-
The newest federal cabinet department is
a. Veterans Affairs.
b. Homeland Security.
c. Education.
d. Health and Human Services.
e. Treasury.
b. Homeland Security.
-
Since the 1960s, Americans' trust in their government has generally
a. remained stable.
b. risen slightly.
c. risen sharply.
d. fallen slightly.
e. fallen sharply.
e. fallen sharply.
-
Which of the following is not an accurate statement about the consequences of declining trust in government?
a. Distrust threatens the government's ability to attract good workers to the public sector.
b. Distrust makes people less willing to pay the taxes necessary for public activities. "
c. Distrust motivates people to participate in politics through voting, volunteering for political campaigns, and running for office.
d. Distrust weakens the government's ability to help people in times of crisis.
e. Distrust weakens the government's ability to defend our national interest in the world
c. Distrust motivates people to participate in politics through voting, volunteering for political campaigns, and running for office.
-
The belief that you can influence how your government acts is called
a. political efficacy.
b. saliency.
c. popular sovereignty.
d. autocracy.
e. oligarchy.
a. political efficacy.
-
Which of the following is not a reason given to explain American citizens' increased political apathy?
a. citizens' lack of understanding politics
b. the increasing belief that people cannot make a difference in politics
c. an increase in the knowledge of how government operates
d. the perception that government is out of touch with public opinion
e. a decrease in the perception that government can be trusted to do the right thing
c. an increase in the knowledge of how government operates
-
The first prerequisite to increasing political efficacy is
a. increasing political knowledge.
b. decreasing political knowledge.
c. reducing political participation.
d. reducing trust in government.
e. reducing popular sovereignty.
a. increasing political knowledge.
-
Political apathy among Americans hurts which core political value the most?
a. democracy
b. freedom of religion
c. economic liberty
d. equality of opportunity
e. equality of outcome
a. democracy
-
What aspect of citizenship was most important for the ancient Greeks?
a. voting
b. holding office
c. military service
d. paying taxes
e. talking and debating
e. talking and debating
-
According to the text, which of the following is the most important act of a citizen?
a. participating in public debates
b. voting for the candidate of one's choice
c. holding office in the government
d. being born in the nation of which you are a citizen
e. contributing money to a candidate or political party
a. participating in public debates
-
Studies show that an increasing number of young Americans receive their political knowledge from
a. newspapers.
b. video games.
c. late-night comedy shows.
d. their friends and family.
e. talk radio programs.
c. late-night comedy shows.
-
What is the principle difference between an autocracy and an oligarchy?
a. the responsiveness to popular opinion
b. the number of people in charge
c. the level of wealth of the rulers
d. international diplomatic recognition
e. the strength of the military
b. the number of people in charge
-
A government that accepts no legal limits on its power but may accept the restraint of other social institutions, such as churches, is known as "
a. oligarchic.
b. authoritarian.
c. totalitarian.
d. democratic.
e. republican.
b. authoritarian.
-
An autocracy exists when
a. the government is controlled by a single individual.
b. the government is controlled by a small but powerful group of people.
c. the constitution of a government is followed strictly.
d. the government is controlled by one dominant religious group.
e. citizens play a significant part in government by electing key public officials.
a. the government is controlled by a single individual.
-
A service that a person needs but is usually unable to provide for him- or herself individually is called
a. a public good.
b. a cultural commodity.
c. an oligarchy.
d. an entitlement.
e. a selective benefit.
a. a public good.
-
Who said that the best government was the one that ""governed least""? "
a. John Locke
b. Thomas Jefferson
c. Adam Smith
d. Abraham Lincoln
e. Franklin D. Roosevelt
b. Thomas Jefferson
-
The willingness to be restrained by the power of social institutions, but not political or legal institutions, is a hallmark of a(n) ____ regime.
a. totalitarian
b. authoritarian
c. democratic
d. oligarchic
e. monarchic
b. authoritarian
-
According to the text, what is the main benefit of a constitutional government?
a. The government is limited by the rule of law.
b. The government must obey democracy.
c. The government will distribute social goods equally.
d. The government is stable.
e. The government will produce high levels of economic growth.
a. The government is limited by the rule of law.
-
Which of the following is not an example of a totalitarian regime?
a. pre-World War II Italy
b. pre-World War II Japan
c. Nazi Germany
d. the Soviet Union under Stalin
e. the United Kingdom
e. the United Kingdom
-
Before the eighteenth century
a. governments were primarily democratic.
b. totalitarian rule was common.
c. governments rarely sought the support of their people.
d. most governments were based on respect for the rule of law.
e. autocracies were extremely rare.
c. governments rarely sought the support of their people.
-
Of the nearly 200 governments in the world, what is the estimate of the number of actual constitutional democracies?
a. 20
b. 75
c. 89
d. 110
e. 150
89
-
The key group in Europe that pushed for limited government was
a. the bourgeoisie.
b. the idiots.
c. the citizens.
d. the poor.
e. the peasantry.
a. the bourgeoisie.
-
What major changes in Western government led to the establishment of constitutional government?
a. legal limits on government and the right of more people to vote
b. the right of revolution and the spread of socialism
c. debt relief for the poor and the right of citizens to hold office
d. the colonialism of the New World and the right of revolution
e. the growth in ethnic and religious diversity
a. legal limits on government and the right of more people to vote
-
John Locke and John Stuart Mill are important philosophers for which of the following ideologies?
a. popular participation
b. liberty and political rights
c. tradition and religion in government
d. revolutionary action
e. socialism and communism
b. liberty and political rights
-
Why did the Progressives support women's suffrage in the early twentieth century?
a. The Progressives were a group dominated by women.
b. The Progressives wanted to make the United States as democratic as possible.
c. The Progressives believed women would support their reform movement.
d. The Progressives needed to develop a voting bloc to check and limit upper-class northerners.
e. The Progressives needed to develop a voting bloc to check and limit lower-class southerners.
c. The Progressives believed women would support their reform movement.
-
Who described politics as ""who gets what, when, and how""? "
a. James Madison
b. Abraham Lincoln
c. Harold Lasswell
d. Franklin Roosevelt
e. John Locke
Harold Lasswell
-
Politics can be defined as
a. conflicts over the character, membership, and policies of any organization to which people belong.
b. the informal, private organizations through which a land and its people are ruled.
c. a hierarchically structured organization that is designed to distribute labor among several different groups of people.
d. a line-and-staff organization that is designed to facilitate control over complex social arrangements.
e. alliances of various interest groups, policy experts, and elected representatives who unite "in order to promote a governmental solution to a problem."
a. conflicts over the character, membership, and policies of any organization to which people belong.
-
A representative democracy is a system of government that
a. allows citizens to vote directly on laws and policies.
b. allows citizens to make, veto, or judge statutes personally.
c. gives citizens a regular opportunity to elect top government officials.
d. gives citizens the ability to make important military decisions directly.
e. legally requires government officials to vote for policies that a majority of their constituents
e. gives citizens a regular opportunity to elect top government officials.
-
The struggle of competing interest groups for governmental influence is called
a. pluralism.
b. direct action politics.
c. direct democracy.
d. oligarchy.
e. grassroots mobilization.
a. pluralism.
-
The National Origins Quota System
a. allowed a large quota of new immigrants from northern European countries but only a small quota of new immigrants from eastern and southern European countries.
b. allowed only a small quota of new immigrants from northern European countries but a large quota of immigrants from eastern and southern European countries.
c. allowed the same quota of new immigrants from every country around the world.
d. abolished the quota system for immigrants from certain countries.
e. outlawed all immigration from European countries.
a. allowed a large quota of new immigrants from northern European countries but only a small quota of new immigrants from eastern and southern European countries.
-
Which of the following statements best describes naturalization laws in the United States prior to 1870?
a. All free people could become naturalized citizens after living in the country for at least five years.
b. All free people could become naturalized citizens after living in the country for at least ten years.
c. Only free whites could become naturalized citizens.
d. Only freed black slaves could become naturalized citizens.
e. Only Native Americans could become naturalized citizens.
All free people could become naturalized citizens after living in the country for at least five years.
-
Political culture refers to
a. the way that artists, musicians, filmmakers, and cultural critics use their message to "influence political decision making.
b. the factors that influence the way informal social organizations make decisions.
c. the shared values, beliefs, and attitudes that serve to hold a nation and its people together.
d. the system of organizing politically, which is defined in the Articles of Confederation.
e. the formal rules that govern the interaction between the executive, legislative, and " judicial branches.
c. the shared values, beliefs, and attitudes that serve to hold a nation and its people together.
-
According to the text, what were the essential documents of the American Founding?
a. the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
b. the Declaration of Independence and the Magna Carta
c. the Constitution and the Magna Carta
d. the Constitution and the Mayflower Compact
e. the Mayflower Compact and the Magna Carta
a. the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
-
What are the three core values in American politics?
a. liberty, equality, and democracy
b. democracy, patriotism, and the rule of law
c. equality, oligarchy, and free enterprise
d. anarchy, equality, and patriotism
e. socialism, oligarchy, and liberty "
"a. liberty, equality, and democracy "
-
The Bill of Rights is
a. the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
b. the first constitution the Founders wrote.
c. the charter of freedom established by the English lords against the king.
d. the Fourteenth Amendment.
e. the first governing document of Plymouth Colony.
a. the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
-
In American political culture, economic freedom means
a. low inflation.
b. job security.
c. laissez-faire capitalism.
d. low taxes.
e. a government-controlled stock market.
c. laissez-faire capitalism.
-
The right of each citizen to vote is an example of
a. equality of opportunity.
b. equality of result.
c. political equality.
d. educational opportunity.
e. laissez-faire capitalism.
c. political equality.
-
What is the most important check on majority rule in the United States?
a. popular sovereignty
b. pluralism
c. minority rights
d. laissez-faire
e. "one person, one vote"
c. minority rights
-
The separate but equal doctrine was introduced in what Supreme Court case?
a. Plessy v. Ferguson
b. the civil rights cases
c. Brown v. Board of Education
d. Roev. Wade
e. Marbury v. Madison
a. Plessy v. Ferguson
-
Disputes over affirmative action demonstrate that
a. Americans disagree over the public's legitimate role in ensuring the equality of opportunity.
b. Americans are generally supportive of equality of results.
c. economic liberties are more important than democracy.
d. Americans have stopped valuing democracy.
e. Americans strongly support laissez-faire capitalism.
a. Americans disagree over the public's legitimate role in ensuring the equality of opportunity.
-
Which of the following is not an example of a public good?
a. amilitary defense force
b. a police force
c. a job
d. the administration of courts social justice
a job
-
Having some share or say in the composition of a government’s leadership, how it is organized, or what its policies are going to be is called
A. government.
b. power.
c. autocracy.
d. federalism.
e. constitutionalism.
power
-
Which of the following statements about the changes in American society between 1900 and 2000 is not true?
a. There has been a decline in the percentage of Americans who identify themselves as Protestants.
b. The average age of Americans has risen.
c. There has been an increase in the percentage of Americans who live in urban areas.
d. The percentage of whites has decreased.
e. The percentage of blacks has decreased.
There has been a decline in the percentage of Americans who identify themselves as Protestants.
-
According to the text, which sector of society did not have interests that were important to colonial politics?
a. New England merchants
b. small farmers
c. slaves
d. Royalists loyal to Britain
e. southern planters
c. slaves
-
What led the British to raise taxes on the American colonists during the 1760s?
a. the French and Indian Wars
b. the cost of war against Napoleon in Europe
c. the expenses incurred in colonizing South Africa
d. the extensive roads and canals built by the British in North America
e. to penalize the colonists for their actions during the Boston Tea Party
a. the French and Indian Wars
-
The Stamp Act was a
a. tax on commerce.
b. prohibition on all unofficial mail.
c. law permitting the Crown to open mail.
d. prohibition on alcohol.
e. a tax on sugar, molasses, and other commodities.
a. tax on commerce.
-
The events that led to the Revolutionary War were triggered by which of the following?
a. The British raised revenue by increasing the tax rate of the colonies.
b. The British had established suspicious alliances with Indian tribes during the French and Indian Wars.
c. American separatists assassinated King George II.
d. Protestant fundamentalists in New England were attempting to establish a theocracy.
e. The British were attempting to end slavery in the colonies.
a. The British raised revenue by increasing the tax rate of the colonies.
-
Who defended the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre?
a. Thomas Jefferson
b. Samuel Adams
c. John Adams
d. John Hancock
e. George Washington
c. John Adams
-
Who orchestrated the Boston Tea Party?
a. John Adams
b. Samuel Adams
c. Samuel Lipton
d. Alexander Hamilton
e. Paul Revere
B. Samuel Adams
-
Who was not appointed to help draft the Declaration of Independence?
a. Thomas Jefferson
b. Benjamin Franklin
c. John Adams
d. George Washington
e. Robert Livingston
d. George Washington
-
A _____ is a system of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for powers expressly delegated to a national government.
a. republic
b. confederacy
c. democracy
d. bicameral state
e. unitary state
b. confederacy
-
The first written constitution for the United States was called
a. the Magna Carta.
b. the Bill of Rights.
c. the Articles of Confederation.
d. the Constitution.
e. the Declaration of Independence.
c. the Articles of Confederation.
-
How was the power in Congress divided under the Articles of Confederation?
a. Each state had an equal vote.
b. Each state's votes were proportionate to its population.
c. The states were not formally represented in Congress.
d. Each state's power depended on its geographic size.
e. Each state's power depended on its economic wealth.
a. Each state had an equal vote.
-
Under the Articles of Confederation, the relationship between the states and the federal government can best be compared to
a. the United Nations' relationship with member states.
b. a state government's relationshipwith counties.
c. a state government's relationship with cities.
d. the Soviet Union's relationship with member republics.
e. the United States' relationship with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
a. the United Nations' relationship with member states.
-
As a constitution, the Articles of Confederation were concerned primarily with
a. creating a national government
that had significant power and authority.
b. creating a federal form of government.
c. creating a form of government in which the states were largely subservient to the national government.
d. limiting the powers of the central government.
e. creating a strong and unified national armed forces.
d. limiting the powers of the central government.
-
Which statement about government under the Articles of Confederation is false
a. The armed forces of the United States consisted of state militias.
b. The central government could not prevent states from economically discriminating against one another.
c. There was no president under the Articles of Confederation.
d. Members of Congress had significant independence from their states.
e. Each state, regardless of size, had only one vote in Congress.
d. Members of Congress had significant independence from their states.
-
What was the purpose of the Annapolis Convention?
a. to discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
b. to plot the revolt known as Shay's Rebellion
c. to write the Declaration of Independence
d. to draft a new Bill of Rights
e. to vote on ratifying the Articles of Confederation
a. to discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
-
Shay's Rebellion was an attempt to
a. prevent the state of Massachusetts from foreclosing on the lands of debt-ridden farmers.
b. invade New England by Loyalists from Canada.
c. overthrow the federal government under the Articles of Confederation.
d. bring a Georgian slave revolt to Virginia.
e. force the British government to rescind the Tea Act.
a. prevent the state of Massachusetts from foreclosing on the lands of debt-ridden farmers.
-
The 1787 convention to draft a new constitution was held in
a. Boston.
b. New York City.
c. Philadelphia.
d. Washington, D.C.
e. Chartlottesville, Virginia.
c. Philadelphia.
-
Which was the only state not to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention?
a. Rhode Island
b. Massachusetts
c. Virginia
d. Connecticut
e. New York
a. Rhode Island
-
According to the text, the writing of the Constitution demonstrates the
a. marriage of interests and principles.
b. triumph of self-interest over the common good.
c. epitome of civic virtue.
d. rupture with the past.
e. triumph of the common good over self-interest
b. triumph of self-interest over the common good.
-
The Virginia Plan of the Constitutional Convention proposed a system of representation in the national legislature that was based upon
a. equal representation between the states.
b. the concept of universal suffrage.
c. the population of each state or the proportion of each state's revenue contribution or both.
d. the geographical size of a state.
e. the strength of each state's militia.
c. the population of each state or the proportion of each state's revenue contribution or both.
-
What did the New Jersey Plan propose for Congress?
a. Representation would be equal for each state.
b. Representation would be appointed according to population.
c. Representation would be proportionate to the share of taxes paid by each state to the federal government.
d. The powers of Congress would check those of state legislatures.
e. Representatives to Congress would be appointed by the state legislatures.
a. Representation would be equal for each state.
-
The issue of representation, which threatened to wreck the entire Constitutional Convention, was resolved by the Great Compromise, also called the
a. New Jersey Plan.
b. Connecticut Compromise.
c. Pennsylvania Compromise.
d. Delaware Deal.
e. Virginia Plan.
b. Connecticut Compromise.
-
During the Philadelphia Convention, in order to win concessions from large states, representatives from smaller states like Delaware threatened to
a. boycott goods from large states.
b. ban travel across their borders.
c. form alliances with foreign nations.
d. go to war with the large states.
e. create their own independent country.
c. form alliances with foreign nations.
-
James Madison believed that in the Constitutional Convention the greatest conflict of interests was between
a. large states and small states.
b. northern states and southern states.
c. the wealthy and the poor.
d. Catholics and Protestants.
e. farmers and merchants.
b. northern states and southern states.
-
The Three-Fifths Compromise
a. determined that three out of every five slaves would be counted for purposes of representation and taxation.
b. determined the ratio between free states and slave states.
c. created a bicameral legislature.
d. declared that the states would pay three-fifths of the Revolutionary War debt and the federal government would pay the rest.
e. determined that all American citizens would pay three-fifths of their income to the federal government in taxes every year.
a. determined that three out of every five slaves would be counted for purposes of representation and taxation.
-
The Great Compromise led to the
a. legalization of slavery.
b. creation of a bicameral Congress.
c. creation of the Supreme Court.
d. peaceful conclusion of Shay's Rebellion.
e. abolition of the slave trade.
b. creation of a bicameral Congress.
-
Bicameralism is a constitutional principle that means the
a. division of national government into two branches.
b. division of the powers of the Executive Branch between two individuals: the president and the vice president.
c. division of the powers of the
Executive Branch between two individuals: the Head of State and the Head of Government.
d. division of Congress into two chambers.
e. division of the federal court system into two levels: the Supreme Court and the appellate courts.
d. division of Congress into two chambers.
-
The electoral college is
a. an expression of direct democracy.
b. designed to select the president.
c. established in the Bill of Rights.
d. a school attended by all members of Congress.
e. the federal organization that oversees the operation of all elections held in the United States.
b. designed to select the president.
-
Which of the following was designed by the framers to be an office directly elected by the people?
a. member of the House of Representatives
b. senator
c. president
d. federal court judge
e. vice president
a. member of the House of Representatives
-
The three branches of government created by the Constitution are
a. constitutional, elected, and appointed.
b. executive, legislative, and judicial.
c. federal, state, and local.
d. military, courts, and bureaucracy.
e. economic, political, and social.
b. executive, legislative, and judicial.
-
Which of the following possesses the sole power to create revenue bills?
a. the House of Representatives
b. the Senate
c. the president
d. the Office of Management and Budget
e. the Treasury Department
a. the House of Representatives
-
The Senate has staggered terms of office.
a. The Senate has staggered terms of office.
b. Senators have shorter terms than members of the House of Representatives.
c. Senators were directly elected by the people.
d. Senators are the only officials immune from impeachment.
e. Only the Senate has the power to create revenue bills.
The Senate has staggered terms of office.
-
Only one-third of the Senate is up for re-election during any single election year because the framers believed that
a. too many elections would be difficult for the states to run.
b. the voters should not have to
make too many decisions during any single election.
c. this was the only way to protect the Senate against radical changes.
d. the state legislatures would conspire with each other to elect a Senate dominated by a single party.
e. this would make members of the Senate more responsive to the preferences of their constituents.
c. this was the only way to protect the Senate against radical changes.
-
All of the following are constitutional powers of the president except the power to
a. officially recognize other nations.
b. grant pardons.
c. veto bills.
d. regulate commerce between the states.
e. convene Congress in special session.
d. regulate commerce between the states.
-
Judicial review is the power of
a. the courts to decide on the constitutionality of actions taken by the other branches of government.
b. Congress to review the decisions of the federal courts.
c. the president to appoint judges to the federal courts.
d. the states to review the constitutionality of federal actions and laws.
e. the courts to review and edit pieces of legislation before they are voted on in Congress.
e. the courts to review and edit pieces of legislation before they are voted on in Congres
-
What is the term length of a federal judge?
a. two years
b. four years
c. six years
d. ten years
e. barring impeachment, life
e. barring impeachment, life
-
Compared with the Articles of Confederation, federalism under the Constitution has led to
a. greater centralization of power.
b. increased state autonomy.
c. the establishment of unitary government.
d. more local autonomy, at the expense of the states.
e. a weaker national military.
a. greater centralization of power.
-
During the ratification debates, who were the Antifederalists?
a. those who opposed the new Constitution because they wanted a weaker central government
b. those who opposed the Constitution because it did not create a strong enough central government
c. those who opposed the Constitution because it did not provide women with the right to vote
d. those who supported the Constitution
e. those who believed that the United States should enter into a confederation with Britain and Canada
a. those who opposed the new Constitution because they wanted a weaker central government
-
Who were the writers of the Federalist Papers?
a. James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton
b. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson
c. George Washington, Samuel Adams, and William Paterson
d. Charles Beard, Daniel Shays, and Paul Revere
e. James Madison, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson
a. James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton
-
The Antifederalists argued that the powers of government should be limited by
a. providing Congress with a larger grant of powers.
b. decreasing the powers of the Executive Branch, especially those of the vice president.
c. both confining the powers of the federal government to certain narrowly defined areas and adding a bill of rights to the Constitution.
d. creating an internal system of checks and controls within government.
e. preventing government from collecting revenue through taxation.
c. both confining the powers of the federal government to certain narrowly defined areas and adding a bill of rights to the Constitution.
-
How many amendments are there to the U.S. Constitution?
a. ten
b. twenty
c. twenty-seven
d. thirty
e. thirty-three
c. twenty-seven
-
Why did the Equal Rights Amendment fail to pass?
a. It was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
b. It did not receive enough votes in Congress.
c. The president vetoed it.
d. It failed to get the approval of enough state legislatures.
e. It did not win enough votes in a national referendum. It was not ratified by the necessary thirty-eight states.
e. It did not win enough votes in a national referendum. It was not ratified by the necessary thirty-eight states.
-
Which of the following was a ramification of the Three-Fifths Compromise?
a. It allowed for a political agreement between the North and the South.
b. It exacerbated conflicts between merchants and planters.
c. It allowed for a political agreement between large states and small states.
d. It permanently outlawed the slave trade.
e. It temporarily outlawed slavery.
It allowed for a political agreement between the North and the South.
-
The framers of the Constitution attempted to create a government that could do all of the following except
a. promote commerce.
b. protect private property from radical state legislatures
c. limit excessive democracy.
d. restrict the power of the central government.
e. lead to the eventual inclusion of nonwhites in political life.
e. lead to the eventualinclusion of nonwhites in political life
-
Procedures outlining how to amend the Constitution are found in Article
a. I
b. II
c. III
d. V
e. X
d. V
-
The supremacy clause
a. states that Congress is the most powerful branch of the government.
b. establishes that no branch of the government is supreme over others.
c. announces that the Constitution and all laws made under it are superior to any state laws.
d. announces that state laws are superior to any federal laws.
e. declares that no European powers shall interfere in North America.
c. announces that the Constitution and all laws made under it are superior to any state laws.
-
In a federal system a majority of governmental responsibilities are
a. the sole responsibility of the federal government.
b. under the complete authority of state governments.
c. shared by both state and federal authorities.
d. provided by local government agencies.
e. carried out by private corporations and religious organizations.
c. shared by both state and federal authorities.
-
What constitutional clause affirms that national laws and treaties, made under the authority of the Constitution, are the supreme law of the land?
a. the full faith and credit clause
b. the necessary and proper clause
c. the republican government clause
d. the supremacy clause
e. the establishment clause
b. the necessary and proper clause
-
Which of the following is the best example of a unitary system of government?
a. The federal government sets education policies for all schools.
b. The federal government establishes general guidelines for school policy.
c. The government makes funding for schools dependent on test scores.
d. The federal government provides parents with vouchers for private schools.
e. The federal government provides no funding for schools and leaves education policy up to local school boards.
a. The federal government sets education policies for all schools.
-
4. The United States, Canada, and Switzerland can all be described as _______ systems of government while France can be described as a ______ system of government.
a. unitary; federal
b. federal; unitary
c. unitary; totalitarian
d. totalitarian; federal
e. oligarchic; federal
b. federal; unitary
-
The specific powers granted to the national government in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution are called the
a. implied powers.
b. expressed powers. ---- is also none as enumerated powers
c. sovereign powers.
d. executive powers.
e. absolute powers.
b. expressed powers. ---- is also none as enumerated powers
-
The source of an implied power under the Constitution is the ______ clause.
a. full faith and credit
b. comity
c. necessary and proper
d. commerce
e. supremacy
c. necessary and proper
-
Which of the following powers do state governments not have?
a. to define private property
b. to develop and enforce criminal codes
c. to license doctors, lawyers, barbers, and plumbers
d. to create marriage and divorce laws
e. to coin their own money
e. to coin their own money
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What is the purpose of the Tenth Amendment?
a. to offer each state constitution the same level of protection provided by the federal constitution
b. to limit the powers of the central government by establishing reserved powers for states and individuals
c. to grant citizens of each state access to the federal court system
d. to protect freedom of speech
e. to establish the electoral college
b. to limit the powers of the central government by establishing reserved powers for states and individuals
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When both state and national governments possess a certain level of authority, it is called
a. an implied power.
b. a reserved power.
c. an expressed power.
d. a concurrent power.
e. a police power.
d. a concurrent power.
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A state government's authority to regulate the safety, health, and morals of its citizens is called power.
a. police
b. reserved
c. concurrent
d. supremacy
e. implied
a. police
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The full faith and credit clause of the Constitution
a. requires the national government to accept a state's outstanding debt at the time of ratification.
b. requires the national government to accept the outstanding federal debt accumulated under the Articles of Confederation.
c. requires states to normally honor each other's public acts and legal decisions.
d. requires states, but not the federal government, to run a balanced budget.
e. requires the federal government, but not states, to run a balanced budget.
c. requires states to normally honor each other's public acts and legal decisions.
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Which clauses of the Constitution involve the relationships among various states?
a. the full faith and credit clause and the privileges and immunities clause
b. the full faith and credit clause and the federalism clause
c. the privileges and immunities clause and the federalism clause
d. the establishment clause and the full faith and credit clause
e. the establishment clause and the privileges and immunities clause.
a. the full faith and credit clause and the privileges and immunities clause
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Which of the following has not been an important contractual topic between states?
a. the distribution of river water
b. state passport requirements
c. interstate transportation
d. environmental regulations
e. border disputes
b. state passport requirements
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If a state grants a city the ability to govern its own local affairs, this delegation of power is known as
a. home rule.
b. dual federalism.
c. ostracism.
d. separation of powers.
e. city governance.
a. home rule.
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Which of the following statements best describes the discussion of local government found in the Constitution?
a. Local government has no status in the Constitution.
b. Local governments are constitutionally required to turn over all of the local taxes collected from residents to state governments.
c. Local governments are given the authority to ignore federal laws that their citizens do not agree with.
d. Local governments have the power to establish local banks.
e. Local governments have the power to raise and maintain militias.
a. Local government has no status in the Constitution.
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Which of the following describes constitutionally permitted relationships between the states?
a. No state may ever enter into a contract or agreement with another state.
b. No state shall enter into a contract or agreement with another state without the approval of Congress.
c. States may have treaties with either states or Indian reservations with the approval of Congress.
d. The Senate controls all interstate relationships.
e. No state shall enter into a contract or agreement with another state without the approval of the president.
b. No state shall enter into a contract or agreement with another state without the approval of Congress.
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When Alaska passed a law in the 1970s that gave state residents preference over nonresidents in obtaining work on oil pipelines, this law violated the
a. interstate commerce clause.
b. full faith and credit clause.
c. privileges and immunities clause.
d. takings clause.
e. necessary and proper clause.
c. privileges and immunities clause.
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During the era of dual federalism, what was the primary goal of the federal government's domestic policies?
a. to promote competition between the states
b. to assist the development of commercial activity within and between the states
c. to protect citizens from the abuses of state governments
d. to keep the states from going to war with each other
e. to provide educational opportunities to all citizens
b. to assist the development of commercial activity within and between the states
-
Which level of government writes the majority of criminal laws?
a. the national government
b. the state governments
c. the local governments
d. the special districts
e. the county boards of supervisors
b. the state governments
-
Which statement best describes American federalism since the 1930s?
a. There has been no change in the strength of the federal government since the 1930s.
b. Although the federal government has grown significantly more powerful since the 1930s, some power has been returned to states in recent years.
c. Although the state governments have grown significantly more powerful since the 1930s, some power has been returned to the federal government in recent years.
d. Both the federal government and state governments have become significantly less powerful since the 1930s.
e. Both the federal government and state governments have become significantly more powerful since the 1930s.
e. Both the federal government and state governments have become significantly more powerful since the 1930s.
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Who wrote the Supreme Court opinions in both McCulloch v. Maryland and Gibbons v. Ogden
a. Alexander Hamilton
b. James Madison
c. John Marshall
d. Roger Taney
e. Andrew Jackson
c. John Marshall
-
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) was important because
a. it fully developed the concept of judicial review.
b. it fully developed the concept of dual citizenship.
c. it established the supremacy of the national government in all matters affecting interstate commerce.
d. it determined that the forced relocation of the Five Civilized Tribes to Oklahoma was unconstitutional.
e. it determined the Bill of Rights applied to state governments as well as to the federal government.
c. it established the supremacy of the national government in all matters affecting interstate commerce.
-
Those seeking to restrain the powers of the national government look to what part of the constitution?
a. the commerce clause
b. the states' rights clause
c. the First Amendment
d. the Tenth Amendment
e. the due process clause
d. the Tenth Amendment
-
What was the "Southern Manifesto"?
a. the declaration of secession by the Confederate states in 1860
b. the protest against the enforced passage of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868
c. the refusal by southern congressmen in 1956 to obey Supreme Court decisions outlawing racial segregation
d. the statement preceding the migration of white southerners to the Republican Party in 1968
e. the act of Congress that officially ended the Civil War in 1865
c.the refusal by southern congressmen in 1956 to obey Supreme Court decisions outlawing racial segregation
-
Why was the Supreme Court case United States v. Lopez important?
a. It was the first time since the New Deal that the Supreme Court limited the power of Congress outlined under the commerce clause.
b. It was the first time that the Court had used the Tenth Amendment to limit the power of Congress.
c. The Court found that citizens could not bring racial discrimination suits against state governments.
d. The Court found the line-item veto unconstitutional.
e. The Court gave a broad interpretation of the commerce clause that expanded the power of the federal government over the states.
a. It was the first time since the New Deal that the Supreme Court limited the power of Congress outlined under the commerce clause.
-
Which event was most influential in the rise of a more active national government?
a. the War of 1812
b. the Civil War
c. World War I
d. the Great Depression
e. the Cold War
d. the Great Depression
-
Congressional grants paid for _____ percent of the development of an interstate highway after World War
a. 10 b. 25 c. 50 d. 90 e. 100
d. 90
-
A _____ grant requires state and local governments to submit proposals to the federal government and compete for funding.
a. Pell
b. formula
c. project
d. federal
e. contest
c. project
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The principle of ______ grants the federal government the power to override any state or local law in one particular area of policy.
a. cooperative federalism
b. grant-in-aid
c. preemption
d. dual federalism
e. home rule
c. preemption
-
If the federal government compels state governments to obey costly regulations but does not reimburse those costs, it is called a(n)
a. grant-in-aid.
b. preemption.
c. unfunded mandate.
d. block grant.
e. general revenue sharing.
c. unfunded mandate.
-
Federal officials seeking to give state government more authority are most likely to support
a. unfunded mandates.
b. preemption.
c. block grants.
d. categorical grants.
e. project grants.
c. block grants.
-
Using block grants to return power to the states was part of the Nixon and Reagan administrations'
a. New Deal.
b. Great Society.
c. New Federalism.
d. New Frontier.
e. Third Way.
c. New Federalism.
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Many of the debates concerning federalism reflect
a. the regional competition that has existed throughout American history.
b. the greatest source of tension between Republicans and Democrats.
c. differing views about the ultimate goal of government itself.
d. conflict of interest problems between government officials and business leaders.
e. the role of religion in public life.
c. differing views about the ultimate goal of government itself.
-
Nations that adopt a federal arrangement tend to have
a. diverse ethnic or language groups.
b. multiparty systems.
c. strong executives.
d. no history of feudalism.
e. a history of totalitarianism.
a. diverse ethnic or language groups.
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Federal laws concerning crime mostly deal with
a. terrorism.
b. the District of Columbia and other federal territories.
c. drug trafficking and organized crime.
d international crime.
e. crimes against children.
b. the District of Columbia and other federal territories
-
What was one effect of dual federalism during the early Republic?
a. The national government was spared the task of making difficult policy decisions, such as the regulation of slavery, because the states did it themselves.
b. The national government was unable to raise sufficient amounts of money through taxes and tariffs.
c. The number of federal criminal laws expanded rapidly, while state criminal laws decreased.
d. The national government was able to significantly expand civil rights for blacks in the South.
e. The strength and size of the military grew dramatically.
a. The national government was spared the task of making difficult policy decisions, such as the regulation of slavery, because the states did it themselves.
-
Which clause of the Constitution has been critical in allowing the growth of national power?
a. the commerce clause
b. the full faith and credit clause
c. the comity clause
d. the Tenth Amendment
e. the establishment clause
a. the commerce clause
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Which of the following economic policies was the national government allowed to implement during the nineteenth century?
a. establishing a series of national banks
b. regulating the health and safety of the workplace
c. regulating the use of child labor
d. preventing the production of impure goods
e. prohibiting fraud
a. establishing a series of national banks
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What was a major reason for the declining importance of state governments during the 1960s?
a. State governments were not raising enough revenue.
b. The national government distrusted states due to racism in the South.
c. The national government was limited by the principle of home rule.
d. State governments had delegated their powers to the national government.
e. State governments were highly ineffective in implementing social and economic programs during the 1950s.
b. The national government distrusted states due to racism in the South.
-
The constitutional idea of states’ rights was strongest during which historical period?
a. the years immediately preceding the Civil War
b. Reconstruction
c. the 1910s
d. the Great Depression
e. the 1960s
a. the years immediately preceding the Civil War
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Which statement best describes the Supreme Court’s trend in interpreting federalism since the mid-1990s?
a. The Court has slowly granted the national government more power over the states.
b. The Court has limited the power of the national government over the state governments.
c. The Court has repeatedly declined to hear federalism cases, arguing that they are a political question.
d. The Court has granted the states more access to sue the national government in federal courts.
e. The Court has dramatically limited the ability of states to sue the national government in federal courts.
b. The Court has limited the power of the national government over the state governments.
-
Which of the following Supreme Court cases limited federal power?
a. United States v. Lopez and Printz v. United States
b. Gibbons v. Ogden and McCulloch v. Maryland
c. Gibbons v. Ogden and Brown v. Board of Education
d. McCulloch v. Maryland and Brown v. Board of Education
e. Gibbons v. Ogden and Roe v. Wade
a. United States v. Lopez and Printz v. United States
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The term marble cake federalism is meant to refer to what development?
a. budgeting being conducted with a “dessert first” mentality
b. intergovernmental cooperation blurring the lines between different layers of government
c. the federal government bribing the states with various gifts in order to convince them to follow national standards
d. federalism becoming hard and tasteless
e. the confusion that emerged during the 1960s about which layer of government is actually responsible for regulating the national economy
b. intergovernmental cooperation blurring the lines between different layers of government
-
What have many political scientists called “laboratories of democracy”?
a. the executive agencies of the federal government
b. the states
c. local governments
d. special districts
e. congressional committees
b. the states
-
One argument for a strong federal government is its role in ensuring ______ across states.
a. liberty
b. equality
c. welfare reform
d. laissez-faire capitalism
e. popular sovereignty
b. equality
-
What was one effect of dual federalism during the early Republic?
a. The national government was spared the task of making difficult policy decisions, such as the regulation of slavery, because the states did it themselves.
b. The national government was unable to raise sufficient amounts of money through taxes and tariffs.
c. The number of federal criminal laws expanded rapidly, while state criminal laws decreased.
d. The national government was able to significantly expand civil rights for blacks in the South.
e. The strength and size of the military grew dramatically
a. The national government was spared the task of making difficult policy decisions, such as the regulation of slavery, because the states did it themselves.
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