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AP Gov Midterm

Total questions: 40

Worksheet time: 30mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Anarchy is a type of government in which one leader rules by force.

a)

True

b)

False

2.

Governments often provide services that are designed to increase public safety.

a)

True

b)

False

3.

In order to protect the new government, the founding fathers placed:

a)

many representatives in Congress

b)

many hurdles in the legislative process

c)

many committees in the legislative process

d)

many sections into bills

4.

The legislative process starts with the:

a)

debates over bills on the floor of Congress

b)

creation of a bill in committee

c)

drafting of the bill in the Senate

d)

introduction of the bill in either the House or the Senate

5.

During the legislative process, collecting information about a bill is a job for:

a)

congressional staff

b)

enclaves

c)

subcommittees

d)

pollsters

6.

The House Rules Committee has the power to:

a)

make the Senate vote on a bill

b)

stop a bill before it gets to committee

c)

determine how long a debate will last on a bill

d)

force all representatives to vote on a bill

7.

Placing a           on a piece of legislation is one way individual senators are able to stop or slow a bill

a)

fast track

b)

hold

c)

committee

8.

Filibusters are used to delay a bill because a senator refuses to:

a)

vote

b)

participate in debate

c)

stop talking

d)

review the committee report

9.

If a president decides to use the ____ power against a bill, it goes back to Congress

a)

oversight

b)

inaction

c)

rejection

d)

veto

10.

Jefferson (and John Locke) believed that governments derive their powers from 

a)

God, the creator

b)

The consent of the governed

c)

The laws of nature

d)

The King of Great Britain

11.
Who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence?
a)
Benjamin Franklin
b)
Samuel Adams
c)
Thomas Jefferson
d)
Paul Revere
12.

How long is a president's term?

a)

2 years

b)

4 years

c)

6 years

d)

For life

13.

Which branch of government has 2 houses?

a)

Legislative

b)

Executive

c)

Judicial

14.
After Shay's rebellion, America decided that--
a)
They needed a stronger national government
b)
Give farmers more money
c)
They needed a weaker national government
d)
farmers need more land
15.
The Great Compromise was a compromise between--
a)
Mass. Plan and New Jersey Plan
b)
Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan
c)
Virginia Plan and New York Plan
d)
Virginia Plan and Delaware Plan
16.
What was the 3/5ths Compromise?
a)
Slaves counted as 2/4ths of a person
b)
Slavery was outlawed
c)
Slaves counted as 3/5ths of a person
d)
Slaves in the South were set free
17.

This was the First written government of the U.S.

a)

Constitution

b)

MayFlower Compact

c)

Articles of Confederation

d)

Declaration of Independance

18.

A separation of powers within a government is best defined as:

a)

distributing powers across different institutions so that no one branch can become too powerful on its own

b)

distributing powers across different branches so that the president is not overwhelmed with decision making

c)

distributing powers from the national government to state governments so that the national government cannot become too powerful

d)

distributing powers across different institutions so that they can work together to make laws that are in the best interest of the national government

19.

Which delegate would MOST likely be familiar with the concept of separation of powers?

a)

one who has studied past forms of government

b)

one who has studied the written works of Baron de Montesquieu

c)

one who has studied essays from John Adams

d)

one who has contemplated on the failures of the Articles of Confederation

20.

Which statement BEST defines a system of checks and balances?

a)

A government in which each branch assists the other branches to passing laws.

b)

A government in which each branch has completely separate powers from one another

c)

A government in which each branch has the ability to prevent the other branches from making policy

d)

A government in which each branch functions as a separate, smaller government within itself

21.

A system that shares power between the national government and the state government is a characteristic of:

a)

the Articles of Confederation

b)

the Constitution

c)

a republic

d)

federalism

22.

The legislative branch is responsible for:

a)

hearing cases and judging on the Constitutionality of laws

b)

negotiating treaties with foreign countries

c)

commanding the army and navy

d)

making and passing laws

23.

Gianna has served in her state government for four years and wants to move up to a national government role, but still represent the people of her state and advocate for their interests. Which action is Gianna MOST likely to take?

a)

run for re-election to gain more experience

b)

run for an open seat in the House of Representatives

c)

run for local government in her hometown

d)

run for an open seat in the Senate

24.

Congress is granted the powers necessary to carrying out its enumerated abilities through:

a)

the commerce clause

b)

the implied powers clause.

c)

the necessary and proper clause

d)

the expressed or enumerated powers clause

25.

Which power is an enumerated power of the executive branch?

a)

declaring war

b)

ratifying treaties

c)

writing laws

d)

nominating judges to federal courts

26.

The       branch is responsible for hearing and deciding on cases within federal courts

a)

Executive

b)

Legislative

c)

Judicial

27.

Which statement best describes the supremacy clause?

a)

A clause that establishes decisions made at state-level courts to be considered as the supreme law of the land

b)

A clause that states the decisions made by the president regarding cases is the supreme law of the land

c)

A clause that declares the Constitution, and any national laws and treaties, as the supreme law of the land.

d)

A clause that allows for the Supreme Court to take over any state-level case at any time during the life of the case

28.

Assume a committee in Congress wishes to propose a new amendment, what is required for the committee to do so?

a)

Passing the new amendment by a two-thirds vote in the Senate or passing the new amendment in a national convention called by all fifty states

b)

Passing the new amendment by a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress or passing the new amendment in a national convention called by two-thirds of the states

c)

Passing the new amendment by a majority vote in both chambers of Congress or passing the new amendment in a national convention called by all fifty states

d)

Passing the new amendment by a majority vote in both chambers of Congress or passing the new amendment in a national convention called by half of the states

29.

Which statement BEST explains a method for ratifying a proposed amendment to the Constitution?

a)

Ratification by a two-thirds vote in three-fourths of state ratifying conventions

b)

Ratification by a two-thirds vote in three-fourths of state legislatures.

c)

Ratification by a majority vote in two-thirds of state ratifying conventions

d)

Ratification by a majority vote in three-fourths of state legislatures

30.

Daniel is in charge of reporting to the delegates how many states plan on ratifying the Constitution and so far can report that six states intend on ratifying. How many more states are needed to ratify the Constitution?

a)

seven

b)

six

c)

four

d)

three

31.

A Federalist is:

a)

someone who believes states should retain sovereignty

b)

someone who supports the Articles of Confederation

c)

someone who supports the Constitution

d)

someone who thinks national government should be weak

32.

Which is an issue that divided the Federalists and the Antifederalists?

a)

How much power the president would have in the new government

b)

How states would be represented in the new government

c)

How a republic would be successful in such a large nation

d)

How slavery would be handled in a new government

33.

The Federalist Papers are:

a)

a collection of eighty-five essays that outline the theory behind the Constitution

b)

a series of newspaper articles that argue in favor of the Articles of Confederation

c)

a group of pamphlets that argue in favor of restrictions on slavery.

d)

a series of essays written to inform people of the Constitutional Convention

34.

In the McCulloch v Maryland 1819 decision, which two provisions in the Constitution were upheld and strengthened?

a)

Congress's power to regulate commerce and to levy taxes

b)

The necessary and proper clause and the Supremacy Clause

c)

The 1st and 10th Amendment

d)

The Full Faith and Credit Clause and the extradition clause

35.

Which of the following statements is true regarding the Court's decision in Marbury v Madison 1803?

a)

It resolved a dispute about Congress's commerce power

b)

It established the principle of stare decisis

c)

It overturned part of an act of Congress

d)

It established the supremacy of federal law

36.

What was the effect of the opinion in Schenck v United States?

a)

People can say or express anything as long as the nation is not at war

b)

During wartime, no person can criticize the US government

c)

Free speech was expanded in the US

d)

As long as speech does not present a clear and present danger, it is allowed

37.

In Brown v Board of Education, the Supreme Court based its decision on which provision of the 14th Amendment?

a)

Automatic citizenship for persons born in the US

b)

Equal Protection under the law

c)

Due Process Clause

d)

Fellowship Clause of Rights

38.

Why did the Constitution provide for two separate court systems?

a)

to keep the federal court system from being overwhelmed

b)

to establish the federal court system as having more power than State courts

c)

to maintain a balance of power between the Federal Government and the States

d)

to strengthen the balance of power between the three branches of Federal Government

39.
How are federal judges selected?
a)
The person is named to the bench by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
b)
The person is named to the bench by the President and does not need to be confirmed.
c)
The person is publicly elected to the bench and confirmed by the Senate.
d)
The person is nominated by the Senate and chosen by the President.
40.

Which is a fact of the McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) case?

a)

The state of Maryland was the only state that wanted to tax the Second Bank of the United States

b)

It centered on the question if Congress could charter national banks.

c)

Bank officials paid the tax but thought it was too high and challenged it

d)

The charter for the bank was still ongoing and was cut short