Unit 6 Test: Separation of Powers and Federalism

With the new Constitution, the framers sought to create a balance between

• The national government and state governments

• The three branches of the national government

• A stronger national government and the liberties of the people

• All of the above

In the founders' view, the best way to protect the unalienable rights promised by the Declaration of Independence was

• A Constitution founded on the separation of powers

• A virtuous president like George Washington

• A very weak central government

• To establish a true democracy

Separation of powers refers to the fact that

• The Constitution distributes power among the three branches of government

• The American colonies had recently separated from the British government

• The smaller states wanted separate power from large states

• The new national government could take away certain powers

What are the three different branches of government outlined in the Constitution?

• Legislative, Executive, Judicial

• Electoral, Administrative, Judicial

• Legislative, Presidential, Administrative

• Legislative, Executive, Parliamentary

The Constitution established a system of checks and balances, which grants

• Only ongress the power to check other branches

• Only the president the power to check other branches

• Only the Supreme Court the ability to check the other branches

• Each branch the power to check abuses by the other branches

Federalism is the word used to describe the Constitution's system of granting political power

• By giving all political power to the federal government

• By giving all political power to the states

• By dividing political power between the national government and the states

• To the other branches, in theory, but retaining all real power under the president

The Spirit of the Laws, which articulated the importance of the separation of powers, was written by

• James Madison

• Montesquieu

• John Adams

• John Locke

According to Montesquieu, what happens when the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates?

• This is an ideal form of government.

• The executive will have great power to help the people.

• There can be no liberty.

• People will know they can trust the legislature if the president is involved, too.

According to John Adams's Thoughts on Government, what was the very definition of a republic?

• The definition he outlined in the Declaration of Independence.

• Rule directly by the people.

• An empire of men.

• An empire of laws and not of men.

James Madison outlined his explanation and defense of the Constitution's separation of powers in which document?

• The Declaration of Independence

• The Virginia Declaration of Rights

• Federalist No. 51

• The Spirit of the Laws