Deck 14: The Presidency

Question 1

Which branch of federal government has changed the most?

A) Executive branch
B) Legislative branch
C) Judicial branch
D) All about the same

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In 1829, a person who wanted to see President Jackson would

A) make an appointment.
B) send a letter.
C) walk right into the White House.
D) publish a formal request.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Presidential power is vaguely defined in

A) Article 1 of the Constitution.
B) Article 2 of the Constitution.
C) Article 3 of the Constitution.
D) Article 4 of the Constitution.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following is true?

A) President must be at least forty-five years old.
B) President must have lived in the United States for at least twenty-four years.
C) President must have lived in the United States for at least seven years.
D) President must be at least thirty-five years old.

Question 5

The requirement of "natural-born citizen" applies to which of the following positions?

A) President
B) Congress
C) Courts
D) Cabinet

Question 6

Presidential requirements include being at least _______ years of age and a resident of the United States for at least the past _______ years.

A) twenty-five, fourteen
B) thirty-five, fourteen
C) forty-five, twenty-five
D) thirty-five, ten

Question 7

Originally, the president was to serve a four-year term, which could be renewed

A) indefinitely.
B) two times.
C) three times.
D) four times.

Question 8

The only president who served more than two terms was

A) Ronald Reagan.
B) James Madison.
C) Franklin Roosevelt.
D) Thomas Jefferson.

Question 9

Which amendment bars a president from serving a third term?

A) Twenty-second
B) Twenty-third
C) Twenty-fourth
D) Nineteenth

Question 10

The agreed-on way to elect the president is

A) by Congress.
B) by the Electoral College.
C) by the courts.
D) by the political parties.

Question 11

In the Electoral College, each state's number of votes is _______ its congressional delegation.

A) greater than
B) less than
C) equal to
D) significantly less than

Question 12

Who determines how the electors in the Electoral College are chosen?

A) States
B) Congress
C) President
D) Political parties

Question 13

In order to win the presidency, a candidate must win

A) the Electoral College vote and the popular vote.
B) the popular vote.
C) the Electoral College vote.
D) a simple plurality in the Electoral College.

Question 14

The president's expressed powers include all of the following except

A) commander in chief.
B) power to declare war.
C) power to make treaties.
D) power to grant pardons.

Question 15

Treaty ratification requires

A) House approval.
B) judicial approval.
C) Senate approval.
D) bureaucratic approval.

Question 16

Senatorial approval of a treaty requires

A) one-third support.
B) two-thirds support.
C) three-quarters support.
D) unanimous support.

Question 17

The idea that the executive branch can issue a rule on congressional legislation involves which of the following?

A) Proscribed powers
B) Inherent powers
C) Delegated powers
D) Enumerated powers

Question 18

The three forms of presidential power are

A) expressed, reserved, and formal.
B) expressed, delegated, and reserved.
C) expressed, delegated, and inherent.
D) inherent, reserved, and delegated.

Question 19

Powers that are vaguely reflected in Article 2 of the Constitution are known as

A) reserved powers.
B) expressed powers.
C) inherent powers.
D) de facto powers.

Question 20

Holding enemy combatants without a hearing can be traced to which executive powers?

A) Reserved powers
B) Inherent powers
C) Delegated powers
D) Expressed powers

Question 21

The _______ can determine whether a president exceeded the scope of inherent powers.

A) Supreme Court
B) House
C) Senate
D) Bureaucracy

Question 22

Many parliamentary systems grant their executives which of the following?

A) Right to use emergency powers
B) Right to use partial line-item vetoes
C) Right to introduce budgets
D) All of the above

Question 23

Presidents are elected _______ via the Electoral College.

A) indirectly
B) directly
C) by plurality
D) by national popular vote

Question 24

Executive power generally _______ during crises.

A) diminishes
B) expands
C) stays the same
D) completely changes

Question 25

The Alien and Sedition Acts can be traced to which presidency?

A) John Adams
B) George Washington
C) Thomas Jefferson
D) James Madison

Question 26

The Alien and Sedition Acts could be viewed as an attack on which amendment?

A) First
B) Second
C) Third
D) Fourth

Question 27

The idea that no other branch can interfere with the president's control of the executive branch is known as the

A) supremacy theory.
B) unitary executive theory.
C) imperial theory.
D) take-care clause.

Question 28

The idea that the president can demand swift and even secretive action is supported by

A) unitary executive theory.
B) legislative theory.
C) inherent theory.
D) pluralist theory.

Question 29

The unitary executive theory can be viewed as

A) a threat to the system of checks and balances.
B) an important way to change governmental roles.
C) a way for the president to serve more than two terms.
D) a way for Congress to override the president.

Question 30

The idea that an executive could change a republic into an empire is directly related to which of the following theories?

A) Legislative
B) Imperial
C) Pluralist
D) Majoritarian

Question 31

Republicans accused _______ of embodying the imperial presidency.

A) Barak Obama
B) Lyndon Johnson
C) Bill Clinton.
D) Jimmy Carter

Question 32

Presidents are weakest in relation to

A) foreign affairs.
B) domestic issues.
C) legislative issues.
D) judicial issues.

Question 33

The president's power to control the world's largest fighting force relates to the role of

A) commander in chief.
B) chief legislator.
C) chief diplomat.
D) chief executive.

Question 34

Free trade agreements, climate change concerns, and Middle East concerns all require the use of

A) force.
B) economic sanctions.
C) diplomacy.
D) boycotts.

Question 35

Acting as _______,the president can approve or veto measures passed by Congress, as well as make recommendations.

A) first legislator
B) first diplomat
C) first custodian
D) commander in chief

Question 36

Prior to World War II, what type of standing army did the United States have?

A) Large
B) Small
C) Medium-sized
D) Nonexistent

Question 37

After World War II, what type of standing army did the United States have?

A) Small
B) Large
C) Medium-sized
D) Nonexistent

Question 38

An annual event at which the president addresses the nation is called

A) the annual talk.
B) the State of the Union address.
C) the Executive Talk.
D) the State of Affairs Talk.

Question 39

Which of the following can formally propose a law?

A) The president
B) Congress
C) The Supreme Court
D) Both the president and Congress

Question 40

The _______ is the presidential power to block an act of Congress by refusing to sign it.

A) executive power
B) legislative power
C) veto power
D) take-care clause power

Question 41

Congress can override a presidential veto with a _______ vote in both chambers.

A) three-quarters
B) two-fifths
C) two-thirds
D) four-fifths

Question 42

How often has Congress been able to override presidential vetoes?

A) Most of the time
B) All the time
C) Never
D) Rarely

Question 43

A president's written declaration commenting on a bill that has been signed into law is known as

A) a signing statement.
B) an executive decree.
C) an executive declaration.
D) a public declaration.

Question 44

The executive branch includes _______ cabinet departments.

A) nine
B) eight
C) fifteen
D) ten

Question 45

Today, the executive branch has approximately _______ employees.

A) 2.6 million
B) 27 million
C) 100,000
D) 10 million

Question 46

Individuals appointed by the president to top positions in executive agencies are known as

A) political appointees.
B) executive appointees.
C) command appointees.
D) diplomatic appointees.

Question 47

Executive orders are unique because

A) they require congressional approval.
B) they do not require congressional approval.
C) they require the approval of the courts.
D) they require the approval of the cabinet.

Question 48

Members of the bureaucracy who keep their positions regardless of presidential changes are

A) political appointees.
B) civil servants.
C) cabinet secretaries.
D) speechwriters.

Question 49

Which of the following has been implemented via executive order?

A) Regulatory rollbacks
B) Bans on entry from selected countries
C) Stripping of funds from sanctuary cities
D) All of the above

Question 50

If Congress blocks an executive initiative, the president can issue an _______ to get around Congress.

A) executive order
B) executive initiative
C) executive line-item veto
D) executive pardon

Question 51

One area in which the president is not granted authority is

A) national security.
B) the economy.
C) civil rights.
D) civil liberties.

Question 52

In the United States, the title of head of state is which of the following?

A) Ceremonial only
B) Both ceremonial and policy-oriented
C) Policy-oriented only
D) None of the above

Question 53

George Washington was _______ political parties.

A) supportive of
B) opposed to
C) neutral about
D) ambivalent about

Question 54

Party leader became a role for the president during the presidency of

A) John Adams.
B) Andrew Jackson.
C) George Washington.
D) Franklin Roosevelt.

Question 55

The statement "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country" comes from which administration?

A) Kennedy
B) Reagan
C) Taft
D) Obama

Question 56

A successful president uses the power to

A) persuade.
B) argue.
C) debate.
D) enforce.

Question 57

A president who makes key military decisions uses the position of

A) chief diplomat.
B) commander in chief.
C) chief legislator.
D) chief executive.

Question 58

Presidential power has _______ since the founding of the country.

A) diminished
B) increased
C) stayed the same
D) continually gone up and down

Question 59

Presidential oversight of all executive agencies reflects the president's power as

A) head diplomat.
B) head bureaucrat.
C) head legislator.
D) commander in chief.

Question 60

_______ is important because it allows presidents to win support for themselves or their ideas.

A) Going public
B) Debating Congress
C) Withholding sensitive national security information
D) Vetoing congressional bills

Question 61

The first live televised press conference occurred during which administration?

A) Kennedy
B) Taft
C) Wilson
D) Nixon

Question 62

Which of the following is a way for the president to connect with the American public?

A) Tweet supporters
B) Give speeches before large crowds
C) Speak directly to the camera from the Oval Office
D) All of the above

Question 63

Successful presidents must

A) constantly debate Congress.
B) manage their image in the public eye.
C) make bold secret decisions.
D) force Congress to accept executive legislation.

Question 64

Which of the following is true?

A) Most presidents have consistently high public approval ratings.
B) No president's approval rating stays above 50 percent for an entire term.
C) Most presidents' approval ratings reach 90 percent at some point.
D) Most presidents have consistently low public approval ratings.

Question 65

The end of the first Gulf War saw public approval of George H. W. Bush

A) decline.
B) increase slightly.
C) increase dramatically.
D) decrease slightly.

Question 66

George W. Bush's approval ratings right after the 9/11 attacks

A) diminished greatly.
B) increased dramatically.
C) decreased slightly.
D) increased slightly.

Question 67

According to a panel of historians, who was the top-ranking president?

A) Franklin Roosevelt
B) Harry Truman
C) Abraham Lincoln
D) Ronald Reagan

Question 68

In what year was the first live televised presidential press conference broadcast?

A) 1945
B) 1961
C) 1972 d, 1955

Question 69

George Washington has been extolled as a great president because of his ability to

A) end slavery.
B) define the presidency and the nation.
C) defeat France.
D) promote the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Question 70

Franklin Roosevelt was considered a very strong president because of his ability to

A) balance the budget.
B) declare war on Japan.
C) rethink the presidency and the federal government's role in national life.
D) create the Federal Reserve.

Question 71

According to presidential historian Stephen Skowronek, each president must address

A) the rise and fall of political orders.
B) inflation.
C) recession.
D) turbulent wars.

Question 72

According to Skowronek, a political order develops as follows:

A) new order develops, order refreshed, old order crumbles.
B) order refreshed, old order crumbles, new order develops.
C) new order develops, old order crumbles, order refreshed.
D) new order emerges from older orders.

Question 73

A new order could mean which of the following?

A) A president introduces a fresh philosophy of government.
B) A president uses the veto often.
C) A president seeks to avoid the courts.
D) A president refuses to address critical social issues.

Question 74

A new order president is

A) Jimmy Carter.
B) Ronald Reagan.
C) Herbert Hoover.
D) John Adams.

Question 75

Presidential approval ratings usually start above

A) 60 percent.
B) 65 percent.
C) 70 percent.
D) 90 percent.

Question 76

An example of an "old order crumbles" situation can be linked to which administration?

A) Hoover
B) Fillmore
C) Taft
D) Carter

Question 77

Presidents would like their approval rating to be around _______ for reelection.

A) 70 percent.
B) 60 percent.
C) 50 percent.
D) 40 percent.

Question 78

Nixon's ability to negotiate with both China and
Russia exemplifies the power of

A) first legislator.
B) top diplomat.
C) commander in chief.
D) chief custodian.

Question 79

The _______ is the set of institutions, interests, and ideas that shape a political era.

A) political cycle
B) political zone
C) political order
D) executive cycle

Question 80

How many administrative assistants did Herbert Hoover have?

A) Four
B) Six
C) Eight
D) Over a hundred