GOVT 2305: Chapter 2 Quiz
11) The system of government in which power is divided between the state and national governments is called A) federalism. B) unitarism. C) pluralism. D) confederation. E) constitutionalism.
A
13) The most serious disagreement in the debate between large and small states at the Constitutional Convention was over the issue of A) representation in Congress. B) judicial power. C) westward expansion. D) taxation. E) creating a Supreme Court.
A
13) Without the supremacy clause, A) state laws could supersede national law. B) states could impeach U.S. Supreme Court justices. C) federal government could enact laws dealing with education. D) international law would be supreme to acts of Congress. E) local law could supersede state law.
A
15) The Three-Fifths Compromise was a deal to A) iron out the differences between slave-holding and non-slave-holding states. B) give northern and southern states equal representation in the House of Representatives. C) determine how a chief executive would be selected. D) iron out differences between greatly populated and sparsely populated states. E) ultimately create the Electoral College.
A
15) The amendment process for the Constitution is set out in Article V and creates a A) two-stage process of proposal and ratification. B) fairly easy procedure for changing the document. C) single-stage process utilizing conventions or Congress. D) process by which the states, Congress, the executive branch, and a majority of voters must agree on changes to the document. E) process of congressional approval and presidential signing into law.
A
16) Advocates of the Tea Party movement, who advocate strongly for states' rights, would MOST likely support which of the following types of government? A) Confederation B) Federal system C) Unitary system D) Republicanism E) Communitarianism
A
16) The bicameral U.S. Congress is a byproduct of which of the following proposals? A) The Virginia Plan B) The Missouri Compromise C) The New Jersey Plan D) The Connecticut Plan E) Amendments to the Articles of Confederation
A
17) The First Amendment of the Constitution provides for which of the following? A) Freedom of assembly B) Right to bear arms C) Right to vote D) Right to an attorney E) Federal form of government
A
18) Under the No Child Left Behind Act, states have the authority to design their educational systems as they wish, but they must comply with certain national standards to receive funding. This division of power is an example of A) federalism. B) unitarism. C) pluralism. D) confederation. E) constitutionalism.
A
19) Which Article of the Constitution establishes the legislative branch? A) Article I B) Article II C) Article III D) Article IV E) Article V
A
2) Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams were among the leaders of the A) Sons of Liberty. B) Stamp Act Congress. C) Philadelphia Parliament. D) Continental Congress. E) Virginia House of Burgesses.
A
2) The First Continental Congress was called to A) iron out differences with the king. B) author a Declaration of Independence. C) respond to taxes levied by the Stamp Act. D) address the fighting at Lexington and Concord. E) respond to the Boston Massacre.
A
20) Pennsylvania and Virginia actually went to war with one another due in large part to the lack of _________ in the Articles of Confederation. A) a judiciary to resolve conflicts B) a national military to appease rebellions C) a chief executive to enforce order D) taxation provisions E) proportional representation in the Congress
A
22) U.S. Supreme Court justices are appointed by the A) president. B) Cabinet. C) states. D) House of Representatives. E) Senate.
A
3) By the early 1760s, all colonies had A) drafted their own constitutions. B) abolished religious freedom. C) grown closer to the Crown in spite of the distance. D) begun to enforce feudal craft systems. E) continued the British practice of compulsory tithing.
A
6) A type of government in which the national government is weaker than the sum of its parts is called a A) confederation. B) federal system. C) unitary system. D) democracy. E) republic.
A
7) The 1786 rebellion in which an army of 1,500 disgruntled farmers marched on Springfield, Massachusetts, to prevent foreclosure on their farms was called A) Shays's Rebellion. B) Paul Revere's Ride. C) Bacon's Rebellion. D) the Battle of Lexington and Concord. E) the Second Boston Tea Party.
A
9) One of the Articles of Confederation's greatest weaknesses was that it A) had no strong central government. B) had a strong president. C) had the ability to coin money. D) had a legislature that refused to meet. E) created a tyrannical central government.
A
Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution contains which powers of Congress? a. enumerated b. restrictive c. military d. implied e. executive
A
How many amendments have been made to the Constitution since its ratification? a. twenty-seven b. ten c. thirty-six d. twelve e. fifteen
A
Of the fifty-five delegates who attended some portion of the Constitutional Convention, how many ultimately signed it? a. thirty-nine b. twenty-nine c. fifty-four d. forty-eight e. forty-five
A
Which of the following is a method of ratification for a constitutional amendment? a. by three-fourths of the state legislatures b. by three-fourths of the state governors c. by three-fourths of voting age citizens d. by half of the state legislatures e. by half of the state governors
A
Which of the following was part of both the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution? a. Congress b. the presidency c. the federal judiciary d. collection of taxes by the federal government e. unanimous consent for ratification
A
1) Before ratification of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that A) states could not have a voting age requirement different than twenty-one. B) states were permitted voters as young as eighteen in state and local elections, but voters in national elections had to be twenty-one. C) poll taxes were unconstitutional unless applied to voters between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. D) states had the final say on voting requirements in both local and national elections. E) Oregon's voting laws were unconstitutional.
B
10) The Electoral College system created by the Framers was designed to give A) federal government the preeminent role in choosing the president. B) states a key role in choosing the president. C) average voters the decisive power in choosing the president. D) electors the power to choose members of Congress. E) the Supreme Court a role in choosing the president.
B
10) ________ was just one example of the weaknesses of the new government under the Articles of Confederation. A) The selection of a Southerner as president B) Shays's Rebellion C) The Boston Tea Party D) The Treaty of Paris E) The federal income tax
B
12) The smaller states presented a plan at the Constitutional Convention basically advocating the strengthening of the Articles of Confederation. The plan was presented by A) Rhode Island. B) New Jersey. C) Texas. D) Virginia. E) Delaware.
B
14) A political cartoon in the text depicts President Barack Obama's policies as A) necessary actions by the U.S. government. B) contrary to the original motives of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. C) constitutional methods to affect change. D) literal interpretations of the Declaration of Independence. E) a contradictory mix of socialism and communism.
B
14) The series of 85 political papers written by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison in support of ratification of the new constitution are called the A) Pennsylvania Packet. B) Federalist Papers. C) Anti-Federalist Papers. D) Crisis. E) Common Sense.
B
16) Informal methods of amending the Constitution include A) social change, judicial interpretation, and acts of Congress. B) judicial interpretation and cultural and social change. C) executive orders. D) acts of state legislatures. E) a national referendum and/or initiative.
B
17) Larger states, such as Virginia and Pennsylvania, advocated for A) powerful state governments. B) a powerful national government. C) a judiciary elected directly by the people. D) a one-house legislature composed of representatives elected by state legislatures. E) strengthening, but not rewriting, the Articles of Confederation.
B
20) The president has a list of enumerated duties of office largely found in _________ of the U.S. Constitution. A) Article I B) Article II C) Article III D) Article IV E) Article V
B
21) Former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger cannot become president because A) governors from large states often find it difficult to be elected. B) the Constitution prohibits those who are not natural-born citizens from running for the presidency. C) voters are likely to be suspicious of his motives as a naturalized citizen. D) he first would have to serve in Congress for fourteen years. E) he does not meet the age requirement to be president.
B
4) To facilitate communication and the flow of information among independence-minded colonists, colonial leaders formed the A) Sisters of Liberty. B) Committees of Correspondence. C) Continental Congress. D) Stamp Act Congress. E) Thomas Paine Society.
B
5) Crispus Attucks is said to be A) the founder of the Committees of Correspondence. B) the first man killed in the Revolution. C) the only Georgia delegate to the Continental Congress. D) a militia leader in Shays's Rebellion. E) the author of Common Sense.
B
5) The words and ideas of political philosopher John Locke flow through A) the Olive Branch Petition. B) the Declaration of Independence. C) The Crisis. D) the Articles of Confederation. E) the Stamp Act.
B
8) The original purpose of the Constitutional Convention was to A) elevate George Washington to president. B) revise the Articles of Confederation. C) write a new constitution. D) add additional states to the new nation. E) resolve trade disputes among the states.
B
8) Under the Articles of Confederation, the executive branch was A) relatively weak. B) nonexistent. C) quite strong. D) responsible for executing all laws. E) able to raise a national army.
B
The Articles of Confederation required __________ consent from the states for ratification. a. three-fifths b. unanimous c. two-thirds d. majority e. three-fourths
B
The Constitution specifically provides for both the election and the removal of which of the following? a. secretary of defense b. president c. secretary of state d. chief justice e. Speaker of the House
B
The __________ proposed proportional representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. a. Ohio Plan b. Virginia Plan c. New Jersey Plan d. Massachusetts Plan e. Pennsylvania Plan
B
What is the principle that each branch of the federal government has the means to thwart or influence actions by other branches of government? a. weights and measures b. checks and balances c. balances and powers d. checks and freedoms e. freedom and power
B
What was the greatest fear of the Anti-Federalists during the Constitutional Convention and subsequent debate? a. that a weak national government would undermine the survival of the United States b. that a strong national government would infringe on the essential liberties of the people c. that a powerful judiciary would restrict freedom of religion d. that powerful state governments would never assent to the new Constitution e. that a weak judiciary would be unable to enforce the new Constitution
B
What was the subject of the Great Compromise? a. the legality of slavery b. the form of the legislative branch c. the number of states in the Union d. the number of Supreme Court justices e. the form of the executive branch
B
Which of the following best describes the Constitutional Convention? a. The Convention was transparent. b. The Convention was secretive. c. The Convention was free of significant disagreement. d. The Convention was inclusive of all types of citizens. e. The Convention lasted only one week.
B
Which of the following debated and drafted the Declaration of Independence? a. Constitutional Congress b. Continental Congress c. Revolutionary Congress d. American Congress e. Liberty Congress
B
Which of the following remains a compelling source for determining the intent of the Framers? a. Minutes of the Constitutional Convention b. The Federalist Papers c. Common Sense d. Treatise on Government e. Declaration of Independence
B
1) Eighteen to 21-year-olds received the right to vote with ratification of the A) Constitution. B) Bill of Rights. C) Twenty-Sixth Amendment. D) Nineteenth Amendment. E) Twenty-Fifth Amendment.
C
12) The ________ is empowered by the Constitution to make all federal laws. A) federal bureaucracy B) judicial branch C) legislative branch D) executive branch E) Electoral College
C
14) Why did southern states want slaves to be counted as part of their population? A) It would ensure that slaves would receive certain inalienable rights. B) Northerners were advocating for the deportation of slave labor. C) It would increase southern representation in the House of Representatives. D) Slaves could then be forced to serve in the military. E) The South would then have a greater number of voters.
C
17) The division of authority among the three branches of government is called A) federalism. B) pluralism. C) separation of powers. D) compromise. E) gridlock.
C
2) Great Britain used the principle of mercantilism to justify A) its legal authority over the colonies. B) its assistance in the French and Indian Wars. C) strict import/export controls on the colonies. D) allowing colonists to levy their own taxes. E) westward migration and settlement.
C
23) Some delegates to the Constitutional Convention believed that the new nation was in such dire straits that they were willing to A) take up arms against Indians on the western front. B) develop a looser league of friendship among the states. C) risk potential charges of treason. D) muzzle Benjamin Franklin. E) establish an American "monarchy."
C
23) The full faith and credit clause found in Article IV requires that A) Americans remain faithful to one God and tithe to their church. B) no state may coin its own currency. C) states generally honor the laws and rulings of other states. D) federal courts have the right to resolve issues of state law. E) all fifty states create a republican form of government.
C
25) The Anti-Federalists feared A) a confederacy. B) amendments. C) strong central government. D) checks and balances. E) separation of powers.
C
26) The Anti-Federalists demanded a series of amendments to the Constitution to protect individual liberties known as A) the libertarian amendments. B) the Anti-Federalist amendments. C) the Bill of Rights. D) Mr. Madison's Mistake. E) the confederation amendments.
C
4) Delegates to the Second Continental Congress formed a Committee of Five to write the Declaration of Independence. The committee's chair was A) Benjamin Franklin. B) James Madison. C) Thomas Jefferson. D) Samuel Adams. E) John Adams.
C
49) All of the following were differences between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists EXCEPT A) the Federalists were generally landed and rich, while the Anti-Federalists were small farmers. B) the Federalists were generally elitist, while the Anti-Federalists were common men. C) the Federalists generally favored the philosophy of John Jay, while the Anti-Federalists favored Alexander Hamilton. D) the Federalists favored centralized government, while the Anti-Federalists favored decentralized government. E) the Federalists favored the British, while the Anti-Federalists favored the French.
C
5) The "shot heard round the world" was fired at A) Saratoga, New York. B) Camden, New Jersey. C) Concord, Massachusetts. D) Yorktown, Virginia. E) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
C
7) In 1781, the thirteen colonies adopted the ________ as the basis of their government. A) Constitution B) Treaty of Paris C) Articles of Confederation D) Declaration of Independence E) New Jersey Plan
C
9) A committee was appointed at the Constitutional Convention to work out the differences between the proposals of large and small states; the result was the A) Virginia Plan. B) New Jersey Plan. C) Great Compromise. D) Electoral College. E) Bill of Rights.
C
Aside from the First Amendment, what portion of the U.S. Constitution deals with the relationship between the state and religion? a. Article III b. Article VII c. Article VI d. Article XIII e. Article IX
C
Which of the following can be found in Article I? a. Electoral College b. procedure for presidential impeachment c. necessary and proper clause d. supremacy clause e. penalty for treason
C
Which of the following is a reason for the separation of powers? a. to ensure the power of the executive b. to promote justice c. to prevent tyranny by any one branch d. to create gridlock in government e. to improve international relations
C
Which of the following required all paper items in the colonies to carry a stamp of the Crown? a. Crown Act b. Paper Act c. Stamp Act d. Tax Act e. Royal Act
C
Which of the following specifies the procedure for amending the Constitution? a. Article I b. Article III c. Article V d. Article VI e. Article IX
C
Who was the author of the Declaration of Independence? a. James Madison b. Benjamin Franklin c. Thomas Jefferson d. Paul Revere e. John Adams
C
__________ is an economic theory designed to increase a nation's wealth through the development of commercial industry and a favorable balance of trade. a. Nationalism b. Socialism c. Mercantilism d. Republicanism e. Commercialism
C
1) The first official meeting of the thirteen colonies was the A) Continental Congress. B) Sons and Daughters of Liberty. C) Committees of Correspondence. D) Stamp Act Congress. E) Constitutional Convention.
D
11) Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government had the power to do all of the following EXCEPT I. control a post office. II. directly elect members of Congress. III. negotiate peace treaties. IV. ratify constitutional amendments. A) II only B) III only C) I and II. D) II and IV E) I, II, III, and IV
D
2) Among the amendments that have been approved by Congress and unsuccessfully sent to the states for their approval are I. an amendment guaranteeing equal rights for women. II. an amendment guaranteeing efforts to prohibit child labor. III. an amendment denying voting rights to the District of Columbia. IV. an amendment banning flag burning. A) I and III B) I, III, and IV C) II and III D) I and II E) II
D
24) ________ was among the attendees at the Constitutional Convention who owned the most slaves. A) Thomas Jefferson B) Benjamin Franklin C) Alexander Hamilton D) George Washington E) James Madison
D
3) In 1776, Thomas Paine authored a pamphlet arguing for colonial independence from Britain entitled A) The Plain Truth. B) The Crisis. C) The Leviathan. D) Common Sense. E) A Treatise on Government.
D
30) Of the following components of the Great Compromise, which concept is derived from the Virginia Plan? I. A bicameral legislature II. Three branches of government III. Supremacy of the national government IV. Giving the U.S. House of Representatives the power to originate spending bills A) III only B) I and II C) I, II, and IV D) I, II, and III E) I, II, III, and IV
D
4) Modern trade agreements designed to balance the flow of goods among countries have their theoretical roots in A) interventionism. B) the goals of the Treaty of Paris of 1763. C) constitutionalism. D) mercantilism. E) the full faith and credit clause of the U.S. Constitution.
D
4) The Boston Tea Party was a A) celebration conducted after the end of the Revolutionary War. B) colonial response to the Intolerable Acts. C) response to the Tea Act, which lowered the price of tea for loyalists in the southern states. D) response to the Tea Act, which penalized many colonial merchants. E) meeting of reconciliation between the crown and colonial leaders.
D
6) Which of the following BEST describes the relationships among states under the Articles of Confederation? A) A strong constitutional system B) A form of government modeled after Canada C) A life-long rivalry D) A loose league of friendship E) An interdependent, cohesive partnership
D
During the colonial era, the colonists retained the right to do which of the following? a. wage war b. regulate trade c. negotiate treaties d. levy taxes e. require compulsory tithing
D
How many constitutions has the United States had in its history? a. three b. five c. one d. two e. four
D
In the United States, the national government derives its power from which of the following? a. states b. courts c. legislature d. citizens e. laws
D
In what year was the U.S. Constitution ratified? a. 1776 b. 1797 c. 1791 d. 1788 e. 1777
D
Prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment, how were senators selected? a. by direct election b. by the president c. by state governors d. by state legislatures e. By the Supreme Court
D
Which government entity has the power to settle disputes between the states? a. Senate b. House of Representatives c. Department of State d. Supreme Court e. president
D
11) Debate among political historians continues over the motives of the Framers. Charles Beard argues that the men in Philadelphia were A) all patriots who had fought in the war. B) largely farmers who favored existing arrangements. C) worried that slavery was having a negative impact on trade relations with other nations. D) concerned with establishing a direct democracy. E) concerned that the Articles failed to protect the interests of the business class.
E
16) The sole responsibility to try a president or vice president on charges of "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors" falls to the A) House of Representatives. B) state legislatures. C) Supreme Court. D) federal court system. E) Senate.
E
24) Those who favored ratification of the Constitution were known as A) Whigs. B) Democratic-Republicans. C) Anti-Federalists. D) Tories. E) Federalists.
E
3) In 1765, the American colonists initiated a major protest against the A) Treaty of Paris. B) Quartering Act. C) Sugar Act. D) Tea Act. E) Stamp Act.
E
7) At the First Continental Congress, there were delegates from A) every colony except New York. B) every colony except Rhode Island. C) all thirteen colonies. D) all the colonies and a representative of the king. E) every colony except Georgia.
E
Which clause provides that the Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land? a. full faith and credit b. legal c. primacy d. due process e. supremacy
E
10) The Constitution has only changed through formal amendments.
False
3) Shays's Rebellion was the first battle of the Revolutionary War.
False
7) Article I of the Constitution creates the U.S. Supreme Court.
False
9) The U.S. Constitution has been regularly rewritten.
False
1) The Committees of Correspondence were established to communicate ideas among the colonies in 1772.
True
11) Originally, electors did not vote for the president and vice president separately.
True
2) Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense to argue for American independence from Great Britain.
True
4) The 1787 Convention in Philadelphia w as called for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.
True
5) To appease southern states, slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person for representation purposes.
True
6) Article II of the Constitution vests the executive power in a president.
True
8) In Federalist No. 10, Madison argued that the greatest threat to individual liberty comes from factions within the government.
True
