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Master Unit 2 Review

Total questions: 66

Worksheet time: 37mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of Congress and the Presidency?

a)

Congress has greater control over Judicial Appointments

b)

Congress has greater control over Budgetary Policy

c)

Congress has greater control over the Bureaucracy

d)

Congress has greater control over military leadership

2.

The practice in Congress whereby Representative A promises to vote for Representative B’s legislation, provided that Representative B will support Representative A’s legislation, is referred to as...

a)

personal casework and services

b)

partisan discipline

c)

logrolling

d)

pork barrel legislation

3.

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

a)

Control of the veto

b)

The ability to filibuster

c)

Control of the appropriations process

d)

The ability to impeach the president

4.

Nominations to the Supreme Court must be approved by a...

a)

simple majority vote in the Senate only

b)

simple majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate

c)

two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives only

d)

two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate and a majority of the sitting justices on the Supreme Court

5.

Which of the following is generally true of the gerrymandering of congressional districts?

a)

It results in more Democrats being elected to the House.

b)

It guarantees that all minority parties will be equally represented.

c)

It creates districts that favor one political party over another.

d)

It illegally violates the principle of one-person, one-vote.

6.

Which of the following describes the ruling in Shaw v. Reno (1993)?

a)

The Voting Rights Act was ruled unconstitutional.

b)

Racial gerrymandering was ruled unconstitutional.

c)

The poll tax was eliminated.

d)

It was decided that congressional districts needed to be equal in size.

7.

Executive agreements have been cited as evidence that

a)

modern presidents often try to avoid legislative checks and balances on their authority

b)

the executive branch has become too large and bureaucratic

c)

presidents have less power in handling foreign policy than in handling domestic policy

d)

interest groups have too much power in the contemporary governmental system

8.

The primary function of the White House staff is to...

a)

initiate policy

b)

advise the president

c)

represent the bureaucratic agencies

d)

provide information to the Office of Management and Budget

9.

In The Federalist 78, Alexander Hamilton states, “A constitution is, in fact, and must be regarded by the judges, as a fundamental law. It therefore belongs to them to ascertain its meaning.” Which of the following Supreme Court cases is most relevant to this statement?

a)

Baker v. Carr (1962)

b)

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

c)

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

d)

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

10.

Supreme Court justices were given life terms subject to good behavior by the Framers of the Constitution in order to ensure that...

a)

justices are free from direct political pressures

b)

justices are encouraged to make politically popular decisions

c)

cooperation between the judicial and legislative branches is assured

d)

justices remain accountable to the public

11.

Congress has exerted the greats influence on the operation of a federal agency by doing which of the following?

a)

Requiring the agency to participate in interagency task forces

b)

Dismissing an agency head who disagrees with congressional priorities

c)

Reviewing the annual budget appropriations for the agency

d)

Passing “sunset” legislation that terminates programs after a certain period

12.
a)

Government Corporation

b)

Independent Executive Agency

c)

Independent Regulatory Commission

d)

Cabinet Department (or part of Cabinet Department)

13.

How many Senators does each state get?

a)

5

b)

6

c)

2

d)

It's based on a state's population

14.

The leader of the House of Representatives is called the ______ of the House.

a)

Leader

b)

Speaker

15.

Who acts as PRESIDENT of the Senate?

a)

The President of the United States

b)

The Vice President of the United States

c)

The Senate Pro Tempore

d)

The House Speaker

16.

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

17.

Match the following

a)

composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.

1.

Joint Committee

b)

A temporary legislative committee established for a limited time period and for a special purpose.

2.

Select Committee

c)

A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area

3.

Standing Committee

d)

special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate

4.

Conference Committee

e)

Reviews most bills coming from a House committee before they go to the full House.

5.

House Rules Committee

18.

Match the following

a)

talk a bill "to death"

1.

filibuster

b)

end a filibuster

2.

cloture

c)

in office and running again

3.

incumbent

d)

unfairly drawing district lines

4.

gerrymandering

e)

area where constituents are

5.

district

19.

A fundamental source of power for the federal bureaucracy lies in its

a)

role in moving legislation out of subcommittees

b)

role in mediating interstate conflicts

c)

ability to convince Congress to fund most projects it supports

d)

ability to set specific guidelines after receiving a general mandate from Congress

20.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service will spend money appropriated by Congress to maintain wildlife refuges. This action is an example of

a)

the power of the filibuster

b)

bureaucratic implementation of law

c)

congressional oversight of the bureaucracy

d)

an independent expenditure

21.

Which of the following is an example of bureaucratic rule making?

a)

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collecting back taxes with interest from citizens

b)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) writing a regulation to support a clean water bill

c)

Congress passing legislation to establish the Department of Homeland Security

d)

The federal government listing a business opportunity on its clearinghouse Web site for government contracts

22.

A BUREAUCRACY is

a)

a system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.

b)

a system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by Congress

c)

a system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by the President

d)

a system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by the Supreme Court

23.

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

a)

an implied power

b)

an enumerated power

c)

a reserved power

d)

a concurrent power

24.

In which of the following scenarios would a presidential veto most likely be upheld?

a)

Two-thirds of the representatives and senators are members of the same party as the President.

b)

The proposed legislation enjoys widespread bipartisan support.

c)

The President is in a second term, removed from partisan politics.

d)

The President has the support of the Supreme Court.

25.

Which of the following is an example of the constitutional design of checks and balances?

a)

The federal government requires state governments to provide unemployment insurance.

b)

The Senate rejects a president’s nomination for secretary of state.

c)

The Supreme Court overturns a lower court’s ruling on the application of the Fourth Amendment.

d)

The Office of Management and Budget rejects a proposed regulation of air quality standards

26.

All of the following statements are true EXCEPT

a)

Congress never declared war during Vietnam or Korea "conflicts."

b)

The War Powers Resolution was a response to the American public's anger about US troops fighting in Vietnam.

c)

The War Powers Resolution was intended to give the president greater power and flexibility when conducting wars.

d)

The War Powers Resolution required that military forces be withdrawn after 60 days unless Congress declared war or granted an extension.

e)

The War Powers Resolution gave Congress more authority over the president's use of military force.

27.

Article 2 of the Constitution sets up the _____________ to elect the president.

a)

people

b)

senators

c)

supreme court

d)

Electoral College

28.

The Number of Electors a state receives  is equal to the number of

a)

senators a state has.

b)

electors it has.

c)

the state's Representatives in the House.

d)

the state's senators and Representatives in Congress.

29.

Which of the following Departments handles foreign policy?

a)

Department of State

b)

Department of Justice

c)

Department of Agriculture

d)

Department of the Interior

30.

Which of the following is the best predictor of the Department of Education’s annual budget?

a)

The rate of increase of teachers’ salaries

b)

The size of the previous year’s budget

c)

The budget recommendations of the National Education Association

d)

The preferences of the Chair of the Senate Finance Committee

31.

Federal benefits that must be funded by Congress and must be paid to all citizens who meet eligibility criteria are called

a)

discretionary appropriations

b)

individual entitlements

c)

tax expenditures

d)

distributive benefits

32.

An example of a discretionary item in the federal budget is

a)

veterans’ pensions

b)

Social Security payments

c)

spending on national parks

d)

interest on the public debt

33.

The largest portion of “uncontrollable spending” in the federal budget is designated for which of the following?

a)

Interest on the national debt

b)

Entitlement spending

c)

Defense spending

d)

Environmental programs

34.

America's federal judiciary is established in...

a)

Article I

b)

Article II

c)

Article III

d)

Article IV

35.

Which branch of government has the authority to establish "inferior" federal courts?

a)

Executive branch

b)

Legislative branch

c)

Judicial branch

d)

State legislatures

36.

The court that has the authority to hear a case first has

a)

Appellate Jurisdiction

b)

Primary Jurisdiction

c)

Original Jurisdiction

d)

Secondary Jurisdiction

37.

Most of the cases SCOTUS hears come from

a)

Original Jurisdiction

b)

Appellate Jurisdiction

38.

While the President has the power to appoint federal judges, who must approve them?

(a)  

39.

How is the Judicial Branch able to check the power of the other branches?

a)

By refusing to seat members of Congress

b)

By impeaching members of the other branches

c)

By using Judicial Review

d)

By Judicial Declaration

40.

The Supreme Court expresses its official opinion through the ________ _______

a)

Judicial Review

b)

Majority Opinion

c)

Concurring Opinion

d)

Dissenting Opinion

41.

The majority opinion, issued by the Supreme Court as the final decision of a case, becomes the standard or guide that will be followed in deciding similar cases in the future. this standard or guide is known as a

a)

Precedent

b)

Stare Decisis

c)

Brief

d)

Decision

42.

The judicial philosophy that advocates the courts' active role in policymaking is called

a)

strict constructionist

b)

loose constructionist

c)

judicial activism

d)

judicial restraint

43.

"It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is. Those who apply the rule to particular cases, must of necessity expound and interpret that rule. If two laws conflict with each other, the courts must decide on the operation of each."

-Chief Justice John Marshall

Which of the following principles is most accurately reflected in the quote from John Marshall?

a)

Republicanism

b)

Judicial Review

c)

Constitutionalism

d)

Checks and Balances

44.

What is the document that must be filed in order for SCOTUS to hear an appeal?

a)

Writ of Breve

b)

Writ of Mandamus

c)

Writ of Habeus Corpus

d)

Writ of Certiorari

45.

What kind of opinion is written by a justice who disagrees with the majority opinion of the court?

a)

Majority Opinion

b)

Dissenting Opinion

c)

Concurring Opinion

d)

Minority Opinion

46.

A guiding principle in which justices rely on precedent; basically states that the ruling in the lower court is upheld.

a)

Dissenting Opinion

b)

Amicus brief

c)

Stare decisis

d)

Original Jurisdiction

47.

Literally meaning "friend of the court", these are submitted to the SCOTUS by non-parties in a case that have a stake in the case. Some justices read them. Some don't.

a)

Amicus Curiae

b)

Writ of habeus corpus

c)

Miranda rights

d)

Appellate jurisdiction

48.

After the President nominates a federal judge...

a)

They must be approved by a ⅔ majority in the senate

b)

They must be approved by a simple majority in the senate

c)

They must be approved by 60 senators

d)

...they must be approve by a simple majority in the house

49.

Enumerated powers are the powers that are listed in the _____.

a)

Bill of Rights

b)

Constitution

c)

Declaration of Independence

d)

Magna Carta

50.

What case argued that redistricting in North Carolina was racial gerrymandering?

a)

Shaw v. Reno

b)

Baker v. Carr

c)

McCulloch v. Maryland

d)

Brown v. Board of Education

51.

What amendment requires voters to vote for the President and Vice President separately.

a)

22nd

b)

16th

c)

12th

d)

21st

52.

What amendment limits presidential terms to just two?

a)

21st

b)

20th

c)

22nd

d)

9th

53.

Gerrymandering means __________.

a)

Drawing distinct boundary lines to benefit a political party.

b)

Changes in population.

c)

Power to stop a bill congress has passed from becoming law.

d)

Both formal and informal powers that influence relations with foreign nations.

54.

Which of these is a requirement to become President?

a)

35 years old.

b)

Natural born citizen.

c)

Lived in the U.S. for 14 years.

d)

All of the above.

55.

The practice of exchanging favors in known as...

a)

Logrolling

b)

Interest

c)

Earmark

d)

Caucuses

56.

An order issued by the President.

a)

executive privilege

b)

executive order

c)

executive agreement

d)

gerrymandering

57.

An earmark can be described as:

a)

the mark put on your ear before it is pierced

b)

an addition to a bill

c)

a provision that marks an area of special focus

d)

a provision that directs funding to a specific recipient

58.

Who determines the final budgets for bureaucratic agencies?

a)

Each agency determines their own budget

b)

Congress

c)

the President

d)

The Director of the OMB

59.

What is the basis or the implied powers of Congress?

a)

Commerce Clause

b)

Due Process Clause

c)

Necessary and Proper Clause

d)

General Welfare Clause

60.

States must recognize the validity of the acts, records, court decisions, etc of other states.

a)

Full Faith and Credit Clause

b)

Contracts Clause

c)

Bill of Attainder

d)

Elastic Clause

61.

Federal law is supreme over state law.

a)

Contracts Clause

b)

Elastic Clause

c)

Supremacy Clause

d)

Commerce Clause

62.

Congress can make any law they deem is "necessary and proper".

a)

Elastic Clause

b)

Commerce Clause

c)

Bill of Attainder

d)

Privileges and Immunities Clause

63.

The founding fathers combined the ideas of the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan to come up with -

a)

Compromise of 1820

b)

Three-fifths compromise

c)

Great Compromise

d)

Constitutional Convention

64.

This Clause gives congress the power to regulate trade with foreign nations and between the state.

a)

The Elastic Clause

b)

The Full faith and Credit Clause

c)

The Supremacy Clause

d)

The Commerce Clause

65.

Despite concerns raised by her constituents, a member of the House of Representatives votes in favor of a bill, believing that in the long term it is in the best interest of her constituents. This is an example of which of the following models of representation?

a)

Delegate

b)

Politico

c)

Trustee

d)

Virtual

66.

Which of the following scenarios is an example of the trustee model of representation?

a)

Congress passes a bill allocating money to clean up nuclear waste sites after a wave of large-scale peaceful protests.

b)

The NAACP leadership sends representatives to Washington to lobby for changes to the Voting Rights Act.

c)

A presidential candidate advocates using an executive order to increase the minimum wage for federal contractors.

d)

A member of Congress votes to close a popular tax loophole based on the belief that the money would be better spent paying down the national debt.