The American Democracy, 10th Edition (Patterson)

Chapter 2: Constitutional Democracy: Promoting Liberty and Self Government

Chapter Quiz

1
In the American political context, John Locke's conception of inalienable rights and the legitimacy of the social contract found its most explicit statement in
A)the Mayflower Compact.
B)the Declaration of Independence.
C)the Magna Carta.
D)the U.S. Constitution.
E)The Federalist Papers.
2
What was the significance of Shays's Rebellion?
A)It demonstrated the flaws of the U.S. Constitution.
B)It demonstrated the power of the national army.
C)It demonstrated that Congress was weak and unable to respond to crises in an effective manner.
D)It demonstrated the power of the presidency.
E)None of these answers is correct.
3
The Three-Fifths Compromise dealt directly with the issue of
A)the admission of new states into the Union.
B)apportionment of taxes and seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
C)ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
D)amending the U.S. Constitution.
E)None of these answers is correct.
4
The Anti-Federalists opposed ratification of the Constitution because they felt that
A)the national government would be too powerful.
B)the national government would threaten the sovereignty of the states.
C)the national government would threaten the liberty of the people.
D)the national government would be too weak and ineffective.
E)All these answers are correct, except the answer suggesting they felt the national government would be too weak and ineffective.
5
Which of the following is NOT true of government under the Articles of Confederation?
A)Congress had insufficient funds to build a navy or hire an army.
B)Each of the thirteen states had one vote in Congress, and the agreement of nine states was required to pass legislation.
C)Amendments could be added only by unanimous approval of the states.
D)Congress was overshadowed by the president.
E)The states did not have the power to raise their own taxes.
6
The Senate was initially designed to
A)allow for a purer form of self-government in the national legislature.
B)check the power of the judiciary.
C)allow states legislative power based on their populations.
D)be less responsive to popular pressure.
E)protect the interests of wealthier Americans.
7
In Federalist No. 10, James Madison warned against the dangers of
A)factions.
B)states' rights.
C)judicial review.
D)an all-powerful president.
E)ex post facto laws.
8
The principle of checks and balances is based on the notion that
A)leaders are trustees of the people.
B)all legislative and executive action must be tempered through judicial review.
C)a weak government is more preferable than a strong government.
D)power must be used to offset power.
E)None of these answers is correct.
9
Marbury v. Madison (1803) became the foundation for
A)free speech jurisprudence in the United States.
B)establishment clause jurisprudence in the United States.
C)judicial review by the federal courts.
D)election disputes in the United States.
E)states' rights cases in the United States.
10
Under the original Constitution, U.S. senators were elected by
A)the U.S. House of Representatives.
B)the Electoral College.
C)direct vote of the electorate.
D)state legislatures.
E)the Supreme Court.
11
________ persuaded the states to choose their presidential electors on the basis of the popular vote.
A)Thomas Jefferson
B)James Monroe
C)John Quincy Adams
D)Andrew Jackson
E)James Knox Polk
12
Which reform occurred during the Progressive Era?
A)initiative
B)referendum
C)recall election
D)primary election
E)All these answers are correct.
13
After Andrew Jackson's time, which three candidates won the presidency after losing the popular vote?
A)James Garfield (1880), Grover Cleveland (1888), and Harry Truman (1948)
B)Rutherford B. Hayes (1876), Benjamin Harrison (1888), and George W. Bush (2000)
C)James Buchanan (1856), Benjamin Harrison (1888), and Woodrow Wilson (1912)
D)Rutherford B. Hayes (1876), Warren Harding (1920), and John F. Kennedy (1960)
E)None of these answers is correct.
14
Under the U.S. Constitution, members of the U.S. House of Representatives have a ________ term, members of the U.S. Senate have a(n) ________ term, and the president has a ________ term.
A)2 year; 6 year; 4 year
B)2 year; 4 year; 6 year
C)4 year; 4 year; 4 year
D)2 year; 8 year; 4 year
E)None of these answers is correct.
15
________ wrote The Federalist Papers.
A)James Madison and Thomas Jefferson
B)Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison
C)John Jay and Thomas Jefferson
D)Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison
E)James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay
16
Which of the following is a check on legislative power in the U.S. system?
A)Congress can overturn a presidential veto with a 2/3 vote by both houses.
B)Congress can overturn a presidential veto with a 3/4 vote by both houses.
C)The president can appoint the Speaker of the House and the president of the Senate.
D)For legislation to be passed, a majority in each chamber of Congress is required.
E)Congress must appropriate funds that are to be used by the executive.
17
In what way was the government of Pennsylvania an exception among the state governments formed after the Revolutionary War?
A)It was the only state government with an independent judiciary.
B)It lacked any separation of powers, and had an all-powerful legislature.
C)It went further than simple separation of powers by building a system of separated but overlapping powers.
D)It took great pains to enfranchise minority groups, such as the Quakers.
E)It contained no popularly elected legislature.
18
In most democracies of the world,
A)the legislative branch is far more powerful than the executive branch.
B)there is no separated judicial branch.
C)executive and legislative powers are combined in a single body.
D)the executive has little to no checks on its power.
E)the judicial branch is the strongest branch of government.
19
The Great Compromise dealt with the issue of
A)the continued legality of slavery.
B)the power of the presidency.
C)the nature of state representation in Congress.
D)the extent of the powers of the Supreme Court.
E)how Senators would be elected.
20
Which of the following states was steadfastly opposed to the new Union and refused to ratify the Constitution until eleven other states had done so and had begun to form the new government?
A)Virginia
B)South Carolina
C)Georgia
D)Delaware
E)Rhode Island
Patterson Tenth Edition Large Cover
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