USA: +1 415 256 4347 
Sign in
Part 1 of 1 – 4.0/ 100.0 Points
Question 1 of 50
2.0/ 2.0 Points
The system of government in which a constitution divides power between a central government and regional governments is
A.bicameralism.
B.federalism.
C.divided government.
D.separation of powers.
E.socialism.
Question 2 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
The powers the Constitution explicitly grants to the national government are
A.democracy.
B.enumerated powers.
C.republican idealism.
D.political fundamentalism.
E.original literalism.
Question 3 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Powers derived from the necessary and proper clause of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution are
A.surplus powers.
B.essential powers.
C.expressed powers.
D.super powers.
E.implied powers.
Question 4 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that the powers the Constitution does not delegate to the national government are
A.reserved to the states or to the people.
B.reserved for county and municipal governments.
C.not to be exercised by any governmental authority.
D.to be exercised only through specific legislation passed by Congress.
E.relatively few and rarely exercised.
Question 5 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Article IV of the U.S. Constitution calls for “full faith and credit,” meaning that
A.each state is expected to honor the public acts of other states.
B.a state cannot discriminate against someone from another state.
C.the laws passed at the national level are superior to state laws.
D.states can regulate the health, welfare, and morals of their citizens
E.the federal government is obligated to pay its debts
Question 6 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Article IV, Section 2 of the Constitution prohibits a state from discriminating against someone from another state or giving special advantages to its own residents. That section is referred to as the clause.
A.establishment
B.general welfare
C.habeus corpus
D.interstate relations
E.privileges and immunities
Question 7 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
The commerce clause of the Constitution gives the federal government power to
A.regulate all commerce in the United States and with foreign nations.
B.sell surplus commodities to the states.
C.regulate international commerce only.
D.regulate interstate commerce and trade with foreign nations.
E.regulate interstate commerce only.
Question 8 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
When the Supreme Court ruled that a state could not tax the Bank of the United States in McCulloch v. Maryland, it said that when a state law conflicts with a federal law, the state law should be deemed invalid. This exemplifies the application of the
A.principle of stare decisis.
B.establishment clause.
C.supremacy clause.
D.full faith and credit clause.
E.privileges and immunities clause.
Question 9 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
In 1973, at the height of the oil shortage, a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed on the states by congressional legislation that threatened withdrawal of highway funds if state legislatures failed to lower allowable speeds. This is an example of encouraging state behavior through
A.hostage grants.
B.an unfunded mandate.
C.categorical grants.
D.dual federalism.
E.layer cake federalism.
Question 10 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
The obligations imposed on state government by the national government without any funding at all are
A.blank checks.
B.assigned obligations.
C.unchecked authorizations.
D.misdirected indemnities.
E.unfunded mandates.
Question 11 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Representatives who believe that they have been elected in order to do the bidding of those who sent them to the legislature are considered to be serving as
A.trustees.
B.agents.
C.delegates.
D.“fingers in the wind.”
E.bosses.
Question 12 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Representatives who believe that they have been selected by their fellow citizens in order to do what the legislator thinks is “right” act as
A.masters.
B.politicos.
C.delegates.
D.guardians.
E.trustees.
Question 13 of 50
2.0/ 2.0 Points
Who is the chief presiding officer of the U.S. House of Representatives?
A.Speaker of the House
B.majority leader
C.minority leader
D.president pro tempore
E.House clerk
Question 14 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Who is the individual with the most real power within the U.S. Senate?
A.Vice President
B.majority leader
C.minority leader
D.president pro tempore
E.Speaker
Question 15 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
In the House of Representatives, who are the elected individuals responsible for lining up party members on important votes and relaying voter information to the leaders?
A.prods
B.whips
C.strikes
D.thrashers
E.snipes
Question 16 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
When members of the Senate prevent action on legislation they oppose by continuously holding the floor and speaking until the majority backs down, which tactic are they using?
A.cloture
B.advise and consent
C.blockade
D.blowback
E.filibuster
Question 17 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Which term describes efforts by Congress to exercise control over the way the executive branch implements policies?
A.post hoc authority
B.enforcement authority
C.oversight
D.agency loss management
E.administrative vetoes
Question 18 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Which term describes an understanding between the president and another country that has the force of a treaty but does not require Senate authorization?
A.bilateral accord
B.international pact
C.presidential treaty
D.executive agreement
E.organization edict
Question 19 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
What are the powers given to the president by Congress called?
A.manifest prose
B.delegated powers
C.expressed powers
D.transferred powers
E.invested powers
Question 20 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Which of the following is NOT a reason that a president might issue an executive order?
A.Executive orders allow the president to take unlimited action without congressional authorization.
B.Executive orders allow the president to take action without the necessity to persuade.
C.Executive orders allow the president to reorganize the structure of the executive branch
D.Executive orders allow the president to set procedures for the operation of the executive branch.
E.Executive orders allow the president to establish the chain of command.
Question 21 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Which of the following tasks is an important purpose of the White House staff?
A.repels impeachment attempts and helps supervise the executive branch
B.enhances communication with constituents and prepares for reelection
C.helps with wartime decision-making and obstructs access to the president
D.provides training experiences for future congressional candidates and brainstorms for ways to “spin” news events favorably to the president
E.provides information and acts as a management tool
Question 22 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
The set of permanent agencies that perform defined management tasks for the president and comprise a major part of what is called the “institutional presidency” is called the
A.cabinet.
B.kitchen cabinet.
C.White House staff.
D.Executive Office of the President.
E.National Security Council.
Question 23 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Individual senators who share the president’s party identification can effectively exercise veto power over appointments to the federal bench in their own states through an informal but seldom violated practice called
A.judicial abatement.
B.legislative blackball.
C.advise and consent.
D.senatorial privilege.
E.senatorial courtesy.
Question 24 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Budget bills must
A.have bipartisan sponsorship.
B.pass both chambers by a two-thirds vote.
C.be signed by the president within three days of final passage.
D.originate in the House.
E.be reviewed by the Supreme Court before implementation.
Question 25 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
The job of confirming presidential appointments belongs to the
A.House of Representatives.
B.Senate.
C.cabinet.
D.Congress as a whole.
E.judiciary.
Question 26 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
The permanent committees responsible for legislation in particular policy areas are
A.joint committees.
B.select committees.
C.conference committees.
D.executive committees.
E.standing committees.
Question 27 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
A committee that is appointed to deal with an issue or problem before Congress that does not fall within any standing committee’s scope of jurisdiction is a
A.conference committee.
B.joint committee.
C.select committee.
D.special committee.
E.bipartisan committee.
Question 28 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
When different versions of the same bill pass in the House and Senate,
A.a conference committee is formed to bridge the gap between the bills.
B.the chamber that considered the bill originally should take the lead in resolving the differences.
C.it is sent back to each chamber for reconsideration.
D.the president appoints a mediator to negotiate an acceptable compromise.
E.it dies immediately and both chambers must start over.
Question 29 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Cloture is a vote that
A.attempts to restrict debate in the House.
B.nominates the majority whip.
C.forces a bill out of committee.
D.attempts to end a Senate filibuster.
E.opens a bill for debate.
Question 30 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
During the constitutional process of removing a president from office,
A.the House impeaches and the Senate removes the president from office.
B.the two houses convene in joint session for all impeachment votes.
C.either chamber can impeach, but then the Supreme Court must decide if the president is to removed from office.
D.the Senate impeaches and the House removes the president from office.
E.representatives of the media are prohibited from entering the legislature’s chambers.
Question 31 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
What must Congress do for a bill to become law after a president vetoes it?
A.Both houses of Congress must override the veto by a majority vote within thirty days.
B.Both houses of Congress must override the veto by a majority vote within ten days.
C.Both houses of Congress must override the veto by a two-thirds vote.
D.At least one house must override the veto by a two-thirds vote while the other house must override it with a majority vote.
E.Only the Senate must override the veto, but it must do so by a two-thirds vote.
Question 32 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Which of the following reflects what happens when the president does not sign a bill that Congress has sent him within ten days of the end of a congressional session?
A.the bill is suspended.
B.a veto override occurs.
C.a pocket veto occurs.
D.the bill becomes law without the president’s signature.
E.the bill is sent back to Congress for reconsideration
Question 33 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
The right of a president to keep conversations with his advisors confidential so that he can receive truthful advice from them is
A.going public.
B.an executive order.
C.the cycle effect.
D.executive privilege.
E.senatorial courtesy.
Question 34 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
In the United States, treaties are negotiated by the president and require
A.no endorsement from any other government agency.
B.two-thirds approval from Congress.
C.two-thirds approval from the Senate.
D.review by the Supreme Court before they can be implemented.
E.three-quarters approval from the cabinet prior to their submission to Congress.
Question 35 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Presidential clarifications of how laws passed by Congress are to be implemented by the executive branch are called
A.executive agreements.
B.signing statements.
C.presidential vetoes.
D.presidential appointments.
E.executive privilege.
Question 36 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Inherent powers are the
A.presidential powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution.
B.congressional powers to control the legislative process.
C.unwritten abilities of judges to issue contempt citations and bench warrants.
D.constitutional responsibilities of the cabinet members.
E.powers granted to Congress by the necessary and proper clause.
Question 37 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
The ability of the president to convince Congress and political leaders to cooperate with his agenda is called the
A.legislative liaison.
B.power to persuade.
C.cycle effect.
D.expectations gap.
E.power to predict.
Question 38 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
A president’s “honeymoon” period refers to the
A.era of good feelings that always follows a successful midterm election.
B.support a president gains after he travels abroad.
C.period after a legislative truce is agreed to by Congress and the president.
D.time just before a president leaves office when no one has anything negative to say about him.
E.time following his election when relations with Congress are most likely to be productive.
Question 39 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
The conflict over whether Marbury had a right to his judicial appointment in Marbury v. Madison was overshadowed by
A.John Marshall using the conflict as an occasion to overrule an act of Congress.
B.the Supreme Court’s determination that the president’s power of appointment transcends politics.
C.John Marshall asserting the Supreme Court’s power over judicial appointments.
D.John Marshall establishing the power of the Supreme Court to determine all federal disputes.
E.the Supreme Court’s declaration that it can resolve issues not explicitly stated in the Constitution.
Question 40 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
A court’s original jurisdiction refers to
A.the court’s authority to hear a case first.
B.the court’s authority to hear certain cases.
C.the court’s authority to review decisions made by lower courts.
D.the priority of hearing one particular case before all other cases.
E.the first hearing of a case at the appellate level.
Question 41 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Amicus curiae refers to
A.opinions by justices not part of the majority but friendly to the majority.
B.the policy of the courts to be more user friendly to litigants.
C.documents written by justices expressing agreement with the majority ruling but describing different or additional reasons for the ruling.
D.the process through which justices decide whether to hear a case.
E.a “friend of the court” brief filed by interested parties to encourage the court to grant or deny certiorari or to urge it to decide a case in a particular way.
Question 42 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
The term used to describe the view that courts should be lawmaking, policymaking bodies is judicial
A.positivism.
B.pluralism.
C.activism.
D.restraint.
E.influentialism.
Question 43 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Funds provided to states for a broad purpose and unrestricted by detailed requirements are called
A.general revenue sharing grants.
B.categorical grants.
C.limited grants.
D.block grants.
E.self-improvement grants.
Question 44 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Dual federalism is the theory that
A.defines state and federal governments as essentially separate from each other and carrying out their functions independently.
B.describes how the state and federal governments share power.
C.explains how the national government provides funding to the states.
D.defines state and national powers as interdependent, requiring the cooperation of each other to get things done.
E.was encouraged by Roosevelt’s New Deal programs.
Question 45 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Cooperative federalism is a theory that
A.defines state and federal governments as essentially separate from each other and carrying out their functions independently.
B.is modeled after a layer cake.
C.defines state and national powers as interdependent, requiring the cooperation of each other to get things done.
D.reflects the normal distribution of powers by the Constitution.
E.was an accurate depiction of American federalism during the eighteenth century.
Question 46 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
Which term best describes the power of the courts to declare actions of the legislative and executive branches invalid or unconstitutional?
A.judicial review
B.judicial activism
C.judicial restraint
D.judicial legislation
E.judicial rule making
Question 47 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
In order for the Supreme Court to grant certiorari, agreement has to be reached by at least justices.
A.two
B.three
C.four
D.five
E.six
Question 48 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
A judicial philosophy holding that, when making decisions, the courts should remain as close as possible to the actual wording of the Constitution and other laws as wells as to the original intent of lawmakers is considered to be indicative of judicial
A.restraint.
B.activism.
C.discipline.
D.flexibility.
E.impartiality.
Question 49 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
A judicial philosophy holding that, when making decisions, the courts should see beyond the text of the Constitution or a statute in order to consider broader societal implications is considered to be indicative of judicial
A.restraint.
B.activism.
C.discipline.
D.flexibility.
E.expansion.
Question 50 of 50
0.0/ 2.0 Points
When the Supreme Court ruled that it would apply the ruling of a previous establishment clause case to a new establishment clause case, what doctrine did it implement?
A.stare decisis
B.judicial activism
C.legal continuity
D.judicial constitutionalism
E.original intent
