Download exam study guide fall 2015

CIVICS: FIRST NINE WEEKS EXAM 100PTS
The phrase in the Preamble that states “insure domestic tranquility” most likely refers to the prevention of
rebellion.
Which phrase from the preamble to the Constitution suggests the most specific purpose for the creation of a
court system? “establish Justice”
The preamble to the U.S. Constitution states that one purpose of the national government is to “provide for the
common defense.” The government achieves this purpose most directly by maintaining a national
military.
Which action taken by the U.S. government is the best example of promoting the general welfare of U.S.
citizens? creating the Food and Drug Administration in 1930
Which is the least effective way for Americans to “secure the blessings of liberty to (themselves) and (their)
posterity”? visiting Washington, D.C.
The government is responsible for providing public goods primarily because the private sector has little
incentive to supply them.
One of the key principles of U.S. constitutional democracy is popular sovereignty, which means that
government derives its power from the people.
The constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech is important for a democratic society because it
enables people to challenge authority.
The British parliament most closely corresponds to which part of the U.S. government?
the House of Representatives
Under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, the government of the Soviet Union used censorship to control the information
available to its citizens. Which feature of American government prevents similar censorship?
freedom of speech
The Magna Carta’s declaration that “no freeman shall be . . . imprisoned . . . except by the lawful judgment of his peers”
reflects the U.S. Constitutional right to a jury trial.
The English Bill of Rights of 1689 states that “suspending laws . . . by regal authority without consent of Parliament is
illegal.” This reflects which aspect of the U.S. Constitution? the limits on executive power
Which aspect of the American government system was influenced by the Magna Carta? limited authority
The Declaration of Independence suggests that the primary purpose of government is to serve and protect its citizens.
John Locke once said, “Every man has a property in hisown person. This nobody has a right to, but himself.”
Which democratic idea best relates to this quote? People have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property.
The Declaration of Independence reflects John Locke’s idea of consent of the governed.
The United States Constitution divides the government into three branches. Which political thinker first described this
method of organizing government? Montesquieu
In which way did the mid-eighteenth century writings of the Baron de Montesquieu most influence the formation of
American democracy? by explaining the advantages of separation of governmental powers
The U.S. Constitution’s concept of popular sovereignty is founded on the belief that a government is created by and
subject to the will of its people.
During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, small states strongly supported equal representation in the national
legislature.
The Great Compromise during the Constitutional Convention appeased both large and small states by creating a twohouse legislature based on separate schemes of representation.
The Bill of Rights was added to the U.S. Constitution to protect individual liberty from a strong federal government.
The U.S. Constitution addressed a perceived weakness in the Articles of Confederation by providing for three branches of
government.
During the U.S. Constitutional Convention, which issue was most important in reaching a compromise that created the
Electoral College system? whether the people could be trusted with directly electing the president
The inclusion of the Three-Fifths Compromise in the Constitution dealt with how to count enslaved persons.
What important issue did the Great Compromise of 1787 resolve? state representation in the federal legislature
After the American Revolution, Federalists and Anti-Federalists debated the structure of the new government. The
Federalists believed in a system of governance in which power was shared between the federal government
and the states. Which belief was not part of the Anti-Federalists’ opposition to Federalism? the belief that the
executive should have more power than the legislature
How did the Declaration of Independence influence the Constitution of the United States? It listed problems under English
rule that the new government should handle differently.
Which idea expressed in the U.S. Constitution was influenced by the Declaration of Independence? The power of
government comes from the people.
Which aspect of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut also appears in the U.S. Constitution? the election of public
officials by the people
Which responsibility is the primary function of the legislative branch of the federal government? making laws
Which statement best explains the structure of the legislative branch of the federal government? two houses with different
numbers of seats
Which person or organization has the power to establish federal courts that rank below the U.S. Supreme Court? the
Congress
Article 6, paragraph 2, of the U.S. Constitution refers to the Constitution and other federal laws as “the supreme Law of
the Land.” In principle, this means that federal government policies take precedence over conflicting state
policies.
Which person is a member of the president’s cabinet? secretary of defense
What is the primary purpose of the constitutional principle of checks and balances? limiting the authority of each branch
of government
The U.S. government’s system of checks and balances was created to prevent each branch from abusing its power.
Which statement explains why separation of powers is a significant principle of American constitutional government?
Separation of powers prevents the abuse of authority by any branch of government.
The authors of the U.S. Constitution attempted to limit the power of the federal government by reserving certain powers
for the states.
Which characteristic of the United States government assures that power is not concentrated in one branch of the federal
government? providing a system of checks and balances among the branches
In U.S. foreign policy, a primary role of the Senate is to approve treaties made by the president.
In the United States, which responsibility is carried out by state governments rather than the federal government? ratifying
amendments to the U.S. Constitution
In the U.S. federal government, which power is exercised only by the Senate? approving nominations of Supreme Court
justices
The U.S. president has many important powers and responsibilities, but there are limits on the authority of this office. The
U.S. president cannot issue a formal declaration of war.
The U.S. Supreme Court has the authority to determine whether state laws are constitutional.
Which power is not reserved for individual states under the U.S. Constitution? to print money
As delegated in the U.S. Constitution, only the Senate has the power to hold trials to impeach officials.
One shared power of the federal government and state government is the authority to operate court systems.
Under the U.S. Constitution, powers that are not specifically delegated to the federal government are reserved to the
states. Which function represents a power reserved only to the states? establishing public schools
According to the U.S. Constitution, which power is held concurrently by different levels of government? the authority to
establish courts
The U.S. Constitution specifically denies the federal government the power to conduct national elections.
In the United States, state governments do not have the power to establish a standing army.
The U.S. Constitution gives the Senate the authority to ratify treaties negotiated by the president. The goal of this power is
most likely to balance the power of the executive branch.
In 1987, a presidential nominee for an open position on the Supreme Court was officially rejected. This was an example
of checks and balances involving the legislative and executive branches.
Which responsibility does not belong to the legislative branch of the U.S. government? commanding military forces
The U.S. Senate limits the power of the president by voting on judicial appointments.
As provided for in the U.S. Constitution, the principle of separation of powers ensures that no single body of government
has too much authority.
Bill would like to get into politics in the state of Ohio. He is 46 years old, moved from Canada to the United States 12
years ago, and currently lives in Ohio. He became a U.S. citizen 9 years ago. With these qualifications, Bill
could run for which political office? United States senator
Which responsibility does not belong to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security? passing legislation to enforce border
security
One primary responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security is to coordinate a network of agencies that respond to
national disasters.
What happens when Congress passes a bill and sends it to the president for signature, but the president takes no action
within ten days? The bill takes effect as a law.
If the House and the Senate pass different versions of the same bill, the legislation goes next to a conference committee.
What can happen to a legislative bill after the president vetoes it? Congress may override the veto with a two-thirds vote
in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
When a controversial bill reaches the floor of Congress, which step happens first? The sponsoring committee guides the
debate between supporters and opponents of the bill.
The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution .
. . are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” This amendment is most likely to be cited by
critics of strong federal government.
How does the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protect the rights of a criminal defendant? It ensures that if the
accused is acquitted, he or she will not be tried again for the same offense.
The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution established that people who had been enslaved were citizens with
legal rights.
The Sixth Amendment states that a person accused of a crime will “have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in
his favor.” How does this provision protect such accused persons? It allows the accused to use favorable
testimony in his or her defense.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a regulatory agency of the U.S. government, has the power to prevent business
mergers that would restrain competition.
The purpose of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to ensure the safety of the public.
The primary mission of the Securities and Exchange Commission is to regulate the stock and bond markets.
One of the main responsibilities of state governors is to sign or veto bills passed by the state legislature.
Which position is part of the executive branch of the Louisiana state government? the governor
In order to become the attorney general of Louisiana, a candidate must be elected by the voting public.
What is one important function of a parish government? providing fire protection
Whitney and John Smith noticed smoke coming from their neighbor’s house. They called the fire department, who
responded immediately. The fire department is a public service provided by which part of local government?
the parish government
Which government function is currently handled at the state level? fostering economic development
In Louisiana, local governments are established on the authority of the Louisiana Constitution.
An important function of the executive branch of state government is to carry out laws passed by the state legislature.
Which sentence describes an advantage of the police jury system in a parish? A police jury provides citizens more access
to their local government.
In Bernard City, the mayor is largely ceremonial while the city council has both legislative and executive powers. What is
a potential disadvantage of a local government with this type of a weak mayor-council system?
Administration by a group often leads to disagreements.
The commission form of local government is one in which a small commission fills both legislative and executive roles.
Each member of the commission of elected officials has specific duties. Which aspect of a commission form
of local government leads to objections? The process functions without an external system of checks and
balances.
Some local governments are managed through town meetings. Which aspect of this type of government might present the
most serious problem? There may be difficulty reaching consensus on issues.
Which objective is not a purpose of a city council meeting? to promote the agenda of a political party