Constitution Exam Mr. Tesler	Name________________ 02-JAN-07

Instructions: Carefully read the questions below. Based on your knowledge of Social Studies, answer the questions by darkening in the appropriate choice on your Scantron sheet.

1. Which feature of government is considered part of the unwritten constitution?
	1. presidential veto	3. Senate ratification of treaties
	2. judicial review	4. presidential appointment of ambassadors
2. Which governmental problem occurred under the Articles of Confederation?
	1. Congress constantly overrode the President's vetoes.	3. The states frequently did not cooperate with each other.
	2. The Supreme Court issued a series of unenforceable decisions.	4. The President often ignored the advice of his Cabinet.
3. The purpose of adding the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution was to
	1. assure the end of slavery	3. allow the adoption of new amendments
	2. strengthen the power of the federal government	4. protect the people from abuse by the federal government
4. Which document was being written when this discussion most likely occurred?
	1. Declaration of Independence	3. Covenant of the League of Nations
	2. United States Constitution	4. Charter of the United Nations
5. Which speaker's idea about representation was actually included in the document that was written?
	1. A	3. C
	2. B	4. D
6. Which United States governmental principle includes the concepts of reserved powers, delegated powers, and concurrent powers?
	1. the amending process	3. federalism
	2. judicial review	4. the unwritten constitution
7. What is the primary constitutional principle exemplified by the United States Senate's rejection of a treaty?
	1. federalism	3. States rights
	2. checks and balances	4. executive privilege
8. Which quotation taken from the United States Constitution provides for limiting the power of government?
	1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States...are citizens of the United States....	3. The President shall be commander in chief of the army and navy....
	2. This Constitution...shall be the supreme law of the land....	4. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,...or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press....
9. The 14th and 15th Amendments, passed during Reconstruction, resulted in
	1. equal rights for women in the United States	3. increased individual rights for African Americans
	2. expanded rights for Native American Indians on reservations	4. additional rights for Southern segregationsists
10. A major problem of the government under the Articles of Confederation was that the
	1. courts of the national government had nearly unlimited power	3. national government could levy and collect unlimited taxes
	2. President could make major decisions without the approval of Congress	4. Congress depended on the states for men and money to support an army
11. In terms of representation in the United States Congress, which state benefited most from the three-fifths compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787?
	1. Massachusetts	3. New York
	2. New Jersey	4. Virginia
12. Base your answer on the statements below and on your knowledge of social studies. Speaker A: A leader is not ultimately responsible to the people but to God, from whom the leader derives the right to govern. Speaker B: Each citizen is entitled to a voice in government. Therefore, government should be run by those representatives elected directly by the citizens so that the will of the citizens is expressed. Speaker C: History has taught us that the concentration of political power leads to the abuse of that power. Therefore, power should be divided among national, state, and local governments. Speaker D: Life is a struggle. Those who seize and maintain political power represent the strongest and most competent of that society and earn the right to govern. The principle of federalism contained in the Constitution of the United States is most consistent with the idea of Speaker
	1. A	3. C
	2. B	4. D
13. The implied powers suggested by the United States Constitution show that the writers recognized the
	1. powers of government needed to be able to adapt to change	3. powers of the Supreme Court needed to be checked
	2. rights of the states had to be protected	4. rights of the citizens were the first concern of government
14. "Illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in a court of law." This statement is based on a person's constitutional right to
	1. face an accuser in open court	3. a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury
	2. protection against double jeopardy	4. protection against unreasonable searches and seizures
15. The decision of the United States Supreme Court in Marbury v. Madison (1803) established the power of the
	1. House of Representatives to impeach the president	3. president to veto congressional legislation
	2. Congress to override a presidential veto	4. Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of laws
16. The Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights are similar in that both
	1. support a federal system of government	3. provide for a system of checks and balances
	2. maintain the importance of a strong chief executive	4. support limitations on governmental power
17. A system of checks and balances was included in the United States Constitution because the authors were concerned about
	1. one branch of government becoming too strong	3. the people having a voice in government
	2. the states having too much power	4. the military gaining control of the United States
18. The Bill of Rights was added to the United States Constitution to
	1. provide the president with the power to enforce the laws	3. establish a presidential cabinet
	2. protect individuals' civil liberties	4. guarantee voting privileges to all citizens
19. The writers of the United States Constitution created a federal form of government primarily to
	1. limit the powers of the Senate	3. provide for civilian control over the military
	2. develop a criminal justice system	4. divide power between levels of government
20. According to the Declaration of Independence, governments are established to
	1. protect the nation from invasion	3. protect the natural rights of citizens
	2. provide a system of checks and balances	4. guarantee voting rights for all citizens
21. The amendment process was included in the United States Constitution in order to
	1. remove government officials from political office	3. allow government to meet the changing needs of society
	2. check the power of the Supreme Court	4. preserve the federal system of government
22. Delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 adopted the Great Compromise to settle differences over
	1. slavery	3. interstate trade
	2. representation in Congress	4. taxation
23. "The Constitution is as the Supreme Court interprets it." --President Dwight D. Eisenhower Which constitutional principle does this quotation best describe?
	1. judicial review	3. federalism
	2. reserved powers	4. concurrent powers
24. The Supreme Court has ruled that burning the United States flag is a form of protest protected by the first amendment. Which action would be necessary to overturn this ruling?
	1. issue of an Executive order by the President	3. ratification of an amendment to the Constitution
	2. passage of a law by Congress	4. adoption of a formal resolution by each state's legislature
25. Which action is an example of the use of the elastic clause of the United States Constitution?
	1. purchase of the Louisiana Territory by President Thomas Jefferson	3. ratification of the 19th amendment
	2. impeachment of President Andrew Johnson	4. creation of the United States Navy
26. Which principle of government is proposed in the Declaration of Independence?
	1. Political power originates with a strong central government.	3. A system of checks and balances is the most effective way to prevent governmental abuse of power.
	2. The primary function of government is to protect natural rights.	4. Individual liberties must be guaranteed by a strong bill of rights.
27. "We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, . . . and secure the blessings of liberty . . . do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. --Preamble to the United States Constitution This quotation from the Preamble illustrates the constitutional principle that people
	1. have a right to a trial by jury	3. are the true source of political power
	2. are guaranteed an adequate standard of living	4. have the right to assemble
28. During the ratification debates of 1788 to 1791, the activities of the Antifederalists led to the
	1. drafting of the Declaration of Independence	3. adoption of the Northwest Ordinance
	2. strengthening of the Articles of Confederation	4. addition of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution
29. Which principle of government is expressed in this amendment? "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." --United States Constitution, 10th amendment.
	1. The states have only those powers that are listed in the Constitution.	3. Congress has the power to pass any law that it wishes.
	2. Congress decides which powers the states can exercise.	4. The powers of the national government are limited.
30. Which aspect of the American political system was most influenced by the ideas of John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu?
	1. executive control of foreign policy	3. government regulation of the economy
	2. limitations on the power of government	4. creation of the electoral college
31. At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, a major obstacle to drafting a new constitution was the
	1. disagreement between the states over representation in Congress	3. delegates' lack of talent and lack of government experience
	2. controversy over the separation between church and state	4. hostility of the Federalists
32. In the United States Government, members of the cabinet are directly responsible to the
	1. Congress	3. Supreme Court
	2. Senate	4. President
33. The Supreme Court's power of judicial review is a result of
	1. an order by the President	3. a provision in the Bill of Rights
	2. the Court's own interpretation of the Constitution	4. the Court's decision to hear appeals regarding taxation
34. Which historical event best demonstrates the operation of checks and balances?
	1. President George Washington used the army to suppress a tax rebellion by Pennsylvania farmers.	3. President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent federal troops to enforce the integration of public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas.
	2. South Carolina seceded from the Union over the issues of slavery and states rights.	4. The Senate approved the appointment of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court.
35. "Senate Fails To Ratify Treaty of Versailles", "President Truman Vetoes Taft-Hartley Act","Senate Rejects Nomination of Robert Bork to Supreme Court". These headlines illustrate the constitutional principle of
	1. republicanism	3. due process of law
	2. executive privilege	4. separation of powers
36. The United States Government is considered a federal system because
	1. national laws must be passed by both houses of Congress	3. the states are guaranteed a republican form of government
	2. powers are divided between the state and national governments	4. the President is selected by the electoral college
37. The United States Constitution grants certain powers only to the federal government. For example, only Congress can declare war. These powers are called
	1. police powers	3. delegated powers
	2. reserved powers	4. concurrent powers
38. What is the main idea of the cartoon?
	1. Different branches of the federal government have disagreed about important constitutional issues.	3. The federal government operates without any real checks and balances.
	2. The wishes of the President should not have been opposed by the United States Supreme Court.	4. Issues related to the church-state relationship no longer create controversy in the United States.
39. "... no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, ... and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." This section of the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution addresses the issue of
	1. states' rights	3. implied powers
	2. separation of powers	4. limits on governmental power
40. At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, a major conflict between delegates centered on the issue of
	1. giving women the right to vote	3. setting the length of the President's term of office
	2. structuring the Federal court system	4. determining the basis for representation in Congress
41. Which statement best expresses the meaning of the opening words of the United States Constitution, "We the people..."?
	1. Sovereignty is derived from the consent of the governed.	3. Federal laws are subject to popular referendum.
	2. All citizens are guaranteed freedom of speech.	4. Americans favor unrestricted immigration.
42. Federalism is best described as the
	1. authority to make and enforce decisions based on a written constitution	3. divisions of power between a national government and state governments
	2. difference in the function of the public and private sectors of the economy	4. use of checks and balances between the three branches of government
43. Base your answer on the statements below and on your knowledge of social studies. Speaker A: We favor the Virginia Plan, in which representation is based on population. States with more people should have more representation.Speaker B: Slaves should be counted because they are an important part of our state populations, and Congress should not be able to stop us from importing slaves to work on our plantations.Speaker C: We delegates from the small states insist upon a legislature in which each state receives equal representation.Speaker D: Congress should tax imports so that foreign goods will not be cheaper than our manufactured products. Which document addressed the concerns of all of these speakers?
	1. Declaration of Independence	3. United States Constitution
	2. Articles of Confederation	4. Missouri Compromise
44. Which action illustrates the president's power as commander in chief?
	1. ordering American troops into a foreign country	3. entertaining a foreign leader at the White House
	2. appointing the secretary of state	4. delivering the State of the Union address
45. Which statement from the United States Constitution is referred to as the elastic clause?
	1. 'All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States. ...'	3. 'All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives. ...'
	2. 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. ...'	4. 'Congress shall have power ... to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers. ...'
46. Those who supported the ratification of the United States Constitution promised to add a bill of rights in order to
	1. encourage economic development	3. increase the power of the National Government over the states
	2. prevent the return of English control over the new nation	4. persuade the anti-Federalists to accept the Constitution
47. The main political function of lobbyists for special interest groups is to
	1. influence public officials to support or oppose specific programs	3. nominate candidates for elective offices
	2. provide a source of unbiased information for legislators	4. simplify the process of developing and passing laws
48. The Federalist Papers were a series of newspaper articles published in 1787 and 1788 to win support for the
	1. right of the colonies to rebel against Great Britain	3. ratification of the United States Constitution
	2. right of a state to secede from the Union	4. construction of an interstate canal system
49. "There can be no liberty if the same man or the same group has executive, legislative, and judicial control." Which political idea would the author of this statement most likely support?
	1. States rights	3. socialism
	2. separation of powers	4. federalism
50. What is an example of the unwritten constitution in the United States?
	1. system of political parties	3. guarantee of freedom of religion
	2. operation of checks and balances	4. sharing of power between state and national governments