Government Final Test Questions
"Based on early returns form the East and Midwest, the news media often project the outcome of the presidential contest before all voters in the West have gone to the polls. Some people fear that such reports work to discourage western voters from casting their ballots." This excerpt describes a) the "time- zone fallout" issue b) low turnout in off-year elections c) the problem of "nonvoting voters" d) the phenomenon known as ballot fatigue
a
A compromise bill worked on by a conference committee of House and Senate members is a) usually passed by both houses of Congress b) never passed by both houses of Congress c) always passed with amendments d) sometimes passed with amendments
a
How are federal judges selected? a) the person is named to the bench by the POTUS and confirmed by the Senate b) the person is names to the bench by the POTUS and does nit need to be confirmed c) the person is publicly elected to the bench and confirmed by the Senate d) the person is nominated by the Senate and chosen by the POTUS
a
In the Senate, a filibuster may be ended with a vote that invokes a) Cloture Rule b) the "two-speech" rule c) the unanimous consent rule d) senatorial courtesy
a
Minor parties have contributes MOST to US politics by a) causing major parties to adopt their ideas b) proving more candidates from which voters can choose c) placing their presidential candidates on the ballot d) winning national elections
a
Presidential candidates try to choose vice- presidential candidates who a) will help make the candidate look better politically b) have little political experience c) have views very different from the presidential candidate d) do not have great political ambitions
a
Representative of the American people and provides moral leadership as chief _____. a) citizen b) state c) of party d) executive e) administrator f) commander in chief g) diplomat h) legislator
a
Senate minority leader a) Chuck Schumer b) Kevin McCarthy c) Steny Hoyer d) Paul Ryan e) Mitch McConnell
a
The POTUS exercises legislative power over Congress by a) recommending legislation b) preventing a bill from coming before the POTUS c) routinely telling Congress when it must adjourn d) allowing all bills to die by pocket vetoes
a
The POTUS's power to execute the law covers a) all federal laws, whether or not the POTUS agrees with them b) only those federal laws that the POTUS supports c) only those laws that are described or implies in the Constitution d) all the laws of foreign countries to which the US sends aid
a
The _____ appoints Cabinet members and ambassadors _____ a) POTUS; with Senate approval b) POTUS; with House approval c) Senate; with POTUS's approval d) POTUS; without Senate approval
a
The institution through which a society makes its laws a) government b) democracy c) dictatorship d) confederation e) federal
a
The main reason that Congress creates committees is to a) divide the workload b) educate new members c) introduce new bills d) create party power bases
a
Unlike the House, the Senate has a legislative process with a) few limits on debate b) strict limits on debate c) no roll-call voting d) no voice voting
a
When a Supreme Court justice agrees with the decision reached by the Court in a case, but not with the reason why the Court made that decision, he or she may choose to write a a) concurring opinion b) dissenting opinion c) majority opinion d) unanimous opinion
a
Which comes first? a) bill goes to Conference Committee
a
Which comes first? a) bill goes to the Rules Committee b) bill debated and voted on in the House
a
Which of the following federal courts exercises both original and appellate jurisdiction? a) the Supreme Court b) court of appeals c) district court d) the Court of Appeals doe the Federal Circuit
a
Which of the following illustrates the concept of equality of opportunity a) public schools may not exclude students because of their sex or race b) citizens must obey the tax laws but may worl to change them c) government may limit the beliefs and ideas of individuals d) senators consider testimony both for and against Supreme Court nominees
a
Which of the following is a sign of weakened political parties? a) split-ticket voting b) straight-ticket voting c) newly registered voters d) campaigning for party candidates
a
Which of the following is a way the presidential disability is determined in the 25th Amendment? a) the VP and a majority of the Cabinet inform Congress in writing b) the Senate states, in writing, that the POTUS is incapacitated c) the POTUS gives a speech explaining who will take over d) Congress asks the VP to evaluate the POTUS's condition
a
Which of the following is the best definition of the public policies of a government? a) everything s government decides to do b) everything a government does related to public services c) everything a government does to collect taxes d) everything a government decides to do regarding to public services
a
Which statement about the Senate is true? a) it has two members from each state b) its members are chosen by State legislature c) each member represents one congressional district d) seats are apportioned among the States according to their populations
a
Who is responsible for determining when a bill will be debated in the Senate? a) Majority leader b) Speaker of the Senate c) the POTUS d) POTUS of the Senate
a
Why is the purpose of Congressional hearings? a) ti gather information useful in making legislative decisions b) gives it the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations c) give it the power to override a veto d) all of these
a
"If men were angels, no government would be necessary." -James Madison Which of the following BEST summarizes this idea? a) Government is necessary to make policy, but should not control people b) Government is necessary, because people do not always behave perfectly c) Government is not necessary, but people are better off when it exists d) Government is not necessary, because people are naturally good
b
"Some people insist the United States is more properly called a republic rather than a democracy." The people who support this statement argue that the United States is a republic because in its government, a) powers are divided between the executive, judicial, and legislative branches b) political power is used indirectly by elected officials, not directly by the citizens themselves c) power is shared by a central government and many State governments d) the people do not have the power to influence the decisions made by the government
b
A person who votes in the presidential election but does not vote for a congressional candidate in the same election is known as a) a "cannot- voter" b) a "nonvoting voter" c) an independent voter d) an actual nonvoter
b
According to the Constitution, the President must a) be a man who owns property b) be at least 35 years of age c) have held one major public office d) have lived in the US for 20 years
b
According to the lesson text, "Thomas Jefferson called the [Declaration of Independence] 'pure Locke,'" referring to the English philosopher John Locke. Which of the following ideas shows Locke's influence on the Declaration of Independence? a) the king of English has a divine right to rule the colonists, so only God can remove his authority b) by violating the social contract with the colonists, the king has lost his authority to rule c) without a king, the colonists will be able to return to a state of nature in which all men are free d) the king rules by right of force, it is just for the colonists to overthrow the king using force
b
Appellate court determine guilt or innocence a) true b) false
b
Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes once said that the Constitution "means what the judges say it means." He was defining the Supreme Court's a) original jurisdiction b) power of judicial review c) exclusive jurisdiction d) right to use the writ of certiorari
b
House minority leader a) Chuck Schumer b) Kevin McCarthy c) Steny Hoyer d) Paul Ryan e) Mitch McConnell
b
How and when bills are debated in the House is decided by the a) Ways ans Means Committee b) Rules Committee c) Appropriations Committee d) Judiciary Committee
b
How much are members of Congress paid? a) $150,000 b) $174,000 c) $186,000 $250,000
b
In order to prevent a bill passed by Congress from becoming a law, the POTUS may a) sign it and attach a veto message b) refuse to sign it and attach a veto message c) sign it after ten days if Congress is in session d) negotiate a compromise bill with Congress
b
Number of Representatives Indiana has in the House of Representatives plus the number of Congress is a) 124 b) 125 c) 126 d) 127
b
One weakness of the Articles of Confederation was that a) it established a dual court system b) it did not provide for a national judiciary c) Congress could create only a few lower federal courts d) the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court was not clearly defined
b
People belong to a particular political party a) according to regulations of State law b) voluntarily, because they made a personal choice c) based on the location of the State in which they live d) according to regulations of federal law
b
Political parties are election- oriented because a) they are looking to change the economic system in America b) they are looking to become politically powerful in American government c) they want to vote for a candidate d) all of the above
b
The Electoral College can be removed without a Constitutional amendment. a) true b) false
b
The POTUS' role as chief of _____ is to represent the U.S. at public events. This is mainly a ceremonial role. a) citizen b) state c) of party d) executive e) administrator f) commander in chief g) diplomat h) legislator
b
The POTUS's military powers a) are strictly limited to times of war only b) are limited by Congress c) only apply to the use of the US Army and its weapons d) may never be used to keep the domestic peace
b
The power to issue executive orders in the a) appointment power b) ordinance power c) removal power d) issue power
b
Walter has just had his jail sentence delayed by the POTUS. What did the POTUS give him? a) pardon b) reprieve c) bail d) none of the above
b
What argument was the author of this statement, John Marshall, making about how the Federal Government should function? "It is emphatically the province and duty of the Judicial Department to say what the law is." John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, Opinion of the Court a) the judicial branch of the Federal Government should have the power to make laws b) the judicial branch of the Federal Government should have the power to interpret laws c) the judicial branch has sole authority to establish a federal court system d) only the laws created by the Federal Government, and approved by the Court, have any authority in the federal system
b
What did Hamilton mean when he made the following statement? "Laws are a dead letter without courts to expound and define their true meaning and operation." - Alexander Hamilton a) for laws to be effective, there must be courts to make them known to citizens consistently b) for laws to be effective, there must be courts to interpret them consistently c) laws that are not obeyed should be repealed by the courts d) laws that are not obeyed should be enforced by the courts
b
What does the 17th Amendment address? a) when the Congress meets to start a session b) how senators are elected c) the legalization of gerrymandering d) term limits for members of congress
b
Where power is held by the people who make laws or elect those who do a) government b) democracy c) dictatorship d) confederation e) federal
b
Which comes first? a) bill on POTUS's desk for signature b) bill in Conference Committee
b
Which of the following examples shows a government exercising its executive powers? a) deciding whether or not a law is constitutional b) enforcing a new tax law c) making a law that alters voting requirements d) settling a dispute between two branches of government
b
Which of the following lists the three basic powers a government must have? a) executive power, legislative power, military power b) legislative power, executive power, judicial power c) economic power, judicial power, legislative power d) judicial power, diplomatic power, executive power
b
Which of these is NOT a type of Congressional committee? a) standing b) representative c) joint d) select
b
Which statement about the social contract theory is NOT true? a) The state was created voluntarily by a free people b) The state is a natural extension of people's family structure c) Governmental powers are granted by the people d) Governmental powers may be limited by the people
b
"Many laws that Congress enacts are written in fairly broad terms. Congress sets out the basic policies and standards to be followed. The specific details- much of the fine print necessary to the actual, day-to-day administration of the law- are usually left to be worked out by the executive branch." This describes the use of which presidential power? a) the power to grant clemency b) the power of executive privilege c) the power to execute the law d) the power of appointment and removal
c
"The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins." - Justice Oliver What point was Justice Holmes making about the foundations of democracy? a) Everyone has rights, and they can freely use force to exercise them b) Everyone has rights, but only those willing to use force will keep them c) Everyone has rights, but the exercise of these rights cannot endanger others d) Everyone has rights, and can exercise them in any way they want
c
A POTUS can serve no more than ______ years in office. a) 8 b) 4 c) 10 d) 12
c
House majority leader a) Chuck Schumer b) Kevin McCarthy c) Steny Hoyer d) Paul Ryan e) Mitch McConnell
c
In case the POTUS is disabled, the way the VP becomes POTUS is determined by the a) twenty-second amendment b) presidential succession act c) twenty-fifth amendment d) congress
c
In the United States, the concept of equality means that every individual a) must sacrifice his or her interests so the needs of the many can be met b) is born with as much talent and ability as everyone else c) is entitled to receive the same treatment under the law d) should receive the same share of worldly goods as everyone else
c
In the VP's absence, the presiding officer of the Senate is the a) Dean of the Senate b) majority floor leader c) president pro tempore d) Speaker of the Senate
c
Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau would most likely agree that a) the state developed out of force b) those of royal birth should rule the state c) government exists to serve the will of the people d) government should be eliminated
c
President Trump is this chief ______ for the Republicans. a) citizen b) state c) of party d) executive e) administrator f) commander in chief g) diplomat h) legislator
c
The Framers of the Constitution called for the POTUS to be elected by a) Congress b) a direct vote of the people c) a body of electors d) the State legislatures
c
The POTUS CANNOT exercise judicial power by a) granting amnesty to a group of law violators b) reducing the length of a sentence c) eliminating laws he does not think are Constitutional d) granting a reprieve
c
The POTUS receives a yearly salary of a) $55,000 b) $99,500 c) $400,000 d) $900,000
c
The Supreme Court's decision in Marbury v. Madison a) enabled William Marbury to become a justice of the peace b) stripped the POTUS of his power to appoint federal judges c) established the Court's power of judicial review d) none of the above
c
The least number of presidential electors a State can have is a) one b) two c) three d) four
c
The order of succession to the presidency after the VP is determined by the a) original constitution b) force of tradition c) presidential succession act of 1974 d) 25th amendment
c
Under the Constitution, Congress has the sole power to a) act as the commander in chief b) meet with foreign leaders c) declare war d) none of the above
c
What is government? a) the service provided a community, such as police, protection, fire protection, and public health programs b) the laws that protect peoples' rights and ensure the safety of a state's citizens c) the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies d) the process by which public officials are elected to and removed from office
c
Where power is held by one person or an elite group a) government b) democracy c) dictatorship d) confederation e) federal
c
Which group has generally used its power to gerrymander congressional districts? a) the House of Representatives b) Congress c) State legislatures d) the Census Bureau
c
Which of the following is NOT a formal qualification for the presidency? a) must be at least 35 years old b) must be a "natural born Citizen" of the US c) must have extensive prior political experience d) must have lived in the US for at least 14 years
c
Which of the plans to change the way POTUS are elected requires a Constitutional amendment? a) District Plan b) National Popular Vote Plan c) Direct Popular Election Plan d) Proportional Plan
c
Which statement about congressional districts is true? a) they are apportioned by the POTUS b) there are three for every seat in the House c) they are reapportioned every ten years d) their borders are drawn by State courts
c
A formal duty assigned to the VP by the Constitution is to a) call Cabinet meetings b) choose the secretary of state c) preside over the House d) preside over the Senate
d
An increasing number of Americans today a) hold political parties in high regard b) vote a straight party line c) favor mandatory party membership d) identify with neither political party
d
In a democracy, the will of the majority a) cannot be changed or improved upon b) is not open to compromise c) rarely leads to satisfactory policy decisions d) cannot be used to deprive rights to a member of a minority group
d
In a party's watchdog function the party out of power a) makes sure their candidates are qualified b) campaigns harder than the party in power c) choose candidates d) finds ways to critique the party in of power
d
In what way do political parties act as "bonding agents" between themselves and the voting public? a) the parties guarantee party loyalists that their candidates will in the election b) the parties assure people who support them that once in office, their candidates will vote along party lines c) the parties attempt to nominate people who hold the views of the party's national committee, thereby ensuring loyalty d) the parties try hard to choose candidates are both qualified for the office and of good character
d
People with no sense of political efficacy a) are also know as "cannot- voters" b) only vote in off-year elections c) display a strong sense of party identification d) feel that any choice they make will have no effect
d
Senators are elected to server a) two-year terms b) three-year terms c) four-year terms d) six-year terms
d
Speaker of the House a) Chuck Schumer b) Kevin McCarthy c) Steny Hoyer d) Paul Ryan e) Mitch McConnell
d
The POTUS is the chief _____, empowered to enforce laws and affairs of the nation. a) citizen b) state c) of party d) executive e) administrator f) commander in chief g) diplomat h) legislator
d
The POTUS's power to grant pardons a) may be overridden by the Senate b) applies to cases involving federal and State offenses c) may be used in cases of impeachment d) can only be used for federal offenses
d
The expansion of suffrage in the US a) was outlined in the original text of the Constitution b) was accomplished outside the US legal system c) is the subject of all constitutional amendments made since 1810 d) has been moved forward by amendments and civil rights acts
d
The function of the major parties in the US politics include a) nominating candidates for office b) insuring the good performance of their elected candidates c) providing a mechanism for the conduct of government d) all of the above
d
The number of Senate seat held by each State is a) set by the Census Bureau b) based on state populations c) the same as the number of House seats d) determined by the Constitution
d
The phenomenon in which fewer votes are cast for offices farther down the ballot is called a) voter alienation b) straight- ticket voting c) split- ticketing voting d) ballot fatigue
d
The purpose of filibuster is to a) invoke the rule of cloture b) prevent quorum calls c) speed up a vote on a bill d) prevent a vote on a bill
d
The purpose of the War Powers Act of 1973 was to a) require Congress to call a military draft b) declare was against Vietnam c) allow the POTUS more war powers d) limit the POTUS's power to make war
d
What criteria might a judge who abides by a philosophy of judicial restraint use to decide a case? a) the judge would consider previous court decisions on the topic but ultimately consider the current circumstances and changes in society b) the judge would not consider previous rulings but rely mainly on modern-day circumstances and beliefs c) the judge would defer to the actions of the executive and legislative branches in deciding the case d) the judge would consider both the intent of the Framers who wrote the part of the Constitution in question and previous court decisions on the topic
d
What is the difference between original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction? a) original jurisdiction refers to a case being heard in a federal court; appellate jurisdiction refers to a case being heard in a State court b) original jurisdiction refers to criminal or civil cases; appellate jurisdiction refers to only civil cases c) original jurisdiction refers to a case that could be heard in a federal or a State court; appellate jurisdiction refers to a case that must be heard in a federal court d) original jurisdiction refers to a court where a case is first heard; appellate jurisdiction refers to a case being heard after it was tried in a lower court
d
Which fact qualifies a person from representing Utah in the House? a) the candidate was born in Guatemala b) the candidate is 43 years old c) the candidate lives in Utah but works in Idaho d) the candidate has been a citizen for four years
d
Which of the following best explains what the philosophers of the Enlightenment and the Founding Fathers meant by the phrase "unalienable rights"? a) legal rights b) political equality c) popular sovereignty d) natural rights
d
Which of the following is NOT a major function of either of the two major parties in the US? a) to keep the general public informed about key issues b) to monitor the conduct of its candidates in office c) to assure the qualifications of candidates for office d) to unite people and concentrate solely on one public policy matter
d
Which of the following is a qualification for senators? a) must have been born in the State from which elected b) must have a degree in law c) must have been born in the US d) must be at least 30 years old
d
Which of the following is true of the House of Representatives? a) it currently has 100 members b) the total number of seats in the House is set by the Constitution c) the number of terms a representative may serve is limited by the Constitution d) none of these
d
Which of the following statements is NOT an argument against the electoral college system? a) a candidate who loses the popular vote may still be elected POTUS b) an elector may vote for someone other than the voter- selected candidate c) a strong third party effort might throw the election into the House d) the results depend upon how State congressional districts are drawn
d
Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? a) Antonin Scalia b) Neil Gorsuch c) Samuel Alito d) John Roberts
d
Why does the House impose severe limits on floor debates? a) it allows the Speaker to better control the contents of a bill b) bills mainly are debated in subcommittees, not on the floor c) most debates take place in the Senate rather than the House d) the House is so big that long debate is extremely time-consiming
d
He is the chief _____ as the CEO of federal bureaucracy, with its millions of employees and trillions in annual spending. a) citizen b) state c) of party d) executive e) administrator f) commander in chief g) diplomat h) legislator
e
Senate majority leader a) Chuck Schumer b) Kevin McCarthy c) Steny Hoyer d) Paul Ryan e) Mitch McConnell
e
He commands the armed forces as ______. a) citizen b) state c) of party d) executive e) administrator f) commander in chief g) diplomat h) legislator
f
The POTUS takes the lead in foreign relations as chief _____ by associating with foreign leaders and, along with the help of Congress, develops a foreign policy with other nations. a) citizen b) state c) of party d) executive e) administrator f) commander in chief g) diplomat h) legislator
g
He is chief ____ through speeches promoting his agendas and by meeting with Congress to discuss policies he wants them to pass. a) citizen b) state c) of party d) executive e) administrator f) commander in chief g) diplomat h) legislator
h