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WorksheetsAmerican Gov - Final Exam Review
Total questions: 135
Worksheet time: 2hrs 18mins
435 Members
House of Representatives
Senate
100 Members
Senate
House of Representatives
Represents citizens in specific sections of their state called districts
House of Representatives
Senate
Represents citizens of their entire state
Senate
House of Representatives
Members serve a 2 year term
House of Representatives
Senate
Members serve a 6 year term
Senate
House of Representatives
Members must be at least 25 years old
House of Representatives
Senate
Members must be at least 30 years old
Senate
House of Representatives
Members must be a US citizen for at least 7 years
House of Representatives
Senate
Members must be a US citizen for at least 9 years
Senate
House of Representatives
Favors the large states
House of Representatives
Senate
Favors the small states
Senate
House of Representatives
Tax legislation must originate in this chamber of Congress.
House of Representatives
Senate
Responsible for approval of presidential nominations like ambassadors, judges and cabinet members
Senate
House of Representatives
This chamber of Congress responsible for charging public officials of wrong-doing; impeachment
House of Representatives
Senate
This chamber of Congress holds trial for all impeachment hearings of public officials
Senate
House of Representatives
A draft of a proposed law
Bill
Veto
Presidential power to reject a proposed law
Veto
Pardon
Groups within Congress appointed to investigate, debate, and report on legislation
Committees
Factions
vice president
casts a Senate vote only in case of a tie
population
basis of representation in the House of Representatives
representatives
focus on their districts, rather than the entire state
legislative
Framers planned for this branch to be the most powerful
term
the two-year period during which Congress meets
What determines congressional apportionment for each state?
gerrymandering
political parties
population
registered voters
How often does Congress adjust the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives?
every 2 years
every 4 years
every 20 years
every 10 years
Congress may override a presidential veto with a
majority vote.
two-thirds vote.
unanimous vote.
three-quarters vote.
Under the system of checks and balances, how can Congress limit the power of the president?
can appoint federal officials to enforce the laws
can overturn a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote
can rule that presidential actions are unconstitutional
can amend the Constitution to overturn court decisions
Which is an example of a check on congressional power?
the power of Congress to declare war
the power of the President to veto a bill
the power of the Supreme Court to try cases between states
the power of the states to collect their own taxes
Which official chairs the proceedings of the U.S. House of Representatives?
Sergeant-at-Arms
Speaker of the House
President pro tempore
Vice President of the US
Jack is considering a run for the House of Representatives. He is a US Citizen by birth. How old must he be?
25
35
30
21
How is the number of Senators in the Senate determined?
Population of the state
Equality
President picks
A prescient set by congresses in the past
Who is the leader of the Senate?
Senator-in-chief
Secretary of State
Superintendent of the Senate
Vice President
Gwen is considering running for Senate. She is a US citizen by naturalization. How long would she have to have been a citizen of the US and how old would she have to be?
7 years a citizen and 25 years old
9 years a citizen and 30 years old
14 years a citizen and 35 years old
5 years a citizen and 21 years old
After being introduced on the floor, a bill moves to...
The appropriate committee.
The President’s desk.
A floor debate.
A roll-call vote.
What is the Legislative Branch?
Congress: the House of the Representatives and the Senate
The President
Government
Supreme Court
Which Legislative branch does a bill have to be introduced to first?
The House of Representatives
The Senate
The Executive Branch
Either the House of Representatives or the Senate (some exceptions)
What determines congressional apportionment for each state?
Gerrymandering
Political parties
Population
Registered voters
When the House and Senate wish to do business together, they hold a
bicameral Congress
general election
joint session
press conference
Which branch of government can declare war?
All three branches
Executive branch
Legislative branch
Judicial branch
A twenty-eight-year-old citizen could be elected
to the House of the Senate
to neither house of Congress
only to the House of Representatives
only to the Senate
What qualification do both houses of congress have in common?
Members must be born in the United States
Members must be at least 30 years old
Members must graduate from college
Members must live in the state they represent.
When the President rejects a bill, refuses to sign it, and sends it back to Congress it is called a/an _______________.
veto
congress
bill
unconstitutional
Who is the leader of the House of Representatives?
Vice President
President Pro Tempore
Speaker of the House
Majority Whip
Who is the president of the Senate and casts tie breaking votes when needed?
Speaker of the House
Vice President
Majority Whip
Chief Justice
Who leads the Senate when the Vice President cannot be there?
Speaker of the House
Majority Whip
Chief Justice
President Pro Tempore
How frequently does the Census happen?
5 years
10 years
3 years
1 year
Who is the current Speaker of the House?
Marco Rubio
J.D. Vance
Mike Johnson
Chuck Shumer
Which party controls both the House and the Senate currently?
Democratic
Republican
What is a filibuster?
the person in charge of making sure all members of a party show up for a vote
an attempt to prevent or prolong a vote on a bill usually by a long speech, can be 'silent'
the person in charge after the president pro tempore
the secretary to the Speaker of the House
What is cloture?
the summary at the end of a congressional session
the speech that starts a session in congress
the procedure for ending debate on a bill and brining it to a vote
the process of abstaining from voting
What is the purpose of a 'whip'?
keep notes for their party
hand out paperwork and documents to all members on the floor
keeps tally of the votes during a committee discussion
attempts to make sure the members of their party show up and vote what the party wants
Which of these is NOT a check the executive branch has on the other two branches?
vetoing bills passed by congress
nominating federal judges
declaring laws unconstitutional
issuing an executive order
What is the main job/duty of the executive branch?
to make laws
to enforce laws
to go to war
to interpret laws
What is NOT a formal requirement to be president?
35 yrs old
14 years of residency
military service
born a citizen
Which of the following is basically defined as a country's actions, policies, and strategies when dealing with other countries?
Foreign Policy
Domestic Policy
Presidential Plan
New Deal
This presidential act is essentially a deal made by our president with a head of state or representative of another country. It is similar to a treaty, but does not technically require senate approval.
executive agreement
executive order
persona non grata
eminent domain
The President's role as Head of State involves:
Managing the economy.
Representing the United States at official functions.
Writing and passing legislation.
Serving as the head of their political party.
In the role of Commander in Chief, the President has the authority to:
Declare war without Congress approval.
Direct military operations.
Promote all military officers.
Disband the military.
What is required for a presidential veto to be overridden?
A simple majority in both the House and Senate
A two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives only
A two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate
Presidential consent
The Executive Branch is the largest branch.
True
False
Select ALL of the parts of the Executive Branch.
The majority of the United States' foreign policy lies in the hands of the ___
Vice President
CIA
FBI
President
What is the group of people who are heads of various departments that advise the president?
Cabinet
Cupboard
Board of Directors
Department Coalition
What is the definition of a pardon?
A general pardon for a group of people
Reducing the severity of a punishment
Legal forgiveness for a crime
The postponement of a punishment
What are Domestic Affairs concerned with?
Issues and policies within the United States
Advises President on foreign affairs
The President's personal & political staff
Agencies outside of the executive departments
Which of the following is a constitutional duty of the President?
To serve as Speaker of the House
To deliver the State of the Union address
To preside over the Senate
To appoint state governors
How can the President influence the legislative process aside from vetoing?
By introducing bills directly
By calling special sessions of Congress
By voting on bills in the House of Representatives
By appointing members of Congress
A _____ is a presidential order that postpones legal punishment.
Pardon
Reprieve
Amnesty
Veto
Who can overturn executive orders? (Choose all that apply.)
Senate
Congress
Supreme Court
future Presidents
Who can formally initiate the impeachment process?
the House of Representatives
any citizen of the United States
the President
Where does the impeachment trial take place?
The White House
The Senate
The Supreme Court
The power of a house of Congress to raise taxes, set a budget, and appropriate money.
Power of the Purse
Advise and Consent
Filibuster
A person excused from the punishment of a crime receives a
pardon
reprieve
commutation
absolution
The War Powers Act requires the (a) to report military deployments within (b) hours to (c) and if there is not agreement troops must return within (d) days.
The (a) submits a final budget to (b) .
A (a) is essentially a tax imposed by the government on goods from other countries. This practice is an example of (b) .
The (a) controls monetary policy.
The (a) policy deals with the control of money and interest rates.
The (a) policy deals with taxing and spending.
Who has the final say on the fiscal policy/the federal budget?
(a)
There are (a) federal departments. The heads of these departments are called (b) .
Match the federal department with what they are in charge of:
Defense
military, war
State
diplomacy, foreign policy
Treasury
taxes, currency, debt, sanctions
Justice
judicial matters, investigate corruption
There are many government agencies that are part of bureaucracy. (FCC, FEMA, EPA, FDA, TSA, etc.) The benefit of these agencies is that they are _______ in their field. They are NOT _____ positions.
experts, appointed
experts, elected
The federal bureaucracy is responsible for implementing and enforcing laws passed by (a) .
Which of the following is a category of the federal bureaucracy?
Executive Cabinet and Agencies
Judicial Branch
Legislative Committees
State Governments
Which of the following can the federal bureaucracy NOT do?
Act as a check on the power of the executive branch
testify before Congress
Enforce regulations
Interpret laws
A ban on trade with a country or group of countries, usually for political reasons; a type of trade barrier.
tariff
import quota
trade embargo
amnesty
What would it generally take for a local Pennsylvania case to reach the Federal Supreme Court?
The case must involve a federal law or constitutional issue.
The case must be about local traffic violations.
The case must be approved by the Pennsylvania governor.
The case must be a civil dispute between neighbors.
Which court is at the top of both the federal and state court systems in the United States?
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. District Courts
State Appellate Court
State Trial Courts
Which of the following is a function of the U.S. Supreme Court ?
Oversees both the federal and state court systems
Handles only state-level cases
Acts as a trial court for federal cases
Only reviews state appellate court decisions
What is the primary difference between a civil case and a criminal case?
Civil cases are about crimes, criminal cases are about rights
Civil cases deal with the rights of citizens, criminal cases relate to crimes
Civil cases are heard in the Supreme Court, criminal cases in District Courts
Civil cases require a jury, criminal cases do not
Why might a case be heard in a federal court rather than a state court?
It involves only state laws
It deals with federal laws, the Constitution, or disputes between citizens of different states
It is a minor dispute
It involves local ordinances
What is the role of evidence in a District Court trial?
To create new laws
To prove the case
To appeal a decision
To select judges
Which of the following types of cases do state courts have jurisdiction over?
Federal tax disputes
State law and its constitution
International treaties
Maritime law
What is the primary function of Minor Courts in Pennsylvania?
Hear appeals from the Supreme Court
Handle all cases involving family and children
Serve as the starting point for all cases in the district
Decide on international disputes
Which Pennsylvania court hears major cases, appeals from minor courts, and all cases involving family and children?
Superior Court
Court of Common Pleas
Commonwealth Court
PA Supreme Court
Why might the Supreme Court decide to hear a case involving a split decision in Circuit Courts?
To resolve inconsistencies in the law across different regions.
To increase the number of cases on their calendar.
To avoid making a national decision.
To support the lower court's ruling.
What happens if the Chief Justice is not in the majority when assigning the writing of the opinion?
The President assigns it
The most junior justice assigns it
The senior justice in the majority assigns it
The public votes on it
How many clerks does each Supreme Court justice typically have?
2
3
4
5
Why is a Supreme Court clerkship considered highly prestigious in the U.S.?
It is the highest paid internship
it is the most important job/internship one can attain in the legal world
It guarantees a job as a justice
It lasts for several years
Which of the following is NOT a task performed by Supreme Court clerks?
Helping justices prepare for oral arguments
Writing draft opinions
Serving as public defenders
Recommending cases to justices
What is one purpose of a concurring opinion in the Supreme Court?
To overturn the majority decision.
To clarify a justice's thinking or provide additional reasoning for the decision.
To remove a case from the court's docket.
To announce a new law immediately.
Consider the potential impact of concurring opinions on future legal cases. Why might lawmakers pay attention to these opinions?
Because they can provide guidance and influence future interpretations of the law.
Because they are always ignored by the Supreme Court.
Because they are only written for academic purposes.
Because they are required reading for all citizens.
Who typically publishes dissenting opinions in the Supreme Court?
Justices in the minority
The President
Members of Congress
The Chief Justice only
What is one main purpose of publishing dissenting opinions?
To hide disagreements from the public
To put disagreements on full display for the public
To announce new laws
To summarize the majority opinion
Why might legislators refer to a Supreme Court justice’s dissent when debating a new law?
To ignore the justice’s opinion
To use the dissent as guidance or justification for legislative change
To criticize the justice personally
To delay the legislative process
What is the primary purpose of an amicus brief in a court case?
To provide suggestions or guidance on a case and how stakeholders might be affected by the decision
To serve as the main argument for one of the parties in the case
To act as the final decision-maker in the court
To enforce the court's ruling after the case is decided
Why might the court consider technical expertise provided in an amicus brief?
To gain specific knowledge related to the case that may not be available from the parties involved
To replace the arguments of the main parties
To delay the decision-making process
To increase the number of witnesses
What was the significance of the U.S. military's input in the recent college admissions affirmative action case?
It influenced the court to allow race to be used in admissions for military academies
It led to the banning of race in all college admissions
It resulted in the removal of leadership training from military academies
It had no impact on the court’s decision
Reorder the following: The federal courts (from lowest to highest)
District Courts
Courts of Appeal
Supreme Court
Reorder the following: The Pennsylvania Court (from lowest to highest)
minor courts
courts of common pleas
commonwealth/superior courts
supreme court
Another name for a district court is a (a) court.
Another name for an appellate court is an (a) court.
In federal court the only court that has a juror or judge that decides a case with evidence and lawyers is a (a) court.
The PA Supreme court has (a) justices and the U.S. Supreme Court has (b) .
Who reviews cert petition first?
Supreme Court Justices
clerks of the court
the Chief Justice
The Speaker of the House
How many Supreme Court Justices have to agree to hear a case?
3
4
5
9
In a Supreme Court case both sides are given (a) minutes to argue their case.
What is the role of Supreme Court Justices during the oral argument of both sides of the case?
Remain completely silent
Take notes to review later
Ask questions throughout the time allotted
The (a) opinion of the Supreme Court has the force of law.
There needs to be at least (a) votes for a vote to win in the Supreme Court.
How long do Supreme Court Justices serve?
4 years
8 years
Life terms
10 years
What is a requirement to become a Supreme Court Justice?
Native born U.S. citizen
Legal experience
Law degree
Presidential nomination
Approximately how many cases does the Supreme Court hear annually?
70-80 cases
150-200 cases
500-600 cases
1000+ cases
What is a precedent in Supreme Court terms?
A new law created by Congress
A previous court decision used as a rule
A suggestion by the President
A decision made by a jury
In which type of case does the Supreme Court have original jurisdiction?
Criminal cases
Civil rights cases
Disputes between states
Individual tax cases
What is an interest group?
A formal association of individuals or organizations that attempts to influence government decision-making
A group of political parties working together
A government agency responsible for policy-making
A group of lawmakers representing specific interests
What is the role of interest groups in representing individuals, corporate interests, and the public before government?
To elect candidates under a party label
To directly control the operations of government
To inform the public and lawmakers about issues
To enforce government actions
Employees pay federal income tax and payroll taxes. Click all below that are considered payroll taxes.
Health Insurance Premiums
Social Security tax
Medicare tax
Unemployment insurance
What are the 2 biggest reasons why our national debt has increased in recent years?
increased government spending
tax increases
tax cuts
immigration reform
