Study C963 Politics

Question 1

Who was responsible for drafting the Bill of Rights and submitting it to Congress?

Answer 1

James Madison

Question 2

Why did the colonists oppose being taxed by Great Britain?

Answer 2

They did not have elected representatives in the House of Commons.

Question 3

What was a major difference between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution?

Answer 3

The Articles of Confederation did not provide for a national judiciary.

Question 4

Why did the framers design the government under the Articles of Confederation with a Congress?

Answer 4

They wanted a government based on the representation of the population.

Question 5

What did the Great Compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan that was finalized in the Constitution establish?

Answer 5

A two-chamber Congress

Question 6

What were the results of the three-fifths compromise?

Answer 6

It allowed slave states to count three-fifths of their enslaved population for the purpose of representation.

Question 7

What was a Federalist argument in support of the ratification of the Constitution?

Answer 7

A strong national government is better for national defense and economic growth.

Question 8

Which concept was James Madison referencing when he stated, “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition” in Federalist, no. 51?

Answer 8

Separation of powers and checks and balances

Question 9

What is a judicial check on the executive branch?

Answer 9

The Supreme Court can declare actions by the executive branch unconstitutional.

Question 10

What is the goal of new federalism?

Answer 10

Decentralize policy to enhance administrative efficiency and reduce overall public spending

Question 11

Which congressional action would be the result of the implied powers of Congress?

Answer 11

Congress passes a law raising the minimum wage to $10.00 per hour.

Question 12

What best explains why individual members of the Senate have more power than individual members of the House of Representatives?

Answer 12

The smaller total number of Senate members compared to the number of representatives

Question 13

What describes the equal proportions method of congressional apportionment?

Answer 13

Congressional districts are drawn in order to maintain similar numbers of voters in each district.

Question 14

What describes the process of bills becoming laws in Congress?

Answer 14

Bills change significantly through House and Senate revisions.

Question 15

Which power does the president have under the Constitution?

Answer 15

Appointing judges

Question 16

What is a protection against an elected president abusing powers for personal gain?

Answer 16

The power of Congress to impeach the president

Question 17

Which constitutional amendment established term limits for the president?

Answer 17

The Twenty-Second Amendment

Question 18

What is the purpose of executive agreements?

Answer 18

To establish agreements with foreign countries without congressional approval

Question 19

What describes the importance of the Supreme Court decision in Marbury v. Madison?

Answer 19

It established the principle of judicial review.

Question 20

How many federal appellate courts exist in the United States?

Answer 20

13

Question 21

congress shall make no law respecting an established religion

Answer 21

1st amendment

Question 22

the right of people to be secure in their homes, against unreasonable search and seizure

Answer 22

4th amendment

Question 23

checks on executive branch - Congress

Answer 23

congress can overturn a veto by the president - only congress can declare war house can impeach president

Question 24

checks on executive branch - juridical

Answer 24

overturn actions of president with review

Question 25

What describes Clause 3 of Article IV, Section 2 in the Constitution?

Answer 25

Slave owners could reclaim their slaves in states where they had fled.

Question 26

Which major compromise was made at the Constitutional Convention?

Answer 26

The proportional representation of enslaved persons

Question 27

What is an argument outlined in Federalist, no. 10?

Answer 27

The diverse interests of the people would prevent the development of powerful interests.

Question 28

What describes the opposing views in the debates between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists?

Answer 28

Federalists favored a strong central government while the Anti-Federalist favored strong state governments.

Question 29

What branch of government was considered by the farmers the cornerstone of America

Answer 29

legislative branch/congress - makes the laws

Question 30

Thought of as most powerful

Answer 30

Executive branch/president - enforces the laws

Question 31

Baker vs Carr

Answer 31

one person, one vote - redistricting

Question 32

What amendment pairs presidential candidate with running mate on a ticket

Answer 32

12th

Question 33

How many sitting justices are there on the Supreme Court?

Answer 33

9

Question 34

What is a power reserved for the states?

Answer 34

Conducting elections

Question 35

Which constitutional amendment allows states to reserve powers?

Answer 35

10

Question 36

What did the Supreme Court's ruling in Gibbons v. Ogden establish?

Answer 36

A loose constructionist interpretation of the commerce clause

Question 37

What is a primary effect of the census on the functioning of Congress?

Answer 37

It is used to determine the number of House representatives for each state.

Question 38

What is an example of checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches of government?

Answer 38

The Senate must confirm the president's Supreme Court nominees.

Question 39

Which type of power is a state's power to tax?

Answer 39

A concurrent power

Question 40

What is an example of a state exercising a concurrent power?

Answer 40

Issuing bonds to fund an infrastructure project

Question 41

What is the general purpose of the president making recess appointments?

Answer 41

To fill cabinet vacancies while bypassing Senate approval

Question 42

What is an example of a state exercising its reserve power?

Answer 42

Establishing laws to regulate businesses in the state

Question 43

McCulloch v. Maryland

Answer 43

It established a loose constructionist view of the necessary and proper clause.

Question 44

How do most states award votes in the Electoral College?

Answer 44

The candidate who wins the popular vote in the state gets all the electoral votes for the state.

Question 45

Which amendment provided for the separate election of the president and vice president?

Answer 45

14

Question 46

What is true about campaign ads in primary elections?

Answer 46

They often try to raise the name recognition of a candidate.

Question 47

How are elections for the U.S. Senate conducted?

Answer 47

One-third of the Senate seats are up for election every two years.

Question 48

Which election cycle event allows local party members to select their delegates for a presidential election?

Answer 48

A caucus

Question 49

What was the purpose of creating the Federal Election Commission in the 1970s?

Answer 49

To ensure transparency in campaign financing

Question 50

Which type of policy would typically be promoted by public interest groups?

Answer 50

Government funding for public school education

Question 51

What is generally true of interest groups but not true of political parties?

Answer 51

They tend to be focused on a single issue.

Question 52

Why is it difficult to measure the influence of interest groups?

Answer 52

Interest groups tend to support lawmakers who would have likely supported the group's issues anyway.

Question 53

Which Supreme Court decision allowed Super PACs to accept and spend unlimited amounts of money for or against political candidates?

Answer 53

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

Question 54

In which case did the Supreme Court establish that spending on political campaigns constituted political speech that is protected by the First Amendment?

Answer 54

Buckley v. Valeo

Question 55

What is closely associated with a citizen being less likely to vote?

Answer 55

Having a lower income job

Question 56

What was required by states under the 1993 National Voter Registration Act?

Answer 56

It required states to allow citizens to register to vote when they sign up for driver’s licenses.

Question 57

What was the impact of the 1993 National Voter Registration Act, also known as the Motor Voter Act?

Answer 57

Voter registration increased, but voter turnout was largely unchanged.

Question 58

A voter casts a ballot for a candidate based solely on the candidate’s previous vote on a tax cut. Which type of voting decision is demonstrated in this situation?

Answer 58

Retrospective

Question 59

Why is voter turnout in caucuses generally lower than voter turnout in primaries according to opponents of caucuses?

Answer 59

Caucuses take more time for the voter than primaries.

Question 60

Which election-cycle event allows registered party members to participate in the selection of a congressional nominee?

Answer 60

The closed primary

Question 61

Which election cycle event do delegates assemble at to select a presidential candidate?

Answer 61

A nominating convention

Question 62

What established the requirement that candidates disclose the source of campaign contributions?

Answer 62

Federal Election Campaign Act

Question 63

What is an effect of gerrymandering districts?

Answer 63

Safe seats are created due to unnatural boundaries.

Question 64

What is an advantage incumbents have when competing for votes against political opponents?

Answer 64

They have greater name recognition among voters.

Question 65

Which policy would be most likely to be supported by a public interest group?

Answer 65

Increased spending on infrastructure projects.

Question 66

Which type of interest group would lobby for increased accountability of congressional members?

Answer 66

A public interest group

Question 67

What are lobbyists attempting to influence when they submit amicus briefs?

Answer 67

Supreme Court decisions

Question 68

What is one of the guidelines for the use of capital punishment as established by the Supreme Court in Furman v. Georgia?

Answer 68

A jury must be used to make factual determinations to base a death penalty on.

Question 69

What describes the Supreme Court’s ruling in Miranda v. Arizona?

Answer 69

It required law enforcement officials to inform people suspected of crimes of their constitutional rights.

Question 70

What describes the Supreme Court's ruling in Mapp v. Ohio?

Answer 70

Evidence obtained without a warrant that does not fall under the exception rule is not admissible.

Question 71

What is a reason people can be convicted of a crime without jury trial under the Sixth Amendment?

Answer 71

They accept a plea bargain

Question 72

Which amendment concerns the rights of individuals engaged in civil disputes?

Answer 72

The Seventh Amendment

Question 73

What was the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in Plessy v. Ferguson?

Answer 73

It allowed racial segregation by establishing the "separate but equal" doctrine.

Question 74

In which types of cases would the Supreme Court use the standard of strict scrutiny?

Answer 74

Cases that restrict fundamental rights of protected classes

Question 75

Why was the separate-but-equal provision in Plessy v. Ferguson ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in the Brown v. Board decision?

Answer 75

It violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Question 76

Which right is protected under the free exercise clause of the Constitution?

Answer 76

Freedom of religion

Question 77

What describes the Supreme Court's decision in Cohen v. California?

Answer 77

Symbolic speech to express political opinions is constitutionally protected.

Question 78

What describes the Supreme Court's ruling in Texas v. Johnson?

Answer 78

Flag burning is constitutionally protected political speech.

Question 79

In which case did the Supreme Court rule that a person must be opposed to all wars and not just a particular war to claim conscientious objector status?

Answer 79

Gillette v. United States

Question 80

Which issue did the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court case concern?

Answer 80

Same-sex marriage

Question 81

In which case did the Supreme Court rule there is a constitutional right to privacy that protects a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy?

Answer 81

Roe v. Wade

Question 82

Which amendment to the Constitution gave women the right to vote?

Answer 82

19

Question 83

What describes the civil liberties derived from the Bill of Rights?

Answer 83

They are things the government is not allowed to do.

Question 84

What is the difference between civil liberties and civil rights?

Answer 84

Civil liberties are protections from the government, while civil rights are protections by the government.

Question 85

In which types of cases would the Supreme Court use the rational basis test?

Answer 85

Cases involving discrimination that do not involve protected classes

Question 86

Which Supreme Court case set the precedent that poor defendants must be provided legal counsel in felony cases?

Answer 86

Gideon v. Wainwright

Question 87

Which constitutional amendment protects people from illegal searches and seizures of property?

Answer 87

4

Question 88

In which case did the Supreme Court rule that evidence obtained without a warrant and that does not fall under any exclusionary rule is inadmissible in court?

Answer 88

Mapp v. Ohio

Question 89

What describes the Supreme Court's decision in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette?

Answer 89

A school cannot force students to salute the flag if doing so violates their religious beliefs.

Question 90

What was the Supreme Court’s rationale for ruling a Pennsylvania program that helped fund the salaries of parochial school teachers unconstitutional in Lemon v. Kurtzman?

Answer 90

It violated the establishment clause because it would have created excessive government entanglement with religion.

Question 91

In which case did the Supreme Court rule that Congress could regulate firearms that are not regularly used by the military because of an interpretation of the Second Amendment clause regarding a "well-regulated militia"?

Answer 91

United States v. Miller

Question 92

Which of the following Supreme Court cases held that married couples have the right to use birth control?

Answer 92

Griswold v. Connecticut

Question 93

Which criminal justice issue is addressed by the courts under the Eighth Amendment?

Answer 93

Conditions related to capital punishment

Question 94

Which question is not part of the Miller standard for obscenity that was developed by the Supreme Court in Miller v. California?

Answer 94

Does the work depict male or female nudity?

Question 95

What is not a requirement of theSupreme Court's Lemon test for deciding whether a law or other government action that might promote a particular religious practice should be allowed to stand?

Answer 95

The action or law must not affect a large number of people.

Question 96

What describes the Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges?

Answer 96

It recognized that same-sex married couples had the same rights as other married couples.

Question 97

What did segregated educational institutions violate according to the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka?

Answer 97

The equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment

Question 98

What is an appropriate characterization of media agenda setting?

Answer 98

It determines which events deserve public attention.

Question 99

What established the requirement that the executive branch provide information to private citizens and news outlets?

Answer 99

The Freedom of Information Act

Question 100

What describes the principle of prior restraint?

Answer 100

The government can prevent some information from being published if it affects national security.

Question 101

Which influence would having parents that are committed and vocal Democrats have on people's political socialization?

Answer 101

They would likely become strong Democrats.

Question 102

How do presidents use mandates after election?

Answer 102

They use their public support to implement campaign promises.

Question 103

What is a criticism of the bandwagon effect on American politics?

Answer 103

News media agencies provide more coverage to candidates that are leading in the polls.

Question 104

What describes the minimal effects theory developed during the 1930s?

Answer 104

News shared by friends is filtered through their perspective and has a minimal effect on voters.

Question 105

Which situation is an example of the government exercising prior restraint?

Answer 105

Forcing a newspaper to remove the names of covert agents in a story about the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) before it is printed

Question 106

Which statement is true about the general political beliefs of major American demographic groups?

Answer 106

Men tend to be more politically conservative than women.

Question 107

Which role do schools generally play in the political socialization of young people?

Answer 107

They provide information on U.S. history and civics

Question 108

Which form of influence can the media use to cause active political debate on an issue?

Answer 108

Agenda setting

Question 109

Which political belief is associated with modern conservatism?

Answer 109

The government should do little to intervene in the national economy.