Exam 1 Multiple Choice Portion

Which kind of federalism best describes an autonomous relationship between the states and national government? Question options: cooperative federalism creative federalism layer cake federalism fiscal federalism marble cake federalism

layer cake federalism

Which of the following Constitutional amendments does NOT attempt to increase suffrage by defining it more specifically for localities? Question options: 15th 26th 12th 19th 24th

12th

The 26th Amendment passed in 1971, allowed which group of people to vote? Question options: women naturalized citizens Puerto Ricans 18-21 year olds blacks

18-21 year olds

Which amendment in the Bill of Rights does NOT expressly protect the rights of the accused? Question options: 3rd 4th 5th 6th 8th

3rd

Of the following voters, which is the least likely to vote? Question options: A Northerner A college graduate A regular attendee at religious services A person who lives in a rural area A person with a high sense of civic duty

A person who lives in a rural area

Assume that an opinion poll conducted in a 1998 congressional race found that on election eve, 54% of the voters supported Congressman Smith and 44% supported challenger Jones. Also assume that the poll had a +/- 3% margin of error. What would the pollster be able to safely predict? Question options: Congressman Smith would defeat challenger Jones. Challenger Jones would probably win because challengers almost always pick up last-minute support. The election is too close to call. Congressman Smith would win by a landslide. Congressman Smith would win, provided voter turnout is good.

Congressman Smith would defeat challenger Jones.

The Founding Fathers devised a federal system for all of the following reasons EXCEPT Question options: federalism is one method for checking government's power and protecting personal liberty. concentrating power in a single entity might create tyranny. Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government was too dependent on the states for survival. A federal system provides balance of power between the state and national governments Federal systems were common throughout the world and were proven to be effective.

Federal systems were common throughout the world and were proven to be effective.

The "Framers of the Constitution did not try to create a government that would do from day to day 'what the people want'." Which of the following serve as checks on public opinion? I. FederalismII. the House of RepresentativesIII. an independent judiciaryIV separation of powers Question options: I and IV II and III I, II, and III I, III, and IV I, II, III, and IV

I, III, and IV

Public opinion isI. the sum total of the opinion of everyone in the nation.II. made up of many different publics.III. related to a specific issue. Question options: I only II only III only I and II II and III

II only

The 5th Amendment protects citizens against which of the following?I. Illegal search and seizure.II. Testifying against oneself.III. Double jeopardy under the law.IV. Deprivation of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Question options: I and II. I, II, and III. II only. II, III, and IV. IV only.

II, III, and IV.

Under the original Constitution, which branch or branches of government were selected directly by the citizens? I. the president and vice president.II. the Supreme Court.III. the Senate.IV. the House of Representatives. Question options: I and II I, III, and IV III and IV III only IV only

IV only

Which of the following arguments represents the BEST reason why a bill of rights was added to the Constitution? Question options: The Federalists felt that the central government would not protect the citizens. The AntiFederalists believed that the masses needed to know what their rights were. Ratification of the Constitution including a bill of rights was supported by both Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Key states insisted on a bill of rights prior to approving the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists felt that the Constitution alone protected citizens from abuses of the central government.

Key states insisted on a bill of rights prior to approving the Constitution.

Which of the following is true about expressions of public opinion? Question options: New communication technologies, such as the Internet, have not introduced new opportunities to express public opinion. INterest groups don't express public opinion, they only express the opinions of interests. News media, activism, lobbying, polls, and elections all provide some expression of public opinion. Political activism is an important part of a democratic society, but not as an expression of public opinion. The single most important form of public opinion in a democratic society is response to polls.

News media, activism, lobbying, polls, and elections all provide some expression of public opinion.

Which of the following issues was left by the Constitutional Convention for states to decide? Question options: The method of electing the President. Qualifications of the electorate for voting in federal elections. The method of ratifying amendments to the Constitution. Qualifications for members of the House and Senate. Whether or not to levy protective tariffs on imported goods.

Qualifications of the electorate for voting in federal elections.

Which of the following definitions BEST describes inalienable rights? Question options: Rights based upon the common consensus. Rights established through political justice. Rights based upon a military code of fairness. Rights based on nature and Providence. Rights established through political compromise.

Rights based on nature and Providence.

Excerpt from Federalist 51- "Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional right of the place. It may be a reflection of human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary."Which of the following fundamental principles does this statement best reflect? Question options: Federalism Preservation of property. Representative government. Separation of powers. Rousseau's view of human nature.

Separation of powers.

What was the result of the Great Compromise? Question options: Slaves were note counted in the census. Individuals were represented in the upper house, and states were represented in the lower house. Individuals were given proportional representation in both the House and the Senate. All members of Congress were selected by direct election. States were represented in the upper house, and individuals were represented in the lower house.

States were represented in the upper house, and individuals were represented in the lower house.

In the 1960s, Denver, Colorado, had several racially distinct neighborhoods. Denver Public Schools developed a neighborhood schools plan in which students would attend the school closest to home On what grounds was this plan challenged? Question options: That is was dejure segregation. That is was defacto segregation. That the plan did not allow students the freedom to travel to a school of their choice. That the plan would not allow black students to attend schools with whites. There was no valid legal basis for challenging this plan.

That is was defacto segregation.

Amendment 10 - The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. The Tenth Amendment most often comes into conflict with which section of the Constitution? Question options: The 'full faith and credit' clause. The 'necessary and proper' clause. The provisions for the impeachment of a president. The clause prohibiting states from coining money and entering into treaties. The provisions for constitutional amendment.

The 'necessary and proper' clause.

Which of the following best describes that relationship between educational background and participation in politics? Question options: The more schooling one has, the more likely one is to vote. The less schooling one has, the more likely one is to run for public office. There is no relationship between educational background and participation in politics. People with a high school education are more likely to vote than either those who did not finish high school or thsoe with a college degree. Those with no formal schooling have a greater personal interest in policy and tend to vote more than those with high school diplomas.

The more schooling one has, the more likely one is to vote.

Which of the following is the most common form of political participation in the U.S.? Question options: Voting in presidential elections. Voting in local elections. Attending local meetings for government and/or political organizations. Participating in political demonstrations. Helping in campaigns of candidates for public office.

Voting in presidential elections.

"To say that a vote is worth more in on district than in another would not only run counter to our fundamental ideas of democratic government, it would cast aside the principle of a House of Representatives elected by the People..." The above statement is from the Supreme Court decision in Question options: Miranda v. Arizona Gideon v. Wainwright Marbury v. Madison Wesberry v. Sanders Schenck v. United States

Wesberry v. Sanders

All of the following are part of the amendment process EXCEPT Question options: a proposal accepted by a 2/3 vote of Congress. a proposal accepted at a national convention called by Congress as requested by 2/3 of the states. a national referendum (by popular vote) with 2/3 voter approval. ratification by 3/4 of state legislatures. ratification by 3/4 of states in special conventions.

a national referendum (by popular vote) with 2/3 voter approval.

Major shifts in the scope of federalism were caused by Question options: states failing to protect civil rights. the inability of capitalist economies to avoid major collapses. conflictes between republics and totalitarian nations. changes in attitudes about the general rights of minorities. all of the above.

all of the above.

Lower voter turnout in the U.S. can be explained by all of the following EXCEPT Question options: difficulty registering. weak political parties. an agin electorate. difficulty in voting. frequency of voting.

an agin electorate.

The relationship between social class and political attitude is Question options: much stronger than it used to be. nonexistent; social class does not appear to affect political attitudes. complicated because the correlation between higher social class and conservatism has been blurred by the liberalizing effect of college education. complicated because the traditional relationship between the working class and conservatism has blurred in recent years. clear-cut; a strong correlation exists between higher social class and conservatism.

complicated because the correlation between higher social class and conservatism has been blurred by the liberalizing effect of college education.

James Madison's Federalist 10 articulated the belief of the Founding Fathers that the Constitution would Question options: control the effects of factions. promote the growth of political parties. lead to a tyranny of the majority. allow the states to maintain their preeminence lead to a tyranny of the minority.

control the effects of factions.

Gideon v. Wainwright guaranteed the right of individuals to Question options: defense counsel in a criminal case a trial by jury plea bargain standing to sue counsel in both civil and criminal cases.

defense counsel in a criminal case

The trend of affirmative action programs in the 1990s is to Question options: face challenges on the legality of existing laws. eliminate requirements for federally funded affirmative action programs. take race as a factor only in the private sector. have Congress increase the number of programs. require a quota system for college admissions.

face challenges on the legality of existing laws.

The 1st Amendment protects all of the following freedoms EXCEPT Question options: freedom of religion. freedom of choice. freedom of the press. freedom of speech. freedom of assembly.

freedom of choice.

Since the Great Depression, federalism has changed Question options: from dual federalism to cooperative federalism. from cooperative federalism to dual federalism. to give states more power at the expense of the national government. because the Court has expanded the scope of the 10th Amendment. because states have refused to implement most federal policies.

from dual federalism to cooperative federalism.

In the case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), the Supreme Court Question options: gave a broad interpretation to the 1st Amendment right of freedom of speech. claimed the power of judicial review. struck down a law of Congress for the first time. gave a broad interpretation to the 'necessary and proper clause'. denied that the president has the right of executive privilege.

gave a broad interpretation to the 'necessary and proper clause'.

Under the U.S. Constitution, all states are required to Question options: have a republican form of government. adopt the Equal Rights Amendment. have a strong Democratic Party. elect governors for two-year terms. maintain balanced budgets.

have a republican form of government.

Media influence on the formation of public opinion has been criticized for all of the following reasons EXCEPT Question options: oversimplification of complicated issues. reducing major speeches to brief sound bites. biased presentations. heightening general interest in public issues. focusing on the trivial and sensational.

heightening general interest in public issues.

Political socialization refers to Question options: why a person identifies with a political party. how an individual's political views are developed. the measure of the public's attitude on national issues. a person's position on social questions such as abortion. the role of government in promoting national identity.

how an individual's political views are developed.

The primary intention of the National Voter Registration Act (Motor-Voter) of 1993 was to Question options: ease the states' bookkeeping burdens in determining who is eligible to vote. increase the percentage of the voting age population that actually vote. cut down on fraudulent voting. make voting mandatory for anyone 18 and over who gets a driver's license. force people to register to vote for one of the major political parties.

increase the percentage of the voting age population that actually vote.

"For present purposes we may and do assume that freedom of speech and of press- which are protected from abridgement by Congress- are among the fundamental personal rights and liberties protected by the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment from impairment by the states."This decision by the Supreme Court was important because Question options: it strengthened the power of states to interpret the Constitution. it affirmed the power of the Supreme Court to have the final say in interpreting the Bill of Rights. it led to the eventual overturning of the 14th Amendment. it placed more stringent limits on freedom of speech. it weakened federalism in favor of a system that more equitably balanced state versus federal powers.

it affirmed the power of the Supreme Court to have the final say in interpreting the Bill of Rights.

The 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, and the 1955 follow-up case known as Brown 2, had all of the following effects EXCEPT Question options: it declared dejure segregation unconstitutional. it declared defacto segregation unconstitutional. it ordered public school to desegregate 'with all deliberate speed.' it declared separate facilities inherently unequal. it overturned Plessy v. Ferguson.

it declared defacto segregation unconstitutional.

The Lemon test is used to determine if Question options: there is unfair government interference regarding free speech. the government is acting properly in due process cases. there are illegal tactics used by PACs. death penalty convictions are fair and reasonable. legislation that deals with religion creates illegal government interference.

legislation that deals with religion creates illegal government interference.

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires states and local governments to provide equal access for the disabled. This is an example of a(n) Question options: categorical grant. block grant. revenue sharing. mandate. administrative regulation.

mandate.

The Constitution, as originally ratified, addressed all of the following weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation EXCEPT the Question options: lack of a strong chief executive office. national government's inability to levy taxes effectively. absence of a central authority to regulate interstate trade. insufficiently of the government's power to raise an army. omission of a universal suffrage clause.

omission of a universal suffrage clause.

THe opening words of the Constitution, "We the PEople," express the fundamental principle of Question options: rule of law. popular sovereignty. constitutionalism. federalism. republicanism.

popular sovereignty.

The original intent of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court was to Question options: force the states to follow the Bill of Rights. provide equal protection under the law for freed slaves. expand voting for women. give states the right to pass laws that guaranteed separate but equal status to their citizens. enable Congress to pass affirmative action legislation.

provide equal protection under the law for freed slaves.

The stated purpose of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 was to Question options: write a new plan of government eliminate the growth of the institution of slavery raise more money by taxing exports construct a more democratic form of government reform the Articles of Confederation.

reform the Articles of Confederation.

In the case of Mapp v. Ohio, the Supreme Court established Question options: the exclusionary rule of evidence. the fighting words doctrine. the bad tendency doctrine. the prurient interest principle. the stop and frisk rule of evidence.

the exclusionary rule of evidence.

The electorate has expanded as a result of all of the following EXCEPT Question options: the voting age has been lowered to eighteen. states may not require residency of more than thirty days. state standards now govern almost every aspect of voter eligibility. ares with significant non-English speaking populations must provide ballots written in other languages. residents of the District of Columbia may vote in presidential elections.

state standards now govern almost every aspect of voter eligibility.

"To make all Laws, which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into the Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof." The above clause from Article One of the Constitution is the basis for establishing which important principle of American government? Question options: federalism supremacy of the national government states rights separation of powers judicial review

supremacy of the national government

Shay's Rebellion was significant because it Question options: allowed commercial interests to express their disenchantment with the status quo. symbolized the weakness of the central government under the Articles. was the first organized protest against the system of slavery in the South. expressed the discontent of the upper class. was a great victory for the agrarian interests.

symbolized the weakness of the central government under the Articles.

It has been shown in recent elections that during times of severe economic troubles, the electorate Question options: do not vote as often as they do during good times. tend to vote out incumbents. tend to vote incumbents back in. are more likely to vote in congressional races than the presidential race. register in large numbers.

tend to vote out incumbents.

The section of the Constitution that clearly states the concept of federalism is Question options: Article I. Article II. Article III. the 10th Amendment. the Preamble.

the 10th Amendment.

All of the following are basic beliefs that Americans hold about their government EXCEPT Question options: preserving the general welfare. equality for all. majority rule and minority rights. the efficacy of political parties. individual liberty.

the efficacy of political parties.

All of the following are characteristics of marble cake federalism EXCEPT Question options: there are mingled responsibilities and blurred distinctions between the levels of government. the federal government becomes more intrusive in state affairs. there is a greater sharing of responsibilities between federal and state levels. the national government exercised its power independently from state governments. there is greater cooperation between the federal and state governments.

the national government exercised its power independently from state governments.

All of the following were weakness of the Articles of Confederation EXCEPT Question options: the national government could not resolve state boundary disputes. currency was not accepted outside of local areas. the military could not put down even small rebellions. the national government had too much power. there was no national judicial system.

the national government had too much power.

The most powerful influence on public opinion in the nation is Question options: the president. Congress. political parties. the news media. public interest groups.

the news media.

All of the following are necessary for an accurate public opinion poll EXCEPT Question options: the question must be asked in an unbiased manner. the persons interviewed must be selected based on a random sample. the questions must be understandable. the answer categories must offer people a choice between different responses. the number of people sampled must be at least 10% of the population

the number of people sampled must be at least 10% of the population

All of the following can express the accuracy of polling EXCEPT Question options: the margin of error. the underdog effect. the wording of the questions on the survey. the interpretation of the survey results. the issues that are the subject of the survey.

the underdog effect.

All of the following are features of the federal government EXCEPT Question options: separation of powers checks and balances unitary system popular sovereignty limited majority rule

unitary system

As a current trend, public opinion polls are Question options: less trusted than they used to be, since they are often wrong. used more and more frequently as gauges of political opinions of American citizens. rarely criticized, since polling is an objective way to get political information without interfering in the political process. used less frequently than before due to strict limits on campaign expenses. used only by the government due to laws restricting their use by private citizens and organizations.

used more and more frequently as gauges of political opinions of American citizens.