Question 1

Which term covers the protection of citizens from quartering of troops in private homes during peacetime?

Accepted Answer

The term "civil liberty" refers to the rights and freedoms guaranteed to citizens by law, including the protection from quartering of troops in private homes during peacetime.

Question 2

The establishment of civil rights and civil liberties reflects which of the five principles of politics?

Accepted Answer

The establishment of civil rights and civil liberties reflects the institution principle, which emphasizes the importance of government structures and processes in shaping political outcomes. The establishment of civil rights and civil liberties involved the creation and implementation of laws, regulations, and policies that protected individual freedoms and ensured equal treatment for all citizens. These actions were taken through the institutional framework of government, including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Question 3

The Bill of Rights is a series of restraints designed to limit government's jurisdiction.These restraints best reflect which principle of politics?

Accepted Answer

The Bill of Rights is fundamentally about limiting the powers of government, which aligns with the institution principle. This principle focuses on how the structures or institutions of government (like the Constitution, in this case) shape the rules and procedures that govern political actions and outcomes.

Question 4

What is the Bill of Rights?

Accepted Answer

The Bill of Rights is a series of substantive and procedural restraints on the government. It includes the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, which provide protections for individual liberties such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as the right to a fair trial and protection from unreasonable search and seizure.

Question 5

Which amendment in the Bill of Rights explicitly addresses itself exclusively to the national government?

Accepted Answer

The First Amendment explicitly addresses itself exclusively to the national government, stating that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." This direct reference to Congress indicates its exclusive application to the national government.

Question 6

The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution soon after the first meeting of Congress convened in 1789 as a response to the concerns of Antifederalists.Which principle of politics holds that political decision making requires actors to work together to accommodate the interests of critical groups and institutions?

Accepted Answer

Collective action is the principle of politics that holds that political decision making requires actors to work together to accommodate the interests of critical groups and institutions. This concept emphasizes the importance of cooperation and collaboration in achieving political goals. The Bill of Rights is an example of collective action, as it was added to the Constitution in response to the concerns of Antifederalists who were critical of the original document.

Question 7

In the past, solid majorities of the American public and U.S.Congress have supported laws to punish anyone who burns an American flag, yet these laws have not been allowed.Which principle explains how preferences are constrained by institutions?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the past, solid majorities of the...

Question 8

When the first Congress under the new Constitution met in late April of 1789, the most important item of business was consideration of a proposal to

Accepted Answer

The most important item of business for the first Congress under the new Constitution was the consideration of a proposal to add a bill of rights to the Constitution. This was a pressing issue for many states, who were concerned about protecting individual liberties and rights from potential abuses by the federal government. As a result, the Bill of Rights was formally proposed by Congress in 1789 and ratified by the states in 1791. The other options listed were important issues for the new government to address, but they were not considered as pressing or urgent as the need to address concerns about individual rights and liberties.

Question 9

Which term defines the protection of citizens from improper governmental action?

Accepted Answer

Civil liberties specifically refer to the protections citizens have from improper governmental action. Civil rights refer to protections against discrimination based on characteristics such as race or gender. Civic equities, civic entitlements, and civic duties are not directly related to the protection of citizens from improper governmental action.

Question 10

The Bill of Rights is basically a series of amendments on what

Accepted Answer

The Bill of Rights consists of the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, and all of them are primarily focused on limiting the power of the federal government to ensure the protection of individual rights and freedoms. Therefore, the most accurate option is that the Bill of Rights outlines what the federal government must not do.

Question 11

The constitutional prohibition against the government establishing a religion is an example of a

Accepted Answer

The constitutional prohibition against the government establishing a religion is an example of a substantive restraint because it limits the government's ability to make laws that infringe upon individuals' First Amendment rights to freedom of religion and prohibits the government from favoring one religion over another.

Question 12

Which is a general term for rules that restrict the range of outcomes from collective action?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which is a general term for rules...

Question 13

The notion that each American is a citizen of the national government and separately a citizen of one of the states is known as

Accepted Answer

The term that refers to the idea that Americans are citizens of the national government and also of one of the states is "dual citizenship." This concept originated from the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which declared that anyone born or naturalized in the United States is a citizen of the federal government and of the state in which they reside. Dual citizenship recognizes the autonomy and authority of both the national and state governments, while also ensuring that individual citizens have rights and protections from both entities.

Question 14

Why did Alexander Hamilton and other Federalists argue that a bill of rights was not necessary?

Accepted Answer

Federalists, including Alexander Hamilton, argued that the Constitution already limited the powers of the federal government and that a bill of rights was unnecessary. They believed that since the federal government only had the powers granted to it by the Constitution, there was no need to include a list of rights that it could not infringe upon. Hamilton argued in Federalist No. 84 that creating such a bill of rights would actually be dangerous because it might imply that the federal government had the power to infringe upon those rights that were not specifically listed.

Question 15

The fact that John Barron was treated separately as a citizen of the state of Maryland (and was thus entitled to certain protections from the Maryland state government) and as a citizen of the United States (which entitled him to a different set of protections valid only against infringements on his liberty by the U.S.government) exemplifies the principle of

Accepted Answer

The principle exemplified by John Barron's situation is "dual citizenship." This concept means that an individual is recognized as a citizen of more than one entity, in this case, both a state (Maryland) and the country (United States), each providing a separate set of rights and protections.

Question 16

Although James Madison was initially opposed to the addition of a bill of rights to the Constitution, why did he subsequently support the proposal?

Accepted Answer

James Madison initially opposed the addition of a Bill of Rights to the Constitution because he believed that the newly established system of checks and balances would protect individual rights. However, he later supported it because he recognized the political realities that many Anti-Federalists and some Federalists demanded a Bill of Rights as a condition for ratifying the Constitution. Therefore, his support for the proposal was pragmatic.

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of a procedural restraint that protects our civil liberties?

Accepted Answer

The procedural restraint of "innocent until proven guilty" protects our civil liberties by ensuring that individuals are not punished without due process and evidence of their wrongdoing. It is a cornerstone principle of our criminal justice system.

Choice B is an example of a substantive restraint, as it prohibits the government from taking a certain action (establishing a religion), rather than outlining a specific process that must be followed.

Choice C is also an example of a substantive restraint, as it limits the government's power to quarter troops in private homes without consent, rather than outlining a specific process that must be followed.

Choice D is an example of a formal amendment to the Constitution, rather than a restraint on government power.

Choice E is an example of a substantive restraint, as it prohibits the government from taking a certain action (banning guns), rather than outlining a specific process that must be followed.

Question 18

The role of precedent in guiding and constraining Supreme Court decision making illustrates which of the five principles of politics?

Accepted Answer

The role of precedent in guiding and constraining Supreme Court decision making illustrates the principle of history. Precedent, which is based on previous court decisions, is a historical principle that influences current and future legal interpretations and decisions.

Question 19

Why was the proposal by Virginia delegate George Mason for a bill of rights turned down with little debate in the waning days of the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention in September 1787?

Accepted Answer

The delegates at the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention in 1787 believed that a bill of rights was unnecessary because the new government would have only the powers specifically granted to it, thus limiting its ability to infringe on individual rights.

Question 20

The constitutional prohibition against the government depriving a citizen of life, liberty, or property without due process of law is an example of a

Accepted Answer

The prohibition is a procedural restraint because it requires the government to follow fair procedures before depriving someone of life, liberty, or property.

Quiz 4: Civil Liberties