GOVT 2305 Final Exam Review
The Bill of Rights, as originally intended, limited the powers of the national government only and did not apply to state governments. T/F
True
The Fourteenth Amendment led to the Bill of Rights being applied to the states. T/F
True
The elastic clause is so called because it gives to government the power to do whatever is necessary and proper to execute its powers. T/F
True
The right to privacy is a unique civil liberty in that it is never explicitly mentioned in the Constitution and is dependent on an interpretation of several other civil liberties. T/F
True
Totalitarianism takes the authoritarian model of government being fully controlled by a ruler or rulers and applies it to all aspects of society. T/F
True
Federal programs that provide funds to state and local governments for broad functional areas, such as criminal justice or mental-health programs are known as
block grants
Devolution refers to the transfer of powers from a
central government to a state or local government.
The "clear and present danger" test is used to determine when it is permissible to restrict
freedom of speech
Which of the following rights is considered a civil liberty?
freedom of speech
The fact that the United States is a sovereign power among nations, and so its national government must be the only government that deals with other nations, is the principle behind
inherent powers.
The Jamestown colonists set a political precedent by
instituting a representative assembly
As an ongoing organization that performs certain functions for society and has a life separate from the lives of the individuals who are part of it, a government can be categorized as a type of
institution
The pattern of national-state relationships during the era of the New Deal gave rise to a new metaphor for federalism, namely that of
marble cake.
Approximately how many prisoners have been freed from death row since 1973 after new evidence suggested that they were convicted wrongfully?
more than one hundred
The so-called "unalienable rights" found in the Declaration of Independence may also be described as _______ rights.
natural
In which of the following situations are roving wire taps allowed to be used for a person under suspicion to be monitored electronically?
no matter what form of electronic communication he or she uses
In a confederal system of government, the central government created by a league of independent states has______ powers over the states.
only limited
Critics of pluralism see public policy as
only satisfying the interests of the largest groups
Which of the following are typically valued by American conservatives?
patriotism and traditional values
Which political theory views politics as a conflict among interest groups?
pluralism
The struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal groups that can grant benefits or privileges best define
politics
The unconstitutional act of restricting expression before it occurs is called
prior restraint
The Supreme Court has held that the government cannot ban abortion or private homosexual behavior based on the right to
privacy
No state is allowed to enter into a treaty on its own with another country. This is an example of a ________ power.
prohibited
One of the original purposes of government is the maintenance of order, which refers to
protecting society from violence and crime
Which of the following best describes how Supreme Court decisions have impacted abortion laws in the United States since the landmark case, Roe v. Wade essentially legalized abortion in 1973?
Partial birth abortion has been restricted.
Polls suggest that support for the death penalty is declining. T/F
True
__________ is defined by private ownership of the market and wealth creating assets while under __________, much business would be controlled by the government or employee cooperatives
Capitalism; socialism
Historian Charles Beard argued that the Constitution was produced primarily to protect the civil liberties of the people T/F
False
In a unitary system of government, ultimate authority rests with the states or provinces, while under federalism, all power lies with the national or central government. T/F
False
In recent years, we have seen a small degree of overlap between ideological principles, such as progressivism and conservatism, and the two major political parties. T/F
False
Liberalism and conservatism are examples of political cultures. T/F
False
Publishing truths that harm a person's reputation and livelihood is considered to be defamation of character. T/F
False
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention represented a large variety of interests, professions, and levels of wealth. T/F
False
When a government has the power to make laws and enforce its decisions but lacks the broad support of the people to do so, it can be said to have legitimacy but not authority. T/F
False
While it has never been used, a Constitutional Amendment can be ratified by a national convention of the people. T/F
False
__________ belong to the national government while __________ belong to the states.
Inherent powers; reserved powers
What are the terms of authority in a federal political system?
It is divided between the central government and constituent governments.
Who originally stated that the right to property is a natural right superior to human law?
John Locke
Currently, the largest minority group in the United States is the _____ population.
Latino
Which of the following presidents was responsible for the wave of devolution that was called New Federalism?
Richard Nixon
In United States v. Windsor, the Supreme Court found that the federal government must recognize same-sex marriages that were approved by the state in which they occurred. T/F
True
In testing the Constitutionality of government aid to religious schools, the Supreme Court imposes the Lemon test. T/F
True
Which Amendment to the Constitution abolished the institution of slavery?
Thirteenth
The first drafts of the Declaration of Independence were written by
Thomas Jefferson
A central weakness of the Articles of Confederation was the lack of power to raise funds to support armed forces. T/F
True
A federal mandate is a requirement in federal legislation that forces states to comply with certain rules. T/F
True
As a consequence of the Boston Tea Party, the British government passed the Coercive Acts, which closed Boston Harbor and gave the British direct control of the Massachusetts government.
True
As children learn and develop their political beliefs and values, they are politically socialized. T/F
True
Despite losing the fight over Constitutional ratification, the Anti-Federalists did make a strong and successful case for the inclusion of
a bill of rights
The Mayflower Compact's historical and political significance is twofold: it depended on the consent of the affected individuals, and it served as
b. a prototype for similar compacts in American history
The free exercise clause found in the First Amendment allows
a person to believe whatever he or she may want
Which is NOT one of the "rules of the road" imposed on states by the national Constitution concerning interstate relations?
a. honor states' requests to return persons who are fleeing from justice b. give full faith and credit to other states' judicial proceedings c. extend to other states' citizens the privileges and immunities of its own citizens d. prohibit interstate compacts between one or more states <--
In a series of rulings dealing with the establishment clause, which of the following has the Supreme Court established?
a. prohibited religious prayers in public schools <--- b. allowed moments of silence or meditation in public schools c. forbidden the teaching of evolution d. outlawed school voucher programs
All of the following civil liberties are listed in the original Constitution, rather than the Bill of Rights, EXCEPT
a. that Congress shall pass no bill of attainder. b. that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. <--- c. that the Writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended. d. that Congress shall pass no ex post facto law.
A defendant's pretrial rights include all of the following EXCEPT
a. to be informed of the charges. b. the right to legal counsel. c. the rights to remain silent. d. no cruel and unusual punishment. <--
The standard used to determine if damages can be obtained from a libelous statement made about a public official is
actual malice.
The power of Congress to declare war is an example of
an enumerated power
Based on a series of Supreme Court rulings, in which of the following settings are the most restrictions on free speech generally allowed under the Constitution?
at a high school
In Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), the Supreme Court held that if a person is accused of a felony and cannot afford an attorney, an attorney must be made available to the accused person
at the government's expense.
Shays' Rebellion demonstrated that the American central government
could not protect the citizenry from armed rebellion.
At the Constitutional Convention, a major point of debate among the delegates was whether to
create a strong national government.
A government in which political authority is vested in the people is
democracy
Dual federalism is a doctrine that emphasizes
distinction between federal and state authority.
In the federal system established by the founders, sovereign powers were to be
divided between the states and the national government
The collection of values, customs, and language established by the group or groups that traditionally have controlled politics and government in a society is known as the ________ culture
dominant
The states and national government were distinct under __________, but mixed in their powers, responsibilities, and finances under ________
dual federalism; cooperative federalism
The clause in the Constitution that grants Congress the power to do whatever is necessary to execute its enumerated or expressed powers is called the _______ clause.
elastic
The notion that the United States is actually a "sham democracy" fits with which of the following perspectives?
elite theory
The first act in a criminal proceeding is an arraignment in which the defendant is brought before a court to
enter a plea of guilty or not guilty
By the time the Second Continental Congress met, fighting had broken out between the British and the colonists; as a result one of the main actions of the Second Continental Congress was to
establish an army
Freedom of religion rests upon two distinct principles, which are the
establishment and free exercise clauses.
When the government raises funds through taxation or borrowing, and then spends these funds, it is implementing ________ policy.
fiscal
An executive agreement is a legally binding understanding reached between the president and.
foreign head of state
What tool does the Supreme Court use when it wants to adapt the Constitution to fit a modern-day situation?
judicial review
Popular acceptance of the right and power of a government or other entity to exercise authority is known as
legitimacy
A written defamation of a person's character, reputation, business, or property rights is called
libel
Which political ideology is based on skepticism or opposition toward most government activities?
libertarianism
The desire of citizens to be protected from any abuses of governmental power stems from their value of
liberty
The Bill of Rights can be referred to as a "bill of limits" because it essentially
limits the powers of the national government over the rights and liberties of individuals
One issue that calls into question the idea that the One issue that calls into question the idea that the United States has a majoritarian type of democracy is its
low voter turnout
Which of the following did the Federalists advocate?
ratification of the new Constitution
The free exercise clause comes into play when dealing with cases involving
religion
For criminal suspects held in custody by the police, Miranda rights allow the suspect the right to
remain silent
The United States government is an example of a
representative democracy.
As a practical solution to the main issue at the Constitutional Convention, federalism was adopted because it __________while establishing a strong national government.
retained state traditions and local power
The public uttering of a false statement that harms the good reputation of another is known as
slander
As John Locke argued, an agreement among the people to form a government and abide by its rules is a type of
social contract
The Bill of Rights, as originally adopted, did not limit _________ power concerning individual citizens—which Madison had characterized as "the most valuable amendment in the whole lot."
state
Many of the framers felt that enumerating specific civil liberties in a bill of rights was unnecessary because
the Constitution already included certain rights.
Shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, President George W. Bush issued an executive order allowing which agency to conduct secret surveillance without court warrants?
the National Security Agency
The supremacy clause serves to protect the authority of
the U.S. Constitution
The proposal of a legislature based solely on representation proportional to population was a key feature of
the Virginia Plan.
The judicial policy prohibiting the admission at trial of illegally seized evidence is known as
the exclusionary rule
In its McCulloch v. Maryland decision, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that
the federal government had implied power related to its designated power.
Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense advocated
the idea that a government of our own is our natural right
Although the New Jersey Plan was ultimately rejected at the Constitutional Convention, one of its proposals that was retained in the new constitution was
the supremacy doctrine
A Constitutional Amendment can be proposed by a
two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress
Initiatives and referenda are both instances in which
voters have a role in making law.
Which of the following was an issue before the Supreme Court in Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)?
whether the power to regulate interstate commerce was a concurrent power