Gov Ch3

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Gov Ch3

Multiple Choice

Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Which is NOT a role of the Constitution today?

a.	It describes how the ideals of American government should be achieved	c.	gives unlimited authority to the government
b.	It tells us what our rights are	d.	It is the supreme law of the land.

The person most responsible for drafting the Bill of Rights was

a.	Thomas Jefferson	c.	John Adams
b.	Benjamin Franklin	d.	James Madison

What is one way that Congress has a check on the president's authority?

a.	The Senate must approve of Supreme Court nominees	c.	The House must administer any presidential order.
b.	The Congress can declare any presidential action unconstitutional	d.	None of the above

Formal amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by

a.	a resolution passed by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress.	c.	a resolution passed by Congress and signed by the president
b.	a National Convention, called by Congress at the request of three quarters of the states	d.	an executive order of the President, ratified by the Senate

Article III of the Constitution establishes

a.	the system of election.	c.	the judicial branch of government
b.	the states.	d.	the Bill of Rights.

Article I of the Constitution establishes

a.	legislative branch of government.	c.	purposes of the Constitution and American government.
b.	national and state governments.	d.	rights of the people.

Which primary source would probably be more accurate and reliable?

a.	personal journal	c.	photograph
b.	political cartoon	d.	letter

Which is NOT a significant reason for the adoption of so few suggested constitutional amendments?

a.	It is very difficult to get the support necessary in three-fourths of the states	c.	Competing social, economic and political interests make it difficult to command the broad support necessary to ratify an amendment
b.	Only 33 have been suggested	d.	The constitutional requirements for a two-thirds vote of both houses of' Congress is very difficult to achieve.

Which is the BEST example of a judicial check on the Congress?

a.	declaring a law unconstitutional	c.	writing a minority opinion of the court
b.	granting a writ of certiorari	d.	reconsidering a controversial decision

10.

As commander in chief of the armed forces under the Constitution, which president sent American forces into conflict without a declaration of war by Congress?

a.	J. Edgar Hoover	c.	Franklin D. Roosevelt
b.	none of the above	d.	Lyndon B. Johnson

11.

Which is NOT one of the methods in which the Constitution has been informally "amended" or changed?

a.	popular referendums	c.	political parties
b.	Congressional law-making	d.	presidential actions

12.

When a law is declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court,

a.	the law is null and void	c.	the president must concur with the court for the law to be invalid
b.	Congress may override the decision by a two-thirds vote of both houses	d.	the Congress must amend the Constitution

13.

An order issued by a court to force a government to do something is called a

a.	writ of habeas corpus	c.	bill of attainder
b.	writ of mandamus	d.	writ of certiorari

14.

Which constitutional principle is better illustrated when the Senate rejects a presidential nominee for the Supreme Court?

a.	judicial review	c.	separation of powers
b.	limited government	d.	checks and balances

15.

The Constitution's guarantee of freedom of religion and speech best illustrates the constitutional principle of

a.	popular sovereignty	c.	checks and balances
b.	limited government	d.	federalism

16.

What would be the best example of a Supreme Court check on the Congress?

a.	The Supreme Court can override a congressional veto.	c.	The Supreme Court can carry out laws without congressional approval
b.	The Supreme Court can declare congressional legislation unconstitutiona	d.	The Supreme Court can ignore legislation under the writ of mandamus

17.

Which is NOT true about the Constitution?

a.	It is relatively brief, having only about 7000 words.	c.	It has not been changed since it was ratified.
b.	It gives a general framework rather than specific details of government.	d.	It has seven articles.

18.

Today the Constitution serves as

a.	plan of government	c.	an outline of the ideals of American government
b.	all of the above.	d.	supreme law of the land

19.

Which would NOT be considered a primary source?

a.	a newspaper editorial	c.	a government textbook
b.	an autobiography	d.	a court record

20.

Twenty-five of the twenty-seven constitutional amendments have been ratified by

a.	referendums in two-thirds of the states.	c.	special conventions called for that purpose in three-fourths of the states
b.	three-fourths of the state legislatures	d.	a three-fourths vote of a National Convention, elected for that purpose

21.

What did the founders do to prevent the rise of tyranny?

a.	They separated the powers of the government	c.	They called for a special session of Congress
b.	They established the principle of judicial review	d.	They developed the principle of executive privilege

22.

The part of the Constitution that sets out the basic guarantees of freedom and fair treatment by the government is found in

a.	Article III	c.	the Bill of Rights
b.	the Articles of Ratification	d.	the Preamble

23.

The process of amending the Constitution is set up in

a.	Article V.	c.	Article II
b.	Article VII.	d.	Article III

24.

The constitutional principle by which the powers of government are divided into three branches is called

a.	separation of powers	c.	popular sovereignty
b.	federalism	d.	representative democracy

25.

An example of how presidents can informally amend the Constitution by their actions is

a.	submitting treaties to the Senate for ratification	c.	nominating a new member of the Supreme Court
b.	signing a bill into law	d.	the use of executive agreements

26.

A president's veto of a bill passed by Congress best illustrates the principle of

a.	checks and balances	c.	federalism
b.	separation of powers	d.	commerce clause

27.

The constitutional principle that the people are the source of any power given to the government is called

a.	federalism	c.	popular sovereignty
b.	limited government	d.	separation of powers

28.

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution are generally called the

a.	Bill of Rights	c.	Preamble
b.	Civil War Amendments	d.	American Creed

29.

The case of Marbury v. Madison is important because it established the constitutional precedent of

a.	civil rights	c.	judicial review
b.	national supremacy	d.	executive privilege

30.

Under a limited government, all citizens must live according to

a.	civil rights	c.	the rule of law
b.	equal protection	d.	popular sovereignty