Deck 9: Constitutional Law

Question 1

What powers did the Articles of Confederation give to the Continental Congress?

A) Direct the Revolutionary War
B) Conduct European diplomacy
C) All of the above
D) None of the above

Answer 1

All of the above

Question 2

What important element was omitted from the Articles of Confederation?

A) Judicial branch
B) Executive branch
C) National army
D) All of the above

Answer 2

All of the above

Question 3

During what event did the framers create the U.S. Constitution?

A) Constitutional Congress
B) Constitutional Convention
C) Constitutional Conference
D) Constitutional Assembly

Answer 3

Constitutional Convention

Question 4

What term describes a separate, original part of the U.S. Constitution?

A) Section
B) Article
C) Chapter
D) Rubric

Question 5

What structure of the U.S. Constitution allows states to preserve their individual governing powers?

A) Nationalism
B) Separatism
C) Federalism
D) Individualism

Question 6

What term pertains to a branch of the federal government?

A) Executive
B) Legislative
C) Judicial
D) All of the above

Question 7

What term describes a governing body consisting of two chambers?

A) Bicameral
B) Dual
C) Twofold
D) Binary

Question 8

What term describes specifically stated powers of Congress?

A) Express powers
B) Explicit powers
C) Major powers
D) Declared powers

Question 9

What is a legally enforceable agreement made by the U.S. President with a foreign government?

A) Pact
B) Concord
C) Treaty
D) International obligation

Question 10

What doctrine gives the U.S. Supreme Court powers to declare unconstitutional acts of other branches of government?

A) Checks and balances
B) Judicial review
C) Separation of powers
D) Federalism

Question 11

What part of the U.S. Constitution is used to resolve a conflict between the federal and the state laws?

A) The Bill of Rights
B) Article III
C) Article I
D) Article VI

Question 12

What is an example of the system of checks and balances?

A) President appoints members of the cabinet
B) The Senate refuses to vote for the president's cabinet appointee
C) The U.S. Supreme Court resolves a legal controversy between two American states
D) The House of Representatives passes a bill to reduce taxes

Question 13

What term describes the situation when the president refuses to sign a bill into law?

A) Private veto
B) Personal veto
C) Pocket veto
D) Presidential veto

Question 14

What is an example of checks and balances used by the president?

A) President signs a bill into law
B) President signs an agreement with a foreign government
C) President vetoes a bill
D) President appoints a federal judge

Question 15

What term describes a part of the U.S. Constitution that changes or annuls earlier parts of the Constitution?

A) Amendment
B) Addendum
C) Adjustment
D) Alteration

Question 16

What article of the U.S. Constitution established the process to change the constitution?

A) Article V
B) Article III
C) Article II
D) Article I

Question 17

What personal freedom is included in the First Amendment?

A) Freedom of assembly
B) Freedom of religion
C) Freedom of the press
D) All of the above

Question 18

What term describes the clause prohibiting the U.S. government to institute a state religion?

A) Establishment clause
B) Free exercise clause
C) Supremacy clause
D) Equal protection clause

Question 19

What restriction on federal government is included in the Bill of Rights?

A) Prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment
B) Prohibition on searches without a search warrant
C) Prohibition to try a criminal defendant twice for the same offense
D) All of the above

Question 20

What protection for criminal defendants does the U.S. Constitution guarantee?

A) Right to due process
B) Right to a speedy trial by a jury
C) Protection against self-incrimination
D) All of the above

Question 21

Under the Articles of Confederation, the Revolutionary war has been directed through George Washington.

Question 22

The Articles of Confederation include the power to tax.

Question 23

The framers created a constitution that would provide only for direct representation.

Question 24

There are 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Question 25

In the House of Representatives, there is a fixed number of representatives from each state.

Question 26

The powers of Congress are limited to express powers.

Question 27

The cabinet includes the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and the Department of the Treasury.

Question 28

The U.S. Supreme Court has only appellate jurisdiction.

Question 29

Veto is Latin for "I forbid."

Question 30

The president can veto bills presented by Congress.

Question 31

It is impossible for Congress to override the presidential veto.

Question 32

Amendments are original parts of the U.S. Constitution.

Question 33

Originally, the Bill of Rights has been created to protect Americans from the federal government.

Question 34

In Gitlow v. New York, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the freedom of religion clause applies to the states.

Question 35

The Bill of Rights restricts powers of state government.

Question 36

The Articles of ________ governed states from 1781 until 1789.

Question 37

The U.S. Constitution consists of seven ________.

Question 38

Article I of the U.S. Constitution gives ________ the power to make laws.

Question 39

The U.S. President is the head of the ________ branch.

Question 40

The U.S. Supreme Court has ________ jurisdiction in lawsuits between American states.

Question 41

A system of checks and ________ prevents one governmental branch from becoming too dominant.

Question 42

The Supreme Court can declare federal legislation ________.

Question 43

Article V of the U.S. Constitution establishes a process to ________ the Constitution.

Question 44

The first ten amendments are called the Bill of ________.

Question 45

The Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and ________ punishment.

Question 46

Match the terms with their descriptions:

-Bicameral

A) Granting an independent power to each branch of the government
B) Official recognition of the Constitution by a state
C) Legislature consisting of two houses of representation
D) The U.S. President strikes down a bill
E) The U.S. Supreme Court decision that the freedom of speech clause applies to the states
F) The part of the U.S. Constitution that grants specific freedoms to Americans
G) The first foundational governing document in U.S. history
H) The power of the U.S. Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional acts of other branches of federal government
I) The U.S. President refuses to sign a bill into law
J) The part of the U.S. Constitution declaring the preeminence of federal law when federal and state law conflict

Question 47

Match the terms with their descriptions:

-Veto

A) Granting an independent power to each branch of the government
B) Official recognition of the Constitution by a state
C) Legislature consisting of two houses of representation
D) The U.S. President strikes down a bill
E) The U.S. Supreme Court decision that the freedom of speech clause applies to the states
F) The part of the U.S. Constitution that grants specific freedoms to Americans
G) The first foundational governing document in U.S. history
H) The power of the U.S. Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional acts of other branches of federal government
I) The U.S. President refuses to sign a bill into law
J) The part of the U.S. Constitution declaring the preeminence of federal law when federal and state law conflict

Question 48

Match the terms with their descriptions:

-Separation of powers

A) Granting an independent power to each branch of the government
B) Official recognition of the Constitution by a state
C) Legislature consisting of two houses of representation
D) The U.S. President strikes down a bill
E) The U.S. Supreme Court decision that the freedom of speech clause applies to the states
F) The part of the U.S. Constitution that grants specific freedoms to Americans
G) The first foundational governing document in U.S. history
H) The power of the U.S. Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional acts of other branches of federal government
I) The U.S. President refuses to sign a bill into law
J) The part of the U.S. Constitution declaring the preeminence of federal law when federal and state law conflict

Question 49

Match the terms with their descriptions:

-Gitlow v. New York

A) Granting an independent power to each branch of the government
B) Official recognition of the Constitution by a state
C) Legislature consisting of two houses of representation
D) The U.S. President strikes down a bill
E) The U.S. Supreme Court decision that the freedom of speech clause applies to the states
F) The part of the U.S. Constitution that grants specific freedoms to Americans
G) The first foundational governing document in U.S. history
H) The power of the U.S. Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional acts of other branches of federal government
I) The U.S. President refuses to sign a bill into law
J) The part of the U.S. Constitution declaring the preeminence of federal law when federal and state law conflict

Question 50

Match the terms with their descriptions:

-Supremacy Clause

A) Granting an independent power to each branch of the government
B) Official recognition of the Constitution by a state
C) Legislature consisting of two houses of representation
D) The U.S. President strikes down a bill
E) The U.S. Supreme Court decision that the freedom of speech clause applies to the states
F) The part of the U.S. Constitution that grants specific freedoms to Americans
G) The first foundational governing document in U.S. history
H) The power of the U.S. Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional acts of other branches of federal government
I) The U.S. President refuses to sign a bill into law
J) The part of the U.S. Constitution declaring the preeminence of federal law when federal and state law conflict

Question 51

Match the terms with their descriptions:

-Bill of Rights

A) Granting an independent power to each branch of the government
B) Official recognition of the Constitution by a state
C) Legislature consisting of two houses of representation
D) The U.S. President strikes down a bill
E) The U.S. Supreme Court decision that the freedom of speech clause applies to the states
F) The part of the U.S. Constitution that grants specific freedoms to Americans
G) The first foundational governing document in U.S. history
H) The power of the U.S. Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional acts of other branches of federal government
I) The U.S. President refuses to sign a bill into law
J) The part of the U.S. Constitution declaring the preeminence of federal law when federal and state law conflict

Question 52

Match the terms with their descriptions:

-The Articles of Confederation

A) Granting an independent power to each branch of the government
B) Official recognition of the Constitution by a state
C) Legislature consisting of two houses of representation
D) The U.S. President strikes down a bill
E) The U.S. Supreme Court decision that the freedom of speech clause applies to the states
F) The part of the U.S. Constitution that grants specific freedoms to Americans
G) The first foundational governing document in U.S. history
H) The power of the U.S. Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional acts of other branches of federal government
I) The U.S. President refuses to sign a bill into law
J) The part of the U.S. Constitution declaring the preeminence of federal law when federal and state law conflict

Question 53

Match the terms with their descriptions:

-Pocket veto

A) Granting an independent power to each branch of the government
B) Official recognition of the Constitution by a state
C) Legislature consisting of two houses of representation
D) The U.S. President strikes down a bill
E) The U.S. Supreme Court decision that the freedom of speech clause applies to the states
F) The part of the U.S. Constitution that grants specific freedoms to Americans
G) The first foundational governing document in U.S. history
H) The power of the U.S. Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional acts of other branches of federal government
I) The U.S. President refuses to sign a bill into law
J) The part of the U.S. Constitution declaring the preeminence of federal law when federal and state law conflict

Question 54

Match the terms with their descriptions:

-Judicial review

A) Granting an independent power to each branch of the government
B) Official recognition of the Constitution by a state
C) Legislature consisting of two houses of representation
D) The U.S. President strikes down a bill
E) The U.S. Supreme Court decision that the freedom of speech clause applies to the states
F) The part of the U.S. Constitution that grants specific freedoms to Americans
G) The first foundational governing document in U.S. history
H) The power of the U.S. Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional acts of other branches of federal government
I) The U.S. President refuses to sign a bill into law
J) The part of the U.S. Constitution declaring the preeminence of federal law when federal and state law conflict

Question 55

Match the terms with their descriptions:

-Ratification

A) Granting an independent power to each branch of the government
B) Official recognition of the Constitution by a state
C) Legislature consisting of two houses of representation
D) The U.S. President strikes down a bill
E) The U.S. Supreme Court decision that the freedom of speech clause applies to the states
F) The part of the U.S. Constitution that grants specific freedoms to Americans
G) The first foundational governing document in U.S. history
H) The power of the U.S. Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional acts of other branches of federal government
I) The U.S. President refuses to sign a bill into law
J) The part of the U.S. Constitution declaring the preeminence of federal law when federal and state law conflict

Question 56

Define the U.S. Constitution and discuss its structure. Discuss contents of Articles I, II, and III.

Question 57

Compare and contrast the Senate and the House of Representatives

Question 58

Define the Bill of Rights. Identify what freedoms and rights it gives to Americans, and what restrictions it puts on federal government.

Question 59

Discuss why the U.S. Constitution establishes a process to amend the constitution.

Question 60

Discuss why the framers considered it necessary to include in the U.S. Constitution that justices of the U.S. Supreme Court serve on the court for life.