Unit 1: Ideals of Democracy
What powers does the Judicial Branch have?
Declare laws unconstitutional, hear cases on federal law, preside over impeachment trials, declare presidential acts unconstitutional
What powers does the Legislative Branch have?
Pass laws, declare war, impeach president and judges, approve presidential appointments, ratify treaties, levy taxes, establish number of Supreme Court justices, regulate Supreme Court's jurisdiction
Who introduced the natural (inalienable) rights concept?
John Locke
Amendment
A change to the Constitution
Declare presidential acts unconstitutional
Judicial
Hear cases on federal law
Judicial
Preside over impeachment trials
Judicial
Let's revisit that Declaration of Independence now. When was it that independence was formally declared? When was the document actually approved?
July 2, July 4 1776
Approve presidential appointments
Legislative
Declare war
Legislative
The federal government could only request soldiers from the states. Couldn't raise their own army.
The states could refuse to contribute, making it difficult to defend the country.
Republic
A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting
In which Article of the Constitution is the Supremacy Clause found?
Article VI
"We the People" in the Constitution is a reference to what philosopher?
Rousseau - popular sovereignty
Article VI
Section of the Constitution continuing old Revolutionary War debts, establishing the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, and confirming there will never be religious tests.
Each state had 1 vote in the Confederation Congress, regardless of population.
Small states had disproportionately more political power than large states. (That's why Rhode Island didn't attend the Constitutional Convention.)
Stakeholder
A person with an interest or a concern in a political issue.
Declare laws unconstitutional
Judicial
Let's get the facts straight here. Was Richard Nixon impeached?
NO he resigned BEFORE he could be impeached.
Unicameral
One-house legislature
The answer to the above question is
a
The answer to the previous question as listed above is
b
The answer to the question prior is
c
The answer to the previous question was
d
Popular Sovereignty
A belief that ultimate power resides in the people. A major principle of democracy.
Impeachment
A formal document charging a public official with misconduct in office. An individual can be impeached without getting removed from office. If they are convicted, they may be removed.
Constitutional Convention
A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that was supposed to modify the Articles of Confederation, but instead produced a new constitution. George Washington presided as president of the convention.
Elite democracy
A model of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy and well-educated, influence political decision making
Participatory democracy
A model of democracy in which citizens have the power to decide on policy and politicians are responsible for implementing those policy decisions.
Pluralist democracy
A model of democracy in which no one group dominates politics and organized groups compete with each other to influence policy.
Republicanism
A philosophy of limited government with elected representatives serving at the will of the people. The government is based on consent of the governed. Thought to inhibit negative outcomes of factionalism.
Access point
A point in the policymaking process where ordinary citizens can influence government. (and of course wifi)
Federalist No. 51
Argues that separation of powers within the national government is the best way to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of one person or a single group. Madison explains how the Constitution's new 3-branch structure will have necessary checks and balances so no part of the government will be able to become too powerful. He argues separated branches will have to compete for power, limiting the government successfully.
Eminent domain
Concurrent
Coining money
Exclusive federal
Conducting foreign affairs
Exclusive federal
Declaring war
Exclusive federal
Raising armies
Exclusive federal
Federal revenue sharing
Government gives an amount of its revenue (tax, etc.) back to its states. The practice of sharing federal income tax revenue with state and local governments.
14th Amendment (1868)
Grants citizenship, equal protection, and due process of law to all people born in the United States. Prevents states from infringing on individual rights, thereby enhancing federal power.
Impeachment proceedings originate in the
House
Charles-Louis Secondat (Montesquieu) philosophy
Looked at England's separation of powers, which they did not actually have, and essentially made up his own idea of dividing into branches to create a limited government. Inspired the 3 branches (checks and balances). Believed in the goodness of people. Unlike Rousseau, is not a fraudulent Frenchie.
Second Continental Congress
Political authority that directed the struggle for independence beginning in 1775 and issued the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
The Declaration of Independence was having influenced by what concept?
Popular sovereignty
"Deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
Popular sovereignty, an element of Locke's social contract
Concurrent Powers
Powers held jointly by the national and state governments. Taxation, lawmaking, law enforcement, chartering banks, eminent domain, establishing courts, borrowing money
Implied powers
Powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions.
Enumerated powers
Powers specifically given to Congress in the Constitution; including the power to collect taxes, coin money, regulate foreign and interstate commerce, and declare war.
No judicial branch.
Territorial disputes between the states could not be resolved.
US v. Lopez
The Court held that Congress had exceeded its commerce clause power by prohibiting guns in a school zone. In 1995, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could not ban guns from school grounds using the Commerce Clause because guns on school grounds are too unrelated to interstate commerce. Reaffirmed the balance of power, preserving federalism. Devolution
What is an example of elite democracy?
The Electoral College (serves as a check on the popular vote, or the tyrannical nature of the majority)
Article VI: Debts
The United States before the Constitution borrowed a lot of money during the Revolutionary War. In Article VI, it is stated that the United States will continue to pay off those debts. If the United States defaulted on those debts, other countries would be less likely to lend money to them in the future.
What concept limited the Articles of Confederation's power?
The belief in limited government was taken a bit too far out of proportion
U.S. Constitution
The document written in 1787 and ratified in 1788 that sets forth the institutional structure of the U.S. government and the tasks these institutions perform. It replaced the Articles of Confederation, established three branches of government, and described the new concept of federalism between the states and the federal government.
No executive branch.
The federal government could not enforce legislative decisions.
The federal government could only request money from state governments. Couldn't tax citizens directly.
The federal government could not pay for anything because the states would not contribute.
The federal government could not regulate international or interstate trade.
The federal government could not stop states from making their own trade agreements with foreign nations.
Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the Constitution
Majority
The largest group that shares an opinion on any one issue, for example, whether to declare war or support a tax.
New Jersey Plan
The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population. Unicameral legislature - not much different from the Articles
What are some examples of participatory democracy?
Town hall meetings to influence policymakers, initiatives, and popular referendums
In the following cards, you will be provided with a power of the federal government.
Your job is to match that power with what branch has it. Good luck!
Virginia Plan
"Large state" proposal by James Madison for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress. There was to be a lower house directly elected and the upper house would be appointed by state legislatures (both were proportional to population). The plan favored larger states and thus prompted smaller states to come back with their own plan for apportioning representation.
The Articles of Confederation bound the states into a loose confederation that they called the
"League of friendship" (not important, but fun history trivia)
John Locke philosophy
"Life, liberty, and property" His social contract could be broken if the natural rights of people were taken away by the government. Heavily influenced Thomas Jefferson who patriotically plagiarized.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau philosophy
"We The People" Believed in popular sovereignty, particularly direct democracy, because he thinks people are naturally good, and so the government should reflect the will of the people. Heavily on the side of pure democracy, something even the Framers were suspicious of. Isn't French, is actually Genevan but it is still appropriate to pronounce his name in a disgusting French accent.
Tenth Amendment
Amendment stating that the powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states
Regulating interstate and foreign commerce
Exclusive federal
Rules of naturalization
Exclusive federal
Conducting elections
Exclusive state
Establishing local governments
Exclusive state
Rule of law
Principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern
Article VII of the Constitution
Section of the Constitution regarding the ratification of the Constitution itself, requiring the approval of 9/13 states. The Framers went directly to the people in constitutional conventions for ratification, bypassing state legislatures. Antifederalists wanted unanimous consent from all states, but Federalists did not because they knew that Rhode Island would be bitter.
In the following examples, you will be provided with an excerpt of the Declaration of Independence. Your goal is to identify what democratic principle the statement represents.
See next!
Quiz time!
See next!
Factions
Self-interested groups, interest groups, which compete for political power. The Framers wanted to prevent too much political power going to one single group.
Which part of Congress tries impeachments?
Senate
Constitution of the United States
Signed September 17, 1787; ratified by the required nine states June 21, 1788. It includes a preamble and seven articles with the objective of creating a stronger federal government. It also includes the Bill of Rights which constitutes the first ten amendments, and it protects individual rights and freedoms. 231-year-old blueprint for the government. Establishes 3 separate branches, and describes federalism. Created a limited government, the product of Federalist and Anti-Federalist compromises.
How much of a vote is needed to impeach an officeholder in the House?
Simple majority
Devolution
The transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states
Brutus No. 1
This work by a prominent Anti-Federalist argued that that the new federal government would be too powerful. In particular, he pointed to the necessary-and-proper clause and the supremacy clause as ways that the government may stretch its powers oppressively. In addition, he objected to Congress's power to tax and raise a standing army and to the vast size of the proposed republic. The government would be at too much of a figurative distance and too consumed by elitist tendencies to hear the people. He felt this powerful new government would supplant the states.
1651 - historical context
Thomas Hobbes publishes Leviathan, near the end of the the English Civil War in which people began to reevaluate what government should look like and the inherent evils of man
Bicameral
Two house legislature
The answer to the previous question is
c
The correct answer is
d
Articles of Confederation weaknesses
•weak union (central gov.) •no taxes imposed •could not regulate trade •no courts or President
What are the five steps to making public policy?
1. Agenda setting: Identifying the issue 2. Policy formulation: Create an idea for the solution 3. Policy adoption/legitimization: Convincing others to agree with the solution 4. Policy implementation: Applying the solution 5. Policy assessment/evaluation: Check with others to see if the policy is working
What economic weaknesses did the Articles have?
1. Only state governments could levy taxes so the national government had to request funding from the states. 2. No revenue meant accumulating debt from the Revolutionary War, lower credit with foreign nations, and worthless currency. 3. Couldn't impose tariffs on foreign imports or regulate interstate commerce - states started putting tariffs on each other and Americans couldn't compete with foreign competitors.
Due Process Clause
14th amendment clause stating that no state may deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law
Equal Protection Clause
14th amendment clause that prohibits states from denying equal protection under the law, and has been used to combat discrimination
Declaration of Independence
1776 statement, issued by the Second Continental Congress, explaining why the colonies wanted independence from Great Britain by listing American grievances.
Articles of Confederation
1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade). Shay's rebellion was what truly exposed the weaknesses of the federal government.
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
27
Initiative
A procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional amendment by placing it on the ballot. Only 24 states have this in place.
Exclusive Federal Powers
Coining money, declaring war, raising armies, conducting foreign affairs, rules of naturalization, regulating interstate and foreign commerce
The following lists a problem with the Articles
Proceed to explain the consequence
Read the passage and answer the following question. "In so extensive a republic, the great officers of government would soon become above the control of the people, and abuse their power to the purpose of aggrandizing themselves, and oppressing them. The trust committed to the executive offices, in a country of the extent of the United States, must be various and of magnitude." -Brutus No. 1 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. Citizens should trust their elected representatives to act properly without supervision b. The United States is not large enough to require executive officers c. Government officers will oppress citizens no matter the size of the republic d. Citizens cannot hold distant elected representatives accountable for their actions
d
Article IV of the Constitution
Addresses relationship between the federal and state governments. Section of the Constitution requiring all states to give "full faith and credit" to the laws of other states, treating citizens of other states as if they were their own, forever binding the states. It also gives states protection from invasion, guarantees them a republican government, and prevents the federal government from splitting a state without its permission. Also lowkey contains the Fugitive Slave clause so that slaveowners could reclaim their slaves (Framers were a wee bit ashamed of the dichotomy)
Limited Government
A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution. Can be present in both monarchies and democracies. In other words, it is the belief that the government should have certain restrictions in order to protect the individual rights and civil liberties of citizens.
What is the difference between democracy and a republic, according to Madison?
A republic, unlike a democracy, delegates power to a pool of elected representatives and has a greater extent in terms of a citizen body. Democracies involve the voices of all people of merit and would work effectively only for smaller census counts.
Refer to the question by flipping this card over
Answer is available on the next card
How might the federal government influence an exclusive state power?
By issuing grants
Judicial checks on the other branches
Can declare presidential acts and laws unconstitutional
Executive checks on the other branches
Can veto legislation and nominate judges
Legislative checks on the other branches
Can vote to impeach the President and judges
Necessary and Proper Clause
Clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national government
Borrowing money
Concurrent
Please take a moment to flip this card around and refer to the next card for the answer to the question. Thank you.
Elena Alvarez, a political scientist, decides to use this infographic to argue that the United States practices a particular model of democracy. Which of the following models would Elena most likely argue for, based on the infographic? Choose 1 answer: a. Pluralist democracy b. Direct democracy c. Elite democracy d. Participatory democracy
Ratifying constitutional amendments
Exclusive state
Regulating intrastate commerce
Exclusive state
Appoint judges, ambassadors, department heads
Executive
Command armed forces
Executive
Conduct foreign affairs and negotiate treaties
Executive
Grant pardons
Executive
Why did Hobbes entitle his composition Leviathan?
He believed that a central authority should be like a leviathan (sea monster from the bible), keeping the people in check and in awe so that they do not take away the rights of others but are also protected all the while.
What was Hobbes' social contract?
Hobbes believed that in order to escape a bleak life, people had to hand over some of their rights to a strong ruler in order to gain law and order and to protect more essential freedoms.
Establish number of Supreme Court justices
Legislative
What kind of government did the Framers make?
Limited government based on ideas of natural rights, popular sovereignty, republicanism, and the social contract theory.
"Blessings of Liberty" is a reference to what democratic principle?
Natural rights
Removal
Removing a government officer from office after impeachment proceedings resulted in a conviction.
Congressional proposal method
Two-thirds of both chambers of Congress must propose an amendment and then this amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of state conventions or state legislatures.
Convention method
Two-thirds of states ask Congress to organize a convention and the amendment is proposed at this meeting. The proposed amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of state conventions or state legislatures. This method has never been used to introduce an amendment.
What is the difference between participatory and direct democracy?
Unlike a direct democracy, citizens are not directly responsible for making policy decisions in a participatory democracy. Instead, elected officials are responsible for implementing policy decisions.
What powers does the Executive Branch have?
Veto legislation, command armed forces, grant reprieves and pardons, appoint judges/ambassadors/department heads, conduct foreign affairs and negotiate treaties
Separation of Powers
Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law
What might be an accurate term for the government of America today?
Democratic republic - there is rule by the people (popular sovereignty) but indirectly so through elected officials
Article V of the Constitution
Describes the process for amending the Constitution. Three-fourths of the states have to ratify an amendment. There are two methods by which the Constitution may be amended: congressional proposal method and the convention method
Veto legislation
Executive
True or false. A simple majority in the Senate is needed to convict an officeholder.
False. Two-thirds is needed.
Categorical grants
Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport. A method by which the federal government influences state governments.
Block grants
Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services. Not specific.
It is truly easy to confuse Hobbes with Locke. What is the main difference between their two philosophies?
Hobbes' social contract was such that, once people forfeited their rights to a strong central government, the contract was to be heralded as sacred and could not be broken. Locke, on the other hand, made his contract based on the principles of limited government and natural rights. In a social contract, his ideology was that people would give up some rights so that their government could protect their inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This contract was breakable, however; if the government did not protect these rights, then the people (popular sovereignty) were the true sovereigns and could abolish and create a new government.
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
In 1819, Maryland tried taxing a national bank. The Supreme Court, led by the Federalist John Marshall, cited the supremacy clause and the necessary and proper clause to rule that federal laws had supremacy over state laws, and that creating national banks was a totally legitimate implied power.
Article VI: Religious Tests
In separation of church and state, both are protected from the other. People of any religion (pilgrims, catholics, etc.) or no religion are able to be in public office. Swearing on a bible is not a constitutional requirement.
What is an example of pluralist democracy?
Interest groups like the NRA and the NOW competing for policy decisions
What powers did the Articles of Confederation offer the central government?
Coin money, direct the post office, and negotiate with foreign powers (but couldn't direct a military so if things went south well...)
Chartering banks
Concurrent
Establishing courts
Concurrent
Law enforcement
Concurrent
Lawmaking
Concurrent
Social Contract Theory
A voluntary agreement between the government and the governed to give up some rights in order to protect other, more essential ones. This term was first actually used by Rousseau, but was heavily described by Hobbes without usage of the term.
Middle Passage
A voyage that brought enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to North America and the West Indies
Taxation
Concurrent
Representative Democracy
A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people. Essentially came to be a major element of a republic.
Democratic republic
A system of government in which the power to govern comes from the people, but elected officials represent their interests.
Checks and Balances
A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
Electoral College
A body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president. Each state has electors that can cast votes for the president on behalf of the people.
Public policy
A choice that government makes in response to a political issue. A policy is a course of action taken with regard to some problem.
What kind of government did the Framers create?
A democratic republic
Popular referendum
A device that allows citizens to approve or repeal measures already acted on by legislative bodies. Voters sign petitions to get their referendum placed on a ballot.
Mandates
A requirement that state and local governments must meet a specific condition in order to receive federal aid. Ex. National Minimum Drinking Age Act: If states changed their drinking age to 21, they would get more federal funding for highways.
Minority
A smaller group with a differing opinion on any one issue. The Framers sought to keep majority opinions from trampling minority opinions.
Federalism
A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments. The organized relationship of concurrent and exclusive powers among the federal and state governments. States can be guided by federal aid programs. Federalism is kind of like the "checks and balances," a contract, between the federal government and the states. As time passes, the power of the government always gets expanded. In the coronavirus pandemic, states are deciding for themselves, and taking on more power, through devolution.
How long did the United States operate under the Articles of Confederation and what major event exposed the government's weakness?
About 13 years (1776-1789, the economy faltered because the Articles did not permit the central government to enforce tax laws or regulate commerce and the event that exposed the weakness of the government was an event known as Shay's rebellion. It was basically an irritated farmer movement because their land was being foreclosed on and they ran all along the Massachusetts countryside wreaking havoc until General Washington had to stop them.
Three-Fifths Compromise
Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (eventually negated by the 13th amendment that came out of the Civil War in 1865)
Faithless elector
An elector who does not vote for the candidate they promised to vote for. These have never determined the outcome of any presidential election but is a major problem with the electoral college system
Federalist No. 10
An essay composed by James Madison under the pen name "Publius" which argues that liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable. Anti-participatory democracy because it brings too much power to a majority, but favors a republic (representative government that can most easily rule over a greater number of citizens). Pro-elite democracy, favors pluralism
Federalist 10
An essay composed by James Madison which argues that liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable.
Shay's Rebellion
An uprising of Revolutionary War veterans in Massachusetts that both the state and national governments struggled to address due to a lack of centralized military power. It illustrated the need to create a stronger governing system because if a bunch of farmers could cause that many problems then imagine what a bunch of other American goons could do.
Why might government be essential for the protection of all individuals' rights?
Anarchy may sound appealing as one can punish and imprison in addition to mercilessly overpowering others for their possessions, but I would like to believe that humans have not resorted to such primitive forms of natural selection. Government, by means of a social contract in which people give up the rights to take the property and lives of other people in addition to some other basic rights, ensures that one's own life, liberty, and property may belong to them and not be taken from another individual.
Refer to the question on the other side of this card
Answer the question on the following card
Analyze the image on the other side of the card
Answers are available on the next card
Commerce Clause
Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which delegates to Congress the power "to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States and with the Indian tribes"; this clause was interpreted by the Supreme Court in favor of national power over the economy.
Which article establishes the Executive Branch and procedures for electing the president?
Article II
Supremacy Clause
Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.
Thomas Hobbes philosophy
Believed everyone was self-interested, which is why they join together for protection from the outside, giving up all rights to be ruled by a monarch. His social contract could not be broken. In a state of nature, he believed humans were innately evil and greedy so a strong central government was necessary to keep them in check.
Impeach president and judges
Legislative
Levy taxes
Legislative
Pass laws
Legislative
Ratify treaties
Legislative
Regulate Supreme Court's jurisdiction
Legislative
For the sake of getting those brownie points on an essay - when did Hobbes publish his social contract theory and what was the composition called?
Leviathan, 1651
The Constitution itself represents what democratic principle?
Limited government - the Constitution will limit the government's power
"That all men are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Natural rights, portion of Lockean philosophy
Passing laws required 9/13 states, amending the Articles required all 13 states.
Nothing gets passed. The Articles remain broken.
Describe the structure of government under the Articles of Confederation.
One branch called the Confederation Congress in which each state had one vote. Nine of the thirteen states must agree to pass a measure. All thirteen must agree to amend the Articles.
What was the one state that didn't show up to the Constitutional Convention in 1787?
Rhode Island
Inalienable rights
Rights that cannot be taken away by a governmental body including life, liberty, and property (changed to pursuit of happiness by Jefferson)
Which democratic principle does this excerpt from the Constitution represent: "Insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty"
Social contract - this is what the government will be providing to the people to ensure that their inalienable rights are protected
"That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men..."
Social contract theory
The following questions will involve federalism analysis of powers.
State which power belongs to which level of government. Exclusive federal, exclusive state, or concurrent
Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
Was established at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia and scrapped all original prospects of amending the Articles in favor of a plan that would create a stronger central government while meeting the needs of all of the states. Called for a bicameral legislative system in which the House of Representatives would be based on population and the Senate would have equal representation in Congress. The representatives in the House would be selected by direct elections by the people (white male landowners) while those in the Senate were to be appointed by state legislatures (two senators per state). In effect, it combined pieces of the New Jersey Plan, the Virginia Plan, and other proposals. It also included the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted slaves as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of apportioning representation and called for direct taxation on the states. The Electoral College was also born and the international slave trade was to be outlawed starting in the year 1808.
Exclusive State Powers
Whereas the federal government has only those powers granted to it by the Constitution, the state governments are governments of "unlimited" powers, having all powers not prohibited to them by the Constitution. This is recognized by the Tenth Amendment, which provides that all powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved to the states (or to the people). However, given the expansive interpretation of federal powers, little state power is exclusive. Conduct elections, establish local governments, regulate intrastate commerce, ratifying constitutional amendments
Analyze the diagram on the other side of the card
Which of the following describes a way that the federal government could influence state spending on education? Choose 1 answer: a. Closing public schools with low standardized test scores b. Issuing a mandate tying federal block grants to the amount of state spending per pupil c. Penalizing states with lower spending per pupil by reducing their representation in Congress d. Reallocating school sports spending to teacher salaries
Analyze that diagram again and answer this new question
Which of the following most likely accounts for the differences in state spending on education shown in the map? Choose 1 answer: a. Education spending is determined by state governments, not the federal government b. Massive state budget shortfalls in the 2013-2014 fiscal year in Southern and Western states c. Federal funding for education is allocated inconsistently across states d. States with large populations tend to spend less on education than states with small populations
"In a single republic, all the power surrendered by the people is submitted to the administration of a single government; and the usurpations are guarded against by a division of the government into distinct and separate departments. In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself." -Publius (James Madison), Federalist No. 51, 1788 Which of the following principles of US government is most consistent with the author's argument? Choose 1 answer: a. Separation of powers b. Consent of the governed c. Natural rights d. Republicanism
a
"When land-forces are raised by any state for the common defence, all officers of or under the rank of colonel, shall be appointed by the legislature of each state respectively, by whom such forces shall be raised, or in such manner as such state shall direct, and all vacancies shall be filled up by the State which first made the appointment." -Articles of Confederation, Article VII, 1777 Which of the following is a consequence of the policy described in the passage above? Choose 1 answer: a. The federal government did not have the power to create a centralized military during peace times b. Each state had to have a reserve of men fit for military service, and had to send funds and men for the nation's common defense c. Each state was responsible for its own protection and could not request help from the federal government or other states d. The federal government had the power to negotiate treaties with other countries in times of peace
a
After a House of Representatives member supports an unpopular tax despite protests from his constituents, he loses his bid for reelection. This is an example of which of the following democratic ideals? Choose 1 answer: a. Popular sovereignty b. Natural rights c. Checks and balances d. Limited government
a
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? Choose 1 answer: a. Categorical grants b. Revenue sharing c. Mandates d. Block grants
a
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? Choose 1 answer: a. Block grants b. Categorical grants c. Revenue sharing grants d. Mandates
a
In 1984, Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, stipulating that states must have a minimum drinking age of 21 in order to receive federal highway funding. This is an example of which of the following aspects of federal incentives? Choose 1 answer: a. Mandates b. Block grants c. Revenue sharing d. Categorical grants
a
In Federalist No. 10, Madison argues that the Constitution delegates authority to elected representatives. Which of the following constitutional provisions does this? Choose 1 answer: a. The election of members of the House of Representatives in Article I b. The election of the President in Article II c. The appointment of Supreme Court Justices in Article III d. The appointment of the president's cabinet in Article II
a
In June 2017, voters in Puerto Rico voted on a referendum to make Puerto Rico the 51st state of the United States. This is an example of which of the following models of democracy? Choose 1 answer: a. Participatory democracy b. Elitist democracy c. Pluralist democracy d. Indirect democracy
a
Read the passage and answer the following question. "As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed . . . The diversity in the faculties of men, from which the rights of property originate, is not less an insuperable obstacle to a uniformity of interests. The protection of these faculties is the first object of government. From the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property, the possession of different degrees and kinds of property immediately results; and from the influence of these on the sentiments and views of the respective proprietors, ensues a division of the society into different interests and parties." -Publius (James Madison), Federalist No. 10 Which of the following statements best summarizes Madison's arguments? Choose 1 answer: a. A large republic can control the negative aspects of factions b. A large republic does not represent the interests of individuals c. A direct democracy will best protect personal liberties d. A small republic will help prevent factions
a
Read the passage and answer the following question. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government." -Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence Which of the following ideas does the author of the passage advocate? Choose 1 answer: a. Popular sovereignty b. Pluralism c. Constitutional monarchy d. Checks and balances
a
Social contract is best defined as which of the following? Choose 1 answer: a. The agreement between people and the government defining the rights and duties of each b. The system in which the interests of the people are represented through elected leaders c. The belief that government should only have powers granted under the Constitution d. The belief that the government's right to rule comes from the people
a
The National Rifle Association (NRA) testifies in front of Congress to advocate for several laws, including one that would protect gun manufacturers from lawsuits concerning violence committed with weapons they made. This is an example of which of the following models of democracy? Choose 1 answer: a. Pluralist democracy b. Direct democracy c. Elite democracy d. Participatory democracy
a
The answer to the previous question is as follows
a
Which of the following best illustrates the concept of limited government? Choose 1 answer: a. The president vetoing a bill from Congress b. The federal government replacing state curricula in public schools c. The president appointing state and federal judges d. The federal government restricting commerce within a state
a
Which of the following is the best definition of exclusive powers? Choose 1 answer: a. Powers reserved to the federal government or state governments, not shared by both b. Powers shared by both the federal and state governments, such as taxation c. Powers reserved only to the federal government, as expressed in Article I of the Constitution
a
Which of the following policies is an example of a present-day debate about the balance of power between the federal government and state governments? Choose 1 answer: a. Congress passing the Every Student Succeeds (ESSA) Act that decreased the number of standardized tests b. Congress passing a law to name a US Postal service office located in New Jersey the "James C. 'Billy' Johnson Post Office Building" c. Congress passing a law replacing Andrew Jackson with Harriet Tubman on the 20 dollar bill d. Congress passing a law limiting the weight of trucks on interstate highways
a
Which of the following procedures results in the addition of an amendment to the Constitution? Choose 1 answer: a. Two-thirds of state legislatures propose a Constitution Amendment Bill, which is ratified by three-fourths of the states b. The House and the Senate pass a Constitution Amendment Bill by a majority and the Supreme Court approves the bill c. The House and the Senate pass a Constitution Amendment Bill by a simple majority d. Two-thirds of state legislatures propose a Constitution Amendment Bill which is ratified by three-fourths of the House and the Senate
a
Which of the following scenarios is an example of a present-day constitutional issue about democracy and governmental power? Choose 1 answer: a. FBI agents being able to obtain phone records without a judge's approval b. Congress passing a law requiring restrooms in public buildings to be equipped with baby changing facilities c. Reducing the corporate tax rate as part of the 2017 tax reform bill d. Congress passing a bill that will increase taxes on the top 1% of earners
a
Which of the following statements best summarizes the decision in United States v. Lopez (1995)? Choose 1 answer: a. Congress cannot use the commerce clause to regulate the possession of firearms in public schools b. Public schools cannot be racially segregated as it violates the equal protection clause c. The Fourteenth Amendment makes the Second Amendment applicable to the states d. Congress has implied powers not listed in the Constitution to implement its enumerated powers
a
Which of the following was a way in which Shays's Rebellion demonstrated the weaknesses of the national government under the Articles of Confederation? Choose 1 answer: a. It could not raise money to pay a militia to put down the rebellion b. It could not coin money to pay the veterans involved in the rebellion c. It could not negotiate with the Native American tribes who were in rebellion d. It could not appoint army officers who were skilled enough to fight the rebels
a
Which statement accurately summarizes the impact of the United States v. Lopez (1995) decision? Choose 1 answer: a. It established limits to federal power under the commerce clause b. It increased the Supreme Court's power to declare laws unconstitutional c. It upheld supremacy of the federal laws over state laws d. It ruled that an individual's right to bear arms for self-defense applied to state and local governments
a
Why have there been relatively few constitutional amendments? Choose 1 answer: a. A Constitution Amendment Bill requires more than a simple majority to be ratified b. They must be voted on as a referendum in three-fourths state legislatures c. Once a Constitution Amendment Bill is proposed there is 6 months time limit for approval d. They must be approved by both the Supreme Court and the President
a
"All communities divide themselves into the few and the many. The first are the rich and the wellborn, the other the mass of the people. . . . The people are turbulent and changing; they seldom judge or determine right. Give therefore to the first class a distinct, permanent share in the government. They will check the unsteadiness of the second, and as they cannot receive any advantage by a change, they therefore will ever maintain good government." -Alexander Hamilton, "Speech in the Constitutional Convention on a Plan of Government," 1787 Which of the following models of democracy is the author advocating? Choose 1 answer: a. Elite democracy b. Participatory democracy c. Direct democracy d. Pluralist democracy
a (the dude was a rich white guy, what do you expect)
"Because of our two-party system, voters often find themselves voting for the 'lesser of two evils,' rather than a candidate they really feel would do the best job. . . . "Since most states distribute their electoral votes on a winner-take-all basis, the smaller party has no chance to gain support without seeming to take this support from one of the major parties. Few people will support a party that never wins, especially when they are supporting that party at the possible expense of their least favorite candidate taking power." Source: FairVote.org Which of the following governmental policies would the author of this passage most likely support? Choose 1 answer: a. Amending the Constitution to ban political parties b. Reforming or eliminating the Electoral College c. Preventing third party "spoilers" from running in national elections d. Requiring all states to allocate electoral votes on a winner-take-all basis
b
"Our Debts being unfunded and unprovided for, the Interest cannot be paid. Those therefore who trusted us in the Hour of Distress are defrauded. To expect that under such Circumstances others will confide in the Government would be Folly, and to expect that Foreigners will Trust a Government which has no Credit with its own Citizens must be madness . . . "The United States have call'd for eight Million of Dollars early in November last, of which the first quarterly Payment was to have been made on the first Day of April next. But I cannot find that a single State has laid the Taxes." -Robert Morris, letter to the president of Congress, 1782 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. State governments should retain all power of raising revenue through taxation in the United States b. The national government under the Articles lacks necessary tax enforcement power c. Foreigners are wrong to distrust US debtors d. The US government should declare all pre-Revolutionary War loans null and void
b
A member of the House of Representatives proposes a Constitutional amendment that would force the president and Congress to balance the budget every year. Which of the following accurately describes the amendment process? Choose 1 answer: a. The bill must pass both the House and the Senate with a three-fourths majority b. The bill must pass both the House and the Senate with a two-thirds majority c. The bill must pass the House and the Senate with a two-thirds majority and be approved by the Supreme Court d. The bill must pass both the House and the Senate with a simple majority
b
In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the federal government authorized the Justice Assistance Grant in order to provide states and local governments with the funding necessary to support a range of law enforcement and crime prevention programs. Which response illustrates the best rationale for the type of grant fitting this scenario? Choose 1 answer: a. Categorical grants are important to make sure states adhere to the project rules and regulations prescribed by the federal government b. Block grants provide states with a great deal of flexibility in using federal funds to address specific local needs c. Revenue sharing is used to disburse part of federal tax revenues to state and local governments for their unlimited use d. Mandates are important to make sure every state implements the same level of safety precautions to prevent future terrorist attacks
b
Read the passage and answer the following question. "As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed . . . The diversity in the faculties of men, from which the rights of property originate, is not less an insuperable obstacle to a uniformity of interests. The protection of these faculties is the first object of government. From the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property, the possession of different degrees and kinds of property immediately results; and from the influence of these on the sentiments and views of the respective proprietors, ensues a division of the society into different interests and parties." -Publius (James Madison), Federalist No. 10 According to the author, what is the purpose of government? Choose 1 answer: a. To strengthen factions b. To control factions c. To eliminate factions d. To replace factions
b
Which of the following is the best definition of separation of powers? Choose 1 answer: a. The ability of the president to veto legislation and the judicial branch to declare laws unconstitutional b. Parts of government act independently from each other and have different responsibilities c. State governments and the federal government have exclusive and concurrent powers
b
Which of the following scenarios would violate the Tenth Amendment? Choose 1 answer: a. Congress signing a law drafting Americans to the military b. Congress barring the shipment of gasoline c. Congress passing a law raising the minimum driving age to 21 d. Congress punishing people who do not pay their taxes
b
Read the passage and answer the following question. "In a pure democracy the people are the sovereign, and their will is declared by themselves; for this purpose they must all come together to deliberate, and decide. This kind of government cannot be exercised, therefore, over a country of any considerable extent; it must be confined to a single city, or at least limited to such bounds as that the people can conveniently assemble, be able to debate, understand the subject submitted to them, and declare their opinion concerning it." -Brutus No. 1 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. A large central government is necessary to solve issues affecting the entire country b. Local and state governments are better equipped to deal with issues affecting people's daily lives c. Local and state governments need to be monitored by the federal government to protect individual rights and liberties d. A large central government is better equipped to deal with issues affecting people's daily lives
b
Read the passage and answer the following question. "In a pure democracy the people are the sovereign, and their will is declared by themselves; for this purpose they must all come together to deliberate, and decide. This kind of government cannot be exercised, therefore, over a country of any considerable extent; it must be confined to a single city, or at least limited to such bounds as that the people can conveniently assemble, be able to debate, understand the subject submitted to them, and declare their opinion concerning it." -Brutus No. 1 Which of the following statements best summarizes the author's argument? Choose 1 answer: a. A weak centralized government is ensured through checks and balances b. A large centralized government is unable to protect individual interests and liberties c. A large centralized government best represents individual interests d. A small decentralized government leads to an ineffective government
b
Read the passage and answer the following question. "In revising the federal system we ought to inquire 1. into the properties, which such a government ought to possess, 2. the defects of the confederation, 3. the danger of our situation & 4. the remedy. The Character of such a government ought to secure 1. against foreign invasion, 2. against dissensions between members of the Union, or seditions in particular States, 3. to procure to the several States various blessings, of which an isolated situation was incapable, 4. to be able to defend itself against encroachment, & 5. to be paramount to the state constitutions." -Edmund Randolph, as recorded in James Madison's journal, 1787 Which of the following was a consequence of the ideas described in the passage? Choose 1 answer: a. The addition of a bill of rights to the US Constitution b. The development of a new national Constitution c. The decision to break ties with Great Britain and form the United States d. The creation of the Articles of Confederation
b
Read the passage and answer the following question. "Thus every man, by agreeing with others to make one body politic under one government, puts himself under an obligation to everyone in that society to submit to the decisions of the majority, and to be bound by it. Otherwise—that is, if he were willing to submit himself only to the majority acts that he approved of—the original compact through which he and the others incorporated into society would be meaningless . . ." -John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 1690 Which of the following democratic ideals is described in the passage? Choose 1 answer: a. Limited government b. Social contract c. Popular sovereignty d. Republicanism
b
Read the passage and answer the following question. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government." -Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. Citizens should rebel against governments they disagree with b. A government is only just if citizens have a voice in it c. Society would be better if there were no governments d. There is no such thing as a just government
b
Several oil companies donate to a pro-fracking interest group after hearing that the federal government plans to pass a law banning fracking in the United States . The interest group then appeals to members of Congress in attempt to get them to vote against the bill. Which of the following democratic ideals does this scenario best exemplify? Choose 1 answer: a. Social contract b. Republicanism c. Limited government d. Natural rights
b
The Three-Fifths Compromise is best defined as which of the following? Choose 1 answer: a. A bill can only be passed with three-fifths majority of both the House and the Senate b. For every five enslaved Africans, three would be counted for representation c. Three-fifths of United States territory in 1787 would become slave states in 1800 d. Three-fifths of the Senate would be up for reelection every two years
b
The Three-Fifths Compromise is best defined as which of the following? Choose 1 answer: a. Three-fifths of the Senate would be up for reelection every two years b. For every five enslaved Africans, three would be counted for representation c. Three-fifths of United States territory in 1787 would become slave states in 1800 d. A bill can only be passed with three-fifths majority of both the House and the Senate
b
The relationship between the states under the Articles of Confederation could best be described as which of the following? Choose 1 answer: a. A strict hierarchy based on population b. A loose league of friendship c. A group of completely independent nations d. An indivisible union
b
Which of the following aspects of the US Constitution best illustrates the concept of participatory democracy? Choose 1 answer: a. The ban on religious oaths as a condition of holding office b. The process for choosing members of the House of Representatives c. The process for choosing Supreme Court justices d. The creation of the Electoral College
b
Which of the following is the best definition of federalism? Choose 1 answer: a. The belief that government should be centralized under one national government b. The relationship between multiple levels of government with jurisdiction over the same territory c. The relationship between different states in the union
b
Which of the following statements best explains the compromise behind the creation of the Electoral College? Choose 1 answer: a. It was a compromise that dictated presidential impeachment procedures b. It was a compromise between big and small states so that states with a larger population cannot control presidential elections c. It was a compromise between slave and free states over how enslaved Africans would be counted for representation d. It was a compromise between Federalists and Anti-Federalists on the power of the Presidency
b
Which two were weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? I. The federal government could not levy taxes. II. The executive branch was more powerful than Congress. III. The federal government could not raise an army. IV. Each state had two votes in a bicameral Congress. Choose 1 answer: a. I and II b. I and III c. II and IV d. III and IV
b
Why are the compromises that were necessary to secure ratification of the Constitution still debated today? Choose 1 answer: a. The compromises violated states' rights b. They left some matters unresolved c. The compromises did not account for changes in population d. They created strict requirements to change the Constitution
b
"In a pure democracy the people are the sovereign, and their will is declared by themselves; for this purpose they must all come together to deliberate, and decide. This kind of government cannot be exercised, therefore, over a country of any considerable extent; it must be confined to a single city, or at least limited to such bounds as that the people can conveniently assemble, be able to debate, understand the subject submitted to them, and declare their opinion concerning it." -Brutus No. 1, 1787 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. Pure democracy is impossible b. Elite democracy is the best model of representative democracy c. Participatory democracy does not work in large countries d. Countries should be limited to small territories
c
"The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States . . . The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative . . . "SECTION 3 "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote." Sections 2 and 3 of the United States Constitution The excerpt above is the result of which compromise in the Constitutional Convention? Choose 1 answer: a. Three-Fifths Compromise b. Compromise on the Bill of Rights c. Great (Connecticut) Compromise d. Compromise on the Electoral College
c
"When the Articles of Confederation were drafted, Americans had little experience of what a national government could do for them and bitter experience of what an arbitrary government could do to them. In creating a central government they were therefore more concerned with keeping it under control than with giving it the means to do its job." -Edmund S. Morgan, The Birth of the Republic, 1763-89, 1956 Which of the following concepts is most consistent with the author's argument? a. Republicanism b. Participatory democracy c. Limited government d. Natural rights
c
A member of the Senate makes a statement to the press that she is unsure of how she is going to vote on a bill. After numerous calls from her constituents asking her to vote for the bill, she votes in support of the bill. This is an example of which of the following democratic ideals? Choose 1 answer: a. Natural rights b. Limited government c. Republicanism d. Social contract
c
A senator wants to incentivize higher education for students from low-income families and wants to provide clear guidelines on how states must implement those incentives. Which type of grant should she propose? Choose 1 answer: a. A revenue sharing grant b. A mandate c. A categorical grant d. A block grant
c
Read the passage and answer the following question. "As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed . . . The diversity in the faculties of men, from which the rights of property originate, is not less an insuperable obstacle to a uniformity of interests. The protection of these faculties is the first object of government. From the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property, the possession of different degrees and kinds of property immediately results; and from the influence of these on the sentiments and views of the respective proprietors, ensues a division of the society into different interests and parties." -Publius (James Madison), Federalist No. 10 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. Political liberty is best protected by a small republic with a unicameral legislature b. Political liberty is least protected in a large republic with lots of factions c. Political liberty is best protected by the fragmentation of political power in a large republic d. Political liberty is best protected by a participatory democracy
c
Read the passage and answer the following question. "In revising the federal system we ought to inquire 1. into the properties, which such a government ought to possess, 2. the defects of the confederation, 3. the danger of our situation & 4. the remedy. The Character of such a government ought to secure 1. against foreign invasion, 2. against dissensions between members of the Union, or seditions in particular States, 3. to procure to the several States various blessings, of which an isolated situation was incapable, 4. to be able to defend itself against encroachment, & 5. to be paramount to the state constitutions." -Edmund Randolph, as recorded in James Madison's journal, 1787 Which of the following was a consequence of the ideas described in the passage? Choose 1 answer: a. The creation of the Articles of Confederation b. The addition of a bill of rights to the US Constitution c. The development of a new national Constitution d. The decision to break ties with Great Britain and form the United States
c
Read the passage and answer the following question. "In so extensive a republic, the great officers of government would soon become above the control of the people, and abuse their power to the purpose of aggrandizing themselves, and oppressing them. The trust committed to the executive offices, in a country of the extent of the United States, must be various and of magnitude." -Brutus No. 1 Which constitutional provision would the author most likely support? Choose 1 answer: a. The creation of an electoral college b. The lifetime appointments of Supreme Court justices c. The addition of a Bill of Rights d. The selection of Senators by state legislatures
c
Republicanism is best defined as which of the following? Choose 1 answer: a. The idea that government should only have powers granted under the Constitution b. The belief that government should follow the principles of the Republican party c. The system by which the interests of the people are represented through elected leaders d. The belief that the government's right to rule comes from the people
c
The National Recovery Act of 1933, enacted by Franklin Roosevelt's administration to combat the Great Depression, vastly expanded the power of the federal government to regulate wages and labor standards. This scenario is an example of which of the following aspects of federalism? Choose 1 answer: a. The application of checks and balances to multiple levels of government b. The growth in the power of state governments relative to the federal government over time c. The changing balance of power between the states and federal government in response to societal needs d. The strict separation between the powers allocated to the federal government and powers allocated to state governments
c
The necessary and proper clause is best defined as which of the following? Choose 1 answer: a. Congress has the power to regulate trade between states and with foreign countries b. The national government has authority over state or local governments c. Congress has the power to carry out its enumerated powers d. Each state must recognize and uphold laws passed by any other state
c
Which of the following actions by the federal government would most likely be considered an implied power based on the precedent established by McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)? Choose 1 answer: a. Requiring states to establish police stations every 15 miles b. Punishing all violent criminals with the death penalty c. Outlawing the recreational use of marijuana d. Establishing a law requiring all elections be held on a Saturday
c
Which of the following best illustrates the concept of limited government? Choose 1 answer: a. A president is reelected after a successful first term in office b. An unpopular governor is replaced with his opponent on election day c. The Supreme Court ruled that a law passed by Congress was unconstitutional d. A senator decides to vote in favor of a law after a public opinion poll showing massive support for it in her district
c
Which of the following is a consequence of the allocation of power between the national government and state governments? Choose 1 answer: a. Citizens can influence public policy at the national level, but not the state level b. States have the power to nullify national laws if they do not wish to implement them c. Stakeholders and institutions have multiple access points to influence public policy d. National elections are more effective at influencing policy than state elections
c
Which of the following is one example of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? Choose 1 answer: a. The Articles placed too much power in the hands of the central government, which threatened to become tyrannical b. The Articles stipulated a steep tariff on foreign products that threatened to undermine American exports c. Amending the Articles required a unanimous vote of the states, which was nearly impossible d. The Articles required that the United States maintain a standing army, which was too expensive to fund
c
Which of the following is the best definition of checks and balances? Choose 1 answer: a. The branches of government must agree on a balanced budget before they proceed with policymaking b. Each branch of government acts independently of the other two in order to control the effects of factions c. Each branch of government has the ability to strongly influence or stop the actions of the other two
c
Why are the compromises that were necessary to secure ratification of the Constitution still debated today? Choose 1 answer: a. They created strict requirements to change the Constitution b. The compromises did not account for changes in population c. They left some matters unresolved d. The compromises violated states' rights
c
Why did the Framers decide to include Article V of the Constitution, detailing an amendment process? Choose 1 answer: a. Concerns over the executive branch becoming too powerful b. Concerns about the central government becoming too powerful c. Concerns about protecting self-government d. Concerns over tyranny of the majority
c
Which of the following aspects of the US Constitution best illustrates the concept of elite democracy? Choose 1 answer: a. The process for adding amendments to the Constitution b. The ban on "corruption of the blood" in cases of treason c. The original wording of the Constitution regarding the selection of US senators d. The apportionment of representatives in the House according to state population
c (state legislatures initially selected the senators)
"Given the increasing difference in size between the largest and smallest states, combined with other changes in the American political context[,] any effects of Senate apportionment are greater today than in the past. By reference to the one person, one vote standard, the Senate is the most malapportioned legislature in the world . . . Currently Wyoming, with fewer than half a million residents, enjoys the same level of representation as California, with more than 30 million." -Frances E. Lee and Bruce I. Oppenheimer, Sizing Up the Senate: The Unequal Consequences of Equal Representation, 1999 Which of the following statements best summarizes the author's argument? Choose 1 answer: a. The Three-Fifths Compromise gave small states too much representation in the Senate, leading to more filibusters b. The Electoral College failed to anticipate growing population differences in small and large states, leading to unequal representation in the House of Representatives c. The amendment process detailed in Article V gave large states an unfair advantage in ratifying new amendments in the Senate d. The Great Compromise failed to anticipate growing population differences in small and large states, leaving matters unresolved
d
"Our Debts being unfunded and unprovided for, the Interest cannot be paid. Those therefore who trusted us in the Hour of Distress are defrauded. To expect that under such Circumstances others will confide in the Government would be Folly, and to expect that Foreigners will Trust a Government which has no Credit with its own Citizens must be madness . . . "The United States have call'd for eight Million of Dollars early in November last, of which the first quarterly Payment was to have been made on the first Day of April next. But I cannot find that a single State has laid the Taxes." -Robert Morris, letter to the president of Congress, 1782 Which of the following statements best summarizes the author's argument? Choose 1 answer: a. The US government should call for considerably more than $8 million in taxes in order to meet its obligations b. The US decision to separate from Great Britain was a mistake that has alienated foreign investors c. The Articles of Confederation should immediately be replaced with a new Constitution d. The taxation structure under the Articles poses a serious threat to the economic well-being of the United States
d
"The influence of factious leaders may kindle a flame within their particular states, but will be unable to spread a general conflagration through the other states: a religious sect may degenerate into a political faction in a part of the confederacy; but the variety of sects dispersed over the entire face of it, must secure the national councils against any danger from that source: a rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property, or for any other improper or wicked project, will be less apt to pervade the whole body of the union." -Publius (James Madison), Federalist No. 10, 1787 Which of the following models of representative democracy is most consistent with the passage? Choose 1 answer: a. Direct democracy b. Elite democracy c. Participatory democracy d. Pluralist democracy
d
After Congress proposes a bill to allow businesses to purchase land that was once a national park, several people form an environmental interest group. They reach out to several senators to get their support to block the bill. This is an example of which of the following models of democracy? Choose 1 answer: a. Participatory democracy b. Elite democracy c. Direct democracy d. Pluralist democracy
d
An informal group advocating for a $15 minimum wage collects 590,000 signatures from registered voters in their state. In the next election, this initiative appears on the ballot for voters to decide whether it becomes a state constitutional amendment. This is an example of which of the following models of democracy? Choose 1 answer: a. Pluralist democracy b. Elite democracy c. Representative democracy d. Participatory democracy
d
Anthony is concerned by his state government's efforts to decrease regulations on pesticides that could hurt the bee population. He decides to join the League of Conservation Voters to help them lobby against deregulating pesticides. This is an example of which of the following models of democracy? Choose 1 answer: a. Participatory democracy b. Elite democracy c. Direct democracy d. Pluralist democracy
d
Based on the ruling in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), what is the difference between enumerated powers and implied powers? Choose 1 answer: a. Implied powers are powers given to the federal government, whereas enumerated powers are powers given to state governments b. Enumerated powers are powers given to the federal government, whereas implied powers are powers given to state governments c. Implied powers are powers that the Constitution explicitly grants to the federal government, whereas enumerated powers are not explicitly written but are necessary for carrying out implied powers d. Enumerated powers are powers that the Constitution explicitly grants to the federal government, whereas implied powers are not explicitly written but are necessary for carrying out enumerated powers
d
In 1993, Congress passed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which required background checks for gun purchases from licensed gun dealers. The bill required local chief law enforcement officers to perform background checks on prospective handgun purchasers until the Attorney General created a federal system to do this task. Two county sheriffs sued the United States, arguing that the law was an unconstitutional use of federal power. The case, Printz v. United States, went to the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the county sheriffs. The Court ruled that the necessary and proper clause does not give the federal government the power to require local law enforcement to fulfill the federal task of performing background checks. This is an example of which of the following aspects of federalism in the United States? Choose 1 answer: a. Constitutional amendments must originate in state legislatures in order to succeed b. Constitutional amendments have taken the place of lawmaking in influencing public policy c. The necessary and proper clause gives the federal government power to pass laws that are outside of its expressed constitutional powers d. The system of checks and balances between the branches of the federal government constrains policymaking
d
Participatory democracy is best defined as which of the following? Choose 1 answer: a. Individual citizens electing representatives who would then articulate and fight for their interests b. Nongovernmental interest groups influence political decisions through lobbying and donations c. Limited political participation by a small group of people that make and influence political decisions d. Direct individual participation by citizens in political decisions that affect their daily lives
d
Read the passage and answer the following question. "As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed . . . The diversity in the faculties of men, from which the rights of property originate, is not less an insuperable obstacle to a uniformity of interests. The protection of these faculties is the first object of government. From the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property, the possession of different degrees and kinds of property immediately results; and from the influence of these on the sentiments and views of the respective proprietors, ensues a division of the society into different interests and parties." -Publius (James Madison), Federalist No. 10 Which of the following statements is most consistent with the author's argument in this passage? Choose 1 answer: a. A large republic cannot meet the needs of all citizens b. Only the wealthiest and most educated people should control the government c. Political parties will strengthen the republic d. Factions, while inevitable, can be controlled
d
Read the passage and answer the following question. "In a pure democracy the people are the sovereign, and their will is declared by themselves; for this purpose they must all come together to deliberate, and decide. This kind of government cannot be exercised, therefore, over a country of any considerable extent; it must be confined to a single city, or at least limited to such bounds as that the people can conveniently assemble, be able to debate, understand the subject submitted to them, and declare their opinion concerning it." -Brutus No. 1 Which of the following political parties would have agreed with the ideological perspectives in the passage when it was written? Choose 1 answer: a. Progressives b. Federalists c. Whigs d. Anti-Federalists
d
Read the passage and answer the following question. "In revising the federal system we ought to inquire 1. into the properties, which such a government ought to possess, 2. the defects of the confederation, 3. the danger of our situation & 4. the remedy. "The Character of such a government ought to secure 1. against foreign invasion, 2. against dissensions between members of the Union, or seditions in particular States, 3. to procure to the several States various blessings, of which an isolated situation was incapable, 4. to be able to defend itself against encroachment, & 5. to be paramount to the state constitutions." -Edmund Randolph, as recorded in James Madison's journal, 1787 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer: a. Individual states should have the right to form alliances with foreign powers b. State governments should be the primary political units of the United States c. The United States should retain the Articles of Confederation d. The United States would benefit from a stronger central government
d
The commerce clause of the Constitution grants Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce. Which of the following might be an implied power that Congress would have to complete this task? Choose 1 answer: a. Banning billboard advertisements next to interstate highways b. Funding intrastate highways within a state c. Setting restrictions on how many crops a farm can produce d. Setting a federal minimum wage
d
Which of the following Supreme Court cases established that federal laws have supremacy over state laws? Choose 1 answer: a. Brown v. Board of Education, I (1954) b. Marbury v. Madison (1803) c. United States v. Lopez (1995) d. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
d
Which of the following best illustrates the concept of "separation of powers" in the US Constitution? Choose 1 answer: a. Congress can pass a measure, while the Supreme Court can declare it unconstitutional b. Congress can pass a measure, while the president can veto it c. Mississippi can set educational policy for its students, while California can set education policy for its students d. Congress has authority over the federal budget, while the president appoints Supreme Court justices
d
Which of the following describes an exclusive power of the federal government? Choose 1 answer: a. Regulating health care b. Setting education policy c. Taxing citizens' income d. Coining money
d
Which of the following statements best explains how the Fourteenth Amendment has been interpreted to enhance federal power? Choose 1 answer: a. The Fourteenth Amendment gave Congress the power to monitor and regulate voting booths b. The Fourteenth Amendment gave Congress the power to regulate school curriculums c. The Fourteenth Amendment gave Congress the power to nominate state governors d.The Fourteenth Amendment gave Congress the right to regulate discrimination in states
d
Which of the following was a strength of the Articles of Confederation that the Constitution retained? Choose 1 answer: a. The federal government could levy taxes b. The federal government had the power to create a centralized military c. The federal government could regulate interstate and foreign commerce d. The federal government could negotiate treaties with other countries
d
