Government Final Exam Review

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Government Final Exam Review
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• Where does the following quote come from, "We
  hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
  men are created equal, that they are endowed by
  their creator with certain unalienable rights,
  that amongst these are life, liberty, and the
  pursuit of happiness?
• John Locke's theory of natural rights

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• Why did the founders use the ideas of Charles de
  Montesquieu regarding separation of powers?
• To prevent misuse of power

4

• What is an influence on democratic representative
  government?
• Judeo-Christian tradition, Roman Republic, and
  Greek Direct Democracy.

5

• What English documents influenced American
  democracy?
• Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, and
  Declaration of Rights.

6

• What is included in the Declaration of
  Independence?
• People have certain natural rights, government
  can exist only with the people's permision, and
  the people may change or abolish the government.

7

• In what way did the US Constitution differed from
  the Articles of Confederation?
• It created a national government having three
  branches.

8

• What are some weaknesses of the Articles of
  Confederation?
• Congress did not have the power to tax, there was
  no executive branch of government, and state
  governments had too much authority

9

• What did the delegates at the Constitutional
  Convention of 1787 from small states strongly
  support?
• Equal representation for the states in Congress.

10

• What did the system of federalism provide?
• local action in matters of local concern, a dual
  system of government, and uniform laws among the
  states.

11

• In a federal political system, power is what?
• It is shared between the central government and
  state or regional governments.

12

• Which quotation from the US Constitution provides
  for federal system of government?
• "The powers not delegated to the US are reserved
  to the states"

13

• During the debates over the ratification of the
  US Constitution, Federalists and Anti-Federalists
  disagreed most strongly over what?
• Division of powers between the national and state
  governments.

14

• Which phrase from the Declaration of Independence
  most clearly reflects the ideas that the people
  are the source of government?
• " deriving their just power from tnhe consent of
  the governed"

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• Who has the power to propose Constitutional
  amendments?
• Congress

16

• What issue did the Great Compromise resolve?
• Representation in the legislature.

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• The Three-Fifths Compromise resloved what issue?
• How enslaved people were to be counted in the
  population.

18

• The Federalists Papers are what?
• Advocated ratification of the Consitution.

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• Why was the Bill of Rights was important for
  Constitutional ratification?
• Some states would not have voted to ratify had
  the Federalists been unwilling to promise such
  amendments.

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• The Constitution may be adapted to meet changing
  conditions using all of following
• Elastic clause, amending process, and Judicial
  Review

21

• The basic Constitutional rights of the people
  were FIRST set out in what?
• Bill of Rights

22

• The US Constitution grants certain powers only to
  the Federal Government. For example, only
  Congress can declare war. These powers are called
  what?
• Delegated powers

23

• One way interest groups become involved in the
  election process is what?
• Providing campaign funds

24

• The US Constitution requires that a census be
  taken every ten years to reapportion what
  membership?
• Membership in the House of Representatives

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• Gerrymandering is what?
• The drawing of electoral district lines to the
  advantage of the party or group.

26

• The legislative branch can check the judicial
  branch by its power to do what?
• Remove judges through impeachment.

27

• Lobbying is the process by which group pressures
  are applied to what process?
• All aspects of the public policy-making process.

28

• Interest groups are MOST interested in what
  policies?
• Influencing specific public policies.

29

• What are major functions of either of the two
  major parties in the US?
• To keep the general public informed about key
  issues, to monitor the conduct of its candidates
  in office, and to unite people and concentrate
  solely on one public policy matter.

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• What are the expressed powers that belong to
  Congress?
• The power to declare war, introduce new bills,
  and create party power bases.

31

• What is the main reason that Congress creates
  committees?
• Divide the workload.

32

• In the US, the use of implied powers, the
  amending process, and Supreme Court
  interpretations have resulted in what?
• The limiting of Presidential power in domestic
  affairs.

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• What non-legislative powers may be exercised
  solely by the Senate?
• The power to approve or reject major presidential
  appointments.

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• What are roles exclusively given to the Senate?
• Approve presidential appointment, conduct the
  trial of an impeached president, nad approve
  treaties.

35

• What are the roles exclusively given to the House
  of Representatives?
• Impeach the president, elect the president if the
  election cannot be decided in the electoral
  college, and the power to initiate revenue bills.

36

• The authors of the US Constitution believed that
  the voice of the people should be heard
  frequently. Which part of the Government was
  instituted to respond most directly to the will
  of the people?
• House of Representatives.

37

• What roles do members of Congress fill?
• Legislator, Committee member, and Servant to
  constituents.

38

• What is the principal function of the
  legislature?
• Making laws.

39

• What is the normal procedure for a bill to become
  a law?
• Needs to be approved by both houses and signed by
  the President.

40

• What actions can the President do upon receipt of
  a bill?
• Veto the bill, decide to neither sign or veto the
  bill, allowing it to become a law, and sign the
  bill into law.

41

• What is the President, as chief executive,
  Constitutionally bound to?
• Enforce laws, treaties, and court orders.

42

• As Commander in Chief the president makes
  ultimate decisions about what?
• Military matters.

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• As the Chief Diplomat the president does what?
• negotiates treaties, recognizes foreign
  governments, and makes executive agreements.

44

• What is the role of the President in influencing
  the making of laws?
• Chief Legislator.

45

• The national convention is held to accomplish
  what?
• Unify the party behind its candidates, pick its
  presidential candidate, and adopt the party's
  delegates.

46

• What are arguments against the Electoral College?
• A candidate who loses the popular vote may still
  be elected President, an elector may vote for
  someone other than the voter-selected candidate,
  and a strong third-party effort might throw the
  election into the House.

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• What is the role of the Cabinet in the
  President's decision making?
• Dependent on a President use of it.

48

• What is the name of the agency that handles every
  day business of the government?
• Bureaucracy.

49

• What does a Candidate must do to win the
  presidency?
• Win their party's nomination, win the majority of
  the votes in the electoral college, and perform
  well in their party's race.

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• What is the significance of the Supreme Court
  case Marbury v. Madison
• Established the power of judicial review.

51

• What was the Supreme Court ruling based upon in
  the case of McCulloch v. Maryland?
• Supremacy clause.

52

• What does the power of judicial review allow the
  Supreme Court to do?
• To determine the constitutionality of the law.

53

• The majority of cases heard by the US Supreme
  Court come to the Court because of its
  constitutional power to do what?
• Act on decisions appealed from lower courts.

54

• The court that hears a case is said to have what
  type of jurisdiction?
• Original Jurisdiction.

55

• The initiative, the referendum and the recall
  were adopted by several states during the
  Progressive Era are ways to make government more
  what?
• Democratic

56

• How does the Writ of Habeas Corpus affect the
  courts?
• A person cannot be punished for an act without a
  court trial.

57

• What does due process guarantee?
• The National Government will not interfere with
  constitutional rights.

58

• The major reason the Bill of Rights was added to
  the US Constitution was to protect what?
• individual liberties against abuse by the federal
  government.

59

• Third parties have contributed MOST of the US
  politics by doing what?
• Causing major parties to adopt their ideas.

60

• What reasoning may the Supreme Court give for its
  decision on whether burning an American flag is a
  form of speech protected by the Constitution?
• Government may not prohibit the expression of an
  idea simply because society simply because
  society finds the idea offensive, a concept
  protected by the first Amendment.

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• What impact does the mass media have on the
  public agenda?
• It focuses the public's attention on specific
  issue.

62

• What is protected by the First Amendment of the
  Constitution?
• Freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and
  freedom of press.

63

• What does the Fifth Amendment protection against
  self incrimination mean?
• You cannot be forced to be a witness against
  yourself.

64

• How has the Supreme Court most recently ruled on
  the issue of the death penalty?
• It is legal if carried in a humane manner

65

• Under the 2nd Amendment, what can the US not
  limit?
• The right to own a gun.

66

• What Amendment states that unreasonable searches
  and seizures are specifically forbidden?
• Fourth Amendment.

67

• Unless they witness a crime, police officers can
  not arrest a suspect without informing them of
  their what?
• Miranda rights

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• The Fifth Amendment forbids what?
• Forced self-incrimination.

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• What rights is a person guaranteed to have a fair
  trial?
• Trial within a reasonable time, trial by jury,
  and adequate defense.

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• The Fourteenth Amendment specifically forbids the
  states from denying to anyone what?
• Equal protection of the laws.

71

• What principle does the case of Plessy v.
  Ferguson demonstrate?
• "separate but equal" was used to justify
  segregation.

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• What have women been denied in the past?
• the right to own property, educational
  opportunities, and suffrage.