Exam: Constitution and Federalism

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

1. The Declaration of Independence was primarilyA. a treaty with France for war against BritainB. the United States’ first constitutionC. a statement to announce and justify a revolutionD. an outline for a new governmentE. an original philosophical treatise on politics

2. What is the primary argument made in Federalist 51?A. Factions are detrimental to democracy.B. The legislative branch should have the most power.C. State powers should be protected.D. A federal system of government is superior to a unitary system.E. Separation of powers will provide balanced government.

3. All of the following are formal powers of the executive EXCEPTA. declare warB. serve as commander-in-chiefC. receive ambassadorsD. pardon criminalsE. appoint cabinet officials with confirmation from the Senate

4. John Locke believed that the primary purpose of government was A. Ensuring the pursuit of happinessB. Ensuring the equality of manC. Providing for majority ruleD. To preserve institutions of governmentE. To preserve Natural Rights

5. The American RevolutionA. was a radical social movement that drastically altered the American way of lifeB. demonstrated the power that unitary government systems could use against a federalist oneC. was heavily influenced by the earlier success of the French RevolutionD. was very similar to the French, Russian, and Iranian RevolutionsE. was an essentially conservative movement that did not drastically alter the American way of life

6. Which of the following best describes political culture?A. An individual’s beliefs about government and politics.B. A set of values shared by a particular demographic group.C. The widely shared values of a culture.D. The shared agreements among groups who compete in the political process.E. The norms set forth in a written constitution.

7. Which of the following is true about the Articles of Confederation?I. There was no executive branchII. Each state had one vote in the national legislatureIII. The national government could only tax incomeIV. States could regulate their own commerce

A. I and II onlyB. I and III onlyC. I, II, and IV D. I, III, and IVE. I, II, III, and IV

8. The U.S. government under the Articles of Confederation can best be described asA. overly prone to intervention in foreign affairsB. weak and ineffectiveC. unitaryD. dictatorialE. overly bureaucratic

9. Which of the following was a significant source of revenue for the U.S. government under the Articles of Confederation?

A. Taxes levied on interstate commerce.B. Sales of Western lands.C. Income taxes levied on citizens.D. Donations from wealthy landholders.E. Corporate income taxes.

10. The Great Compromise resulted inA. the agreement to add a Bill of Rights to the ConstitutionB. the establishment of a bicameral legislatureC. the creation of a national executive with a single presidentD. the creation of the cabinetE. the agreement that presidents would be restricted to two terms in office

11. The Supreme Court’s decision in McCulloch v. Maryland resulted inA. an affirmation of the power of the national government over the state governmentsB. the rejection of the national governments power to regulate interstate commerceC. the recognition of flag burning as being part of “Symbolic Speech”D. the rejection of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)E. the upholding of the legality of segregated public schools

12. After the Revolution, James Madison observed, “the most common and durable source of faction has been. . .”

A. urban and rural divisionsB. the British armyC. the various and unequal divisions of propertyD. racial inequalitiesE. religious differences

13. The 2011 debt-ceiling crisis is an example ofA. policy gridlockB. incrementalismC. interest group politicsD. mass politicsE. American individualism

14. What was Shays’ Rebellion?A. A slave uprising in Virginia.B. An uprising by Revolutionary War veterans demanding pensions.C. An uprising by small merchants demanding credit.D. A full revolt based upon taxation over whiskey excise taxes in Pennsylvania.E An uprising by farmers to prevent judges from foreclosing on farms.

15. Those who met at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 wereA. primarily British officials overseeing the implementation of the new government agreed to in the peace treatyB. split evenly between Democrats and RepublicansC. a mix of wealthy and middle-class AmericansD. overwhelmingly middle-class farmersE. wealthy planters, lawyers, and merchants

16. What view of human nature did the delegates at the Constitutional Convention have?A. Government must be powerful to prevent rebellion.B. People are self-interested, but governments can be structured to balance rival interests.C. Humans are basically good.D. There is no human nature and humans are the product of their environment.E. Altruistic-humans are will always do the right thing and be good to others without government regulations.

17. The Virginia and New Jersey Plans introduced at the Constitutional Convention differed mainly over whether

A. slavery should be permitted in the countryB. the states or the national government should regulate interstate commerceC. there should be a legislative branch at the national levelD. there should be a presidentE. states should send equal numbers of representatives to Congress

18. All of the following were major disagreements discussed at the Constitutional Convention EXCEPT

A. whether the courts should have the power of judicial reviewB. how slaves should be counted for purpose of representationC. whether or not the states should have an equal number of votes in CongressD. How the president should be chosenE. whether or not to limit the importation of slaves

19. The Connecticut Compromise at the Constitutional Convention

A. established that each state would have equal access to federal aidB. resolved the impasse between those who favored the New Jersey Plan and those who preferred the Virginia PlanC. settled the dispute over whether slavery in the final ConstitutionD. added the Bill of Rights to the Constitution to please Anti-FederalistsE. created the Electoral College

20. What does the Constitution specify about the issue of slaves? A. That slavery would be banned beginning in 1808.B. A boundary, known as the Mason-Dixon line, south of which slavery would be legal.C. Nothing as it was too controversial a subject and the delegates could not agree on anything regarding it.D. That slaves would count as three-fifths persons for counting the nation’s population used for taxation and determining seats in the House of Representatives.E. That a gradual end to slavery must be worked out by Congress and the states within ten years.

21. Regarding the right to vote in national elections, the Framers of the ConstitutionA. left it up to the individual states to determine voter qualifications in their own statesB. included a requirement that all free, adult males be allowed to voteC. provided that free men and women over the age of 20 be allowed to voteD. defined citizenship narrowly, so that most people could not voteE. required that all free, adult males with property worth at least $50 be allowed to vote

22. Which of the following individual rights is protected in the original Constitution?A. The rights set forth in the Bill of Rights.B. The rights provided in state constitutions.C. Freedom of religionD. Freedom of speech and assembly.E. The right of a defendant to be provided with evidence

23. Each of the following violations of individual rights is forbidden in the original Constitution EXCEPT

A. suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in peacetimeB. passing ex post facto lawsC. passing bills of attainderD. strict limits on the prosecution of treasonE. government censorship of the press

24. Two key elements of the Madisonian model were toA. keep most of the government beyond the control of a popular majority and separate the powers of different institutionsB. keep as much of the government as possible beyond the control of a popular majority and extend the right to vote to everyoneC. promote state power while separating the powers of different national institutionsD. require a system of checks and balances, including a powerful judiciaryE. combine the powers of different institutions and create a powerful presidency

25. The Federalist Papers were

A. the notes that George Washington took at the Constitutional Convention.B. the original name of the constitution written by the Constitutional Convention.C. essays in support of ratification of the Constitution.D. essays written that were critical of the Constitution.E. newspapers which backed the Federalist Party in early U.S. elections.

26. The Anti-Federalists believed that the new ConstitutionA. was a thinly disguised attempt to return the country to a true monarchyB. was designed to give control of the government to farmers from the SouthC. created a new government that was too weak to be effectiveD. created a central government that was too powerfulE. was too democratic and would lead to tyranny of the masses against the wealthy

27. The Bill of Rights was added to the ConstitutionA. in 1865 after the union victory in the Civil War.B. after the ratification process was complete, and partly to fulfill a promise to those who supported ratification.C. during the Constitutional Convention, at the insistence of Thomas Jefferson.D. during the ratification process, before final ratification of the Constitution.E. piece by piece during the first 100 years of its operation.

28. The amendments that have been added to the Constitution have made itA. more elitist and undemocraticB. more egalitarian and democraticC. more protective of property rightsD. more confusing and contradictoryE. weaker and less significant to American society

29. The Constitution was ratified byA. the Electoral CollegeB. a national vote C. special conventions in each of the statesD. the state legislaturesE. state representatives to the Constitutional Convention

30. Constitutional amendments are most commonly ratified byA. state conventions called by two-thirds vote in CongressB. a two-thirds vote in each house of CongressC. a national conventionD. legislatures of three-fourths of the statesE. a majority of the Supreme Court

31. What does the failure of the Equal Rights Amendment indicate? A. The U.S. is a democracy and majority opinion prevails.B. Congress was unwilling to support a measure opposed by a majority of the public.C. A national majority in favor of an amendment is not sufficient to add it to the Constitution. D. Amendments are more likely to fail when they are long and confusing.E. Most states did not want to grant constitutional equality to women.

32. The cartoon above deals with which of the Amendments in the Bill of Rights?A. First Amendment.B. Fourth Amendment.C. Fifth Amendment.D. Eight Amendment.E. Tenth Amendment.

33. The Supreme Court in Marbury v. Madison (1803) asserted the power of the Court toA. impeach the PresidentB. issue writs of mandamusC. check the actions of the other branches through judicial reviewD. confirm presidential appointmentsE. nullify constitutional amendments

34. How has the Electoral College changed from the original intent of the Framers?A. Today, the electors vote for whom they personally feel would make the best president.B. Electoral college members are selected by the community to best represent their interestsC. The number of electors has decreased dramatically.D. The President must now be elected by two-thirds vote of the electoral college rather than a simple majority.E. Almost all electors now vote for the presidential candidate who wins the most popular votes in their state.

35. In United States v. Lopez, the Supreme Court ruled thatA. the Gun Free School Zones Act violated citizens’ rights to bear armsB. the Gun Free School Zones Act exceeded Congress’ authority to regulate commerce among the statesC. illegal immigrants can be denied access to basic social services but not emergency servicesD. the right to burn an American flag was Constitutional E. education is a state issue and may not be regulated by Congress

36. A unitary system is a way of organizing government so thatA. every single government is independent of the others and possesses its own specialized power and authorityB. power is concentrated in a central governmentC. both national and state governments have authority over the same land and peopleD. power is concentrated in state and local governmentsE. national and state governments have separate powers over different policy areas

37. Which of the following is a characteristic of a federal system of government?A. There is a clear dividing line between state and national power.B. It simplifies the governmental system.C. It is difficult for regional interests to block the progress of the nation.D. It creates more access points to government.E. The courts have less power in a federal system than in a unitary system.

38. The power to directly regulate drinking ages, marriage and divorce is generally left up toA. the PresidentB. CongressC. both the state and national governmentsD. the federal judiciaryE. state governments

39. Which of the following powers is expressly denied to the states?A. Impose an income taxB. Protect citizens from unrestC. Borrow moneyD. Establish courtsE. Coin Money

40. Which of the following is true about the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause?A. It does not apply to state and local matters.B. It makes the President supreme in any constitutional conflicts with the other two branches.C. It is vague about which level of government should prevail in a dispute involving federalism.D. Establishes the right of the Supreme Court to practice judicial review.E. Makes the Constitution, the laws of the national government, and the national government’s treaties, the supreme law of the land.

41. The efforts of Candy Lightner and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to raise the legal drinking age to 21 are an example of

A. the influence of money on CongressB. the ability of the national government to influence state policy through the grant processC. the constitutional authority of the national government to impose policies on state governmentsD. the supremacy of state government to regulate its own affairsE. states acting as policy innovators

42. The primary intent of the Tenth Amendment is that

A. states have certain powers that the national government cannot encroach uponB. national laws override state laws when there is a conflict between the twoC. the national government can take control of a state government during a national emergencyD. both states and national government are bound by the limitations in the Bill of RightsE. state legislatures have the ultimate authority to determine what a state government’s powers are.

43. The enumerated powers of Congress and the national government are thoseA. specifically spelled out in the ConstitutionB. requiring ratification by the statesC. involving taxes, spending, and fiscal policyD. set out in the first ten amendmentsE. not specifically spelled out in the Constitution, but nonetheless acknowledged

44. In determining the power of Congress to regulate commerce in the case of Gibbons v. Odgen (1824), the Supreme Court

A. ruled the Elastic Clause gave New York the power to regulate state commerce B. listed the enumerated powers of Congress and the national governmentC. listed the implied powers of Congress and the national governmentD. defined commerce very broadly, including virtually every form of commercial activityE. prohibited Congress from regulating business activity on the grounds it violated private property rights

45. The Supreme Court case of Printz v. U.S.A. enhanced the powers of Congress by expanding its interpretation of commerceB. Overturned the requirement that states be forced to conduct background checks on gun purchasesC. required states to enforce the 48-hour waiting period to purchase a gunD. denied Congress the power of regulating guns in school zonesE. gave Congress greater power on the basis of the Commerce and Elastic Clauses

46. The fact that a driver’s license from one state is valid in others states is an example ofA. full faith and creditB. extraditionC. privileges and immunitiesD. reciprocityE. implied powers

47. The constitutional requirement that the states return a person charged with a crime in another state to that state for trial or imprisonment is known as

A. extraditionB. full faith and creditC. forfeitureD. the elastic clauseE. privileges and immunities

48. Fiscal federalism is

A. the distribution of a budget surplus to the states, based on their total populationsB. the distinct separation of national government spending versus state and local government spendingC. the federal government’s regulation of the money supply and interest ratesD. the pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal systemE. the federal income tax

49. The requirement of a drinking age provision before states can receive federal highway aid is an example of

A. the efforts of state agencies to get federal fundsB. an unfunded mandateC. a string attached to categorical grantsD. a project grant supported by the interest groupsE. an important element of the “formula” used to calculate formula grants

50. Programs such a Medicaid, where applicants automatically qualify for aid if they meet the requirements, are examples of

A. block grantsB. formula grantsC. recipient grantsD. qualifying grantsE. project grants

51. Which of the following is true based upon the information provided in the graph?A. More money has been given to the states by the federal government over time. B. More money has been given by the states to the federal government over time.C. The total number of federal aid programs is over 2500.D. The federal government is collecting more taxes for distribution to federal and state governments. E. The number of federal aid programs for state and local government has gone up over time.

52. A power that governments are generally recognized as having, such as the power to acquire land, without explicitly being named are

A. Expressed PowersB. Implied PowersC. Inherent Powers D. Constitutional powers E. Deliberate Powers

53. As a result of our federal form of government, the death penalty in the United StatesA. is mandatoryB. is in violation of the Eighth AmendmentC. is permissible at the state level, but banned at the federal levelD. is permissible at the federal level, but banned at the state levelE. varies substantially by state

54. The trend away from categorical grants and toward block grants is an example of A. fiscal federalismB. dual federalismC. revenue sharingD. devolutionE. cooperative federalism

55. Which of the following statement best describes the impact of federalism on public education?

A. No Child Left Behind/ Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2001 created a national curriculum all states must follow.B. The quality of public schools varies from state to state and from district to district.C. Federal mandates make it difficult for school officials to discipline students.D. Many states refuse to accept federal funds so that they can maintain control of their public schools.E. Federal funding makes up a small percentage of per pupil expenditures.

56. The fact that Republicans in Congress tend to prefer block grants to categorical grants indicates that

A. they want the federal government to exercise less authority over the states.B. they want to increase state programs, aid, and funds sent to the federal government.C. they intend to raise more money from state governments to reduce the federal budget deficit.D. they want federal money to be spent at the municipal level rather than the state level.E. they want to decrease federal aid to state governments.

57. Project grantsA. are awarded on the basis of competitive applicationsB. are automatically given to states and communitiesC. have no strings attachedD. are distributed according to a specific formulaE. Provide states with wide latitude in how the money is spent

58. Which of the following statements about the grant process is correct?A. Congress decreased funding of Medicaid in the 1980s to relieve state financial burdens.B. Federal grants can put an unwanted financial burden on states.C. When Congress imposes a program on the states, it also must provide funds for the program.D. States frequently decline to accept grant money.E. States rarely attempt to influence the grant process.

59. Each of the following is considered a disadvantage of federalism for democracy EXCEPTA. local interests may be able to thwart national majority support of certain policiesB. large number of governments in the United States is confusing and bureaucraticC. voter turnout rates in state and local elections are even lower than in national electionsD. policy diversity can discourage states from providing services that would otherwise be availableE. Different states may have different policies depending on their circumstances

60. The rapid growth of the national government is largely due to the fact thatA. state officials want the national government to solve most problemsB. many problems and policies require the authority and resources of the national government that the states lackC. the Constitution requires that most programs be administered by the national government for continuityD. the diversity of interests within and among the states make it difficult to coordinate policies nationwideE. states are constitutionally prohibited from taxing citizens at a rate greater than the national income tax