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WorksheetsGovernment Midterm Review
Total questions: 100
Worksheet time: 50mins
1. The institution in which a society makes and enforces public policy is a
state
country
government
sovereignty
Which are the three basic powers of a government?
political power, public policy power, democratic power
political power, legislative power, executive power
legislative power, executive power, judicial power
sovereign power, legislative power, executive power
All of the following can create public policy EXCEPT:
Congress
The President
Interest groups
The Courts
4. All of the following are examples of public policy EXCEPT:
The president issues an executive order requiring corporations doing business with the government to have affirmative action hiring plans.
Congress writes laws requiring lobbyists to disclose which interest groups employ them.
The Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional
The American Association of Retired Person passed a rule giving access to their insurance policies only to due paying members.
Which is a characteristic of every state?
democracy
a constitution
population
a legislature
Which of the following is true about sovereignty?
Sovereign states cannot decide their own foreign and domestic policies
The United States is not a sovereign state.
The States within the United States are not subordinate to the U.S. Constitution
The States within the United States are not sovereign
Which theory of the origin of the state BEST describes the United States?
divine right
social contract
evolution
force
The purposes of the American government are found in what document?
The Magna Carta
Preamble to the Constitution
The Declaration of Independence
the Student Handbook
Which is the way that the U.S. government is classified?
unitary, presidential, and a parliamentary
federal, presidential, and a democracy
unitary, presidential, and a democracy.
federal, presidential, and parliamentary
A central notion of the American concept of democracy is that
Each individual has complete and absolute freedom.
the majority must be willing to listen to the views of the minority.
all persons have a right to an equal share of worldly goods.
the individual is of paramount importance
Democracy is rooted in the belief of the worth of the individual, which of the following is the BEST explanation of this?
a. all people have value and deserve to be treated with respect
b. everybody must give and take to come to a decision
c. all individuals may do as they like
d. minority rules the majority
Equality of all persons does NOT include:
equality before the law
equality of goods
equal opportunity
In a democracy, the will of the majority:
cannot be changed or improved upon
is not open to compromise
rarely leads to satisfactory policy decisions.
cannot be used to deprive rights to a member of a minority group.
Which of the following is a duty of every American citizen?
voting
volunteering
paying taxes
donating to charity
Which of the following is a responsibility of every American citizen?
serving on a jury
voting
attending school
respecting the rights of others
What economic system does the United States have?
democracy
communism
socialism
mixed
In a capitalist system, who decides what and how much to produce?
the government
tradition
nobody
individuals (sellers and buyers)
The Early English settlers brought with them all of the following basic concepts of government except,
limited government
ordered government
popular sovereignty
representative government
What do the Magna Carta, the Petition of Rights, and the English Bill of Rights have in common?
They were the first documents of the United States.
They established basic concepts of government and rights of individuals.
They limited the rights of the people.
None of the above, they have nothing in common
The majority of the thirteen colonies were what kind of colony?
royal
charter
proprietary
unicameral
What was the first national government of the U.S?
New Albany Plan
Declaration of Independence
Stamp Act Congress
Articles of Confederation
Who was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
John Hancock
George Washington
James Madison
Who was the King that was referred to in the Declaration of Independence?
King James II
King Louis IV
King Henry
King George III
The structure of the government under the Articles of Confederation was
bicameral legislature
unicameral legislature
bicameral executive
unicameral judiciary
The Federalist Paper were written to
win support for the Constitution
expose the lack of civil liberties protected in the Constitution.
urge ratification of the Constitution in Virginia.
condemn the Constitution for the absence of any mention of God.
Which of the following can be said to have contributed the MOST toward the realization that the nation needed a stronger central government?
political issues
economic issues
military issues
social issues
The objections of the Anti-Federalists can be BEST summed up as:
a fear that the small States would not have a say in the new government
a fear that the new government would be too weak to succeed
a fear that the new government would have too much power and the people, too little power
a fear that too few people had participated in the writing of the Constitution
Look at the excerpt below Article 1 All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Article 3 Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person. —Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Declaration of Independence and the articles above are similar because both:
describe the powers of government
Are enforced in every country in the world
describe personal freedoms to which every person is entitled
are used by the World Court to resolve international disputes
With the words, "We the People," the Constitution establishes its authority on the basis of
popular sovereignty.
the rule of law.
the separation of powers.
limited government.
Which of the following best describes the concept of limited government?
Powers are divided among three independent branches of government.
All political power belongs to the people.
Government must operate within the rule of law and the constitution.
The people must behave according to rules set by the government.
When there is a separation of powers,
power is divided between the National Government and the States.
power is distributed among three independent branches of government.
the people grant the States the authority to govern.
The basic powers of government are held by a single agency.
Which of the following accounts for the ability of the Constitution to endure for more than 200 years?
built-in provisions for accommodating change
mandatory provisions every 10 years
very specific language that limits reinterpretation
inflexible provisions designed to resist change
The most common method of formal amendment is:
Proposal by Congress and ratification by state legislatures
Initiative by the President and approval by the Supreme Court
Direct vote by the people in a national referendum
Proposal by state governors and ratification by Congress
The basic constitutional rights of the people were FIRST set out in the
13th, 14th, and 15th amendments.
10th Amendment.
Bill of Rights.
Equal Rights Amendment.
The informal amendment process
involves changing the written words of the Constitution.
has been used very little in the past 200 years.
can occur only with the approval of the States.
is the key to real constitutional change.
Congress can effect changes to the Constitution by
passing basic legislation.
adding meaning to skeletal portions of the Constitution.
simply exercising many of its powers.
all of the above.
Which branch of the Federal Government plays the largest role in the formal amendment process?
executive branch
judicial branch
legislative branch
all of the above
Which of the following pairs of amendments places limitations on the national government?
1st and 2nd
3rd and 4th
5th and 9th
9th and 10th
The Founding Fathers designed a system of checks and balances for the national government. Which of the following best illustrates that concept?
Congress overrides a presidential veto
The President sent troops to Iraq
Congress passes the Federal Budget
The Supreme Court decided to heard the case about immigration
Which of the following describes the avenue by which the Supreme Court can shape the Constitution?
by proposing a constitutional amendment
by exerting influence on political parties
by deciding what the words of the Constitution mean in practice
by voting in federal elections
Which type of Congressional powers are clearly spelled out in the Constitution?
reserved powers
implied powers
expressed powers
inherent powers
The chief accomplishment of the Anti-Federalist debate over the Constitution was the:
Bill of Rights
Federalist Papers
Constitutional Convention
Separation of Powers
The formal amendment process illustrates which two principles?
limited government and checks and balances
federalism and judicial review
popular sovereignty and limited government
popular sovereignty and federalism
When the courts declare a law of an act of the government unconstitutional, it is known as
limited government
popular sovereignty
checks and balances
judicial review
Which of the following is the basic characteristic of federalism?
It divides power between a National Government and State governments.
It gives most power to the National Government.
It gives most power to local units of government.
It encourages citizen participation in government.
Concurrent powers are those that are
exercised by the National and the State governments.
exercised by State governments alone.
exercised by the National Government alone.
denied to both the National and the State governments.
Which of the following powers can the National Government legally exercise?
expressed powers only
expressed, implied and inherent powers
In the case of Marbury v Madison, what was the Supreme Court ruling based upon?
reserved powers
Full Faith and Credit Clause
Necessary and Proper Clause
interstate compacts
The notion that when state and federal laws conflict, the national laws will prevail is the
necessary and proper clause
supremacy clause
extradition
full faith and immunities clause
The system of federalism that allowed States and the federal government equal division of power
home rule
marble cake federalism
dual federalism
cooperative federalism
States must honor the legality of one another's civil laws because of the
Full faith and credit clause
necessary and proper clause
Supremacy Clause
Because Mrs. Clark said so
A person robs a bank in Kentucky and drives to Ohio. The legal process by which Ohio police will return the person to Kentucky to stand trial is called
grants in aid
checks and balances
federalism
extradition
Both the national and states’ government can establish court systems. This is an example of
reserved powers
a mandate
concurrent powers
full faith and credit
Which of the following principle(s) of government was mentioned in the Federalist Papers?
checks and balances
popular sovereignty
separation of powers
all of the above
What Constitutional Clause gives Congress implied powers?
The 10th Amendment
Necessary and Proper Clause
Supremacy Clause
The Tenth Amendment provides for
States’ reserved powers
States’ implied powers
concurrent state and federal powers
What is a political party’s core function?
to field candidates for elected office
to provide a voting cue to the electorate
to try to control the government by winning elections
to organize a national office
What one function most clearly sets parties apart from other groups in the political process?
informing and activating supporters
governing
acting as watchdog
nominating
America's two party systems is
principle oriented
election oriented
issue oriented
The era of one-party domination that began in 1968 was different from past eras of one-party domination because
The Republican party gained no new members in Congress.
The Democratic party gained no new members in Congress.
one party controlled Congress while the other controlled the presidency.
minor parties interfered with the power of the Republican party.
Which of the following did George Washington NOT warn about in his Farewell Address?
Slavery
foreign entanglement
debt
political parties
What type of party system does the United States have?
Single Party System
Multiparty System
Two Party system
Splinter Party system
Who is in charge of voting qualifications
state government
federal government
local government
no one
To prevent fraudulent voting, most States require voters to
register.
be able to read and write.
pay a poll tax.
be a natural-born citizen.
Which of the following is NOT an acceptable form of ID to vote in OHIO?
drivers’ license
social security card
military ID
state ID
Who is in charge of voting in the State?
Governor
Mayor
Secretary of State
State Board of Elections
Gerrymandering
The political branch of an interest group whose purpose is to raise money that can be spent to get their preferred candidate elected.
Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party or group in power.
The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party.
The votes submitted by the majority of the people, often phrased as "winning the popular vote."
How you acquire your political attitudes and opinions
political efficacy
polls
political socialization
political science
Non Voters tend to be
Married and wealthy
Urban and well educated
Over 35 and wealthy
Younger and unmarried
If you don’t vote or participate in political life, according to the Greeks you are a/an
donkey
elephant
idiot
gerrymanderer
“Grandfather clauses” in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century, which required all prospective voters either pay a tax or pass a test except for those whose grandfathers had been eligible to vote, had the effect of
keeping the children of illiterates from voting
preventing women from voting
discriminating against the elderly
keeping African Americans from voting
How was the Voting Rights Act of 1965 different from the Civil Rights Acts?
It allowed women to vote as well
It applied to state elections, not federal elections
It applied to all elections; federal, state, and local
It gave Native Americans the right to vote
How many electoral votes does it take to win the presidency?
538
438
270
17
The first step in the election process where the field of candidate is narrowed
general election
nomination
inauguration
electoral vote
The 2nd step in the election process?
inauguration
nomination
general election
primary
Total number of Electoral votes
270
535
538
225
What is the primary job of Congress
spend the people’s money
enforce public policy
translate public will into public policy
interpret the laws and decide constitutionality
How often does the Constitution require Congress to reapportion (redistribute) seats in the House of Representatives?
every 2 years
every 4 years
never
What is the purpose of the elastic clause?
To prevent states from being too powerful
to allow Congress to make laws to carry out its delegated powers
to prevent any branch of government from exceeding its power
to protect people's liberties from abuse by the government
Identify the principle of government related to the amendment excerpt: “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof:....”
popular sovereignty
separation of power
limited government
federalism
How did the 9th Amendment address Federalist concerns about including a bill of rights in the Constitution?
It ensured that only the state government would be able to grant rights to citizens.
It ensured that guaranteeing some rights would not lead to other rights being violated.
It ensured that the federal government would have more power than state government
It ensured that a proper balance of power among the three branches of government would be established.
Which constitutional principle is identified with the “consent of the governed”?
rule of law
popular sovereignty
checks and balance
separation of powers
The Supreme Court takes on a case about the constitutional merits of a law. After hearing arguments against the law, they issue a verdict that the law goes against certain provisions of the U.S. Constitution. Once determined unconstitutional, the law is struck down or voided. What kind of practice is exemplified in the situation described?
judicial review
federal appeal
limited government
What was the immediate impact of the 14th Amendment?
it prohibited the use of poll taxes in the United States
it guaranteed suffrage rights to African American citizens
it granted citizenship to African Americans
it abolished slavery
Biden wants to send money to Ukraine. Congress must appropriate (authorize) the money. This is an example of which of the following Constitutional principles?
Separation of Powers
Judicial Review
Popular sovereignty
Checks and Balances
Vote age changed from 21 to 18
19th
15th
23rd
26th
Allowed African Americans to vote
15th
17
19th
23rd
24th
Direct Election of Senators instead of being elected by State legislatures
19th
15th
23rd
17
24th
Gave Electoral votes to Washington D.C.
15th
23rd
24th
17
19th
Women's Suffrage
23rd
19th
15th
17
24th
Abolished Poll tax
19th
15th
23rd
24th
17
Congressional pay raises do not take effect until the next term of Congress
17
26th
19th
27th
Search and Seizure: People and their personal property cannot be searched without a warrant, issued by a judge
2nd
5th
1st
6th
4th
No excessive bails or fines, or cruel and unusual punishment
1st
8th
2nd
5th
4th
No person may be held to answer for a crime unless he/she has first been officially and legally charged. No double jeopardy. Persons cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. Power of eminent domain.
5th
1st
6th
4th
2nd
A person accused of a crime has the right to a fair and speedy trial by an impartial jury of his/her peers. Which amendment or constitutional principle is described here?
6th Amendment
1st Amendment
8th Amendment
5th Amendment
Powers that are not specifically granted to the national government are reserved for the states. Which amendment or constitutional principle is described here?
10th Amendment
1st Amendment
Supremacy Clause
Necessary and Proper Clause
Guarantees freedom of speech, religion, and press and the right to assemble peacefully and petition. Which amendment or constitutional principle is described here?
1st Amendment
2nd Amendment
4th Amendment
5th Amendment
Unenumerated rights; the people have rights not listed in the Constitution. Which amendment or constitutional principle is described here?
9th Amendment
1st Amendment
5th Amendment
10th Amendment
Right to bear arms. Which amendment or constitutional principle is described here?
2nd Amendment
1st Amendment
4th Amendment
5th Amendment
