Ch 2

Question 1

The president of the United States is chosen by 
A- a popular vote of the people 
B- the US senate 
C- the house and senate combined 
D- the electoral college 
E- the governors of the state

Answer 1

D- the electoral college

Question 2

While the implementation of an electoral college has failed to keep presidential elections out of the hands of \_\_\_\_\_, it has largely succeeded in keeping the election of presidents out of the hands of \_\_\_\_.
A- the people, congress 
B- congress, the people 
C- the people, the Supreme Court 
D- the Supreme Court, congress
E- congress, the Supreme Court

Answer 2

A- the people, congress

Question 3

In a parliamentary systems
A- the chief executive has little real power
B- the chief executive rotates between the heads of the major parties
C- a monarch chooses the chief executive
D- chief executives are chosen through a popular vote of the people
E- the legislator chooses the chief executive

Answer 3

E- the legislator chooses the chief executive

Question 4

The American system, with multiple points at which various power can block action, often leads to
A- effective government 
B- caretaker government 
 C- limited government
D- impeachments of government officials 
E- a call for new election

Answer 4

C- limited government

Question 5

The major historical and political significance of the mayflower compact was that it
A- served as a prototype for many similar compacts
B- was the start of the first settlement in America
C- depends on the consent of the individuals involved
D- established the colony of Massachusetts
E- serves as a prototype for many similar compacts and that it depended on the consent of the individuals involved

Answer 5

E- serves as a prototype for many similar compacts and that it depended on the consent of the individuals involved

Question 6

Taxes that the British attempted to impose on the America. Colonies in the years leading up to the revolutionary war included all of the following except
A- the sugar act which imposed a tax on sugar
B- the stamp act which taxed legal documents and newspapers
C- duties on glass, led and paint
D- tax on tea
E- an income tax

Answer 6

E- an income tax

Question 7

The first continental congress
A- declared independence from Britain
B- was held in Boston MA
C- urged colonist to purchase British goods to win favor with the king
D- encourage the colonist to petition the king George III to express their grievance
E- produce a document that the colonists found to be coercive

Answer 7

D- encourage the colonist to petition the king George III to express their grievance

Question 8

One of the main actions of the second continental congress was to
A- establish an army and appoint a commander in chief
B- sign a treaty with British prohibiting trade with France
C- sign a treaty with France to declare war on Britain
D- create unitary government in America
E- establish a document with ambitious design to deprecate from British

Answer 8

A- establish an army and appoint a commander

Question 9

The first draft of the Declaration of Independence was written by 
A- John Locke
B- John Adams
C- Thomas Jefferson 
D- George Washington 
E- Benjamin Franklin

Answer 9

C- Thomas Jefferson

Question 10

Which of the following is not true about the Declaration of Independence
A- it listed the colonists grievances against England
B- it established the legitimacy of the United States as a new nation
C- it listed reasons for dissolving the tie with Great Britain
D- it established a constitutional government
E- it gave the people the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

Answer 10

D- it established a constitutional government

Question 11

A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules is called 
A- a confederation 
B- a social contract
C- a syndicate 
D- a constitution 
E- a natural law

Answer 11

B- a social contract

Question 12

English philosopher John Locke believed that the main purpose of government was to
A- defend against foreign enemies
B- protect men’s natural rights of life, liberty and property
C- raise taxes to build an enemy
D- promote equality under the law
E- premier religious separation

Answer 12

B- protect men’s natural rights of life, liberty and property

Question 13

A unicameral legislature is one with  
A- only one body or house 
B- only one major political party 
C- the power to choose chief executive 
D- no limits on its power 
E- only one major political party and no limits on its power

Answer 13

A- only one body or house

Question 14

The articles of confederation
A- provided for a bicameral legislature
B- established a strong executive branch
C- allowed the states to retain most of the power
D- created the way to raise taxes to fund an Amy
E- ended slavery

Answer 14

C- allowed the states to retain most of the power

Question 15

Which of the following was a weakness of the articles of confederation
A- congress locked the power to collect taxes directly from the people
B- any amendments to the articlea required unanimous consent of the congress and confirmation by every state legislature
C- congress lacked the power to demand funds for the militia
D- each state had one vote regardless of size
E- all of these choices are true

Answer 15

D- each state had one vote regardless of size

E- all of these

Question 16

The constitution convention in 1786 was Brought in by the
A- publication of the treaty of Paris
B- request of president Washington
C- failure of the articles of confederation
D- publication of the Declaration of Independence
E- end of the revolutionary war

Answer 16

C- failure of the articles of confederation

Question 17

Of the delegates at the constitutional convention
A- most were members of the upper class
B- a majority came from professional backgrounds
C- most represented a cross section of American society
D- most were senior statesmen with governmental experience
E- most were members of the upper class, and a majority come from professional

Answer 17

D- most were senior statesmen with governmental experience

Question 18

The Virginia plan
A- called for a bicameral legislature
B- worked to the advantage of small states
C- provided for the direct election of a president by the people
D- settle all controversy
E- worked to the advantage of small states, and provide for the direct election of a president by the people.

Answer 18

A- called for a bicameral legislature

Question 19

The New Jersey plan called for all of the following except
A- congress would elect several people to form an executive office
B- the elimination of a Supreme Court
C- the the ability of congress to regulate trade and impose taxes
D- acts of congress would be the supreme law of the land
E- the printable of one state one vote

Answer 19

B- the elimination of a Supreme Court

Question 20

The supreme doctrine assets the superiority of 
A- large states over small states 
B- non slave states over slave states 
C- national law over state law 
D- natural law over man made law
E- none of these choices are true

Answer 20

C- national law over state law

Question 21

The great compromise
A- was advanced by the delegates from Georgia
B- proposed a bicameral legislator with equal representation in the senate
C- was presented too late to be considered
D- was proposed by Texas
E- proposed a unicameral in which each state would have one vote

Answer 21

B- proposed a bicameral legislator with equal representation in the senate

Question 22

The Three-Fifths Compromise did all of the following except

a. illustrate the power of the southern states at the convention.
b. partially apportion the House of Representatives and the electoral college on the basis of property.
c. give African Americans representation that was equal to what free whites received.
d. give more voting power to southern slave owners.
e. fail to address the slave trade directly.

Answer 22

c. give African Americans representation that was equal to what free whites received.

Question 23

The concept of separation of powers was included in the Constitution to prevent

a. disputes between the federal and state governments.
b. the imposition of export taxes.
c. a major dispute over power between the House and the Senate.
d. disputes over power between Congress and the president.
e. tyranny by either the majority or the minority.

Answer 23

e. tyranny by either the majority or the minority.

Question 24

The Federalists

a. supported the new Constitution.
b. were mostly rural people from the lower classes.
c. did not attend the Constitutional Convention.
d. supported the status quo.
e. were mostly rural people from the lower classes, and did not attend the Constitutional Convention.

Answer 24

a. supported the new Constitution.

Question 25

Ratification of the Constitution required the approval

a. of the thirteen state legislatures.
b. by nine out of thirteen state conventions.
c. of the thirteen state legislatures and two-thirds of Congress.
d. by popular vote in nine states.
e. None of these choices is true.

Answer 25

b. by nine out of thirteen state conventions.

Question 26

The Anti-Federalists

a. lived in urban areas.
b. attended the Constitutional Convention.
c. supported a strong central government.
d. opposed the new Constitution.
e. lived in urban areas and attended the Constitutional Convention.

Answer 26

d. opposed the new Constitution.

Question 27

The Bill of Rights provided for

a. the protection of individual liberties from state governments.
b. the protection of individual liberties from the national government.
c. equal protection under the law.
d. protection against state infringements on the freedoms of conscience, the press, and jury trial.
e. the protection of individual liberties from the national government, and protection against state infringements on the freedoms of conscience, the press, and jury trial.

Answer 27

b. the protection of individual liberties from the national government.

Question 28

The Bill of Rights

a. is sometimes called the Bill of Limits.
b. is sometimes called the Bill of Attainder.
c. is the first Ten Amendments to the Constitution.
d. limited state power.
e. is sometimes called the Bill of Limits, and is composed of the first Ten Amendments to the Constitution.

Answer 28

e. is sometimes called the Bill of Limits, and is composed of the first Ten Amendments to the Constitution.

Question 29

A constitutional amendment can be ratified by

a. a positive vote in conventions in three-fourths of the states.
b. a positive vote in the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
c. a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress.
d. the legislatures in two-thirds of the states.
e. a positive vote in conventions in three-fourths of the states, and/or a positive vote in the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.

Answer 29

e. a positive vote in conventions in three-fourths of the states, and/or a positive vote in the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.

Question 30

The only formal method used so far to propose an amendment to the Constitution is

a. the popular vote of the people.
b. a two-thirds vote in favor of it by both houses of Congress.
c. state legislatures or conventions in three-fourths of the states.
d. a national convention.
e. a proposal by the president.

Answer 30

b. a two-thirds vote in favor of it by both houses of Congress.

Question 31

The voting age of eighteen was set by

a. Congress.
b. the Twenty-Sixth Amendment.
c. the Nineteenth Amendment.
d. the Supreme Court.
e. the states.

Answer 31

b. the Twenty-Sixth Amendment.

Question 32

The power of the Supreme Court to declare actions of the other branches of government to be unconstitutional is known as

a. judicial review.
b. judicial activism.
c. legislative ratification.
d. the supremacy doctrine.
e. the Madisonian model.

Answer 32

a. judicial review.