Question 1

The following country's government provided a precedent for the federal-state system devised under the Constitution:

Accepted Answer

The federal-state system devised under the U.S. Constitution was a unique creation that did not directly follow the precedent of any single country's government system at the time. It was influenced by various political theories and practical considerations, rather than adopting the governmental structure of England, France, or Greece.

Question 2

The Fourteenth Amendment contains the following guarantee:

Accepted Answer

The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection under the laws, meaning that all individuals must be treated equally by the government and have equal access to the law. The other options listed are guarantees found in other amendments of the Constitution.

Question 3

Which of the following is not a branch of the federal government?

Accepted Answer

Governorship is not a branch of the federal government. It refers to the position of the governor in a state government, which is separate from the federal government. The three branches of the federal government are the Presidency (executive), Congress (legislative), and Judiciary.

Question 4

The United States Constitution, as originally adopted:

Accepted Answer

The United States Constitution, as originally adopted, defined the crime of treason and the proof necessary for a conviction in Article III, Section 3.

Question 5

Lawrence v. Texas, the Supreme Court decision overturning sodomy laws, has been compared to which other landmark Supreme Court ruling?

Accepted Answer

Lawrence v. Texas, like Brown v. Board of Education, struck down a law that was based on discrimination and prejudice, and both cases involved the right to privacy and personal autonomy. However, Plessy v. Ferguson upheld segregation and United States v. Virginia dealt with gender discrimination in admissions. Marbury v. Madison established the principle of judicial review.

Question 6

Although not specifically listed among the powers granted to the federal government, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had the power to establish a national bank under the following:

Accepted Answer

The necessary and proper clause, also known as the elastic clause, gives Congress the power to pass any laws necessary and proper for carrying out their other powers granted by the Constitution. This includes the power to establish a national bank, as ruled by the Supreme Court in the landmark case McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819. The other options listed do not pertain to the establishment of a national bank.

Question 7

Once proposed, an amendment to the Constitution must be ratified by ____ of the states.

Accepted Answer

Once proposed, an amendment to the Constitution must be ratified by three-fourths of the states. This means that 38 out of the 50 states must approve the amendment.

Question 8

Article I of the United States Constitution:

Accepted Answer

Article I of the United States Constitution grants Congress the power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce.

Question 9

Petitioners file this when requesting review by the Supreme Court:

Accepted Answer

A writ of certiorari is the formal request for the Supreme Court to review a lower court's decision. It is the most common way for a case to be heard by the Supreme Court. Petitioners must file a writ of certiorari with the Court, which then decides whether or not to grant review.

Question 10

The ratification process was completed and the Constitution went into effect:

Accepted Answer

The ratification process was completed in 1788 when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, thus meeting the requirement for it to go into effect. It is important to note that although the Constitution went into effect in 1788, the Bill of Rights, which outlines individual liberties and rights, was not added until 1791.

Question 11

The following made the case for ratifying the Constitution:

Accepted Answer

The Federalist Papers were a series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, which argued in favor of ratifying the Constitution. They addressed concerns about the power of the federal government and the need for a strong union of states.

Question 12

Which of the following would qualify for strict scrutiny at this time under the equal protection clause?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following would qualify for...

Question 13

The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution was passed in the aftermath of which war?

Accepted Answer

The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution was passed in 1868, after the Civil War ended in 1865. It was specifically created to address the issues of citizenship and equal protection for African Americans following the abolition of slavery.

Question 14

The first ten amendments to the Constitution are collectively known as:

Accepted Answer

The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights. They were added to the Constitution to protect individual liberties and limit the power of the federal government. The Interstate Commerce Clause refers to Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which gives Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce. The Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States, but were replaced by the current Constitution in 1789. The Necessary and Proper Clause, also known as the Elastic Clause, gives Congress the power to make laws that are necessary and proper for carrying out its other powers and responsibilities.

Question 15

All of the following federal laws fall under the interstate commerce clause, except for:

Accepted Answer

The answer of All of the following federal laws fall...

Question 16

Article II of the United States Constitution:

Accepted Answer

Article II of the United States Constitution establishes the powers of the President. It outlines the qualifications for the presidency, the electoral process, and the powers granted to the President, such as serving as commander in chief of the military and granting pardons.

Question 17

Under the Constitution, states are prohibited from doing all of the following, except:

Accepted Answer

The Constitution does not prohibit states from conducting background checks before allowing citizens to purchase handguns. However, some states have enacted their own laws requiring background checks. The other options are explicitly prohibited by the Constitution.

Question 18

Habeas corpus review is a post-conviction constitutional remedy for state prisoners that rectifies the following:

Accepted Answer

Habeas corpus review is specifically aimed at rectifying unlawful confinement, meaning that the individual is being held in prison without legal justification. It is not a remedy for the other choices listed.

Question 19

Under the terms of the proposed Constitution, the new government was to become operative if a certain number of states ratified. This number was:

Accepted Answer

The proposed Constitution required at least 9 states to ratify it in order for the new government to become operative.

Question 20

After the Constitution was drafted, it was submitted to the states for ratification. Ratification was opposed by some states because:

Accepted Answer

Some states, such as Massachusetts, Virginia, New York, and Rhode Island, opposed ratification because the Constitution did not include a bill of rights. They feared that without explicit protections for individual liberties, the federal government could become too powerful and infringe on the rights of citizens. Other states, including North Carolina and Rhode Island, also objected to the lack of a bill of rights and, along with concerns about taxation and representation, ultimately delayed their ratification of the Constitution.

Quiz 1: History, Structure, and Content of the United States Constitution