(Bank) Units 3/4 - The Constitution and Federalism

Which of the following metaphors best describes the role of the Supreme Court relative to the Constitution?

• policeman at the scene of a crime
• umpire at a baseball game
• parent in the home
• teacher in a classroom

Look at the political cartoon below, which constitutional principle is being portrayed?

• Popular sovereignty
• Federalism
• Limited government
• Separation of powers

Which of the following is an example of checks and balances at work?

• The people choose not to re-elect a President whose policies they dislike.
• The Federal Government passes a law that overrides similar laws in several States.
• A bill passed by the House is vetoed by the Senate.
• Congress removes a federal judge from the bench who has accepted a bribe.

The principle of popular sovereignty is based on the belief that...?

• the government must be run by officials who are appointed to office by their predecessors.
• the government gets its power from the people and can exist only with their consent.
• the people have the authority to declare any federal or State law unconstitutional by voting on it.
• the people do not have to obey any laws with which they disagree.

Which of the following provides an example of how the principle of checks and balances works?

• The President selects a federal judge; the Senate has to approve the nomination.
• The national court system spans the country; each of the 50 states has its own court system.
• A Democrat occupies the White House; Republicans control the House and Senate.
• The government is not all-powerful; it can only do what the people give it the power to do.

Which constitutional principle is portrayed in this political cartoon below?

• Consent of the governed
• Federalism
• Popular sovereignty
• Separation of power

The constitutional principle of judicial review provides...

• the House of Representatives with the power to override decisions made in federal courts.
• the courts with the power to determine the constitutionality of a governmental action.
• the President with the power to veto a bill that was passed by both houses.
• the House and Senate with the power to intercede and settle disputes between the executive and judicial branches.

What term means that power is divided between different levels of government?

• federalism
• separation of powers
• individual rights
• checks and balances

What term is used for a formal change to the original Constitution?

• judicial review
• executive order
• article
• amendment

What is the basic structure of the Constitution?

• preamble, articles, and amendments
• preamble, Bill of Rights, and amendments
• Bill of Rights, articles, and amendments
• legislative branch, executive branch, and judicial branch