Chapter 6 Test: The Judicial Branch

According to Alexander Hamilton, why was it necessary to have an independent judicial branch of the government?

• To approve legislation passed by Congress

• To keep the actions of the president in line

• To uphold the checks and balances of the Constitution

• To prevent the people from influencing government too much

What is the primary function of the Supreme Court of the United States?

• To levy taxes on American citizens to fund programs

• To veto legislation that violates the Constitution

• To execute the laws passed by the executive branch

• To uphold the laws of the Constitution

Alexander Hamilton believed that judges could remain independent and uphold liberty and the laws of the Constitution by

• serving short terms of three years

• being appointed to serve for life terms

• receiving higher pay than the president

• being held accountable to the people through elections

A political scientist who believes that judges should be appointed and subject to a confirmation process at the state level instead of being elected would likely

• disagree with the decision in Caperton v. Massey Coal Co.

• condemn the opinions of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

• agree with Alexander Hamilton in Federalist No. 78

• support the current processes of judge selection at the state level

In 2018, Brett Kavanaugh was selected to serve as a justice on the United States Supreme Court through which process?

• Election by American citizens

• Direct appointment by the president

• A Senate confirmation process

• Selection via current Supreme Court justices

A court that has the authority to hear a case first has

• appellate jurisdiction

• original jurisdiction

• state jurisdiction

• federal jurisdiction

What is the main purpose of Article III of the United States Constitution?

• To establish the principle of judicial review

• To specify the number of Supreme Court justices

• To create a system of state courts

• To establish the judicial branch

How does the function of a court with appellate jurisdiction compare to that of a court with original jurisdiction?

• A court with original jurisdiction must rely solely on the facts discovered by the lower court when making a decision, whereas the court with appellate jurisdiction acts as a fact-finder

• A court with original jurisdiction is often the court of last resort for a lawsuit, whereas the court with appellate jurisdiction is often taking cases that have been heard for the first time

• A court with appellate jurisdiction relies on the arguments and decisions made by lower courts, whereas a court with original jurisdiction acts as a fact-finder

• A court with appellate jurisdiction must respect the outcome of the lower court, whereas the court with original jurisdiction sets the precedent for that case

The function of an appellate court is to

• review and potentially revise or overturn the decision made by a lower court

• hear the facts and determine an outcome on a case for the first time

• review a decision made by a lower court and send it back to the lower court if an error is found

• overturn the decision made by a lower court after reviewing the facts of the case

Suppose it is the 1780s. You have been reading all about the newly-proposed Constitution and are skeptical about the establishment of a federal judiciary, which you think would diminish the rights of states and individuals. To this end, you mostly agree with the writings of

• Alexander Hamilton

• Brutus

• John Marshall

• John Adams