question

What was the practical purpose for publication of The Federalist essays in 1788?

answer

To explain and defend the new Constitution and to urge its ratification

question

The Constitutional Convention that convened in Philadelphia in May 1787 had as its original and stated purpose the

answer

amendment of the Articles of Confederation.

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The underlying concept behind the principle of separation of powers is that

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were in favor of a strong central government and ratification of the new constitution.

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The Great Compromise provided for a

answer

bicameral legislature, one house elected by the people and the second state legislatures

question

Hamilton attacked the Articles of Confederation based on the impossibility of governing if each state is essentially sovereign in

answer

Federalist No. 15.

question

Separation of powers" is an application of the political philosophy of

answer

Montesquieu.

question

The Declaration of Independence lists examples of "inalienable rights" as

answer

life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

question

Which of the following was NOT part of the colonial government?

answer

Colonial archbishops

question

One of the core principles of the U.S. Constitution is popular sovereignty, which means that the

answer

. people are ultimately in charge of their political and social destiny.

question

At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, the Federalists

answer

were in favor of a strong central government and ratification of the new constitution

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Hamilton argued that the executive must be a single person in order to achieve "energy," which is a "leading character in the definition of good government," in

answer

Federalist No. 70.

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The 13 pre-revolutionary colonial governments

answer

mirrored those of England , including an elected lower house.

question

The concept of strict construction requires that the Constitution

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may only be changed by the formal amendment process.

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Unlike our current constitution, the Articles of Confederation could be amended

answer

only with the unanimous consent of the states.

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What was the significance of Shays's Rebellion in Massachusetts in early 1787?

answer

A weak federal government carried the danger of violence and disorder.

question

What has been the most common method used to amend the U.S. Constitution?

answer

2/3rds of both chambers of Congress, then ratified by 3/4ths of state legislatures

question

The Sugar Act of 1764 placed tariffs and duties on goods imported into the colonies by England. However, its political significance was that

answer

it opened the debate by the colonists of taxation without representation

question

The core principles of the Virginia Plan were

answer

a strong central government and a bicameral legislature.

question

The Declaratory Act was passed to make clear the principle that the

answer

king and Parliament had final authority over the colonies.

question

The primary purpose of the system of checks and balances is

answer

to ensure that no one interest or faction could easily dominate the government

question

n one state, the civil court settles a dispute concerning assets in the estate of a deceased person. The one who loses the case in civil court cannot go into another state and have that state's civil court revisit the case. This is an example of

answer

an application of the full faith and credit clause of the U.S. Constitution.

question

The power to register voters and conduct elections is an example of a(n)

answer

reserved power.

question

Powers explicitly delegated to the Congress under Article I of the U.S. Constitution are referred to as

answer

enumerated powers.

question

"Marble Cake Federalism" is a system in which

answer

state and federal authority is intertwined in an inseparable mixture.

question

England has a strong elected Parliament that serves as the central government. All local governments are subordinate to Parliament. This governmental arrangement is an example of a

answer

unitary system.

question

Article VI of the U.S. Constitution contains the supremacy clause provides that

answer

no state laws or constitutions may override the U.S. Constitution.

question

Article IV, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution contains the full faith and credit clause. This clause guarantees that

answer

states will abide by the judicial decisions and civil laws of each state.

question

James Madison referred to the system of federalism as the "middle ground" of government types. What did he mean by this statement?

answer

Federalism has elements of both systems but is the best attempt to balance power.

question

What was the name of the landmark case that concluded when a state supreme court's decision is in direct conflict with a decision by the United States Supreme Court, each state legislature must abide by those rulings?

answer

Martin v. Hunter's Lessee

question

During the administrations of George Washington, and John Adams,

answer

the federal government cautiously but consistently increased its powers and reach

question

A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political subunits is called a

answer

federal system.

question

What is the significance of the "New Federalism" era, which began in the 1990s?

answer

It appears that a significant return to states' rights has emerged.

question

The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that

answer

any powers not expressly given to Congress are reserved to the states.

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Which of the following is NOT an enumerated power granted to Congress under the U.S. Constitution?

answer

To provide for the welfare of citizens

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The power to establish tax laws is an example of

answer

concurrent power.

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The target of the complaint, who normally responds to the complaint with a formal written defense prior to appearing formally in court, is called the

answer

defendant.

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A case would not originate in the federal courts if the lawsuit

answer

or case involves a violation of a state's civil process.

question

Article III of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress authority to create "inferior courts" as it determines a need. Which of the following is NOT considered an "inferior" federal court?

answer

The Supreme Court

question

Judge-made law handed down through judicial opinions, which establish slowly evolving precedents over time, is referred to as

answer

common law.

question

From what sources does the U.S. Supreme Court receive its appeals?

answer

About half from federal appellate courts and half from state supreme courts.

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The party that chooses to initiate formal legal proceedings is called the

answer

plaintiff.

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Litigants who receive an adverse judgment in federal appeals court and wish to be heard in the U.S. Supreme Court may petition for a

answer

writ of certiorari.

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When one private party contests another and the lawsuit or action is brought before a judge in a court of law, the process is referred to collectively as

answer

litigation.

question

Passing new laws through Congress is difficult because

answer

both chambers must come to agreement on the precise wording of a bill.

question

What is the minimum age for qualifying to become a U.S. Senator?

answer

30 years old

question

In its original language, the U.S. Constitution stated in Article I that the number of members in the U.S. House of Representatives should not exceed one for every __________ citizens.

answer

30,000

question

Permanent committees in both the House and Senate that deal with constant, recurring issues are called

answer

standing committees.

question

The U.S. Senate may call for a __________ vote, which immediately ends all debate and forces a vote on the issue

answer

cloture

question

The function in which Congress monitors federal agency performance and holds hearings to inquire about agency policies and decisions is called

answer

oversight.

question

Membership from each state in the U.S. Senate is determined by

answer

equal representation from each state

question

Which of the following is NOT a duty or responsibility of the Speaker of the House?

answer

Censuring House members for disciplinary reasons

question

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives serve

answer

terms of two years

question

What role does the Senate play in the removal of an official from office?

answer

It conducts a trial and votes to remove (or not) the individual from office.

question

Currently, the population of the average congressional district is approximately

answer

646,000.

question

Which of the following is NOT considered to be a normal task of a member of the modern Congress?

answer

Developing and negotiating treaties

question

What is the threshold that Congress needs to be successful to override a presidential veto?

answer

A two-thirds majority in both chambers

question

The term "gerrymandering" was coined because Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts created a new congressional district that on the map appeared to his opponents as resembling a

answer

salamander.

question

An attempt to block a bill from passage in the U.S. Senate by refusing to end discussion is known as

answer

filibuster.

question

To qualify as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, an individual must

answer

U.S. citizen for at least seven years.

question

How is the number of U.S. Senators from each state determined?

answer

Article I requires there be two senators from each state.

question

The presiding officer of the U.S. House of Representatives is the

answer

Speaker of the House.

question

A temporary committee within either chamber of Congress that is established to investigate a particular issue of concern and report back to the full chamber is called a

answer

select committee.

question

The extent to which the people afford government the authority to exercise power is referred to as

answer

legitimacy

question

A(n) ______ is a form of government in which a small exclusive class holds supreme power.

answer

oligarchy

question

The values and beliefs toward government and its operations and institutions, widely held among its citizens in a society, are often referred to as

answer

Political culture.

question

Political philosopher Thomas Hobbes believed that the essence of government is to

answer

manage naturally occurring conflicts

question

Representative democracy is often referred to as which of the following synonymous terms?

answer

republic

question

Who determines public policies in an indirect democracy?

answer

The representatives

question

Which of the following statements is not a purpose of a "signing statement?" It is

answer

effectively the same as a veto and can be overridden.

question

The recent president with the highest percentage of veto overrides was

answer

Gerald Ford.

question

As a result of Franklin Roosevelt's tenure as president, the Twenty-second Amendment (1951) places what restriction on presidents?

answer

No person may be elected president more than twice

question

The term "imperial presidency" has come to describe the situation where the

answer

president assumes powers to act independently of Congress under certain circumstances.

question

John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and other political theorists of the 1700s argued that an executive power was fundamental and obvious. Which of the following is NOT one of the primary reasons they used to justify their arguments?

answer

Legislatures are inherently corrupt and incapable of ethical behavior.

question

The Constitutional amendment limiting the president to only two elected terms is the

answer

Twenty-second Amendment.

question

The United States Constitution allows for removal of the president by the process of

answer

impeachment.

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