constitution quiz
Which headline illustrates the use of judicial review?
"New York State's Reapportionment Plan Ruled Unconstitutional"
Which headline is the BEST illustrates an example of checks and balances?
"Senate Confirms New Supreme Court Justice"
Which newspaper headline is the BEST examples of checks and balances?
"Senate Rejects President's Choice of Supreme Court Justice"
Which quotation from the United States Constitution provides for a Federal System of government?
"The powers not delegated to the United States . . . are reserved to the states . . ."
During floor debate in both the House and Senate, the constitutionality of a proposal is often brought up as a debating point by both proponents and opponents of a bill. Which reason BEST explains why the question of constitutionality is persuasive in a debate?
All government bodies are accountable to the Constitution
Which of the following IS a shared power between the state and national government?
Borrow Money
Which of the following IS a shared power between the state and national government?
Borrow money
• Congress proposes an amendment legalizing an income tax. • The Supreme Court rules that the income tax is unconstitutional. These events illustrate the use of
Checks and Balances
When the President goes around the United States promoting a specific idea from his "bully pulpit", he is utilizing which Presidential hat?
Chief Citizen
Congress has all of the following powers EXCEPT
Establish licenses for marriage and teacher certifications
After the President has proposed the Federal budget, the next step in the process of adopting the budget is to submit it to the
House of Representatives
I. Interpreting law II. Declaring laws unconstitutional III. Forbidding Congress to pass certain laws In which of the following ways can the Judicial Branch check the Legislative Branch?
I and II only
Which of these is an advantage of the system of checks and balances?
It allows the executive branch the power to supervise the actions of the other two branches
Identify which statement BEST explains the possible impact of a filibuster.
It could prevent the Senate from voting on a bill
• Can declare executive actions unconstitutional • Power to issue warrants • Chief justice presides over impeachment of president The checks in the box are all powers that the _______ branch has over the _______ branch.
Judicial;Executive
Can override presidential veto, can impeach and remove the president, can reject presidential appointments, refuse to ratify treaties and conduct investigations into presidential actions are all examples of checks the _____ branch has on the ____ branch.
Legislative, Executive
The _______ branch makes laws, the _______ branch executes laws, and the _____ branch interprets laws.
Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Initiating constitutional amendments, power to alter size of Supreme Court and set jurisdiction of courts are all checks the ___________ branch has on the __________ branch.
Legislative; Judicial
The checks of impeachment, overriding Presidential vetoes and the power to declare war are all checks the ___________ branch has on the __________ branch.
Legislative;Executive
Which of the following was NOT a key influence on the delegates at the Constitutional Convention?
Napoleonic Code and French common law
Granting pardons/reprieves, receiving ambassadors and being commander-in chief of the armed forces are powers reserved for which of the following elected officials?
President
Military force, trade sanctions and foreign aid assistance are foreign policy tools of which elected federal official?
President of the United States
Which of the following is NOT a power granted to the federal government in the Constitution?
Regulate intrastate trade
Which of the following is NOT a correct description of the six parts of the preamble?
Secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity - stronger central government than what existed under the Articles of Confederation
Who can prevent the President of the United States from controlling the Supreme Court by blocking appointments to the bench?
Senate
Which newspaper headline is the BEST examples of checks and balances?
Senate Rejects President's Choice for Chief Justice
Which of the following is an example of popular sovereignty?
Some states decided to prohibit slavery by a vote of residents
Which of the following people is NOT a member of the Executive Branch?
Speaker of the House
Which person is a member of the legislative branch?
Speaker of the House
The decision of the United States Supreme Court in Marbury v. Madison established the power of the
Supreme Court to determine constitutionality of laws
Which statement best represents a "liberal interpretation" of the Constitution?
The Constitution allows everything, unless it specifically forbids it
Which historical event best demonstrates the operation of checks and balances?
The Senate approved the appointment of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Which of the following IS TRUE concerning the Legislative Debate at the Constitutional Convention?
Virginia Plan wanted a bicameral legislature and New Jersey wanted a unicameral legislature
The Articles of Confederation and the US Constitution both provided for
a national legislature
Which of the following actions would be unconstitutional?
a state levying a tax on products from another state
The U.S. Government is considered a federal system because
both national and state governments exist within the nation
The vice president's ONLY critical role in Congress is to
break tie votes in the Senate
• Congress proposes an amendment legalizing an income tax. • The Supreme Court rules that the income tax is unconstitutional. These events illustrate the use of
checks and balances
Which of the following is exclusively the responsibility of federal law?
counterfeit money
One way in which the United States Constitution differed from the Articles of Confederation was that the Constitution
created a national government having three branches
The Great Compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention resulted in the
creation of a bicameral legislature
• Under the Articles of Confederation, taxes were applied by Congress and collected by the states. • Under the Constitution, taxes are both applied and collected by Congress. Which of these BEST describes the change in government as reflected by the scenario above?
expanding power of the political government
How is law used to manage conflict, protect individual rights and serve the common good in US society?
laws set guidelines and limit areas of uncertainty
A system of checks and balances was included in the United States Constitution because the authors were concerned about
one branch of government becoming too strong
A system of checks and balances was included in the United States Constitution because the authors were concerned about
one branch of government becoming too strong
A system of checks and balances was included in the United States Constitution because the authors were concerned about
one branch of the government becoming too strong
Informal Sources of Presidential Power
personal exercise of power, immediate needs of nation, mandate of people
Which of the following is an example of a concurrent power?
power to make/enforce laws
Soon after the Constitution of the United States was ratified, the first ten amendments were added because many citizens felt the need for
protecting their liberties from abuses by the federal government
"The United States shall guarantee to every state in this Union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, or of the executive (when the legislature cannot be convened), against domestic violence." — United States Constitution, Article IV, Section IV According to this excerpt, a goal of the framers of the Constitution was to ensure that the US
provided for the common defense of every state
Once an amendment has been added to the United States Constitution, which process must be used to change that amendment?
ratifying a new amendment
The reserved powers clause in the Constitution reserves powers to the
states
In the United States, the use of implied powers, the amending process, and Supreme Court interpretations have resulted in
the Constitution being adapted to fit changing times
Which of these is most likely a reason Presidents issue executive orders?
to make policy without congressional approval