Chapter 13 and 15

Question 1

The power to declare war is given to whom under the constituion?

A) the president

B)the senate

C) both houses of congress

D)the senate with the approval of the president

Answer 1

C) both houses of congress

Question 2

the term __ was coined by critics who feared that the chief executive’s powers had grown too great since world war II

A) “ pax americana”

B) “ the imperial presidency”

C) “ the overimmunized executive”

D) “nixonization”

Answer 2

B) “ the imperial presidency”

Question 3

What is required for congress to override a presidential veto?

A) a majority of both houses of congress

B) two-thirds of both houses of congress

C) three-fourths of both houses of congress

D) a president’s veto cannot be overridden, unless it concerns the budget, in which case it requires a three-fourths majority of both houses

Answer 3

B) two-thirds of both houses of congress

Question 4

who was the first first lady to seek and win public office on her own?

A) dolly madison

B) eleanor roosevelt

C) betty ford

D) hillary clinton

Answer 4

D) hillary clinton

Question 5

the decline of voting and political participation by americans has which of the following effects?

A) it increases the powers of both congress and the president

B) it weakens the power of both the president and congress

C) it enhances the power of the president while weakening congress

D) it increases the powers of state governments, and weakens the federal government

Answer 5

C) it enhances the power of the president while weakening congress

Question 6

the last time congress exercised its constitutional power to declared war was in

A) 1941

B) 1950

C) 1964

D) 2002

Answer 6

A) 1941

Question 7

the office of the presidency was established by __ of the constitution

A) article I

B) article II

C) article III

D) article IV

Answer 7

B) article II

Question 8

in what type of law is the government always the plaintiff?

A) public law

B) criminal law

C) civil law

D) common law

Answer 8

B) criminal law

Question 9

if a private individual brought a suit against a corporation for breaking a contract, what kind of law would this lawsuit involve?

A) criminal

B) civil

C) public

D) plaintiff

Answer 9

B) civil

Question 10

The party that brings a complaint in court is called the __, and the one against whom the complaint is brought is called the __.

A) defendant; plaintiff

B) plaintiff; precedent

C) plaintiff; defendant

D) litigator; juror

Answer 10

C) plaintiff; defendant

Question 11

The phrase “stare decisis” means

A) “let the decision stand”

B) “the state will decide”

C) “the decision is void”

D) “the state must be decisive”

Answer 11

A) “let the decision stand”

Question 12

when a case is resolved through a negotiated agreement beforea full trial is completed, it is called

A) a misdemeanor

B) a plea bargain

C) taking the fifth

D) a writ of certiorari

Answer 12

B) a plea bargain

Question 13

the area of authority possessed by a court, in terms of either subject area or geography, is called its

A) appellate scope

B) judicial review

C) precedents

D) jurisdiction

Answer 13

D) jurisdiction

Question 14

the right of due process is best described as the right of

A) everyone to appeal their trial

B) every citizen to vote

C) every person not to be treated arbitrarily by a government official or agency

D) every person to be a lawyer

Answer 14

C) every person not to be treated arbitrarily by a government official or agency

Question 15

original jurisdiction refers to

A) the constitution as the supreme law of the land

B) the court with the authority to hear a case first

C) the highest court with the power to overrule other courts

D)congress’s power to determine what cases the federal courts will hear

Answer 15

B) the court with the authority to hear a case first

Question 16

trial court in the federal judicial system are called

A) grand juries

B) district courts

C) appellate courts

D) administrative courts

Answer 16

B) district courts

Question 17

how many justices currently serve on the supreme court?

A) seven

B) nine

C) eleven

D) fifteen

Answer 17

B) nine

Question 18

through the exercise of __, the supreme court has held actions or laws of the executive and legislative branches unconstitutional

A) stare decisis

B) writs of certiorari

C) judicial review

D) clemency

Answer 18

C) judicial review

Question 19

why is the supreme court case of marbury v. madison important?

A) in this case, the court declared the authority of congress to regulate the economy of the united states.

B) in this case, the court nationalized the bill of rights.

C) in this case, the court authorized itself to exercise judicial review over laws passed by congress

D) in this case, the court declared the secession of the confederate states to be in violation of the constitution.

Answer 19

C) in this case, the court authorized itself to exercise judicial review over laws passed by congress

Question 20

what is common law?

A) another name for federal law

B) law made by judges through their decisions, not through specific statutes

C) law made by an administrative body

D) law that is guided by the constitution

Answer 20

B) law made by judges through their decisions, not through specific statutes

Question 21

a writ of certiorari is granted when

A) the constitution requires the supreme court to hear a case

B) at least four justices of the court agree to hear a case

C) there is an issue that involves an interpretation of the constitution

D) all of the above

Answer 21

B) at least four justices of the court agree to hear a case

Question 22

if someone is an advocate of judicial restraint, he or she believes

A) in looking only at the words of the constitution in order to understand its meaning.

B) that the court should beware of overturning the judgments of pupularly elected legislatures

C) that judges should limit their interpretations to the intention of the law’s framers

D) all of the above

Answer 22

D) all of the above

Question 23

a sigle lawsuit involving thousands of smokers suing a tobacco company would be a good example of

A) a class action suit

B) a plea bargain

C) public law

D) amicus curiae

Answer 23

A) a class action suit

Question 24

since the early 1990s, the supreme court has adopted a more __ position on civil rights, affirmative action, abortion rights, criminal procedures, voting rights, desegregation, and the power of the national government

A) liberal

B) conservative

C) libertarian

D) populist

Answer 24

B) conservative

Question 25

the president has the power to appoint all of the following, with the approval of the senate, except

A) the vice president

B) all federal judges

C) cabinet secretaries

D) all of the above

Answer 25

A) the vice president