Deck 3: The Federal System

Question 1

If the U.S.Congress called for the creation of a new fleet of aircraft carriers,which of the following would have been exercised?

A)Executive power
B)Implied power
C)Delegated power
D)Enumerated power
E)The power of the purse

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Both the national government and state governments may levy income taxes.This is an example of

A)delegated powers.
B)reserved powers.
C)implied powers.
D)concurrent powers.
E)denied powers.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The reserved or residual)powers are the powers exercised by

A)Congress.
B)the states.
C)the Supreme Court.
D)the president.
E)municipalities.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true about the “implied” powers?

A)They are listed in the U.S.Constitution.
B)They are the powers of government reserved to the states.
C)They are based on the Necessary and Proper Clause.
D)They are based on the Tenth Amendment.
E)They are based on the Fifth Amendment.

Question 5

In McCulloch v.Maryland,the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had the authority to charter a national bank on the basis of

A)the Supremacy Clause.
B)the doctrine of implied powers.
C)the Tenth Amendment.
D)Congress's "delegated" powers.
E)"reserved" powers.

Question 6

"Concurrent" powers are those powers that

A)both the states and the national government have authority to exercise.
B)must be approved by the Supreme Court before being exercised.
C)regulate only state and local commerce.
D)can only be exercised by the president.
E)are not subject to judicial review.

Question 7

Federal grant programs give money to which of the following?

A)Only to states
B)Only to local governments
C)Only to state and local governments
D)To states,local governments,universities,and nonprofit organizations
E)Only to federal agencies

Question 8

Congress' power to regulate interstate commerce has,over the years,served to

A)expand states' powers.
B)expand the Supreme Court's powers.
C)expand the national government's powers.
D)balance the power between the states and the national government.
E)expand the power of individual cities.

Question 9

The federal system apportions separate and sovereign spheres for the states and the federal government,but this equality is limited by

A)the Necessary and Proper Clause.
B)the Full Faith and Credit Clause.
C)the Privileges and Immunities Clause.
D)the National Supremacy Clause.
E)judicial power.

Question 10

Which of the following is the constitutional basis for the "reserved" powers?

A)The Tenth Amendment
B)The Bill of Rights
C)The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
D)The Necessary and Proper Clause
E)The "implied" powers

Question 11

Which of the following concepts is NOT found in the U.S.Constitution?

A)Executive power
B)Legislative power
C)Enumerated powers
D)Reserved rights
E)Implied powers

Question 12

Which of the following statements most closely reflects the views of an advocate of states' rights?

A)The federal government should set national standards in such areas as poverty relief,environmental protection,and racial integration.
B)Only the national government has the resources to solve national problems.
C)Local officials know better than federal bureaucrats how best to solve local problems.
D)Some states are too poor to deal effectively with many problems.
E)States lack the technical expertise needed to deal with most issues of public policy.

Question 13

Which of the following Supreme Court cases established a broad scope for the doctrine of "implied" powers?

A)McCulloch v.Maryland
B)Marbury v.Madison
C)Brown v.Board of Education
D)Gideon v.Wainwright
E)Barron v.Baltimore

Question 14

Which of the following constitutional provisions grants Congress authority to choose the means to exercise its delegated authority?

A)The Supremacy Clause
B)The Necessary and Proper Clause
C)The Tenth Amendment
D)The Due Process Clause
E)The First Amendment

Question 15

Which of the following would Antifederalists be expected to support?

A)The Full Faith and Credit Clause
B)The National Supremacy Clause
C)The doctrine of implied powers
D)Expansion of the federal government using the Commerce Clause
E)Extensive use of the Necessary and Proper Clause

Question 16

Article I,Section 8 of the Constitution specifically gives Congress authority to "regulate commerce with foreign nations." If Congress adopts legislation prohibiting the importation of ivory or other products made from elephants,Congress would be exercising which of the following powers?

A)Delegated powers
B)Reserved powers
C)Implied powers
D)Concurrent powers
E)Denied powers

Question 17

Article I,Section 8 of the Constitution specifically grants Congress the power to declare war.This is an example of an)

A)delegated power.
B)reserved power.
C)implied power.
D)concurrent power.
E)denied power.

Question 18

The largest proportion of federal grants goes to which of the following areas?

A)Health
B)Education
C)Transportation
D)Agriculture
E)Environment

Question 19

The appropriations process for a federal program must be preceded by the

A)appropriation process.
B)authorization process.
C)policy implementation.
D)extradition.
E)expeditionary process.

Question 20

Federal grants,during the 2009-2010 time period,

A)declined by a small amount.
B)increased by 10 percent.
C)decreased significantly.
D)showed no change.
E)increased significantly.

Question 21

An unfunded mandate is

A)a requirement imposed on the national government that provides no funding.
B)a requirement imposed on states that provides no federal funding.
C)a violation of international law.
D)a community development program.
E)an order from a judge forcing a city to do something.

Question 22

For which of the following types of grants must state and local governments compete?

A)Formula grants
B)Categorical grants
C)Block grants
D)Project grants
E)Medicaid

Question 23

Explain the doctrine of states' rights.Why is it labeled a doctrine?

Question 24

The Commerce Clause is also called-appropriately-the Elastic Clause.

Question 25

In the case of McCulloch v.Maryland,Chief Justice John Marshall allowed the chartering of a national bank as "necessary and proper."

Question 26

What is the Extradition Clause,and what is its significance?

Question 27

How would a supporter of a strong national government evaluate the role of the federal government in public education? Why? How would a supporter of states' rights evaluate the program? Why?

Question 28

Did McCulloch v.Maryland go too far in interpreting the meaning of the Necessary and Proper Clause?

Question 29

A federal grant program providing money to spend on a broad,general policy area is known as which of the following?

A)Block grant
B)Formula grant
C)Categorical grant
D)Project grant
E)Policy grant

Question 30

Categorical grants are very specific and detailed,with little flexibility.

Question 31

Supporters of states' rights believe that the scope of the implied powers should be strictly limited.

Question 32

The German länder are the equivalent of American

A)states.
B)counties.
C)branches of the national government.
D)courts.
E)agencies.

Question 33

Suppose that a state legislature enacts a law that is contrary to the U.S.Constitution.Which would take precedence,state law or the U.S.Constitution? What is the constitutional basis for your answer?

Question 34

The Commerce Clause has been used to strengthen states' rights at the expense of the federal government.

Question 35

The division of powers between the national government and the states is clearly established in the U.S.Constitution.

Question 36

New Deal programs reduced the size and scope of federal government.

Question 37

"A legal requirement placed on a state or local government by the national government requiring certain policy actions" is a definition for a

A)federal grant program.
B)formula grant.
C)federal mandate.
D)redistributive federal program.
E)state grant.

Question 38

The Supreme Court's decision in McCulloch v.Maryland pleased those who favored a strong national government.

Question 39

The powers of the national government that are specifically listed in the U.S.Constitution are known as implied powers.

Question 40

State and local governments are legally prohibited from applying for project grants.

Question 41

What is Medicaid? Should this be a federal program or a state program? Why?

Question 42

Read Article I,Sections 9 and 10,of the Constitution.This is where we find most of the "denied" powers in the Constitution.What powers are denied to the national government,to the state governments,and to both? Constitution,Art 1,Sec 9-10;LO: 3.1;

Question 43

What are federal mandates? Why does Congress impose mandates on state and local governments?

Question 44

What is the Commerce Clause,and how has it served to increase national power-at the expense of state authority-over the last few decades?

Question 45

Explain the relationship between the Necessary and Proper Clause and the Commerce Clause.Why would we consider these two clauses together? Give examples of Congress,using these two clauses to enhance the power of the national government.Should Congress be able to do this?

Question 46

The division of political power between the states and the national government has been a continuing source of conflict throughout American history.Write an essay on this controversy in which you define the position and examine the arguments of those who advocate states' rights and those who favor a strong national government.Include an examination of both constitutional issues and practical political points.Discuss at least two contemporary policy examples to illustrate your points.

Question 47

How do federal grants affect the relationship between federal and states' governments?

Question 48

If you were a local officeholder,such as a mayor or county commissioner,would you prefer to receive federal money in the form of a block grant or a categorical grant? Why?

Question 49

The case of McCulloch v.Maryland is the most important judicial decision dealing with the federal system.Write an essay on the case,structured as follows: a)trace the historical background of the case;b)outline the constitutional issues raised by the case;c)explain the Supreme Court's ruling in the case;and d)discuss the importance of the ruling for policymaking and the federal system.

Question 50

What are matching funds? Why does Congress attach matching-funds requirements to most federal grant programs?