Deck 6: Political Institutions: The Federal Government

Question 1

Which of the following decides state representation in the Senate?

A) The Supreme Court
B) The President
C) The population size of the state
D) The Constitution
E) The Congress

Answer 1

D
Explanation: The Constitutions specifies that, regardless of population, each state has two seats in the Senate.

Question 2

What are "reserved powers"?

A) Those reserved to the states
B) Those reserved to the Congress
C) Those reserved to the President
D) Those reserved to the federal government
E) Those reserved to the Supreme Court

Answer 2

A
Explanation: In 1787 the states delegated specific powers to the federal government but reserved the remainder to themselves.

Question 3

What were the three Civil War Amendments concerned with?

A) Giving all slaves the vote
B) Abolition of slavery
C) Giving male slaves the vote
D) Giving slaves citizenship
E) Allowing slaves freedom of movement into other states

Answer 3

B,C,D
Explanation: Women did not get the right to vote until 1920, when the 19th Amendment was ratified.

Question 4

Why did the Southern states tend to vote for the Democrats after the Civil War?

A) Because it was the Democrats who had defended them
B) Because the Democrats best reflected their liberal principles
C) Because they thought the Democrats would allow them to re-introduce slavery
D) Because they blamed the Republicans for their defeat
E) Because it was the Republican party under Lincoln that had declared war on them

Question 5

Which of the following do the Democrats favor?

A) Federal management of the economy
B) Reducing government spending
C) A public social safety net
D) The unions
E) Balancing the federal budget

Question 6

What is a "mark-up session"?

A) When a bill is sent from the House to Senate
B) A period when changes are made to a bill
C) The time when the bill is sent to the President
D) When the states are allowed to suggest changes
E) The time between Congress passing the bill and its becoming law

Question 7

What are the Articles of Confederation?

A) The Constitution of the south during the Civil War
B) The Bill of Rights
C) The treaty that brought an end to the Civil War
D) The Declaration of Independence
E) The first US Constitution

Question 8

What results would you expect from a mid-term election?

A) A loss of support for the majority party
B) Significant Republican gains
C) Significant Democrat gains
D) No change
E) An increase in support for the majority party

Question 9

How are the majority of federal civil servants recruited?

A) By presidential appointment
B) Through the universities
C) Through high school examinations
D) Proportionally by each state
E) Through competitive examinations

Question 10

What circumstances might permit extensions of presidential power?

A) An increase in terrorist activity
B) When the President cannot control both Houses of Congress
C) International economic crisis
D) When the President decides to veto a bill
E) When the states refuse to ratify a congressional bill

Question 11

Which of these US presidents was elected on a close and highly disputed vote?

A) George Bush 1988
B) Bill Clinton 1992
C) Donald Trump
D) George W. Bush 2000
E) Barack Obama 2008

Question 12

Discuss the powers of the president and contrast his position with that of a prime minister in a parliamentary government.

Question 13

Critically discuss the stages in the presidential election system, defending in a balanced fashion how democratic you think the process is.

Question 14

Are the president and members of Congress overpaid? Compare their salaries with those of presidents, prime ministers and members of Parliament in Australia, Canada, and the UK.

Question 15

What, if any, are the major policy differences between the Democratic and Republican parties? Restrict your answer to the period following 1945.