Multiple Choice
Identify the
letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
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1.
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Based
on the separation of government power into executive, legislative, and judicial branches, the _____
of government was devised by President James Madison (1809-17). He created the plan in response to
early fears that the federal government would become tyrannical, reasoning that if the powers were
separate, no one of them would be able to dominate the others. The whole system was, and still is,
regulated by checks and balances. a. | Dolly Madison plan | c. | Madisonian model | b. | The Anti-Federalism Madison
plan | d. | Jeffersonian model | | | | |
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2.
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Contained in Article VI of the Constitution, the _____ orders that federal laws and
legitimate, constitutional federal actions preempt state and local laws and actions when there is a
conflict between the two. According to Article VI, the main law of the land comprises the
Constitution, the national government if it acts constitutionally, and all treaties. The clause
helped shift the United States from a loose confederation of states to a more centralized federal
system a. | Bill of
Rights | c. | preamble | b. | equal protection
clause | d. | supremacy clause | | | | |
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3.
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A
_____ of government (federalism) is one in which the constitution divides power between a central
government and regional governments, such as those in states. Each level of government has
constitutional guarantees that its power is dominant within certain domains, but in general the
levels share formal authority over the same territory and citizens. a. | confederation | c. | federal system | b. | constitutional
form | d. | federation | | | | |
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4.
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Written changes or additions to a law or body of laws, such as the United States
Constitution. a. | email | c. | Article V | b. | Writ of
Mandamus | d. | amendments | | | | |
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5.
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A _____ is a writ issued by a superior court
that mandates or directs a specified course of action to be taken by an inferior court or other
officer of the state a. | writ of ex post facto | c. | ceriorie | b. | writ of
appeal | d. | mandamus | | | | |
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6.
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A/An _____ agreement is an international agreement reached between the
president and the head of another nation without obtaining senatorial approval. a. | judicial | c. | Senatorial | b. | congressional | d. | executive | | | | |
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7.
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An
introductory statement to an official document that usually explains the document's goals and
purposes. a. | preface | c. | appendix | b. | table of
contents | d. | preamble | | | | |
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8.
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A
_____ is a group of advisers appointed by the president. In the United States, members are
called "secretaries." They are the heads of the federal government's executive
departments. a. | cell | c. | "round
table" | b. | caucus | d. | cabinet | | | | |
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9.
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To
rescind or do away with legislation. a. | impeach | c. | modify | b. | cash | d. | repeal | | | | |
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10.
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A
basic principle of government that accompanies constitutional supremacy which states that government
shall be carried out according to established law, and that both those who govern and those who are
governed will be bound by this law a. | democracy | c. | rule of law | b. | republicanism | d. | federalism | | | | |
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11.
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The
period of time during which a public official holds office. a. | lame duck | c. | session | b. | tenure | d. | semester | | | | |
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12.
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The
Constitution requires that the president must see every bill passed by both houses of Congress before
it becomes law. The president has the power to _____, or disapprove, any of these bills. If
two-thirds or more of the membership of each house votes against the veto, they can override the
president's decision. a. | verify | c. | filibuster | b. | certify | d. | veto | | | | |
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13.
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Contrary to constitutional provisions and so invalid. a. | constitutional | c. | veto | b. | unconstitutional | d. | impeachment | | | | |
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14.
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_____
is a power of the courts to decide whether federal and state laws or acts by the executive and
legislative branches are constitutional. Is one way to change the Constitution and adapt it to modern
situations. a. | writ of
Mandamus | c. | judicial review | b. | judicial veto | d. | Amending | | | | |
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15.
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The
_____ is a provision of the Constitution that came about through the 1824 Supreme Court case of
Gibbons v. Ogden. The court's decision helped create the basis for a national economy in which
business could occur freely among the states. However, the clause put power over interstate commerce
completely in the federal government's hands and forbade states to impose tariffs or taxes on their
own exports. a. | business
clause | c. | commerce clause | b. | tariff clause | d. | NAFTA | | | | |
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16.
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Part
of a system designed to limit a government's power by mandating that the power be balanced among all
the government's different institutions. Each of these institutions has specific areas of control
over activities of the other institutions to make sure that no one of them becomes
tyrannical. a. | checks and
balances | c. | Anti-Federalism | b. | Confederation | d. | Democracy | | | | |
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17.
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The
arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power by an oppressive individual or
government a. | communism | c. | federalism | b. | tyranny | d. | democracy | | | | |
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True/False
Indicate whether the sentence or statement is true
or false.
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18.
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In
America the group (community) is more important than the individual.
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19.
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Ours
is a government of laws, not men.
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20.
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The
Constitution is what the Supreme Court says it is.
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