Civic RRAROC Review

Which statement describes a major criticism of the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review?

• 
  

• The president is elected by the people, which means that he or she should have more power than the judiciary.

• The legislature represents the people and makes the laws, which means it should have more power than the judiciary.

• Lifetime appointments of justices can change the Supreme Court’s ideological makeup and lead to the rejection of existing precedents.

• Most cases take a long time to work their way to through the system to the Supreme Court, which allows unfair laws to remain in place for years.

In 1973, President Richard Nixon was linked to a break in and coverup of the 1972 break at the Democratic National Headquarters at the Watergate complex. Investigations led prosecutors to demand that Nixon hand over all audio tapes recorded in his office, believing that the conversations on the tapes would prove or disprove Nixon's involvement. The President refused, citing "executive privilege" and that releasing the recordings could endanger national security. The prosecution asked the Supreme Court to order Nixon to release all of the tapes, a case that became known as United States v. Nixon (1974) .

Based on this information, the case of United States v. Nixon (1974) dealt with what Constitutional principle?

• Suffrage

• Federalism

• Checks and Balances

• Separation of Powers

In what section of the U.S. Constitution is the term "citizen" clearly defined?

• Preamble

• 14th Amendment

• Bill of Rights

• 13th Amendment

Which right of a U.S. citizen would be the easiest to exercise if that person lived outside of the United States?

• the right to vote

• the right to bear arms

• the right to freedom of speech

• the protection against unlawful search and seizure

"I believe in the existence of a great, immortal, immutable principle of natural law...which proves the absolute right to an education of every human being that comes into the world; and which, of course, proves the correlative duty of every government to see that the means of that education are provided for all.... Massachusetts is parental in her government. More and more, as year after year rolls by, she seeks to substitute prevention for remedy, and rewards for penalties. She strives to make industry the antidote to poverty, and to counterwork the progress of vice and crime by the diffusion of knowledge and the culture of virtuous principles."

- Horace Mann, 1846 to the Massachusetts Legislature

Using the passage from the speech given by Horace Mann, which is NOT a reason he gives for providing public education?

• it is a natural right

• it will prevent poverty

• it will instill virtue

• it will help catch criminals

The state is planning to cut down old trees in a town to build new road. Many citizens in the town do not want the trees to be cut down. What should the citizens do to solve this problem?

• Hold a local election and ask citizens to vote to save the trees.

• Ask volunteers to plant more trees after the old ones are cut down.

• Have a town meeting to ask the mayor to make the state protect the trees.

• Write letters to their state representatives and ask them to save the trees.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion(1), or prohibiting the free exercise thereof(2); or abridging the freedom of speech(3), or of the press(4); or the right of the people peaceably to assemble(5), and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances(6)."
- The First Amendment to the United States Constitution

Lawrence entered a state courtroom to testify in a criminal case, but court officials forced him to remove the Jewish "Star of David" pin he had on his jacket. Which underlined portion of the First Amendment BEST represents his right that was violated here?

• 2

• 3

• 4

• 5

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion(1), or prohibiting the free exercise thereof(2); or abridging the freedom of speech(3), or of the press(4); or the right of the people peaceably to assemble(5), and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances(6)."
- The First Amendment to the United States Constitution

Which of these would be an example of a violation of the rights represented by the number 1 in the First Amendment.

• The state government forbids a person from erecting a nativity scene in their front yard.

• The city government requires a church to get a permit in order to have a Christmas parade.

• The county government inspects a Hindu temple being constructed before a festival is held.

• The federal government requires only Islamic citizens to pay a specific tax before worshiping.

Which of these people is CLOSEST to becoming a US citizen?

• Chris, an immigrant who served honorably in the US Navy during a war

• 
  Hector, who has been married to a lawful permanent resident for three years

• Val, who has worked in the US for twenty years, but does not have a green card

• 
  Li, whose employer has applied for a special visa to allow her to work in the US

In 1934, the governor of California declared martial law at the San Francisco docks to subdue a dock workers’ strike. The National Guard was deployed to disperse the strikers and given the power to make arrests and even put strikers on trial. While the governor threatened to place the entire city under martial law, this threat did not need to be carried out when the dock workers ended the strike and went back to work.

Based on this incident, under which principle would a state government be allowed to temporarily set aside the First Amendment right to assemble?

• eminent domain

• libel or slander

• 
  equal opportunity

• clear and present danger