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Landan Tolentino
Period 7 US GOVT.
10/6/11
Exam 1: Formation of Government
Instructions:
 Go to
http://regentsprep.org/regents/core/questions/question.cfm?Course=USHG&TopicCo
de=2b&QNum=1&Wrong=0
 On the website, figure out the correct answer, then, bold the answer on this word
document.
 Good luck
1. In the 1780’s, many Americans distrusted a strong central government. This distrust is
best shown by the
a.
b.
c.
d.
lack of debate over the ratification of the United States Constitution
plan of government set up by the Articles of Confederation
development of a Federal court system
constitutional provision for a strong President
2. "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 among these are life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; . . ." This quotation is evidence that some of the
basic ideas in the Declaration of Independence were
a.
b.
c.
d.
Limitations of the principles underlying most European governments of the 1700’s.
Adaptations of the laws of Spanish colonial governments in North America.
Adoptions of rules used by the Holy Roman Empire.
Reflections of the philosophies of the European Enlightenment.
3. The authors of the United States 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?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Senate
House of Representatives
Supreme Court
Presidency
4. In the United States, the use of implied powers, the amending process, and Supreme
Court interpretations have resulted in
a.
b.
c.
d.
a general loss of individual rights
a strengthening of the principle of separation of powers
the Constitution being adapted to fit changing times
the limiting of Presidential power in domestic affairs
5. Which quotation from the United States Constitution provides for a Federal system of
government?
a.
b.
c.
d.
“He shall have power . . . with the advice and consent of the Senate, . . . and . . . shall appoint . . .“
“Every bill . . . shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President of the United
States…"
“The powers not delegated to the United States . . . are reserved to the states . . .“
“Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial
proceedings of every other state.”
6. The system of checks and balances is best illustrated by the power of
a.
b.
c.
the President to veto a bill passed by Congress
Congress to censure one of its members
a governor to send the National Guard to stop a riot
Landan Tolentino
Period 7 US GOVT.
10/6/11
d.
state and Federal governments to levy and collect taxes
7. Which Presidential action is an example of the unwritten constitution?
a.
b.
c.
d.
appointing Justices to the Supreme Court
granting pardons for Federal crimes
submitting a treaty to the Senate for ratification
consulting with the Cabinet
8. A lasting impact of the United States Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall is
that the Court’s decisions
a.
b.
c.
d.
extended the Bill of Rights to enslaved persons
expanded the power of the Federal Government
restricted the authority of Congress
promoted the views of the President
9. The major role of political parties in the United States is to
a.
b.
c.
d.
protect the American public from corrupt public officials
insure that free and honest elections are held
nominate candidates for public office and conduct campaigns
meet constitutional requirements for choosing the President
10. Adherence to a strict interpretation of the Constitution would have prevented President
Thomas Jefferson from
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
making the Louisiana Purchase
writing “State of the Union” messages
receiving ambassadors
commissioning military officers
11. Which factor has made the strongest contribution to the development of religious
freedom in the United States?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Most citizens have shared the same religious beliefs.
Religious groups have remained politically unified.
School prayer has been ruled constitutional by the Supreme Court.
Guarantees in the Constitution have encouraged religious expression and toleration.
12. Which phrase from the Declaration of Independence most clearly reflects the idea that the
people are the source of government?
a.
b.
c.
d.
“. . . that all men are created equal,...”
“. .. all men are . . . endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights
“. . . deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. . .“
“. . . governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes . . .
13. One way in which the United States Constitution differed from the Articles of
Confederation was that the Constitution
a.
b.
c.
d.
created a national government having three branches
provided for the direct election of the President by the voters
made the amendment process more difficult
increased the powers of the states
14. At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, delegates from the small states most strongly
supported the idea of
a.
b.
c.
d.
establishing a strong national executive
levying taxes on exports
popular election of Senators
equal representation for the states in the national legislature
15. Which argument did the authors of the United States Constitution use when they insisted
that revenue bills originate in the House of Representatives?
Landan Tolentino
Period 7 US GOVT.
10/6/11
a.
b.
c.
d.
Frequent elections would make members of the House more responsive to the wishes of the
voters.
Members of the House would have a superior understanding of economics.
The national budget should be determined solely by the House of Representatives.
Political parties would have less influence on Members of the House than on Senators.
16. One way in which the authors of the Constitution tried to create “limited government”
was by providing for
a.
b.
c.
d.
a loyal opposition through a two-party system
a division of power between the national and state governments
the establishment of naturalization laws
the popular election of Federal judges
17. Which action is an example of the unwritten constitution?
a.
b.
c.
d.
the Senate ratifying a peace treaty
Congress passing a law regulating interstate commerce
selection of a Presidential candidate by a nominating convention
the President removing an Army officer from command for insubordination
18. The elastic clause, the amending process, and judicial review are all methods by which
a.
b.
c.
d.
Congress may check the power of the executive branch
the wording of the original Constitution may be altered
state governments may limit the power of the Federal Government
the Constitution may be adapted to meet changing conditions
19. “The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting
fire in a theater and causing a panic.” Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. Which
interpretation of the Bill of Rights does this statement illustrate?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The needs of the government are more important than civil liberties.
Constitutional protections of liberty are not absolute.
The Supreme Court can eliminate freedoms listed in the Bill of Rights.
The Bill of Rights does not safeguard individual liberties.
20. Which action was necessary to change from the indirect to the direct election of United
States Senators?
a.
b.
c.
d.
ratification of a constitutional amendment
passage of a Federal law
a Supreme Court decision
a national referendum
21. “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 among these are life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
a.
b.
c.
d.
the Magna Carta
the divine right monarchs of Europe
John Locke’s theory of natural rights
Marxist philosophy
22. The United States Government is considered a federal system because
a.
b.
c.
d.
the people elect national officials
both national and state governments exist within the nation
foreign policy is handled by state governments
each state has equal representation in the United States Senate
23. The flexibility of the original United States Constitution is due mainly to
a.
b.
c.
d.
its provision for the amending process and judicial interpretation
its guarantees of freedom and justice for all people
the ability to create new branches of government as needed
the willingness of the states to accept Federal control
Landan Tolentino
Period 7 US GOVT.
10/6/11
24. Anti-federalists criticized the United States Constitution primarily because governing
power was concentrated in the
a.
b.
c.
d.
State legislatures
President’s Cabinet
delegates to the Constitutional Convention
National Government
25. “In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great
difficulty lies in this, you must first enable the government to control the governed; and
in the next place, oblige it to control itself.” This passage from the Federalist Papers
refers to the need for
a.
b.
c.
d.
a strong executive
a system of checks and balances
an independent military
a national education system
26. A member of the United States Congress must resign from Congress if elected or
appointed to a position in the executive or judicial branch. This requirement is an
example of
a.
b.
c.
d.
limited terms for Federal officials
judicial review
separation of powers
States’ rights
27. An example of the unwritten constitution in the United States is the
a.
b.
c.
d.
right of citizens to vote if they are 18 years old or older
rise of the two-party political system
right to freedom of speech
use of the electoral college system
28. The main purpose of lobbying is to
a.
b.
c.
d.
influence legislation on behalf of special interest groups
strengthen the power of political parties
increase the speed and efficiency of the law-making process
reduce the number of candidates in political elections
29. The two major political parties make their final selection of a Presidential candidate
through
a.
b.
c.
d.
delegates’ votes at a national party convention
decisions of the electoral college
actions of the State legislatures
citizens’ choices in public opinion polls
30. Which document is best described as a statement of democratic principles rather than a
framework for government?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Albany Plan of Union
Articles of Confederation
Declaration of Independence
United States Constitution
31. The United States Constitution grants certain powers only to the Federal Government.
For example, only Congress can declare war. These powers are called
a.
b.
c.
d.
police powers
reserved powers
delegated powers
concurrent powers
Landan Tolentino
Period 7 US GOVT.
10/6/11
32. Which action would be necessary before the government could deny a person a public
trial by an impartial jury?
a.
b.
c.
d.
a national referendum
passage of a law by Congress
a unanimous ruling by the Supreme Court
ratification of a constitutional amendment
33. Which feature of the Presidency is a result of a constitutional amendment?
a.
b.
c.
d.
two-term limit in office
power to appoint ambassadors
duty to act as Commander in Chief
responsibility to nominate Justices to the Supreme Court
34. In the United States Government, members of the Cabinet are directly responsible to the
a.
b.
c.
d.
Congress
Senate
Supreme Court
President
35. The Supreme Court’s power of judicial review is a result of
a.
b.
c.
d.
an order by the President
the Court’s own interpretation of the Constitution
a provision in the Bill of Rights
the Court’s decision to hear appeals regarding taxation
36. The equal protection clause of the 14th amendment has been used to challenge the death
penalty on the grounds that
a.
b.
c.
d.
tremendous differences exist from state to state in the application of capital punishment laws
media coverage severely limits a defendant’s ability to receive a fair trial
judges lack the necessary experience to hear capital cases
trials are often delayed for trivial reasons
37. Constitutional amendments have been proposed to ban forced busing, forbid abortion,
and prohibit burning the United States flag. These proposals indicate that
a.
b.
c.
d.
the Constitution is an inflexible document
amending the Constitution is a simple process
some people disagree with certain Supreme Court decisions
American society has been unwilling to deal with complex social issues
38. During the debates over the ratification of the United States Constitution, Federalists and
Anti-Federalists disagreed most strongly over the
a.
b.
c.
d.
division of powers between the national and state governments
provision for admitting new states to the Union
distribution of power between the Senate and the House of Representatives
method of amending the Constitution
39. The Articles of Confederation are best described as a
a.
b.
c.
d.
statement of principles justifying the Revolutionary War
plan of union for the original thirteen states
set of arguments supporting ratification of the Constitution
list of reasons for the secession of the Southern States
40. When the United States Constitution was written, what compromise did the authors reach
to gain the support of the states with small populations?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Congress would consist of both a House of Representatives and a Senate.
Five enslaved persons would be counted as three free persons for the purpose of taxation
The President would be selected by the direct vote of the people.
Exported goods could not be taxed, but imported goods could be taxed.
Landan Tolentino
Period 7 US GOVT.
10/6/11
41. "President Delivers State of the Union Address to Congress." "President Mobilizes the
National Guard To Quell Riots." "President’s Appointee Will Enforce Federal
Guidelines." These headlines are evidence that the President of the United States
a.
b.
c.
d.
has new added duties not specified in the original Constitution
exercises nearly unlimited power under the United States governmental system
has specific executive, legislative, and military powers
must obtain congressional approval of most executive decisions
42. The authors of the Articles of Confederation established a decentralized political system
mainly to
a.
b.
c.
d.
cancel state debts incurred during the Revolutionary War
assist the southern states in their efforts to gain a manufacturing base
promote the common goal of national sovereignty
prevent the abuses of power that had existed under British rule
43. Senate ratification of treaties negotiated by the President is required by the United States
Constitution as a way of
a.
b.
c.
d.
maintaining United States prestige in international affairs
preventing Federal abuse of State power
implementing the principle of checks and balances
expanding the authority of the executive branch
44. The United States Constitution requires that a census be taken every ten years to
reapportion
a.
b.
c.
d.
membership in the House of Representatives
the number of delegates to national nominating conventions
Federal aid to localities
agricultural subsidies
45. In the United States Congress, differences between Senate and House of Representatives
versions of a bill are usually resolved by accepting the version that is
a.
b.
c.
d.
preferred by a majority of the State legislatures
supported by the Supreme Court
preferred by the House in which the bill originated
agreed to by a joint conference committee of both Houses
46. "The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases
of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it." This provision is evidence that
the writers of the United States Constitution.
a.
b.
c.
d.
wanted the President to have unlimited power during wartime
wanted to balance individual liberty with the needs of the nation
did not trust the common people to obey the laws
expected the American people to oppose most government policies
47. The United States Constitution requires that a census be taken every ten years to
reapportion
a.
b.
c.
d.
membership in the House of Representatives
the number of delegates to national nominating coventions
Federal aid to localities
agricultural subsidies
48. In the United States Congress, differences between Senate and House of Representatives
versions of a bill are usually resolved by accepting the version that is
a.
b.
c.
d.
preferred by a majority of the State legislatures
supported by the Supreme Court
preferred by the House in which the bill originated
agreed to by a joint conference committee of both Houses
Landan Tolentino
Period 7 US GOVT.
10/6/11
49. Which idea had a major influence on the authors of the Articles of Confederation?
a.
b.
c.
d.
A strong central government threatens the rights of the people and the states.
All of the people must be granted the right to vote.
Three branches of government are needed to protect liberty.
The central government must have the power to levy taxes and to control trade.
50. The significance of the Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison is that the decision
a.
b.
c.
d.
advanced civil rights for minorities
upheld the constitutionality of a national bank
limited Presidential control of foreign policy
established the power of judicial review