Question 1

________ percent of the world's population lives in the countries that are organized around a federal principle where there is a national government and regional government.
A) Ten
B) Twenty
C) Thirty
D) Forty
E) Ninety

Accepted Answer

D

Question 2

Dual federalism is also known as
A) layer-cake federalism.
B) cooperative federalism.
C) coercive federalism.
D) marble-cake federalism.
E) New Federalism.

Accepted Answer

Dual federalism is also known as layer-cake federalism because it compares the separate but equal relationship between the national government and state governments to the distinct layers of a cake.

Question 3

According to the Tenth Amendment, any powers not delegated to the national government by the Constitution
A) can be claimed by the national government as necessary.
B) belong exclusively to the people.
C) belong exclusively to the states.
D) are denied to both the national government and the states.
E) belong to either the people or the state.

Accepted Answer

The Tenth Amendment states that powers not delegated to the national government are reserved to the states or the people, meaning they can belong to either.

Question 4

The use of block grants, allowing states considerable leeway in how federal money is spent, was championed by President ________ under the name New Federalism.
A) Clinton
B) Wilson
C) Johnson
D) Nixon
E) Obama

Accepted Answer

The use of block grants with greater state control over federal funding was championed by President Nixon under his program called New Federalism.

Question 5

In his famous landmark cases, Chief Justice John Marshall generally
A) supported the authority of the federal government over that of state governments.
B) enhanced the power of state governments over that of the federal government.
C) maintained that the powers of the state and federal governments were identical and inseparable.
D) held that no restraints could be placed on a government that derived its authority from the consent of the majority of its citizens.
E) contended that the Supreme Court had no authority to adjudicate in interstate or intrastate affairs.

Accepted Answer

Chief Justice John Marshall was known for his support of the authority of the federal government over state governments. Many of his landmark cases, such as McCulloch v. Maryland and Gibbons v. Ogden, involved upholding the power of the federal government and the supremacy of federal laws over state laws.

Question 6

For eligible participants, the Social Security Act of 1935 instituted all of the following EXCEPT
A) a national retirement pension for the elderly.
B) unemployment insurance for the unemployed.
C) universal health care for all Americans.
D) aid for the blind and disabled.
E) aid for impoverished elderly persons.

Accepted Answer

The Social Security Act of 1935 did not establish universal health care for all Americans.

Question 7

Congress gained the power to tax income through
A) the Seventeenth Amendment.
B) the Tenth Amendment.
C) the New Deal.
D) the Sixteenth Amendment.
E) coercive federalism.

Accepted Answer

The Sixteenth Amendment, ratified in 1913, explicitly gave Congress the power to tax income from whatever source derived without apportionment among the several States.

Question 8

In the case of Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), the Supreme Court decided that
A) states retained full authority to regulate commerce within their own borders and among their immediate neighbors.
B) the federal government had authority to regulate only international commerce, not interstate commerce.
C) the federal government had authority to regulate only interstate commerce, not international commerce.
D) the federal government's authority to regulate international and interstate commerce bestowed on it some power to regulate intrastate commerce.
E) the federal government's limited ability to regulate interstate commerce was sharply curtailed by a narrow definition of "commerce."

Accepted Answer

In Gibbons v. Ogden, the Supreme Court decided that the federal government's authority to regulate international and interstate commerce gave it some power to regulate intrastate commerce. This decision established the principle that the federal government had significant power to regulate all forms of commerce, including interstate and intrastate commerce, so long as it related to or affected interstate commerce.

Question 9

Which of the following styles of federalism characterized the immediate pre-Civil War era?
A) creative federalism
B) dual federalism
C) new federalism
D) devolution
E) cooperative federalism

Accepted Answer

Dual federalism was the dominant style of federalism in the immediate pre-Civil War era. This style emphasized a strict separation of powers between the federal government and state governments, with each level of government exercising its own distinct powers and responsibilities. This approach helped to sustain slavery as a state issue that was largely beyond the reach of federal intervention.

Question 10

The Supreme Court in Shelby County v. Holder (2013) ruled all of the following EXCEPT that
A) the coverage formula used to determine which jurisdiction had engaged in egregious voting decisions was outdated.
B) the outdated coverage formula was an intrusion on states' rights.
C) Congress must update the coverage formula.
D) states were now free to pass laws affecting voting without Justice Department approval.
E) Texas had to rewrite its voter ID law.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder did not include a ruling that Texas had to rewrite its voter ID law. The decision primarily struck down a section of the Voting Rights Act that required certain states, primarily in the South, to obtain federal approval before making changes to their voting laws. The court ruled that the coverage formula used to determine which states were subject to this requirement was outdated and therefore unconstitutional. The ruling did not invalidate the entire Voting Rights Act or prohibit the federal government from taking action against discriminatory voting practices. However, the decision did make it easier for states to pass laws affecting voting without federal approval.

Question 11

Which amendment was commonly referred to as the States' Rights Amendment?
A) the Tenth Amendment
B) the Seventeenth Amendment
C) the Nineteenth Amendment
D) the Sixteenth Amendment
E) the Ninth Amendment

Accepted Answer

The Tenth Amendment is commonly referred to as the States' Rights Amendment because it reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people. This amendment emphasizes the balance of power between the federal government and the states, reflecting the importance of states' rights in American political culture.

Question 12

Under the New Deal, federalism is frequently described as
A) New Federalism.
B) coercive federalism.
C) cooperative federalism.
D) dual federalism.
E) layer-cake federalism.

Accepted Answer

Under the New Deal, federalism is frequently described as cooperative federalism. This is because the federal government and state governments worked together to combat the economic depression and implement the policy initiatives of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. The federal government took the lead in many areas, but it also collaborated with state and local governments to implement programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration. This marked a departure from the prior doctrine of dual federalism, which emphasized the strict separation of powers between the federal and state governments.

Question 13

During which of the following president's administration did the federal government's power, especially with regard to the economy, increase the most?
A) Theodore Roosevelt
B) Woodrow Wilson
C) Andrew Jackson
D) Franklin Roosevelt
E) Ronald Reagan

Accepted Answer

Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs greatly expanded the federal government's power and involvement in the economy, with the establishment of agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the National Labor Relations Board. The New Deal also included large public works projects and government-funded job programs, which represented a significant increase in federal spending and influence over the economy.

Question 14

To which court case did the U.S. Supreme Court apply the dual federalism perspective when it ruled that state officers did not have to pay a federal income tax because such a tax would interfere with the autonomy of states?
A) Collector v. Day
B) Gibbons v. Ogden
C) Texas v. White
D) McCulloch v. Maryland
E) New State Ice Company v. Liebmann

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Supreme Court applied the dual federalism perspective in Collector v. Day when it ruled that state officers did not have to pay a federal income tax because such a tax would interfere with the autonomy of states. Dual federalism is the idea that the state and federal governments have separate and distinct spheres of authority, and that the federal government should not interfere with powers reserved to the states.

Question 15

During the Nullification Crisis in 1833, South Carolina tried to assert the right to veto (or
Nullify)
A) national legislation passed by Congress.
B) actions taken by the North Carolina and Georgia militias.
C) Supreme Court rulings.
D) presidential cabinet appointments.
E) terms of office for U.S. senators and representatives.

Accepted Answer

During the Nullification Crisis, South Carolina passed the Nullification Ordinance, which declared that certain federal tariffs were unconstitutional and therefore null and void within the state. This was an attempt by South Carolina to assert its right to nullify federal laws that it deemed unconstitutional, which would effectively give the state the power to veto national legislation passed by Congress.

Question 16

In Wickard v. Filburn, the Supreme Court decided that
A) Congress had improperly used the interstate commerce clause.
B) Congress had no authority to regulate commerce.
C) not only could Congress regulate interstate commerce but it could regulate anything that affected prices and market conditions.
D) Roscoe Filburn was right and he was to be paid $117.11 by the federal government.
E) the New Deal was not subject to any constitutional limitations.

Accepted Answer

In Wickard v. Filburn, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had the authority to not only regulate interstate commerce but also anything that had an impact on market conditions and prices. This expanded the power of the federal government under the commerce clause of the Constitution.

Question 17

Which Supreme Court case in 1869 voted Texas's secession from the Union?
A) Texas v. White
B) Texas v. Marshall
C) Texas v. Chase
D) Texas v. Perry
E) Texas v. Wilson

Accepted Answer

Texas v. White was a Supreme Court case in 1869 that ruled that Texas had not actually seceded from the Union during the Civil War and therefore remained a part of the United States. This case effectively nullified the state's secession and established the principle that states cannot unilaterally secede from the Union.

Question 18

In the Supreme Court case McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), Chief Justice John Marshall argued that
A) state governments had the power and the duty to protect their citizens from onerous federal legislation.
B) although the federal government could create a national bank, it could not shield the bank's branches from taxation by the governments of the states in which the branches were located.
C) although a national bank would have been an effective means with which the federal government could regulate the economy, it was not the only means available and therefore did not meet the requirement of the "necessary and proper clause."
D) the federal government had the right to charter a national bank, and that state governments had no right to impede its functions through taxation.
E) the will of the people, as expressed through the actions of their state governments, must always take precedence over the whims of the more distant national governing officials.

Accepted Answer

Chief Justice John Marshall argued that the federal government had the right to charter a national bank, and that state governments had no right to impede its functions through taxation. This was based on his interpretation of the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution, which he believed gave the federal government broad powers to carry out its responsibilities. The ruling established the principle of federal supremacy in matters of interstate commerce, and has been cited as a precedent in many subsequent cases.

Question 19

A defining characteristic of federalism is that
A) rather than being held exclusively or primarily by one body, governing authority is divided at different levels among several bodies.
B) the federal government wields ultimate authority in all matters.
C) state governments can nullify the exercise of unpopular federal laws within their own states' boundaries.
D) state governments exist primarily to enact laws established by the national government.
E) the federal government cannot pass any laws without the explicit consent of the majority of state governments.

Accepted Answer

Federalism is characterized by the division of power and authority between the federal government and state governments. This means that governing authority is shared between these levels of government, rather than being held exclusively by one body. Each level of government has its own distinct responsibilities and powers, and the relationship between the federal government and state governments is defined by the Constitution. This division of power is a fundamental aspect of the American system of government.

Question 20

Both federal and state governments obtain sovereignty directly from
A) the Treaty of Versailles.
B) the consent of the people.
C) the Declaration of Independence.
D) block grants.
E) the Divine Right of Kings.

Accepted Answer

Both federal and state governments obtain sovereignty directly from the consent of the people. This is a fundamental principle of democracy, where power ultimately rests in the hands of the citizens who have the ability to choose their leaders and shape the policies that govern them. The Treaty of Versailles, Declaration of Independence, and Divine Right of Kings are not relevant to the source of governmental sovereignty in the United States, and block grants are a form of funding rather than a source of sovereignty.

Quiz 3: Texas in the Federal System

________ percent of the world's population lives in the countries that are organized around a federal principle where there is a national government and regional government.

Dual federalism is also known as

According to the Tenth Amendment, any powers not delegated to the national government by the Constitution

The use of block grants, allowing states considerable leeway in how federal money is spent, was championed by President ________ under the name New Federalism.

In his famous landmark cases, Chief Justice John Marshall generally

For eligible participants, the Social Security Act of 1935 instituted all of the following EXCEPT

Congress gained the power to tax income through

In the case of Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) , the Supreme Court decided that

Which of the following styles of federalism characterized the immediate pre-Civil War era?

The Supreme Court in Shelby County v. Holder (2013) ruled all of the following EXCEPT that

Which amendment was commonly referred to as the States' Rights Amendment?

Under the New Deal, federalism is frequently described as

During which of the following president's administration did the federal government's power, especially with regard to the economy, increase the most?

To which court case did the U.S. Supreme Court apply the dual federalism perspective when it ruled that state officers did not have to pay a federal income tax because such a tax would interfere with the autonomy of states?

During the Nullification Crisis in 1833, South Carolina tried to assert the right to veto (or Nullify)

In Wickard v. Filburn, the Supreme Court decided that

Which Supreme Court case in 1869 voted Texas's secession from the Union?

In the Supreme Court case McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) , Chief Justice John Marshall argued that

A defining characteristic of federalism is that

Both federal and state governments obtain sovereignty directly from