of their goal to concentrate power in the Supreme CourtD. an oversight because the founders' attention was elsewhere

False

Block grants are the most common form of national influence over the states.

D

Chief Justice John Marshall also ruled in the case Cohens v. Virginia, which concerned the Supreme Court's ability to review state supreme court decisions when the defendant claims their constitutional rights have been violated. Which of these was most likely Marshall's ruling? A. The Supreme Court cannot constitutionally rule on issues of state law .B. The Supreme Court can only rule on this issue if it is in its original jurisdiction. C. The Supreme Court can only address such issues if they take place in non-state territories. D. The Supreme Court has the power to review state supreme court decisions.

False

Chief Justice John Marshall was committed to reducing federal power.

A

Congress has been reluctant to use block grants to achieve policy goals because ______ .A. they allow states to pursue their own goals rather than the federal government's goals B. they are too time-consuming to write C. state politicians dislike them as much as unfunded mandates D. states rarely accept them due to the restrictions written into such grants

False

Congress is more likely to issue categorical grants when concerned about budget deficit.

B

Cooperative federalism is a theory that ______. A. was an accurate depiction of American federalism during the 18th century B. defines state and national powers as interdependent, requiring the cooperation of each other to get things done C. defines state and federal governments as essentially separate from each other and carrying out their functions independently D. reflects the formal distribution of powers by the Constitution

D

Federal funds provided to states for a broad purpose and unrestricted by detailed requirements are called ______. A. categorical grants B. limited grants C. self-improvement grants D. block grants

A

Federal orders that require states to operate and pay for programs created at the national level are called ______.A. unfunded mandatesB. categorical grantsC. delegated ordersD. hortatory appeals

A

Federalism in the United States ______. A. was a compromise for how power should be distributed between the national and state governments B. provides for strong state and local power compared to federal power C. has outlived its usefulness as a framework for American politics D. grants the federal government a dominant position over the states in all areas except education

C

Gibbons v. Ogden increased the power of the national government by ______. A. interpreting the federal police power very broadly B. interpreting the congressional power to declare war very broadly C. interpreting the commerce clause of the Constitution very broadly D. interpreting the "necessary and proper" clause of the Constitution very broadly

C

In 1832, the South Carolina State House enacted a law declaring that the new tariff bill pushed through Congress would not be followed in that state. This was an example of ______. A. laissez faire policies B. secession C. nullification D. federalism

C

In 2017, Amazon announced its intention to open a second headquarters in North America. Several cities attempted to entice Amazon with tax breaks and incentives. This is an example of the effects of ______. A. the necessary and proper clause on economic policy B. the McCulloch v. Maryland decision on businesses C. business relocation on state and local policy D. states issuing categorical grants to companies

B

In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), the Supreme Court held that ______ .A. the Supreme Court could declare acts of Congress to be unconstitutional B. the federal government had the implied power to create a national bank C. states had the ability to restrict interstate commerce within their jurisdiction D. congress was not allowed to outlaw slavery in U.S. territories

C

In a ______ system, the central government is dependent on the local units that compose it. A. dual federal B. unitary C. confederal D. cooperative federal

B

In a ______ system, the national government has ultimate control over its constituent local units, even to the point of being able to eliminate them. A. dual federal B. unitary C. confederal D. cooperative federal

C

In the lead up to the Civil War, southern states attempted to declare federal laws void within their borders. This reflected the doctrine of ______. A. dual federalism B. concurrent powers C. nullification D. supremacy

B

In which of these ways does the national government try to influence the states? A. concurrent powers B. categorical grants C. court cases D. enumerated powers

B

McCulloch v. Maryland increased the power of the federal government by ______. A. interpreting the commerce clause of the Constitution very broadly B. interpreting the "necessary and proper" clause of the Constitution very broadly C. interpreting the federal police power very broadly D. establishing that the states did not have the power to secede from the union

D

One of the new roles the federal government acquired in the 1950s and 1960s was ______. A. protector of the poor at the expense of business interests B. employer of the jobless in times of recession C. destroyer of states' rights in favor of federal power D. guarantor of individual rights against state abuse

B

One reason for the growth of the national government's power and influence has been ______. A. the trend among democratic countries to become more unitary B. heightened expectations and demands placed on the federal government C. the failure of the states to provide adequate opportunities for interest group participation D. the gradual expansion of the national share of the property tax

B

Political scientists today see federalism as ____. A. a partnership between the national and state governments in which the state governments are the dominant partners B. a partnership between the national and state governments in which the federal government is the dominant partner C. consisting of two totally separate levels of power that have little to do with each other D. having evolved to the point at which the state governments really do not matter

C

Powers that are exercised by both the national and state governments are known as______. A. necessary and proper B. enumerated C. concurrent D. discretionary

B

Prior to the New Deal, the Supreme Court generally ______. A. enshrined existing legislation on economic regulation B. ruled against regulation of businesses and the economy C. approved strongly of national regulations over state ones D. increased regulation on working hours and child labor

B

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) provides a fixed amount of money to states, who have broad discretion to determine who is eligible for services. TANF is therefore an example of ______. A. dual federalism B. a block grant C. a categorical grant D. an unfunded mandate

B

The "necessary and proper clause" ______. A. states that it is necessary and proper for Congress to have sufficient reasons to impeach the president B. is used by Congress to justify the exercise of powers not mentioned in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution C. states that it is necessary and proper for the president to have sufficient reasons to begin a war D. is used by the Supreme Court as justification for the power of judicial review

C

The Constitution ______. A. contains a long list of enumerated powers for the states B. leaves open the question of when national law is overridden by state action C. says very little about the powers of the states D. draws clear lines between state and national powers

B

The Constitution says that all power not given to the national government are reserved to the states in ______. A. the necessary and proper clause B. the Tenth Amendment C. the supremacy clause D. the Fourteenth Amendment

B

The European Union is an example of ______.A. dual federalismB. a confederal systemC. a unitary systemD. cooperative federalism

A

The New Deal increased the power of the federal government in regard to ______. A. business and the economy B. the war-making power C. civil rights D. civil liberties

B

The New Deal increased the scope of both national and state powers by ______. A. restricting the involvement of the government in business and the economy B. redefining the purpose of American government to include solving nationwide economic and social problems C. giving the states more control over how federal powers are carried out D. increasing the power of Congress at the expense of the president

A

The Supreme Court case United States v. Lopez ruled that the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was an unconstitutional extension of Congressional power. This is an example of ______. A. devolution B. nullification C. cooperative federalism D. dual federalism

C

The Supreme Court has interpreted the Fourteenth Amendment to ______. A. allow women to have the right to vote B. strike down Prohibition C. strike down racial segregation in the states D. require the states to permit 18-year-olds to vote

A

The Supreme Court has interpreted the ______ clause of the Constitution so broadly that there are very few restrictions on what Congress can do. A. necessary and proper B. national supremacy C. full faith and credit D. establishment

False

The Supreme Court has interpreted the supremacy clause of the Constitution so broadly that there are very few restrictions on what Congress can do.

True

The Supreme Court's interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment has come to severely limit states' powers over their citizens.

C

The Union's victory over the Confederacy in the Civil War rejected the idea that ______. A. Congress could pass legislation against the states' will B. the United States was a nation based on federalism C. the states retained their sovereignty under the Constitution D. the Supreme Court could defend business interests

C

The congressional abilities specifically listed in Article I, Section 8, are called the ______. A. concurrent powers B. elastic powers C. enumerated powers D. supreme powers

True

The congressional abilities specifically listed in Article I, Section 8, are called the enumerated powers.

True

The decision to move can be considered a political act.

C

The event in American history that halted "devolution" was ______. A. the impeachment of President Clinton B. the attack on Pearl Harbor C. the attacks of September 11, 2001 D. the beginning of the Vietnam War

A

The metaphor used to describe dual federalism is ______. A. layer cake B. marble cake C. tiered cake D. ice cream cake

A

The national government's rapid growth has resulted in ______. A. a debate between liberals and conservatives over the proper role for the national government B. the federal government becoming increasingly invisible in daily American life C. the federal government's inability to find the financial resources to pay for itself D. the national government's difficulty in performing its most basic functions

B

The political system in which authority is divided between different levels of government is known as ______. A. the unitary system B. federalism C. the confederal system D. democracy

D

The power shift called "devolution" began ______. A. in the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts B. during the presidency of George H. W. Bush C. during the presidency of Ronald Reagan D. in the Supreme Court under Chief Justice William Rehnquist

D

The primary determiner of the balance of powers between the federal government and the states has been ______. A. the state governors B. Congress C. the president D. the Supreme Court

False

The principle that states that national laws will be followed if state laws conflict with them is found in the commerce clause.

A

The rulings of the Supreme Court under John Marshall contributed to enhancement of ______. A. the power of the federal government B. the reach of the doctrine of nullification C. the participation of women in American politics D. the power of the presidency

True

The supremacy clause of the Constitution states that if a state law and a federal law conflict, the federal law will be followed.

A

The text concludes that the current status of federalism ______. A. is characterized by a contradictory mix of rhetoric about moving power back to the states and new national initiatives B. is characterized by a mix of rhetoric about new national initiatives with the strengthening of devolution C. involves a consensus that the national government has grown too strong D. involves a consensus that the national government must become stronger in the face of so many challenges to the nation's welfare

B

The theory that defines the state and national governments as essentially separate from each other and carrying out independent functions is ______. A. cooperative federalism B. dual federalism C. federalism D. independent federalism

True

The theory that defines the state and national governments as essentially separate from each other and carrying out independent functions is dual federalism.

B

The trend of the Supreme Court's rulings in favor of devolution ended ______. A. when the membership of the Court became more liberal B. following the attacks of September 11, 2001 C. when Barack Obama became president D. when George W. Bush became president

C

Tracey is moving her small business to an urban center in a state that is more accepting of her sexual orientation. Tracey is engaging in ______. A. cooperative federalismB. nullificationC. voting with her feetD. devolution

A

Two trends evident in the development of American federalism throughout history are the ______. A. expansion of American government in general and the gradual strengthening of the federal government B. simultaneous growth of the nullification movement and federal desire for financial resources C. increases in state power and fiscal resources at the expense of the federal government D. development of the property tax and the need for states to provide resources to the national government

C

What is the key difference between categorical grants and block grants? A. Categorical grants lack any true congressional oversight, and block grants require a lot of congressional oversight. B. Categorical grants are reflective of the dual federalism era, and block grants reflect the operative federalism era. C. Block grants provide states with more leverage and power over how to spend grants-in-aid than do categorical grants. D. Block grants can be spent on any policy issue, no matter what Congress allocated the money for.

C

Which method of national influence over the states is most favored by state officials? A. dual federalism B. the categorical grant C. the block grant D. the unfunded mandate

D

Which of these is a disadvantage of federalism?A. It provides flexibility when Congress will not act.B. There is real power at levels of government close to citizens. C. The states serve as policy laboratories. D. It permits local prejudices to find their way into state and local laws.

A

Which of these is a manifestation of the effects of federalism? A. state and federal income taxes B. public schools C. standard currency D. federally approved local policy

C

Which of these is a reason the national government should care about the actions of the states? A. The states can enact one regulatory law when Congress would need 50. B. It is harder to solve problems at the national level if they affect multiple states. C. There are electoral benefits for Congress members for achieving state-level policies. D. State-level reforms are easily obtained but Congress members can still take credit.

C

Which of these is an advantage of federalism?A. Economies of scale are lost.B. States have different penalties for the same crime. C. Public policies can be experimented within the states.D. Power is concentrated far away from citizens.

C

Which of these is an example of the most common legislative interaction between Congress and the states? A. A state must carry out a federal policy but receives no money to do so. B. A state receives federal money for a program and decides how to spend it. C. A state complies with federal regulations and receives money for specific purposes. D. A state enacts policy with no influence and no funding from the federal government.

A

Which of these is most likely to occur when Congress is concerned about ballooning federal deficits? A. A state must carry out a federal policy but receives no money to do so .B. A state receives federal money for a program and decides how to spend it .C. A state complies with federal regulations and receives money for specific purposes. D. A state enacts policy with no influence and no funding from the federal government.

B

Which of these methods of influence is usually resisted by Congress? A. A state must carry out a federal policy but receives no money to do so. B. A state receives federal money for a program and decides how to spend it. C. A state complies with federal regulations and receives money for specific purposes. D. A state enacts policy with no influence and no funding from the federal government.

D

Which of these was most likely to occur during the period of dual federalism? A. A state must carry out a federal policy but receives no money to do so. B. A state receives federal money for a program and decides how to spend it. C. A state complies with federal regulations and receives money for specific purposes. D. A state enacts policy with no influence and no funding from the federal government.

A

Which scenario is an example of a block grant? A. The Office of Community Services provides money for states to address their unique social service needs. B. Congress passes the No Child Left Behind Act, providing no funding for states but allowing states to opt out. C. The Department of Health and Human Services provides funding for states to provide nutritious meals to the elderly. D. Congress passes a law requiring state transit agencies to upgrade security measures and training programs.

C

Which scenario is an example of a categorical grant? A. The Office of Community Services provides money for states to address their unique social service needs. B. Congress passes the No Child Left Behind Act, providing no funding for states but allowing states to opt out. C. The Department of Health and Human Services provides funding for states to provide nutritious meals to the elderly. D. The Department of Homeland Security requires state transit agencies to upgrade security measures.

D

Which scenario is an example of an unfunded mandate? A. The Office of Community Services provides money for states to address their unique social service needs. B. Congress passes the No Child Left Behind Act, providing no funding for states but allowing states to opt out. C. The Department of Health and Human Services provides funding for states to provide nutritious meals to the elderly. D. Congress passes a law requiring state transit agencies to upgrade security measures and training programs.