Question 1

Which of the following possesses the sole power to create revenue bills?

Accepted Answer

A)  the House of Representatives 
B)  the Senate 
C)  the president 
D)  the Office of Management and Budget 
E)  the Treasury Department 
A)  the House of Representatives 
B)  the Senate 
C)  the president 
D)  the Office of Management and Budget 
E)  the Treasury Department

Question 2

The Great Compromise resulted in a bicameral legislature.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

The supremacy clause

Accepted Answer

A)  states that Congress is the most powerful branch of the government. 
B)  establishes that no branch of the government is supreme over others. 
C)  announces that the Constitution and all laws made under it are superior to any state laws. 
D)  announces that state laws are superior to any federal laws. 
E)  declares that no European powers shall interfere in North America. 
A)  states that Congress is the most powerful branch of the government. 
B)  establishes that no branch of the government is supreme over others. 
C)  announces that the Constitution and all laws made under it are superior to any state laws. 
D)  announces that state laws are superior to any federal laws. 
E)  declares that no European powers shall interfere in North America.

Question 4

Alexander Hamilton argued that the chief executive office should possess

Accepted Answer

A)  popularity. 
B)  judgment. 
C)  energy. 
D)  gravitas. 
E)  integrity. 
A)  popularity. 
B)  judgment. 
C)  energy. 
D)  gravitas. 
E)  integrity.

Question 5

According to the text, which sector of society did not have interests that were important to colonial politics?

Accepted Answer

A)  New England merchants 
B)  small farmers 
C)  slaves 
D)  Royalists loyal to Britain 
E)  southern planters 
A)  New England merchants 
B)  small farmers 
C)  slaves 
D)  Royalists loyal to Britain 
E)  southern planters

Question 6

Why was the decision to assign jurisdiction over controversies between citizens of different states to the Supreme Court significant?

Accepted Answer

A)  It meant that the federal judiciary, rather than the state courts, would ultimately become the primary venue for resolving disputes. 
B)  It meant that the state courts, rather than the federal judiciary, would ultimately become the primary venue for resolving disputes. 
C)  It meant that courts at both the state and federal level would become irrelevant to the operating of the American political system. 
D)  It meant that the federal courts would not be allowed to use the power of judicial review on cases involving economic disputes. 
E)  It meant that the state courts would be allowed to use the power of judicial review on cases involving economic disputes. 
A)  It meant that the federal judiciary, rather than the state courts, would ultimately become the primary venue for resolving disputes. 
B)  It meant that the state courts, rather than the federal judiciary, would ultimately become the primary venue for resolving disputes. 
C)  It meant that courts at both the state and federal level would become irrelevant to the operating of the American political system. 
D)  It meant that the federal courts would not be allowed to use the power of judicial review on cases involving economic disputes. 
E)  It meant that the state courts would be allowed to use the power of judicial review on cases involving economic disputes.

Question 7

The Antifederalists wanted a stronger central government than that proposed in the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Procedures outlining how to amend the Constitution are found in Article

Accepted Answer

A)  I. 
B)  II. 
C)  III. 
D)  V. 
E)  X. 
A)  I. 
B)  II. 
C)  III. 
D)  V. 
E)  X.

Question 9

Which of the following was not a tool used by the Founders to prevent the dangers of "excessive democracy"?

Accepted Answer

A)  checks and balances 
B)  staggered terms in office 
C)  bicameralism 
D)  indirect election 
E)  senatorial courtesy 
A)  checks and balances 
B)  staggered terms in office 
C)  bicameralism 
D)  indirect election 
E)  senatorial courtesy

Question 10

James Madison believed that in the Constitutional Convention the greatest conflict of interests was between

Accepted Answer

A)  large states and small states. 
B)  northern states and southern states. 
C)  the wealthy and the poor. 
D)  Catholics and Protestants. 
E)  farmers and merchants. 
A)  large states and small states. 
B)  northern states and southern states. 
C)  the wealthy and the poor. 
D)  Catholics and Protestants. 
E)  farmers and merchants.

Question 11

Write an essay describing some of the principles behind the Constitution. Discuss how the separation of powers and checks and balances are supposed to operate. How did the Constitution arrange the power relationships between the national government and the states?

Accepted Answer

The Constitution of the United States is

Question 12

The Three-fifths Compromise

Accepted Answer

A)  determined that three out of every five slaves would be counted for purposes of representation and taxation. 
B)  determined the ratio between free states and slave states. 
C)  created a bicameral legislature. 
D)  declared that the states would pay three-fifths of the Revolutionary War debt and the federal government would pay the rest. 
E)  determined that all American citizens would pay three-fifths of their income to the federal government in taxes every year. 
A)  determined that three out of every five slaves would be counted for purposes of representation and taxation. 
B)  determined the ratio between free states and slave states. 
C)  created a bicameral legislature. 
D)  declared that the states would pay three-fifths of the Revolutionary War debt and the federal government would pay the rest. 
E)  determined that all American citizens would pay three-fifths of their income to the federal government in taxes every year.

Question 13

During the Philadelphia Convention, the New Jersey Plan was supported by

Accepted Answer

A)  less populous states. 
B)  slaveholding states. 
C)  free states. 
D)  urban states. 
E)  southern states. 
A)  less populous states. 
B)  slaveholding states. 
C)  free states. 
D)  urban states. 
E)  southern states.

Question 14

The Federalist Papers argue against the ratification of the Constitution and defined strong state governments.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

The ability of the president to veto a bill passed by Congress is a good example of what principle of limited government?

Accepted Answer

A)  separation of powers 
B)  federalism 
C)  checks and balances 
D)  civil liberties 
E)  majority rule, minority rights 
A)  separation of powers 
B)  federalism 
C)  checks and balances 
D)  civil liberties 
E)  majority rule, minority rights

Question 16

What led the British to raise taxes on the American colonists during the 1760s?

Accepted Answer

A)  the French and Indian Wars 
B)  the cost of war against Napoleon in Europe 
C)  the expenses incurred in colonizing South Africa 
D)  the extensive roads and canals built by the British in North America 
E)  the desire to penalize the colonists for their actions during the Boston Tea Party 
A)  the French and Indian Wars 
B)  the cost of war against Napoleon in Europe 
C)  the expenses incurred in colonizing South Africa 
D)  the extensive roads and canals built by the British in North America 
E)  the desire to penalize the colonists for their actions during the Boston Tea Party

Question 17

Which of the following statements best describes the motivations of the Founders in writing the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system consistent with the dominant philosophical and moral principles of the day while also promoting commerce and protecting private property from radical state legislatures. 
B)  The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system that would lead to their own personal enrichment. 
C)  The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system of direct democracy that maximized popular sovereignty. 
D)  The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system that concentrated authority in one branch of government. 
E)  The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system that ended slavery. 
A)  The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system consistent with the dominant philosophical and moral principles of the day while also promoting commerce and protecting private property from radical state legislatures. 
B)  The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system that would lead to their own personal enrichment. 
C)  The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system of direct democracy that maximized popular sovereignty. 
D)  The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system that concentrated authority in one branch of government. 
E)  The Founders' primary goal was to devise a system that ended slavery.

Question 18

A ______ is a system of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for powers expressly delegated to a national government.

Accepted Answer

A)  republic 
B)  confederation 
C)  democracy 
D)  bicameral state 
E)  unitary state 
A)  republic 
B)  confederation 
C)  democracy 
D)  bicameral state 
E)  unitary state

Question 19

The Federalists believed that the powers of government could be limited by

Accepted Answer

A)  providing Congress with larger grant powers. 
B)  decreasing the powers of the executive branch, especially those of the vice president. 
C)  confining the powers of the federal government to certain narrowly defined areas and by adding a bill of rights to the Constitution. 
D)  creating an internal system of checks and controls within government. 
E)  preventing government from collecting revenue through taxation. 
A)  providing Congress with larger grant powers. 
B)  decreasing the powers of the executive branch, especially those of the vice president. 
C)  confining the powers of the federal government to certain narrowly defined areas and by adding a bill of rights to the Constitution. 
D)  creating an internal system of checks and controls within government. 
E)  preventing government from collecting revenue through taxation.

Question 20

The Constitution gives Congress the power to recognize other nations and to accept ambassadors from foreign countries.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 2: The Founding and the Constitution

Which of the following possesses the sole power to create revenue bills?

The Great Compromise resulted in a bicameral legislature.

The supremacy clause

Alexander Hamilton argued that the chief executive office should possess

According to the text, which sector of society did not have interests that were important to colonial politics?

Why was the decision to assign jurisdiction over controversies between citizens of different states to the Supreme Court significant?

The Antifederalists wanted a stronger central government than that proposed in the Constitution.

Procedures outlining how to amend the Constitution are found in Article

Which of the following was not a tool used by the Founders to prevent the dangers of "excessive democracy"?

James Madison believed that in the Constitutional Convention the greatest conflict of interests was between

Write an essay describing some of the principles behind the Constitution. Discuss how the separation of powers and checks and balances are supposed to operate. How did the Constitution arrange the power relationships between the national government and the states?

The Three-fifths Compromise

During the Philadelphia Convention, the New Jersey Plan was supported by

The Federalist Papers argue against the ratification of the Constitution and defined strong state governments.

The ability of the president to veto a bill passed by Congress is a good example of what principle of limited government?

What led the British to raise taxes on the American colonists during the 1760s?

Which of the following statements best describes the motivations of the Founders in writing the Constitution?

A ______ is a system of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for powers expressly delegated to a national government.

The Federalists believed that the powers of government could be limited by

The Constitution gives Congress the power to recognize other nations and to accept ambassadors from foreign countries.

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