US Government and Constitution

According to the Constitution, who has the power to pardon individuals convicted of a crime in a federal court?

• the President

• the Speaker of the House

• the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

• the Vice President

Which of the following best illustrates the principle of popular sovereignty?

• The Supreme Court declares a law to be unconstitutional.

• The President vetoes a bill approved by both houses of Congress.

• Voters elect candidates to their state legislature.

• Members of a community volunteer to clean up a local park.

Who is the most powerful leader within the House of Representatives?

• the president pro tempore

• the Vice President

• the majority whip

• the Speaker of the House

The Bill of Rights was added to the United States Constitution to

• provide the president with the power to enforce the laws

• protect individuals' civil liberties

• establish a presidential cabinet

• guarantee voting privileges to all citizens

The formal body of presidential advisors who also head the executive departments are known as the

• The Presidential Advisory Board

• The Executive Council

• The Presidential Cabinet

• The White House Council

How many members are in the Senate

• 435

• 535

• 100

• 200

How many electoral votes does a candidate need in order to win the presidency?

• 250

• 260

• 270

• 280

Based on the Constitution, how are presidential elections different from those for members of Congress?

• Presidential elections only take place in even-numbered years.

• Presidential elections use an electoral vote.

• Presidential elections consider absentee ballots before deciding the outcome.

• Presidential elections use a popular vote.

"President Nixon Plans Trip to China to Meet with Chairman Mao" "President Carter Signs New Panama Canal Treaty" "President Clinton Concludes Trade Agreement with Japan" Each headline illustrates an action of the President fulfilling the role as

• chief diplomat.

• Commander in Chief.

• legislative leader.

• chief executive.

At the Constitutional Convention, there was a major debate between large states and small states about representation in the new Congress. This debate was resolved by the Great Compromise, which said that

• the number of citizens in a state would determine how many seats that state had in Congress, but slaves and other noncitizens would not be counted for this purpose

• Congress would have two houses in which the number of seats in each house was based on its population

• Congress would have have two houses, one in which state representation was based on population and one in which all states had equal representation

• Congress would be made up of two houses in which all states had an equal number of representatives in each house