Download Unit One Exam: Foundations of Government

Unit One Exam: Foundations of Government (H)
1. This system of government divides the power between the state and national governments
a. Socialist
c.
Communist
b. Unitary
d.
Federal
2. In which system do state and local governments have the least amount of political power?
a. Federal
c.
Confederate
b. Unitary
d.
Democratic
3. Communist countries usually have command economies because:
a.
It allows for individual choice
b.
The government created policy and controls production
c.
People can barter for goods in a command economy
d.
Command economies always create the most efficient and quality goods
4. The Founders created a Constitution that can be changed using the process of
a. Prior Restraint
c.
Judicial Restraint
b. Constitutional Approval
d.
Constitutional Amendment
5. A school club has decided to elect officers. Which phrase BEST reflects this principle of government?
a. “all men are created equal”
b. “among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
c. “they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights”
d. “deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”
6. The concept that a state has supreme and absolute authority within its territorial boundaries is called:
a. Sovereignty
c.
Social Contract
b. Control
d.
Democracy
7. Which best describes the economic system of the United States?
a. Capitalism
c.
Socialism
b. Communism
d.
Mixed-Market
8. A weakness of the Articles of Confederation was that
a. States could not pass laws
b. There was a weak national government
c. Congress had too much power to tax ciitzens
d. Additional states could not join the Confederation
9. Which of these was an opinion held by the opponents (Anti-Federalists) to the Constitution in 1787?
a. The constitution gave the state governments too much power
b. A bill of rights should be added to the Constitution
c. The Articles of Confederation had too many weaknesses
b. A strong central government was needed for protection
10. The process of amending the Constitution is an example of federalism because it requires
a. Approval of two-thirds of the Supreme Court
b. Approval of two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states
c. Unanimous approval of both the President and Congress
d. Unanimous approval of both state and local governments
11. The government of China tells factory managers to use more computers in the manufacturing process.
Which economic question is most affected by this decision?
12.
a. What to produce
c.
For whom to produce
b. How to produce
d.
When to produce
Read the quotation below.
“No Freeman (person) shall be taken or imprisoned, or outlawed, or banished, or in anyway
destroyed, unless by the lawful judgment of his peers, or by the law of the land…”
-Magna Carta, 1215
Which of these principles is described above?
a. Guarantee of free speech
b. States right to organize a military
c. Provision for limited government
d. Prohibition against all prisons
13. The Magna Carta
14.
a. established America’s first legislature
b.
separated church and state
c. established a limited government
d.
required king to establish colonies
Read the quotation below.
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute
power corrupts absolutely.”
~ Lord Acton
Based on the quotation, Lord Acton would probably be most opposed to which system of government?
a. Authoritarian
c.
Federal
b. Democratic
d.
Unitary
15. In a market economy, who describes how resources are used and distributed?
a. a board of trustees
c.
consumers and producers
b. a central planning board
d.
state and national governments
16. The President is the Commander in Chief of the Military but is not permitted to declare war. Which
principle of government does this reflect?
a. Judicial Review
c.
Federalism
b. Popular Sovereignty
d.
Separation of Powers
a. Bill of Rights
c.
Preamble
b. Constitution
d.
Enumerated Articles
17. The first 10 amendments are called the
18. Read the quotation below.
“Our citizens have wisely formed
themselves into one nation to others
and several States as among
themselves…”
The quotation refers to the principle of
~Thomas Jefferson, 1801
a. Federalism
c.
Majority Rule
b. Rule of Law
d.
Separation of Powers
19. Government is best described as:
a. When a nation or state has total sovereignty
b. population, territory, sovereignty, government
c. The way society keeps order
d. public services such as roads and schools
20. After winning the Revolutionary War, the original states formed a loose confederation because:
a. They wanted to continue having separate armies
b. They did not want a strong central government that might treat them as England had
c. Some states distrusted others that had supported the British
d. They felt a confederation would have more power than a central government
21. Why did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention want to change the structure of the existing
government?
a. To increase individual rights
b. To give state and national governments equal power
c. To make a stronger central government
d. To address problems caused by slavery
22. The amendment process was made difficult so that
a. The constitution would never be changed
b. Only changes that had overwhelming support would be made
c. The power of Congress would not be challenged
d. The Supreme Court would not gain too much power
23. The system of checks and balances is designed to
a. Prevent a branch of government from becoming too powerful
b. Ensure that each branch of government balances its budget
c. Keep each branch of government completely separate from the others
d. Ensure that the Supreme Court controls the other two branches
24. Any system of government in which a small group holds power is called a(n):
a. Democracy
b.
Monarchy
c.
d.
Autocracy
Oligarchy
25. Which of these branches is responsible for making laws?
a. Judicial branch
b.
Media branch
c . Executive branch
d.
Legislative branch
26. Read the quotation below.
“… in all that people can individually
do for themselves, government ought
not to interfere.”
~Abraham Lincoln
Which of these constitutional principles best applies to the quotation?
a. Rule of law
c.
Limited government
b. Due process
d.
Separation of Powers
27. Which of these types of government allows citizens to have the greatest amount of political influence?
a. Dictatorship
c.
Absolute Democracy
b. Direct democracy
d.
Oligarchy
28. Which of these is NOT a part of The Seven Articles in The Constitution
a. The Legislative Branch will be called Congress
b. The Judicial Branch will consist of The Supreme Court
c. The Nation will be divided into States
d. The Constitution can never be changed
29. Which of these best describes an authoritarian dictatorship?
a. The legislative process is slow
b. Freedom of expression is valued
c. Government leaders have absolute powers
d. Elections for government offices are conducted fairly
30.
In Great Britain the Queen shares power with an elected body called Parliament. Which of the
following accurately reflects the government of Great Britain?
a. Absolute Monarchy
c.
Representative Democracy
b. Constitutional Monarchy
d.
Oligarchy
31. Read the quotation below.
“The purse and the sword must not be in
the same hands.”
- George Mason, Constitutional
Convention
This statement most closely describes which principle of government?
a. Rule of law
c.
Executive Privilege
b. Popular Sovereignty
d.
Separation of powers
32. An Amendment is a ____________to The Constitution. We have had ____total Amendments in the U.S.
Constitution:
a.
Change, 10
b.
Article, 7
b.
Preamble, 27
d.
Change, 27
33. In which system of government do states have more power than the central government?
a. Federal
c.
Authoritarian
b. Confederate
d.
Unitary
a. The Senate
c.
The Supreme Court
b. The President
d.
The House of Representatives
34. Which of these is part of the judicial branch?
c.
35. Which of these is a power of the State Governments?
a. Declare War
c.
Build Post Offices
b. Issue Licenses
d.
Print Money
36. Study the cartoon below.
Which principle of the U.S. Constitution is most clearly illustrated by this political cartoon?
a. Popular Sovereignty
b.
Federalism
c. Limited Government
d.
Judicial Review
37. Which best describes the role of the government in a command economy? The government:
a. Establishes production goals
b.
Takes a “hands-off” approach
c. Promotes private ownership of property
d.
Encourages Competition
38. Which of the following Supreme Court Cases ended segregation in public schools?
a. Brown v. Board of Education
b.
New Jersey v. New York
c. McCulloch v. Maryland
d.
Plessy v. Fergusson
39. This means that a sate has supreme and absolute authority within its territorial boundaries to control its
own affairs:
a. Democracy
b.
Sovereignty
c. Social Order
d.
Laws
40. Which of the following indicates the type of government that the United States has:
a. Direct Democracy
b.
Autocracy
c. Representative Democracy
d.
Mixed Market
41. The government of China is run by a small group of Communist Party leaders. Why type of government
does that country have:
a. Autocracy
b.
Monarchy
c. Oligarchy
d.
Confederate
42. Totalitarian Dictatorship is a form of this type of government:
a. Autocracy
b.
Oligarchy
c. Democracy
d.
Republican
43. Which of the following Supreme Court cases established or began the policy of separate but equal?
a. Plessy v. Ferguson
b.
Brown v. Board of Education
c. Marbury v. Madison
d.
McCulloch v. Maryland
44. The plan for United States Government that is in place today is called:
a.
Articles of Confederation
b.
Bill of Rights
c.
Constitution
d.
Declaration of Independence
45. This gives Congress the right to bring troops home from a foreign country after 60 days even if the
President still wants them there.
a. War Powers Act
b.
Elastic Clause
c. Enumerated Act
d.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
46. In the electoral process, political parties are most responsible for:
a.
determining which candidates will run for office
b.
choosing the President and Vice-President
c.
creating chaos within the structure of government
d.
separating the branches to comply with The Constitution
47.
Which of these was an effect of the Supreme Court decision in McCulloch v. Maryland?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It guaranteed reserved powers to the state governments.
It established the separate but equal doctrine in public schools.
State laws that conflicted with federal laws became unconstitutional.
Congress had only those powers that were stated in the Constitution.
48.
Which of these is a power reserved for state governments by the United States Constitution?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the power to coin money
the power to maintain an army and a navy
the power to establish public schools
the power to make treaties with foreign countries
49.
Which of the following describes the four main purposes of government?
50.
a.
territory, population, sovereignty, government
b.
social order, economic system, public services, national security
c.
jobs, power, money, stores
d.
schools, roads, bridges, public services
Which of the following would most likely take place in an Authoritarian Dictatorship?
a.
The Government denies people all rights and freedoms
b.
Political parties compete for control of the government
c.
Citizens express opinions freely through social media
d.
Education of the public is highly encouraged to ensure government participation
Complete the TWO essay Questions below on your own notebook paper. Each question is worth 25
points.
ESSAY #1
Respond to the following question in paragraphs. Be sure to respond fully with an introduction paragraph,
supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph.
The principles of Judicial Review, Federalism, Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances are
important parts of our Constitution.

Choose TWO of the above Principles of The Constitution and explain how they work in our government

Give specific examples of how these principles operate by explaining real world actions of government

Explain why the framers of The Constitution included these principles

Use specific details and examples to support your essay.
Essay #2
Respond to the following question in paragraphs. Be sure to respond with an introduction paragraph at least
two specific documents and ideas, and a conclusion paragraph.
Many events and ideas led up to the creation of The United States Constitution.

List and Explain several (at least 3) historic documents that influenced the
development of The United States Constitution.

Explain how those ideas were incorporated into our government.

Give an example of how we see these ideas in our government today?

Include details and examples to support your answer.