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Government Semester Final

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 2hrs 40mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Unlike the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution does which of the following?

a)

Emphasizes state sovereignty over national sovereignty

b)

Establishes a unitary form of government

c)

Restricts the ability of Congress to tax

d)

Emphasizes both national sovereignty and federalism

e)

Restricts the ability of Congress to establish an army or navy

2.

The Constitution states that all revenue bills must originate in:

a)

A White House budget resolution

b)

The Congressional Budget Office

c)

The United States Senate

d)

The United States House of Representatives

e)

The Office of Management and Budget

3.

Which of the following was a direct outcome of the "Three Fifths" Compromise?

a)

The number of representatives in the House of Representatives from slaveholding states increased

b)

Slavery quickly declined, especially in larger cities in the South

c)

The number of Senators increased in slaveholding states

d)

Slaveholding states were able to count slaves to determine their number of Senators

4.

Which of the following statements accurately summarizes the reasoning for the decision in Baker v. Carr (1962)?

a)

To ensure equal protection under the law; there should be an equal number of rural and urban districts in a state

b)

There should be redistricting every ten years at the federal level, but the state can choose not to redistrict at the state and local levels

c)

Because rural districts had fewer people, representation was unevenly distributed; thus, Baker was denied equal protection under the law

d)

Congressional redistricting must involve traditionally excluded groups in the process or it violates the equal protection clause

5.

The debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists were primarily about which of the following?

a)

The existence of slavery

b)

The scope and power of the national government

c)

The right of the people to rebel

d)

The need to establish a standard currency

e)

The representation of large and small states

6.

The term bicameralism refers to the:

a)

establishment of two legislative chambers that have different structures and rules

b)

Members of the House of Representatives having two-year terms

c)

President having veto power over both chambers

d)

Members of the House and Senate having to appease their mutual constituencies

e)

Checks that the Congress has over the federal bureaucracy

7.

The reserved powers of state governments can best be described as those powers:

a)

implied in the fifth amendment

b)

exercised by both national and state governments

c)

granted to the states as a part of the implied powers doctrine

d)

not specifically granted to the national government or denied to the states

e)

listed specifically in the Tenth amendment

8.

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a member of Congress supporting pork-barrel legislation?

a)

A senator from a coal-producing state voting against a job-training program for coal miners

b)

A member of the House voting for urban renewal in exchange for increased funding for roads

c)

A Senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state

d)

A member of the House Armed Services Committee marking up a bill that will increase funding for military bases

9.

Which of the following is an accurate description of the decision McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)?

a)

The federal government exceeded its authority in establishing a national bank, and Maryland's tax was unconstitutional

b)

Maryland was within its authority to tax the federal government, but the Bank of the United States exceeded federal authority

c)

The federal government had the authority to establish a national bank, but it had to pay Maryland's tax

d)

The federal government had the authority to establish a national bank, and Maryland's tax was unconstitutional

10.

When a bill passes in the House and the Senate in different versions, the bill is resolved by which of the following types of committee?

a)

Conference

b)

Select

c)

Reconciliation

d)

Rules

e)

Standing

11.

According to the United States Constitution, the power to make federal laws is given to which branch of government?

a)

Executive

b)

Legislative

c)

Judicial

d)

Supreme

12.

The United States Constitution says that Congress has the power to coin money. This is an example of:

a)

An inherent power

b)

A reserved power

c)

An enumerated power

d)

An implied power

e)

A concurrent power

13.

Which of the following is a unique power held by members of the Senate?

a)

Control of the veto

b)

Control of the appropriations process

c)

The ability to filibuster

d)

The ability to impeach the president

e)

The ability to work with a clearly defined constituency

14.

The Supreme Court Case, Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) set the precedent for separate but equal legislation in several states. The majority opinion of the justices was that the federal government had no jurisdiction over which of the following

a)

Economic equality

b)

Civil equality

c)

Social equality

d)

Political equality

15.

The boundary lines of congressional districts are drawn by:

a)

The United States House of Representatives

b)

The United States Senate

c)

State Governors

d)

United States district courts

e)

State legislatures

16.

Which of the following is an example of checks and balances as established by the United States Constitution?

a)

The Supreme Court's ability to overturn a lesser court's decision

b)

Media criticism of public officials during and election campaign

c)

The requirement that presidential appointments to the Supreme Court be approved by the Senate

d)

The election of the President by an electoral college rather than by direct election

17.

Which of the following statements about the Senate is true?

a)

Each state is represented in the Senate according to its own population

b)

The Senate, unlike the House, has a Rules Committee

c)

Individual senators can exercise substantial influence over the legislative process

d)

The Senate has a strict time limit on debates

18.

The practical effect of the necessary and proper clause of the United States Constitution has been to:

a)

Make the legislature the most powerful branch of the national government

b)

Allow the national government to extend its powers beyond those enumerated in the Constitution

c)

Allow the state governments to nullify federal laws within their borders

d)

Give the president uncontested powers in the area of foreign policy

e)

Ensure that any powers not delegated by the Constitution are reserved to the states and the people

19.

The most dramatic increase in the number of people per representative occurred between which of the following years?

a)

1789-1850

b)

2000-2017

c)

1950-2000

d)

1900-1950

20.

In Federalist No. 10, James Madison warned of the increase in the number of electors per representative fearing which of the following?

a)

A representative over a large number of constituents would be too attached to them to think about the greater picture

b)

A representative of factitious temper would betray the trust of his constituents after securing his election given a larger pool of voters

c)

A representative over a large number of constituents would not be as in touch with them and therefore would not be an adequate representative

d)

With a greater pool of voters, a representative of established character is more likely to obtain office