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1. Leaders who gain power by appealing to the emotions and prejudices of
the rabble are called
a. Dictators
b. Military leaders
c. Demagogues
d. Communists
2. The words ‘all men are created equal and are endowed by their
creator with certain unalienable rights; that among them are life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness...’ are from the
a. Mayflower Compact
b. Virginia State Constitution
c. Declaration of Independence
d. Constitution
3. Problems with the Articles of Confederation included
a. The lack of a national judiciary system
b. Lack of an executive branch
c. Inability to levy taxes to support the army and navy
d. All of the above
4. The plan which advocated a legislature composed of two chambers, where
representation in both houses was to be on the basis of population or wealth was
called the
a. Virginia Plan
b. New Jersey Plan
c. New York Plan
d. Great Compromise
5. The arrangement whereby slaves would be counted as a percentage of
free persons was called the
a. Virginia Plan
b. New Jersey Plan
c. Connecticut Plan
d. Three–fifths compromise
6. The Constitutional Convention decided that the chief executive would
be chosen by
a. The Senate
b. The House
c. Popular vote
d. The electoral college
7. The Federalist Papers were written by all of the following EXCEPT
a. Thomas Jefferson
b. Alexander Hamilton
c. James Madison
d. John Jay
8. Powers maintained by the legislative branch over the executive branch
include
a. The ability to declare laws unconstitutional
b. The right to pardon people convicted of federal crimes
c. Proposal of legislation
d. Confirmation of senior federal appointments
9. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the time of Marbury v.
Madison was
a. Oliver Wendell Holmes
b. John Marshall
c. Robert Howard Taft
d. William Rehnquist
10. Examples of expansion of the role of the electorate include all of
the following EXCEPT
a. Initiative
b. Referendum
c. Direct primaries
d. Judicial nominations
11. Examples of areas where power has been expanded include the influence
of
a. New technologies
b. New roles in an expanding economy
c. The emergence of the United States as a global power
d. All of the above
12. The sole power to try impeachment is given to the
a. House of Representatives
b. Senate
c. Supreme Court
d. Justices of various Federal District Courts
13. Presidential powers which have expanded the powers of the presidency
which are not found in the Constitution include
a. Impoundment of funds
b. Executive privilege
c. The right to send armed forces into hostilities
d. All of the above
14. After an amendment has been proposed, it must be ratified by
a. The House
b. The Senate
c. The states
d. Popular referendum
15. The term which refers to a type of federalism in which all levels of
government are involved in a variety of issues and programs, rather than a type
in which uniform divisions are found between levels of government is called
a. Cooperative federalism
b. Marble cake federalism
c. New federalism
d. Permissive federalism
16. The most clearly delegated powers found in the Constitution are
termed
a. Expressed powers
b. Implied powers
c. Inherent powers
d. None of the above
17. The constitutional basis for the implied powers of Congress is
a. The Supremacy Clause
b. The necessary and proper clause
c. The due process clause
d. Article II
18. The provision which ensures that state courts enforce civil
judgements of the courts of other states and accept their public records as
valid is found in the
a. Commerce clause
b. Full faith and credit clause
c. Privileges and immunities clause
d. Due process clause
19. The case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) addressed the issue
of
a. Civil rights
b. Judicial review
c. Division of power between state and national government
d. Division of power between local and state government
20. Causes for the growth of big government include all of the following
EXCEPT
a. Industrialization
b. Urbanization
c. Religious values
d. The growth of the national economy
21. The amendment which is increasingly used to nationalize the Bill of
Rights is the
a. 11th
b. 14th
c. 20th
d. 21st
22. The provisions maintained by states that are in conflict with the
Bill of Rights are
a. Limited to the state in which they are enforced
b. Inoperative due to the supremacy clause
c. Constitutional under the provisions of states’ rights
d. Constitutional because they do not conflict with the main body of the
Constitution
23. Prayer in public schools
a. Is strictly unconstitutional
b. May not be endorsed by school authorities
c. May not be audible
d. Is constitutional if it is a nondenominational prayer
24. Tax funds may be used for all of the following EXCEPT
a. Textbooks
b. Standardized tests
c. Transportation to and from school
d. Teachers’ salaries
25. In political campaigns, the government has limited how much
a. People can spend
b. Individuals can collect
c. Individuals can contribute to candidates
d. Federal funds may be used by party organizations
26. To be subject to sanctions, "fighting words" must
a. Have a direct tendency to cause acts of violence
b. Create anger, alarm, or resentment
c. Be based on race, ethnicity, or religion
d. Be based on gender
27. Obscene materials, as a form of free speech, are
a. Protected under the First Amendment
b. Not entitled to constitutional protection
c. Clearly defined
d. Illegal if they are sold to minors
28. Amendments specifically relating to protection of the rights of
African Americans include the
a. 11th, 12th, and 13th
b. 13th and 15th
c. 13th, 14th, and 15th
d. 14th, 15th, and 21st
29. In the 1930s, African Americans tended to use the court system rather
than the political system because
a. They lacked sufficient political power to make their demands effective
before either state legislatures or Congress
b. It was mandated by the civil rights legislation of the era
c. There was significantly less financial cost
d. They were legally restricted from forming a political party
30. The president who signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was
a. Harry Truman
b. Lyndon Johnson
c. Richard Nixon
d. Ronald Reagan
31. When it is believed that a law treats people differently because of
their race, national origin, or religion, the courts treat the case under the
test of
a. Rational basis
b. Strict scrutiny
c. Heightened scrutiny
d. Suspect class
32. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, age, sex, and handicap may
a. Not be considered when hiring or in promotion
b. Be considered by private employers
c. Be considered where occupational qualifications are absolutely
necessary to the normal operation of a particular business
d. Be considered only by religiously sponsored institutions such as
parochial schools
33. Not only do aggrieved persons have the right of private actions to
sue for damages for themselves, they can do so for other persons similarly
situated in a
a. Group grievance process
b. Class action suit
c. Criminal action suit
d. Dispute mediation and conflict resolution suit
34. In Richmond v. Croson(1989) a provision requiring non-minority city
contractors to subcontract at least 30% of the dollar amount of their contract
to one or more minority business enterprises was
a. Struck down
b. Upheld
c. Considered non-justiciable
d. Sent back to the lower courts
35. A bill of attainder is a legislative act which
a. Inflicts punishment without benefit of trial
b. Suspends the right of habeas corpus
c. Confirms the right of individuals to due process
d. Confirms the right of class action suits
36. The power of national and state governments to take property for
public use is termed
a. Regulatory takings
b. The right of eminent domain
c. The taking clause
d. Expropriation
37. Procedural due process refers to the
a. Appropriate procedures for writing laws
b. Methods by which a law is enforced
c. Limitations on what a government may do
d. Idea that unreasonable laws are unconstitutional
38. Rights to privacy are associated with
a. Procedural due process
b. Substantive due process
c. The First Amendment
d. The Fifth Amendment
39. The rule that evidence which is obtained unconstitutionally cannot be
used in a criminal trial as part of the government’s main case is called the
a. Due process clause
b. Rule of evidence
c. Exclusionary rule
d. Ex post facto rule
40. In the decision concerning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court relied on
a. Principles relating to procedural due process
b. The right to privacy as implied in the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth,
and Fourteenth Amendments
c. The moral persuasion of the general public
d. Specific references to ‘right to life’ as implied in the First,
Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments
41. Exceptions to the general rule against warrant less searches and
seizures include all the following EXCEPT
a. Searches of automobiles if officials suspect criminal wrongdoing
b. Searches of areas where a crime has been committed
c. Searches based on voluntary consent
d. Searches of homes of suspected felons
42. Classical liberals
a. Fought to minimize government
b. Perceived government as the primary threat t individual rights and
liberties
c. Supported an enhanced role of government leadership in social and
economic affairs
d. a and b
43. In modern American usage, liberalism refers to a belief in
a. Limited government
b. The welfare state
c. Democratic socialism
d. The positive uses of government to bring about justice and equality of
opportunity
44. The major difference between liberals and neoliberals is that
neoliberals
a. Support enhanced programs for education and welfare
b. Support decreases in the defense budget
c. Are more skeptical about the efficiency and responsiveness of
government
d. Support enhanced funding for environmental programs
45. In contrast to liberals, conservatives want to keep government
limited except in the area of
a. Welfare
b. Education
c. Defense
d. Foreign aid
46. Traditional conservatism is most associated with the writings of
a. John Locke
b. Edmund Burke
c. Karl Marx
d. Barry Goldwater
47. The New Right favors
a. Organized prayer in public schools
b. Covert operations by the CIA
c. Strict limits on abortion
d. All of the above
48. While World War I and World War II strengthened positive views about
the role of government, the Vietnam War had the effect of
a. Removing government from the people’s control
b. Creating a sense of disillusionment about government
c. Creating a sense of distrust of Asians
d. The Vietnam War had very little effect on views about the role of
government
49. In Marbury v. Madison (1803), the Supreme Court assumed the
power to
a. decide whether internal congressional procedures are constitutional
b. advise Congress on the constitutionality of a proposed law
c. regulate slavery
d. decide on the constitutionality of a law or an executive action
e. approve executive agreements
50. In the Constitution as originally ratified in 1788, the provisions
regarding which of the following most closely approximate popular, majoritarian
democracy?
a. Election of members of the House of Representatives
b. Election of members of the Senate
c. Election of the President
d. Ratification of treaties
e. Confirmation of presidential appointments
51. American political culture is characterized by strong popular support
for all of the following EXCEPT
a. the rule of law
b. limited government
c. individual liberty
d. equality of opportunity
e. economic equality
52. Which of the following best defines the constitutional interpretation
of federalism?
a. The federal government and the states each have separate and mutually
exclusive roles and responsibilities; neither controls the other.
b. The states have some powers reserved to them which they may exercise
if the Supreme Court permits.
c. The federal government and the states have separate but overlapping
powers; where these powers conflict the federal government prevails.
d. The states may only exercise those powers delegated to them by
Congress.
e. The federal government may exercise only those powers specifically
enumerated in the Constitution.
53. The Constitution and its amendments expressly prohibit all of the
following EXCEPT
a. slavery
b. double jeopardy
c. cruel and unusual punishment
d. unreasonable searches and seizures
e. sex discrimination in employment
54. In Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, the Supreme Court
established which of the following principles?
a. A school official can search a student for drugs.
b. Everyone must go to school at least until the age of 16.
c. Tuition for private schools cannot be tax deductible.
d. Separation of students by race, even in equally good schools, is
unconstitutional.
e. A moment of silent prayer at the beginning of the school day is
allowable under the First Amendment.
55. All of the following were concerns about the Articles of
Confederation that led to the calling of the Constitutional Convention in 1787
EXCEPT
a. dissatisfaction over safeguards of individual rights and liberties
b. fear for the stability of the central government
c. desire to promote trade among the states
d. the need to give the central government the power to levy taxes
e. dissatisfaction with the central government’s ability to provide for
national defense
56. The framers of the Constitution all believed that one of the primary
functions of government is
a. educating citizens
b. protecting individual property rights
c. protecting new immigrants from persecution
d. expanding the borders of the nation
e. insuring that anyone accused of a crime has the right to legal
representation
57. To enforce the Fourteenth Amendment more clearly, Congress passed the
a. Civil Rights Act of 1964
b. Gramm Rudman Hollings Act
c. Social Security Act
d. Twenty sixth Amendment
e. War Powers Resolution
58. An important change in political culture since 1950 is that United
States citizens have become
a. more likely to believe that their actions can influence government
policy
b. more trusting of non-governmental institutions and leaders
c. less trusting of governmental institutions and leaders
d. less supportive of school integration
e. less likely to think of themselves as ideologically moderate
59. The Supreme Court ruled in the Swann case in 1971 that
a. employers could not discriminate against employees due to race
b. race and sex were suspect classifications
c. state legislatures could not dilute black voting strength
d. lower federal courts could use busing to end dual school systems
60. What is the meaning of life?
a. I don’t have one so how would I know?
b. Does this question count?
c. @!#$*%&
d. Other
b. Perceived government as
the primary threat t individual
rights and liberties
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