Government final exam review

1. Government final exam review Part II

2. The Supreme Court makes national policy by: • Proposing new laws • Speaking out on national issues • Advising the President on the constitutionality of laws • Ruling of the constitutionality of laws

3. A decision by the United States government to decrease the federal income tax would have the most direct effect on the nation’s: • National security • Political system • Social order • Public services

4. A political community occupying a definite territory and having an organized government empowered to make and enforce laws without the approval of a higher authority is known as: • A state • A nation • A unitary system • A democracy

5. Powers of both the national and state governments are known as: • Concurrent powers • Inherent powers • Denied powers • Implied powers

6. At what level of federalism do citizens have greater opportunity to influence public policy? • State and local level • National level • Both a and b • None of the above; citizens cannot influence public policy

7. Which part of the Constitution specifically protects citizens from abuses of power by either state or national government? • The last three Articles • The first three Articles • The Bill of Rights • The Preamble

8. This clause gives Congress the right to make all laws “necessary and proper” to carry out the powers expressed in the other clauses of Article I of the U.S. Constitution. • Expressed clause • Santa Clause • Supremacy clause • Elastic clause

9. In national survey, most people said their lawmakers should follow: • What their political party wants • What people in their district want • Their own consciences • What the President wants

10. All of the following are true about entitlements except that: • Entitlement programs include Social Security, interest on the national debt, and in-force federal contracts • Congress can override such programs with a two-thirds vote • The current government has no control over how this money is spent • Past government actions require that the money be spent for specific purposes

11. The most powerful position in each house are held by members chosen from the: • Whips • Select committee • Majority party • Minority party

12. Which of the following sets the number of justices on the Supreme Court? • Congress • Tradition • The President • A vote of the Court itself

13. When interpreting the law, justices must base their decisions on: • The needs of their constituents • The majority vote of citizens • The Constitution • Their personal opinions

14. A constitution is best compared to a: • Shopping list • Lawsuit • Recipe • Blueprint

15. The proclamation that broke ties between America and Britain is known as: • The Bill of Rights • The Virginia Plan • The Mayflower Compact • The Declaration of Independence

16. The power of the legislative branch is checked by the executive branch in the form of the: • Two-party political system • Presidential veto • Power of judicial review • Right of advice and consent

17. The population of a state determines its number of: • Senators • Committee chairpersons • Representatives • All of the above

18. The Constitution assigns power to each branch of government. The institution that has the power to make laws is: • The Senate • The House • Congress • The majority party

19. In which section of the Constitution were the Courts established? • Article III • Article II • Article I • The Preamble

20. “The government will ensure that all of its citizens shall have an equal opportunity to develop their talents to the fullest extent possible.” Such a promise would most likely be enacted by a government based on: • Democracy • Capitalism • Autocracy • Oligarchy

21. The United States system of government, in which the powers of government are divided between the national and the state governments, is best described as: • Multinational • Unitary • Oligarchic • Federal

22. The author of the Declaration of Independence was: • Thomas Paine • George Washington • Thomas Jefferson • Benjamin Franklin

23. Only the national government has been delegated the power to: • Establish courts • Levy Taxes • Regulate public school systems • Coin money

24. According to the Constitution, the fundamental task of the executive branch is to: • Ensure that the states remain united • Enforce laws passed by Congress • Decide whether laws are constitutional • Formulate foreign policy

25. The First Amendment includes all of the following rights except: • The right to assemble and hold demonstrations • Freedom of worship • The right to bear arms • The right to speak and write freely

26. The most powerful member of the House of Representatives is the: • Speaker • President pro tempore • Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee • Majority whip

27. Congress meets beginning in January of odd-numbered years for a two-year period called a: • Filibuster • Term • Session • Census

28. At what stage of a case do the justices explain the reasoning behind their decisions? • Writing the opinions • Conference • Oral arguments • Choosing the case

29. The Supreme Court order requesting the records of a case from a lower court is called: • Original jurisdiction • An appeal • Writ of certiorari • Judicial review

30. A developing nation is most likely to be characterized by: • An autocratic political system • A lack of natural resources, such as oil • A very unequal distribution of wealth • An economic dependence on foreign aid from the United States

31. A general agreement on basic beliefs is known as: • Politics • Consensus • Social contract • Sovereignty

32. Slavery was not outlawed in the Constitution because: • Outlawing slavery meant the southern states would not ratify • The Civil War had already settled the issue • Many slaves had already been set free • It was a good source of income for most states

33. Which amendment gives the states reserved powers? • The Second Amendment • The Tenth Amendment • The Fourteenth Amendment • The First Amendment

34. The Constitution has remained a “living” document for over two centuries mainly because: • The Presidency has increased its power • The Framers of the Constitution were able to anticipate problems • Most amendments proposed have been ratified • Its language is very general

35. Only Congress is authorized to: • Pass bills of attainder • Create agreements with other nations • Borrow money on the credit of the United States • Suspend the writ of habeas corpus

36. Tax bills can be amended during floor debate in: • Both the House and the Senate • Neither the House nor the Senate • The House of Representatives • The Senate

37. All of the following are part of the process of assigning each state its seats in the House of Representatives except: • A vote of censure • A census • Redistricting • Apportionment

38. Justices’ decisions are unaffected by: • Their chances for reelection • The personal views of the justices • The justices’ interaction with each other • Existing laws and presidents

39. The “full faith and credit” clause of the Constitution would require Texas to recognize the legality of a: • Florida voter registration • Michigan fishing license • Nevada divorce decree • New York teaching certificate

40. The belief that the Supreme Court should try to avoid ruling on constitutional questions is called: • Judicial avoidance • Judicial restraint • Judicial activism • Judicial questioning

41. Lawmakers can help their constituencies through: • Pork-barrel legislation • Federal grants and projects • Casework • All of the above