Review - Part 3
The Constitution
1) Which of the following illustrates the effects that
the system of checks and balances and separation
of powers has on the legislative process?
I.
II.
III.
IV.
It does not favor the party in power
It can create gridlock
It usually makes change easy to come by
It can encourage political compromise
a. II only
b. I and II only
c. II and III only
d. I, II and III only
e. II and IV only
1) Which of the following illustrates the effects that
the system of checks and balances and separation
of powers has on the legislative process?
I.
II.
III.
IV.
It does not favor the party in power
It can create gridlock
It usually makes change easy to come by
It can encourage political compromise
a. II only
b. I and II only
c. II and III only
d. I, II and III only
e. II and IV only
Even though the concept of checks and balances
and separation of power is basic, because the
choices suggest multiple correct answers,
students try to find more than one right
answer. With the exception of statements II
and IV, choice E, each statement about checks
and balances is incorrect. Gridlock has
become popularized, and it has been
characteristic of the relationship between
Congress and the president. Compromise also
becomes a major tool in achieving change.
2) The Constitution’s writers carefully drafted
a document that would create
a. strong states and a weak central government
b. weakened power in the state and national
government
c. The ability to adapt to changing times
d. A dominant national government with no
active participation from the states
e. An equal distribution of power between the
states and national government
2) The Constitution’s writers carefully drafted
a document that would create
a. strong states and a weak central government
b. weakened power in the state and national
government
c. The ability to adapt to changing times
d. A dominant national government with no
active participation from the states
e. An equal distribution of power between the
states and national government
3) Which of the following governmental
bodies is most directly responsible to the
electorate?
a. The House of Representatives
b. The Senate
c. The Executive branch
d. The Supreme Court
e. The bureaucracy
3) Which of the following governmental
bodies is most directly responsible to the
electorate?
a. The House of Representatives
b. The Senate
c. The Executive branch
d. The Supreme Court
e. The bureaucracy
4) The question of the constitutionality of a term
limit for legislators imposed by a state constitution
is based on which of the following arguments?
a. The state’s ability to set time and manner of elections for
state office holders
b. The fact that the Constitution sets the qualifications for
congressmen
c. the ability of people to vote directly for senators and
representatives
d. The ability of voters to create term limits for state office
holders
e. The fact that the Congress is scheduled to vote for a term
limits amendment to the Constitution
4) The question of the constitutionality of a term
limit for legislators imposed by a state constitution
is based on which of the following arguments?
a. The state’s ability to set time and manner of elections for
state office holders
b. The fact that the Constitution sets the qualifications for
congressmen
c. the ability of people to vote directly for senators and
representatives
d. The ability of voters to create term limits for state office
holders
e. The fact that the Congress is scheduled to vote for a term
limits amendment to the Constitution
Term limits restriction were argued before
the Supreme Court in 1994, and the
court ruled in 1995 that they violated the
Constitution.
5) The practice of judicial review was first
established by which of the following
actions?
a. the Constitution gives life terms to Supreme Court
justices
b. Justices serve as long as they maintain good
behavior
c. The Supreme Court exercises judicial precedent
d. The Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction
e. The Supreme Court can declare a congressional
act unconstitutional
5) The practice of judicial review was first
established by which of the following
actions?
a. the Constitution gives life terms to Supreme Court
justices
b. Justices serve as long as they maintain good
behavior
c. The Supreme Court exercises judicial precedent
d. The Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction
e. The Supreme Court can declare a congressional
act unconstitutional
Judicial review was established as a result
of the fact that the Court declared the
Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional in
the case of Marbury v. Madison.
6) Which of the following resulted after the
Supreme Court made a ruling in Baker v.
Carr?
a. The principle of “one man, one vote” was established
b. Congressional districts became gerrymandered based on
political considerations
c. Congressional districts were created as a result of racial
consideration
d. Congress modified existing voting districts for state
offices
e. Congress was able to modify congressional districts in
states where there was not equal representation
6) Which of the following resulted after the
Supreme Court made a ruling in Baker v.
Carr?
a. The principle of “one man, one vote” was established
b. Congressional districts became gerrymandered based on
political considerations
c. Congressional districts were created as a result of racial
consideration
d. Congress modified existing voting districts for state
offices
e. Congress was able to modify congressional districts in
states where there was not equal representation
Baker v. Carr established the concept of one
man, one vote. The intent of the decision
was not to create gerrymandering districts
or districts created to satisfy racial
considerations. The decision directed state
legislatures, not Congress, to draw up new
districts and did not have nay impact on
voting districts for state offices.
7) All of the following are considered
enumerated powers of the Congress EXCEPT
a. coining United States currency after the
Constitution was ratified
b. Establishing inferior courts in addition to
the Supreme Court
c. Setting up the first National Bank of the US
d. Establishing uniform immigration laws
e. Regulating commerce among the several
states
7) All of the following are considered
enumerated powers of the Congress EXCEPT
a. coining United States currency after the
Constitution was ratified
b. Establishing inferior courts in addition to
the Supreme Court
c. Setting up the first National Bank of the US
d. Establishing uniform immigration laws
e. Regulating commerce among the several
states
8) The implied clause in the Constitution has
been described as the ability of Congress to
take which of the following actions?
a. pass an assault weapons ban
b. Withdraw funds allocated to troops in Haiti
c. Pass a balanced budget amendment to the
Constitution
d. Raise the price of stamps to 34 stamps
e. Pass a law setting quota for immigrants
8) The implied clause in the Constitution has
been described as the ability of Congress to
take which of the following actions?
a. pass an assault weapons ban
b. Withdraw funds allocated to troops in Haiti
c. Pass a balanced budget amendment to the
Constitution
d. Raise the price of stamps to 34 stamps
e. Pass a law setting quota for immigrants
9) In addition to the stated constitutional
powers of the president, which of the
following roles does he take on?
a. acting as titular head of his political party
b. granting pardons
c. Making treaties
d. Giving a State of the Union address
e. Signing or vetoing legislation
9) In addition to the stated constitutional
powers of the president, which of the
following roles does he take on?
a. acting as titular head of his political party
b. granting pardons
c. Making treaties
d. Giving a State of the Union address
e. Signing or vetoing legislation
10) Which of the following is the only stated
constitutional responsibility of the vice
president?
a. attending funerals of foreign dignitaries
b. Taking on special tasks assigned by the
president
c. Presiding over the Senate
d. Filling in for the president when he is out of
the country
e. Presiding over the House of Representatives
10) Which of the following is the only stated
constitutional responsibility of the vice
president?
a. attending funerals of foreign dignitaries
b. Taking on special tasks assigned by the
president
c. Presiding over the Senate
d. Filling in for the president when he is out of
the country
e. Presiding over the House of Representatives
11) Which of the following represents a major
reason why the electoral college was
created?
a. it would encourage third-party candidates
b. It would enable a select group of electors to cast
the final vote for president and vice president
c. It would encourage greater voter turnout
d. It would give more power to the Congress in
determining the outcome of presidential elections
e. It would give the voters in smaller states a greater
role in selecting the president and vice president
11) Which of the following represents a major
reason why the electoral college was
created?
a. it would encourage third-party candidates
b. It would enable a select group of electors to cast
the final vote for president and vice president
c. It would encourage greater voter turnout
d. It would give more power to the Congress in
determining the outcome of presidential elections
e. It would give the voters in smaller states a greater
role in selecting the president and vice president
12) All of the following represent examples of
limited government EXCEPT
a. the application of habeas corpus in criminal
appeals
b. The prohibition of passage of bills of attainder
laws
c. Congress not being allowed to pass ex post facto
laws
d. The inability of the president to grant titles of
nobility
e. The Reserved Power Clause of the Tenth
Amendment
12) All of the following represent examples of
limited government EXCEPT
a. the application of habeas corpus in criminal
appeals
b. The prohibition of passage of bills of attainder
laws
c. Congress not being allowed to pass ex post facto
laws
d. The inability of the president to grant titles of
nobility
e. The Reserved Power Clause of the Tenth
Amendment
13) All of the following represent examples of
the use of checks and balances EXCEPT
a. the 35 successful vetoes made by President
George H. W. Bush
b. the Senate rejection of the 1999 Comprehensive
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
c. The Supreme Court ruling the Flag Desecration
Act unconstitutional
d. Congress passing the Crime Bill after a
conference committee made changes
e. Congress invoking the provisions of the War
Powers Act
13) All of the following represent examples of
the use of checks and balances EXCEPT
a. the 35 successful vetoes made by President
George H. W. Bush
b. the Senate rejection of the 1999 Comprehensive
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
c. The Supreme Court ruling the Flag Desecration
Act unconstitutional
d. Congress passing the Crime Bill after a
conference committee made changes
e. Congress invoking the provisions of the War
Powers Act
14) Which of the following actions increases
the power of the president?
a. a greater reliance on the states to solve
problems
b. A greater reliance on the federal government
to solve problems
c. The president having to work with a majority
party in Congress different from his own
d. An increased investigative role by the media
e. The downsizing of the federal bureaucracy
14) Which of the following actions increases
the power of the president?
a. a greater reliance on the states to solve
problems
b. A greater reliance on the federal government
to solve problems
c. The president having to work with a majority
party in Congress different from his own
d. An increased investigative role by the media
e. The downsizing of the federal bureaucracy
15) The appointment of Supreme Court
justices in the 1980s was characterized by
a. quick approval by the Senate of nominees
b. Rejection of the majority of appointees
c. Limited background checks of the nominees
d. Limited input from legal associations and
special interest groups
e. Bitter confirmation battles over personal
and philosophical positions of the nominees
15) The appointment of Supreme Court
justices in the 1980s was characterized by
a. quick approval by the Senate of nominees
b. Rejection of the majority of appointees
c. Limited background checks of the nominees
d. Limited input from legal associations and
special interest groups
e. Bitter confirmation battles over personal
and philosophical positions of the nominees
The End