Constitutional Underpinnings Review

Unit I

Key Concepts

• Articles of Confederation– Weaknesses– Shay’s Rebellion

• Constitution– Bill of Rights and Amendments– Enumerated, Delegated, Reserved, Concurrent powers– Key Clauses: supremacy, necessary and proper,

establishment, free exercise, incorporation (equal protection)

• Federalism

Test

A. AB. BC. CD. D

A B C D

0% 0%0%0%

30

Response

The Articles of Confederation implemented the principle of

A. Strong national government

B. Unified system of taxes

C. Universal suffrageD. Independent

judiciaryE. State sovereignty

Strong national g

overn...

Unified syste

m of taxe

s

Universal su

ffrage

Independent judici

ary

State so

vereign

ty

0% 0% 0%0%0%

30

Categorical grants-in-aid do which of the following?

A. Gives more power to the national government in spending grants-in-aid

B. Gives more power to the state government in spending grants-in-aid

C. Give both state and national government equal power in spending grants-in-aid

Gives more

power to th

e...

Gives more

power to th

e ...

Give both st

ate and nati

...

0% 0%0%

30

Which of the following gives the states the broadest discretion in spending money?

A. Categorical grantB. Foreign aidC. Unfunded mandateD. Block grant

Categoric

al gra

nt

Fore

ign aid

Unfunded m

andate

Block gr

ant

0% 0%0%0%

30

In the political system, federalism is the

A. Limits on the powers of state governments

B. Limits on the powers of the national government

C. The division of power between the levels of government

D. The fundamental basis of law

Limits

on the powers

of s...

Limits

on the powers

of ...

The divisio

n of power b

...

The fundamenta

l basis

o...

0% 0%0%0%

30

Which best is correct regarding the federal governments role in interstate commerce?

A. There is no roleB. Role is limited to

regulating activities that may lead to federal crimes

C. Limited to commerce transported on waterways

D. The federal government’s role has great expanded through the commerce clause

There is no ro

le

Role is lim

ited to

regulati..

Limite

d to co

mmerce tr

a...

The federa

l govern

ment’s...

0% 0%0%0%

30

Which of the following has greatly expanded the powers of Congress?

A. Necessary and proper clause

B. Equal protection clause

C. 10th amendmentD. 9th amendment

Necessa

ry and pro

per c...

Equal pro

tecti

on clau

se

10th amendment

9th amendment

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30

According to James Madison, which of the following controls the effects of factions?

A. Direct democracyB. Large republicC. Popular election of

judgesD. Property

requirements for eligibility to work

Direct

democracy

Large re

public

Popular electi

on of judges

Property

require

ments fo...

0% 0%0%0%

30

Which of the following best describes John Locke’s social contract theory?

A. It is an agreement between political actors to maintain their grip on power

B. It is an agreement in which the government promises to provide a minimum standard of living to citizens

C. It is an agreement in which the government promises to protect the natural rights of people

D. It is an agreement between economic elites to maintain a stable economy

It is a

n agreement b

etw...

It is a

n agreement in

wh...

It is a

n agreement in

wh...

It is a

n agreement b

etw...

0% 0%0%0%

30

Participant LeadersPoints Participant Points Participant

Clause that states federal law will prevail when state and federal laws conflict

A. Necessary and proper

B. SupremacyC. PresentmentD. Equal protection

Necessa

ry and pro

per

Supremacy

Presentm

ent

Equal pro

tecti

on

0% 0%0%0%

30

In comparison to the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution

A. Made stats sovereign over national government

B. Was more difficult to amend

C. Provided for a presidential system of government

D. Provided for a stronger national government

Made st

ats so

vere

ign ov..

Was

more

difficu

lt to a...

Provid

ed for a

presid

entia...

Provid

ed for a

stro

nger ...

0% 0%0%0%

30

Which of the following justifies the “implied powers doctrine”?

A. Necessary and proper clause

B. Privileges and immunities clause

C. Executive power clause

D. Debts and engagements clause

Necessa

ry and pro

per cl...

Privile

ges a

nd immunitie...

Execu

tive power clause

Debts and enga

gements ...

0% 0%0%0%

30

A writ of habeas corpus refers to

A. A person’s right to know the reasons for his/her imprisonment

B. A person’s right to trial by jury

C. The protection against cruel and unusual punishment

D. A demand from one state extradite a suspect from another state

A person’s

right t

o know...

A person’s

right t

o trial b

...

The prote

ction aga

inst cr.

..

A demand from one st

ate...

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30

The Great Compromise is significant for which of the following reasons?

A. Established the presidential system

B. Allowed southern states to count each slave as three-fifths of one person

C. Provided equality of representation among states in the House and Senate

D. Proposed a Senate with equal representation and a House with representation based on population

Establis

hed the presid

enti..

Allowed so

uthern

states .

.

Provid

ed equality o

f rep...

Propose

d a Senate w

ith ...

0% 0%0%0%

30

Constitution gives Congress the power to print money. Which power is this an example of?

A. EnumeratedB. ReservedC. ConcurrentD. Implied

Enumerated

Reserved

Concurre

nt

Implie

d

0% 0%0%0%

30

To which level did the Bill of Rights originally apply?

A. StateB. FederalC. State and federalD. Local, state, and

federal

State

Federa

l

State and fe

deral

Loca

l, stat

e, and fe

deral

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30

Which of the following did the Supreme Court establish in Marbury v. Madison?

A. Supreme Court can declare federal legislation invalid if the legislation invalidates the Constitution

B. Each state has the right to set up and run its own court system

C. All powers not explicitly given by the Constitution to Congress belong to the states

D. Any president who commits treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors can be impeached

Supreme Court ca

n decla..

Each st

ate has t

he righ

t t...

All powers

not exp

licitly

...

Any presid

ent who co

mmi..

0% 0%0%0%

30

A bill of attainder is a

A. Bill passed by Congress applying to only one individual

B. Compromise bill passed by both the House and Senate

C. Decision by an executive branch official that does not need to be approved by Congress

D. Law that declares an action can be punished without a trial

Bill passe

d by Congress

a...

Compromise

bill pas

sed ..

Decision by an exe

cutive...

Law th

at decla

res an acti

..

0% 0%0%0%

30

Participant LeadersPoints Participant Points Participant

Political Beliefs and Behaviors

Unit II

Political Beliefs and Behaviors

• Beliefs that citizens have about their government and leaders

• Process by which citizens learn about politics• Nature, sources, and consequences of public

opinion• Ways which citizens vote and participate in

political life• Factors that influence citizens to differ from one

another in terms of political beliefs and behaviors

When a child’s parents both identify strongly with the same political party, the child will most likely

A. Identify with the opposing party

B. Identify with the parents’ party

C. Have a low sense of political efficacy

D. Become alienated from the political system

Identify with

the opposi.

.

Identify with

the pare

nts...

Have a low se

nse of p

oliti...

Become alie

nated fr

om t..

0% 0%0%0%

30

Which of the following demographic groups has voted most consistently for the Democratic Party over the last 3 decades

A. African AmericansB. HispanicsC. ProtestantsD. Wealthy White

males

Africa

n Americans

Hispanics

Protesta

nts

Wealt

hy White

males

0% 0%0%0%

30

A referendum can best be described as a vote to

A. Chose party nomineesB. Choose a candidate in

no candidate has majority

C. Determine whether citizens support an action by their state legislature

D. Confirm political appointments Chose

party nominees

Choose a ca

ndidate in

n...

Determ

ine wheth

er citi

ze..

Confirm politi

cal a

ppoin...

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30

“Split ticket voting” is described as A. Turning in a mutilated ballotB. Using separate ballots for

candidates at the state and national levels

C. Voting for candidates of different parties on the same ballot

D. Voting for one party in the primary and for another party in the general election

Turning in

a mutilate

d ba...

Using se

parate

ballots

fo...

Voting for c

andidates o

f d...

Voting for o

ne party in

t..

0% 0%0%0%

30

Which of the following factors is the best predictor when it comes to voter turnout?

A. EducationB. ProfessionC. AgeD. Party affiliation

Education

Professi

onAge

Party a

ffilia

tion

0% 0%0%0%

30

The media’s effect on public opinion can be described as

A. Influencing older citizens’ opinions of incumbents

B. Affecting the public’s view on domestic policy only

C. Influencing which issues the public sees as important

D. Changing well-educated people’s views on foreign policy

Influencing older c

itizens..

.

Affecting t

he public’s

vie...

Influencing w

hich is

sues .

..

Changing well-e

ducate

d ...

0% 0%0%0%

30

Which is most important for getting an accurate measure of public onion in a survey?

A. Surveying only cell phone users

B. Selecting a random sample

C. Asking leading question

D. Contacting only registered voters

Surveying o

nly ce

ll phon...

Selecting a

random sa

mple

Asking le

ading question

Contacting o

nly regist

er..

0% 0%0%0%

30

Which of the following is true of voter turnout in the United States?

A. 75% of the electorate votes in presidential elections

B. The south votes in larger numbers than does any other region

C. Men vote in larger numbers than do women

D. Voter-participation rate is one of the lowest of any industrialized nation

75% of the electo

rate vot..

The south

votes i

n larg

e...

Men vote

in la

rger numbe..

Voter-p

articip

ation rate i..

.

0% 0%0%0%

30

Which of the following would be most likely to support a constitutional amendment banning all abortions?

A. ConservativesB. LibertariansC. IndependentsD. Liberal

Conserva

tives

Liberta

rians

Independents

Libera

l

0% 0%0%0%

30

Which of the following is NOT an explanation for low voter turnout?

A. Registration requirements

B. Low political efficacy among voters

C. Laws protecting minority voting rights

D. Weekday elections

0% 0%0%0%

30

The most widely performed act of political participation in the United States is

A. Writing letters to public officials

B. Voting in local elections

C. Contributing money to political candidates

D. Voting in presidential elections

Writi

ng letters

to public

o...

Voting in lo

cal e

lections

Contributing m

oney to po...

Voting in pre

sidential e

le...

0% 0%0%0%

30

Participant LeadersPoints Participant Points Participant

Unit 3

Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Media

Political Parties, Interest Groups, Media

• Political parties and elections• Interest Groups including PACs• The mass media

What is gerrymandering?A. The party in power wins

surrounding districts by small margins

B. Supreme Court requires state legislatures adopt the doctrine of one person, one vote

C. The party in control of the state legislature draws district boundaries to favor its candidates

D. By polling voters, party officials determine how party members will vote

The party in

power wins .

..

Supreme Court require

s s...

The party in

contro

l of t

h...

By polling v

oters,

party of..

.

0% 0%

100%

0%

Interest group theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for government resources

A. Elite powerB. SocialismC. InstitutionalismD. Pluralism

Elite power

Socialis

m

Institu

tionalism

Pluralis

m

0%

85%

0%

15%

In response to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, the U.S. Supreme court ruled

in Citizens United v. FEC thatA. Limits cannot be placed upon

candidates’ contributions to their own campaigns

B. Independent campaign expenditures by corporations and unions are protected by the First Amendment

C. Limits on issue advertisements 90 days before an election are unconstitutional

D. Limits on campaign contributions by minors are constitutional under the Frist Amendment

Limits

cannot b

e placed ...

Independent campaign e...

Limits

on issu

e advertis..

.

Limits

on campaign co

nt...

14%0%0%

86%

Which of the following would be most likely to vote in a Republican primary?

A. 25-year old white male, some education, from Florida employed as a laborer

B. 65-year old Hispanic male, from California, retired and lives on Social Security

C. 35-year old female secretary, from New York, associate’s degree, devout Catholic

D. 45-year old white businessman, from South Carolina, attends church weekly

25-year old w

hite m

ale, ...

65-year old H

ispanic

male...

35-year old fe

male secre

t...

45-year old w

hite busin

...

0%

93%

0%7%

One of the best strategies that interest groups can use to achieve their goal is

A. Pressing for changes in high-profile public policies

B. Lobbying members of Congress to make small changes in existing policy

C. Using the judiciary to invalidate federal legislation

D. Running candidates for office

Pressing f

or changes i

n h...

Lobbyin

g members

of Co...

Using th

e judici

ary to

inv...

Running candidate

s for o

...

0%8%

0%

92%

Which of the following is LEAST characteristic of the history of political parties in the United

States during the 20th century?A. An increase in the

number of organized interest groups

B. State adoption of direct primary elections

C. The loss of party patronage power

D. The splitting of the two major political parties into a multiparty system

An incre

ase in

the numbe...

State adoption of d

irect.

..

The loss

of party

patron...

The splitti

ng of t

he two ...

8%

46%38%

8%

The development and persistence of the two-party system in the United States is best account for by

A. The Twelfth Amendment

B. Proportional representation

C. Multimember legislative districts

D. Single-member legislative districts

The Twelfth A

mendment

Proporti

onal repre

sentation

Multimember le

gislative ...

Single-member le

gislative

...

0%

15%

38%46%

Interest groups use political action committees (PACs) to

A. Provide expertise to members of Congress

B. Raise and spend money on election campaigns

C. Lobby the executive bureaucracy when they are considering new rules and regulations

D. Hire policy experts who will promote their views in media

Provid

e experti

se to

me...

Raise and sp

end money .

.

Lobby t

he execu

tive bur..

.

Hire polic

y experts w

ho wi..

0%8%

25%

67%

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 was designed to curtail which of the following?

A. Individual contributions to candidates

B. Soft moneyC. Hard moneyD. Lobbying

Individual contri

butions ..

Soft money

Hard m

oney

Lobbyin

g

7%0%

7%

87%

When none of the presidential candidates receives a majority of votes in the Electoral

College, the winner is chosen byA. House of

RepresentativesB. SenateC. Supreme CourtD. Federal Elections

Commission

House of R

eprese

ntatives

Senate

Supreme Court

Federa

l Electi

ons Commi...

71%

0%7%

21%

Participant LeadersPoints Participant Points Participant9 Lauchlan, Barbara8 Aiello, Natalie8 Harder, Colton8 Jasarevic, Ajsa8 Maxey, Emily