Deck 7: The Presidency

Question 1

James Monroe, president from 1817 to 1825, was the first to assume a strong foreign policy. His famous "Monroe Doctrine" declared

A) that the United States would regard as an "unfriendly act" any attempt by a European nation to intervene on the American continent.
B) that the United States had an inherent right to stop foreign navies on the high seas.
C) that the United States would be aggressive in invading foreign countries that resisted its trade policies.
D) that the United States had a moral obligation to serve as a sort of global police force.
E) that democracy was the dominant form of government and should be heavily impressed on weaker nations.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Throughout American history, how many times has the son of a former United States president been elected as president?

A) None
B) One
C) Two
D) Four
E) Eight

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Most U.S. presidents have held one or more high-level elected offices. The two most commonly held offices are tied, with 19 presidents each having held these positions. In addition to the U.S. House of Representatives, which other elected office was held by 19 presidents?

A) U.S. senator
B) Supreme Court justice
C) Supreme Allied Commander
D) Governor
E) Secretary of state

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The Constitutional provision limiting the president to only two elected terms is

A) Article II.
B) Twenty-second Amendment.
C) Twenty-first Amendment.
D) Seventeenth Amendment.
E) Seventh Amendment.

Question 5

Which of the following was NOT a policy adopted by Thomas Jefferson?

A) That government governs best which governs least
B) Land acquisition from France
C) Creation of a national bank
D) Scaling back the armed forces
E) Eliminating judgeships

Question 6

As president, Abraham Lincoln thrived due to a rare combination of factors. Seen in retrospect as an endearing historical figure, Lincoln was nonetheless an aggressive politician. Which of the following was NOT one of the actions taken by Lincoln?

A) He suspended the writ of habeas corpus.
B) He spent U.S. Treasury funds without approval of Congress.
C) He ordered a military blockade of southern ports while Congress was in recess.
D) He ordered the states to provide 75,000 soldiers for battle.
E) He encouraged and nurtured a cooperative relationship between the executive and legislative branches.

Question 7

Article II of the United States Constitution requires what minimum and/or maximum age for a person to serve as president?

A) No minimum or maximum age
B) Minimum age of 25, maximum age of 70
C) Minimum age of 18
D) Minimum age of 25
E) Minimum age of 35

Question 8

Because of Franklin Roosevelt's tenure as president, the Twenty-second Amendment was ratified and enacted in 1951. This amendment places what restriction on presidents?

A) The person seeking the office of president must have been a citizen of the United States for at least 10 years.
B) The person seeking the office of president must first have served at least one term in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate.
C) Any one person may only serve one term as president.
D) Any one person may be elected as president no more than twice.
E) The president must have a college degree.

Question 9

History views most of the presidents from the two decades prior to the Civil War as

A) highly efficient and proactive in addressing the major events of that era.
B) activists regarding sensitive issues such as the abolition of slavery.
C) ineffective in addressing major issues of the day and failing to avert tensions that led to the Civil War.
D) effective in social issues but lacking in proper use of the military.
E) politically powerful beyond what is accepted in modern times.

Question 10

As the first president of the United States, George Washington is often credited with establishing many presidential standards and precedents that are still in effect today. Which of the following is NOT one of Washington's precedents?

A) He avoided entrapments of royalty by rejecting references such as "Your Majesty."
B) He was very aggressive in establishing a global military presence by basing American military personnel in volatile foreign arenas.
C) He consulted often with other branches of government, especially Congress.
D) He established the influence of the executive in crafting public policy.
E) He established and preferred the reference of "Mr. President."

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT an occupation of at least one individual prior to becoming the President of the United States?

A) Peanut farmer
B) Supreme Court justice
C) Professional baseball team owner
D) Hat salesman
E) Lawyer

Question 12

Which of the following has NOT been the basis for impeaching a President?

A) Lying to a grand jury about a president's sex life
B) Giving the plans for the atomic bomb to the Soviets
C) Illegally firing a cabinet member
D) Pardoning traitors
E) Impeding ratification of a Constitutional amendment

Question 13

Which President served as U.S. Senator, U. S. Representative, and state senator?

A) William Henry Harrison
B) John Tyler
C) Andrew Johnson
D) Options A, B, and C are true.
E) None of the above is true.

Question 14

Based on data from presidential elections throughout American history, an individual who is currently holding a position as __________ is the least likely to become the next president.

A) a state governor
B) a vice president of the United States
C) a member of the U.S. House of Representatives
D) a member of the U.S. Senate
E) a general in the U.S. Army

Question 15

How many presidents have voluntarily resigned?

A) None
B) One
C) Two
D) Three
E) Five

Question 16

The U. S. Constitution does NOT formally require that a president be

A) a natural-born citizen.
B) 35 years of age or older.
C) a college-educated male.
D) a resident of the United States for at least fourteen years.
E) Both options A and B are true.

Question 17

The United States Constitution allows for removal of the president by the process of

A) recall election.
B) impeachment.
C) congressional declaration.
D) criminal conviction only.
E) a vote of the state legislatures.

Question 18

Throughout history the most common occupation of United States presidents prior to holding the office has been

A) military commander.
B) corporate executive.
C) attorney.
D) career bureaucrat.
E) university professor.

Question 19

Which of the following presidents was NOT defeated for reelection?

A) Gerald Ford
B) Jimmy Carter
C) Lyndon Johnson
D) John Adams
E) George H. W. Bush

Question 20

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, first elected president in 1932, has the distinction of being the longest serving president in American history. How many terms did he serve?

A) Two
B) Three
C) Four
D) Five
E) Six

Question 21

"Lend-lease" was a

A) program to provide federal jobs for the unemployed.
B) corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.
C) agreement trading destroyers for the right to build bases.
D) declaration permitting the United States to intervene in Latin America.
E) a policy establishing the ability of the United States to act as the "world's policeman."

Question 22

Which president is NOT named on the C-SPAN or the Wall Street Journal poll as one of the "10 Greatest Presidents?"

A) Wilson
B) Polk
C) Pierce
D) Jefferson
E) Jackson

Question 23

As president, Theodore Roosevelt has many credits. Which of the following is NOT an achievement of his term of office?

A) He encouraged a revolution in Panama.
B) He began building of the Panama Canal.
C) He aggressively pursued an interventionist stance in Europe that led to World War I.
D) He won a Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating a war settlement between Japan and Russia.
E) He increased national park lands fivefold.

Question 24

Due to the role of the president to receive and meet directly with dignitaries and rulers of other countries on behalf of the United States, the president is designated as

A) head of state.
B) head of government.
C) commander in chief.
D) governmental designee.
E) chief negotiator.

Question 25

Currently the United States is considered the only true superpower in the world arena. However, from the close of World War II until the late 1980s another superpower existed that often opposed the United States and consumed much of the president's energies. This superpower was

A) the People's Republic of China.
B) Great Britain.
C) the Soviet Union (USSR).
D) Cuba.
E) Israel.

Question 26

Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest president in history when inaugurated in 1901 at the age of

A) 29.
B) 35.
C) 42.
D) 50.
E) 55.

Question 27

The presidency of Woodrow Wilson is crowned by successful intervention of the United States into World War I in 1917. Though Wilson saw several successes, his greatest downfall was

A) his failure to gain Senate approval to join the League of Nations, which he was instrumental in creating.
B) the loss of the Philippines to Japan.
C) the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Empire of Japan.
D) his failure to enact comprehensive civil rights legislation.
E) his inability to desegregate the military.

Question 28

Since the early 1900s presidential authority has been greatest in the area of

A) crime and punishment.
B) health care.
C) domestic policy.
D) the environment.
E) national security.

Question 29

Article II of the United States Constitution lists four express powers of the president. Which of the following is NOT one of the express powers?

A) Commander in chief of the armed forces
B) Power to grant reprieves or pardons
C) Power to make treaties
D) Power to declare war
E) Power to appoint federal judges and justices

Question 30

The first sitting president to visit a foreign country on official business was

A) George Washington in 1790.
B) Abraham Lincoln in 1865.
C) Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.
D) Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1943.
E) John Kennedy in 1961.

Question 31

Theodore Roosevelt was a proactive and forceful president. Building on the Monroe Doctrine from 80 years earlier, he developed the "Roosevelt Corollary," which

A) created an isolationist stance whereby American military forces were not allowed to leave the borders of the United States.
B) created an alliance of all English-speaking nations.
C) formed an alliance of nations against the developing Empire of Japan.
D) declared that the United States would serve as a police power to maintain stability in the Western Hemisphere by opposing European interference in Latin America.
E) launched a pre-emptive attack on Cuba and began the Spanish-American War.

Question 32

Which of the following was NOT an exercise of power by Andrew Jackson?

A) Dismissing officeholders
B) Forcing out cabinet members who angered him
C) Vetoing the bill rechartering the second National Bank
D) Introducing the spoils system
E) Declaring European intervention in the affairs of the New World an unfriendly act

Question 33

John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and other political theorists of the 1700s argued that the need for an executive power was fundamental and obvious. Which of the following is NOT one of the primary reasons that Locke and Montesquieu used to justify their arguments?

A) Legislatures meet infrequently and are ill-equipped to execute their own laws.
B) If legislatures enforced their own laws they may be tempted to shape the laws to their own particular advantage.
C) Legislatures are inherently corrupt and incapable of ethical behavior.
D) A clear separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches is necessary so that legislatures do not exert too much influence over the executive area.
E) Legislatures need perpetual execution in order to carry out the intent of their laws.

Question 34

The twentieth century brought about significant changes in the presidency as evidenced by Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Roosevelt, just in the first half of the century. The "imperial presidency" is often noted as having taken root during this era. What is meant by this term?

A) The president becomes a dictator and takes total control of the government.
B) The president assumes powers to act independently of Congress under certain circumstances and to make significant decisions related to national security.
C) The office of president comes to be viewed as royalty with all its trappings.
D) The sons of presidents also assume the position, thus creating a de facto aristocracy.
E) The president becomes the uncontested leader of the free world.

Question 35

In the twenty-first century the foreign relations role of the president is a given, but this was not so in the earlier years of our nation's existence. Which president is considered the first to envision his role as that of a world leader and to proactively extend his reach into the foreign policy arena?

A) Andrew Jackson in 1828
B) Abraham Lincoln in 1861
C) Theodore Roosevelt in 1901
D) Harry Truman in 1945
E) Ronald Reagan in 1980

Question 36

In 1941, the deadly attack on ____ influenced America to enter into WWII.

A) New York
B) Pearl Harbor
C) Washington D.C.
D) Paris
E) London

Question 37

In the 1960s, President Lyndon Johnson attempted to resurrect the successes of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal initiatives by implementing more than 60 social reform measures, including Medicare and Medicaid, federal aid for education, and voting rights for African Americans. Collectively, these reforms came to be known as Johnson's

A) Great Society.
B) Second New Deal.
C) Square Deal.
D) New World.
E) Corollary.

Question 38

President Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" policies did NOT include which of the following?

A) Creation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to protect deposits in commercial banks during the Great Depression
B) Creation of federal jobs by hiring the Depression-era unemployed to perform various public works
C) Creation of a social security program that provided old-age benefits
D) Creation of free trade zones with Mexico and Canada
E) Creation of unemployment insurance benefits

Question 39

As head of state of the United States, the President has the power to

A) negotiate and execute treaties.
B) appoint federal judges.
C) meet directly with foreign heads of state.
D) help set the lawmaking agenda for Congress.
E) grant reprieves and pardons.

Question 40

In the decades immediately following the close of World War II and extending into the 1980s, the most dominant theme faced by United States presidents in the foreign policy arena was

A) the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.
B) the Cold War with its expansion of communism.
C) the war in Vietnam.
D) the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
E) equal access to and use of the international space station.

Question 41

The recent president with the highest percentage of veto overrides was

A) Richard Nixon.
B) Gerald Ford.
C) George H. W. Bush.
D) George W. Bush.
E) Barack Obama.

Question 42

In Myers v. United States (1926) the U.S. Supreme Court addressed the issue of a president's power to remove an appointed official from office. In the case of Cabinet members such as secretary of state, what power does the president have in removing him or her from office?

A) The president may not remove an appointee without Congressional approval.
B) The U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment and has sole power to remove the appointee.
C) Though the U.S. Senate must confirm the original appointment, the president has the power to remove such an appointee without Congressional approval.
D) The appointee may not be removed from office without a hearing before the Supreme Court.
E) The president has no discretion in removing the appointee.

Question 43

During major historical events such as the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001, why does the role and position of president become so important?

A) The Constitution requires that Americans follow the president's advice.
B) The president becomes a strong voice to command the nation's attention, calm fears, provide direction, and employ resources.
C) Congress is often unwilling to lead during emergencies so the president's role and authority increases.
D) The states have sole power to respond to threats against them by foreign powers but they rely on the president for guidance.
E) Congress is incapable of taking any type of action against foreign enemies so this responsibility is left to the president.

Question 44

The President's responsibility to see "that the laws be faithfully executed" includes the power to

A) suit the laws to his own particular advantage.
B) determine the separation of powers.
C) exert too much power over the executive.
D) implement and enforce measures passed by Congress.
E) carry out capital punishment.

Question 45

As commander in chief, the president

A) is the nation's principal military leader.
B) is responsible for formulating all military strategy and policy.
C) has, in modern times, assumed nearly unlimited power to send troops into combat.
D) Options A, B, and C are true.
E) None of the above is true.

Question 46

A presidential action that removes the punishment, as well as the finding of guilt, from a person convicted of a federal crime is called

A) a reprieve.
B) a commutation.
C) a full pardon.
D) presidential prerogative.
E) certiorari.

Question 47

Article II of the U.S. Constitution requires that the president will each year advise the Congress about the condition of the nation. This constitutional requirement is now a formal speech before Congress and is called

A) the Annual Performance Review.
B) the State of the Union address.
C) the Appeal to the Nation.
D) Review of Congress.
E) Face the Nation.

Question 48

What is the primary purpose for the president's designation as commander in chief?

A) To use the military experience that most presidents have and to allow them to effectively lead the armed forces
B) To allow for the United States to have the ability to declare war and take necessary military action
C) To allow the military to ultimately remain under civilian control
D) To simplify the chain of command
E) To improve relationships and alliances with the military in other nations

Question 49

The president has constitutional power to veto legislation passed by Congress. However, the Congress also has constitutional powers to override the veto. How is the veto overridden?

A) The Senate has the sole power to override the veto but it must have a three-fourths vote of all senators.
B) A simple majority of both houses of Congress is required for override.
C) A simple majority of both houses plus approval of the Supreme Court is required for override.
D) A three-fourths majority vote of both houses of Congress is required for override.
E) A two-thirds majority in each house of Congress is required for override.

Question 50

Presidents frequently issue rules and regulations that carry the force of law, ranging from orders to the armed forces to designation of public lands. Such actions, once thought to be unconstitutional, are called

A) civil prosecution.
B) executive orders.
C) diplomacy.
D) enforcement prerogative.
E) executive negotiation.

Question 51

The president has a very important power to appoint judges, justices, and cabinet-level officials. However, the Constitution requires that this power be checked through

A) approval of the Supreme Court for all appointees.
B) a successful background check for all appointees by the FBI prior to taking office.
C) approval of three-fourths of the state legislatures for all appointments.
D) confirmation by the U.S. Senate for all political appointments.
E) a thorough security clearance by the CIA.

Question 52

Since the end of World War II presidents have acted much more independently in committing American troops to combat situations. In 1973 Congress attempted to severely limit the power of the president to deploy troops without Congressional approval. Then-president Nixon vetoed the legislation, but his veto was overridden. What was this legislation called?

A) Monroe Doctrine
B) North Atlantic Treaty Alliance
C) Presidential Control Act
D) War Powers Resolution
E) Pentagon Papers

Question 53

The power to "receive ambassadors" includes

A) the power to deny official recognition to foreign governments.
B) the power to meet with visiting heads of state.
C) the power to host official state dinners.
D) the power to make treaties.
E) the power to grant reprieves and pardons.

Question 54

The U.S. Constitution extends certain powers to the president in regard to people who are convicted of violating federal laws. An executive action that reduces the severity of a punishment without removing the guilt is called

A) a pardon.
B) a reprieve.
C) power of appointment.
D) writ of habeas corpus.
E) presidential oversight.

Question 55

As chief diplomat of the United States, the president has the power to

A) negotiate and execute treaties.
B) appoint federal judges.
C) meet directly with foreign heads of state.
D) help set the lawmaking agenda for Congress.
E) grant reprieves and pardons.

Question 56

Historically, what percentage of presidential vetoes has been overridden?

A) Less than 1 percent
B) 4 percent
C) 25 percent
D) 40 percent
E) 80 percent

Question 57

A "signing statement" is

A) an expression of the intent of the president to ignore a law.
B) a means of the president to undermine a law short of a veto.
C) can include a statement that the executive branch will construe an act in a manner consistent with the president's own views on a president's constitutional authority.
D) Options A, B, and C are true.
E) None of the above is true.

Question 58

The Executive Office of the President is a large bureaucracy of currently more than 2,000 employees who work for the president to carry out management and administrative functions. The head of this bureaucracy and a very close advisor to the president is the

A) Vice President of the United States.
B) Speaker of the House.
C) White House chief of staff.
D) Attorney General.
E) National Party Chairman.

Question 59

Which of the following is NOT an example of a president committing American troops into combat without congressional approval?

A) Roosevelt in Europe and the Pacific Theaters, 1945
B) Truman in Korea, 1950
C) Reagan in Grenada, 1983
D) Bush in Panama, 1989
E) Clinton in Haiti, 1994

Question 60

As chief legislator of the United States, the president has the power to

A) negotiate and execute treaties.
B) appoint federal judges.
C) meet directly with foreign heads of state.
D) help set the lawmaking agenda for Congress.
E) grant reprieves and pardons.

Question 61

Historically the office of vice president has not been a statistically good position from which to launch a bid for the office of president. What are some reasons for the low number of vice presidents who have later been elected president? In contrast, which previously held political offices are most commonly represented among all the individuals who have served as president?

Question 62

How many presidents have been unmarried while serving as president?

A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 4
E) 6

Question 63

What are the express powers and responsibilities of the President? How do they differ from implied powers?

Question 64

Describe how the following positions and groups have historically served the president and helped him to perform his duties: First Lady, White House Chief of Staff, White House Press Secretary, Director of Communications, and Cabinet.

Question 65

What are the differences between an executive order and a law?

Question 66

Describe the implied powers and responsibilities of the President.

Question 67

As commander-in-chief, the role of the president in the twentieth century has evolved dramatically. Describe how presidents of the twentieth century have used this constitutional role to project their power in a global arena.

Question 68

The office of president has changed significantly since the administration of George Washington. One example is in the arena of relationships with other nations. Beginning with the Theodore Roosevelt administration in 1901, describe how the role of the president in foreign policy matters and global relationships has evolved over the past century giving specific examples.

Question 69

In what ways does the President play the role of Chief Legislator? What are the major powers and responsibilities of this role?

Question 70

Discuss the evolution of executive powers since World War II.

Question 71

Which of the following is NOT an example of a role taken throughout history by the First Lady, who is the spouse of the president?

A) Advocating for social issues such as illiteracy or health care
B) Serving on national committees to develop policy recommendations to Congress
C) Serving as host and White House manager of social affairs
D) Serving as intermediary between the president and other government leaders when the president is incapacitated
E) Serving as an official member of the president's Cabinet

Question 72

The U.S. Constitution provides that the vice president is next in the line of succession to the president should the president leave office early or become unable to perform official duties. Historically, what has been the role of the vice president and the relationship to the president? How have those roles changed in the past 30 years?