Lesson 1 Quiz Flashcards
What has been the most common method used to amend the U.S. Constitution?
two-thirds vote of both chambers of Congress, then ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures
At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, the Federalists ____________.
were in favor of a strong central government and for ratification of the new constitution
In opposition to the recommendations of the Virginia delegates during the Constitutional Convention, the New Jersey Plan advocated a single-chamber legislature with ___________________.
equal representation among the states regardless of population
In 1765, the Stamp Act Congress prepared the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. This document ______.
acknowledged colonial allegiance to the Crown
Until the mid-1700s, the 13 colonies often had diverse histories and economies, which provided ___________.
little incentive for them to join together to meet shared goals
With the original Constitution completed on September 17, 1787, how many states were needed to ratify the new governmental structure in order for it to become operative?
Nine
Which of the following is a check by the legislative branch on the powers of the executive branch?
The senate must consent to all presidential appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Sugar Act and the Stamp Act were passed by Parliament for the specific purpose of raising money in the colonies for the Crown. However, their political significance was that they _________________.
opened the debate by the colonists on the issue of taxation without representation
Hamilton argues that the executive must be a single person to achieve “energy,” which is a “leading character in the definition of good government” in ______________.
Federalist No. 70
Which of the following was not a weakness of the national government under the Articles of Confederation?
the ability to create a nationwide postal service
In the U.S. Constitution, powers that are not delegated to Congress but are retained by the state governments are called ______________ powers.
reserved
“Marble Cake Federalism” is a system ________________________.
in which state and federal authority is intertwined in an inseparable mixture
Throughout history which of following has been true regarding American federalism?
Through several eras the pendulum has tended to swing between preferences for state versus federal powers and prerogatives.
In the case, South Dakota v. Dole, the Supreme Court maintained that ___________________.
Congress may withhold federal funds from states that did not comply with the federal legal drinking age
Powers explicitly delegated to the Congress under Article I of the U.S. Constitution are referred to as _____ powers.
enumerated
In response to the National Supremacy period in the early nineteenth century, South Carolina adopted a series of resolutions that _____________________.
adopted the theory of “nullification”
Under the Articles of Confederation, relations between the national government and the states were based on what system of government?
confederal
James Madison referred to the system of federalism as the “middle ground” of government types. What did he mean by this statement?
Unitary systems and confederation systems are opposing ends of the continuum. Federalism has elements of both systems but is the best attempt to balance the powers and needs of the state versus federal governments.
Which of the following terms best describes Hobbes’s image of society without government?
Brutish
A government is viewed as legitimate when ___________.
the affected people recognize the government and allow it to exercise control over them
That “the will of people” ought to guide public policy is a concept that is defined as ___________.
majority rule
The formal Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution in _______.
1791
Democracy is ____________________.
government in which the people, either directly or through elected representatives, hold power and authority
Which of the following is not an example of the domination of elections in the United States by individuals with immense power and influence?
Carnagie Hall in NYC
Article VI of the U.S. Constitution contains the supremacy clause. What is the importance of this clause?
It creates the standard that no other law, state constitution, or government action may override the U.S. Constitution.
