Question 1

________ established the power of judicial review.

Accepted Answer

Marbury v. Madison (1803) is the landmark case that established the principle of judicial review in the United States, meaning that American courts have the power to strike down laws, statutes, and some government actions that they find to violate the Constitution.

Question 2

When Congress authorizes an agency to spend money, it is using its ________.

Accepted Answer

Congress authorizes an agency to spend money through its "power of the purse," which refers to its ability to tax and spend public money for the national government.

Question 3

Which one of the following is an exclusive power of the legislative branch?

Accepted Answer

The power to declare war is an exclusive power of the legislative branch, specifically granted to Congress in the United States Constitution.

Question 4

Who is largely responsible for the creation of judicial review in the United States?

Accepted Answer

John Marshall, as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, established the principle of judicial review in the landmark case Marbury v. Madison (1803), which allows the Supreme Court to declare laws unconstitutional.

Question 5

The Constitution can be amended by

Accepted Answer

The answer of  The Constitution can be amended by
...

Question 6

The framers of the Constitution shared three key principles. What were they? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The framers of the Constitution shared three...

Question 7

The ability to remove someone because of corruption or abuse of power is called ________.

Accepted Answer

Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body levels charges against a government official for corruption or abuse of power. If the official is found guilty, they can be removed from office.

Question 8

More than ________ amendments have been proposed in U.S. history.

Accepted Answer

Over 10,000 amendments have been proposed in U.S. history, reflecting the dynamic nature of the U.S. legislative process and the diverse interests and concerns of its citizens over time.

Question 9

Why was Shays's Rebellion important?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why was Shays's Rebellion important?...

Question 10

While the ________ can make decisions about how to use armed forces, only the ________ can make decisions about funding such actions.

Accepted Answer

The president, as the commander-in-chief, can make decisions regarding the deployment and use of the armed forces, but only Congress has the power to allocate funds for such actions, as per the U.S. Constitution.

Question 11

What are two important negative checks that Congress can exercise over both the executive and the judicial branches?

Accepted Answer

Congress can impeach members of the executive and judicial branches, and it controls funding (power of the purse), which can influence both branches.

Question 12

Interpreting the Constitution

Accepted Answer

Interpreting the Constitution has evolved over time, influenced by changes in public opinion and social norms, reflecting the adaptability of its application to contemporary issues.

Question 13

Which one of the following is a check that the president holds over the judicial branch?

Accepted Answer

The president has the power to nominate judges for the federal courts, including the Supreme Court, which is a significant check over the judicial branch. This allows the president to influence the ideological balance of the courts.

Question 14

According to some legal scholars, why is the "living document" argument problematic for interpreting the Constitution today?

Accepted Answer

Ignoring the framers' intent, as the "living document" argument might suggest, can lead to interpretations of the Constitution that are heavily influenced by the personal biases and preferences of individual judges, rather than being grounded in the text and historical context of the document.

Question 15

Which one of the following is a power the president can use to check the legislative branch?

Accepted Answer

The president can veto legislation, which is a direct way to check the power of the legislative branch by refusing to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus preventing its enactment into law.

Question 16

The Antifederalists argued that the power of ________ was "a political error of the greatest magnitude."

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Antifederalists argued that the power of...

Question 17

What were the Federalist Papers and why are they important?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What were the Federalist Papers and why...

Question 18

While ________ powers are not held exclusively by any branch of government, ________ powers are those that one branch can exercise over the other.

Accepted Answer

Shared powers are those not held exclusively by any branch, allowing for collaboration or overlap in responsibilities. Negative powers allow one branch to limit or check the actions of another, ensuring a balance of power.

Question 19

The Constitution is a "living document" because

Accepted Answer

The Constitution is considered a "living document" because it is open to interpretation, allowing for various viewpoints and adaptations over time to meet contemporary needs and issues.

Question 20

What events preceded Lord Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown, Virginia, in October 1781?

Accepted Answer

The answer of   What events preceded Lord Cornwallis's...

Quiz 2: The Constitution and the Founding