1. The main issue associated with the case of Alfonso Lopez and the Gun Free School Zones Act was (A) Lopez’s guilt or innocence.
(B) whether it was desirable to prohibit guns in public schools.
(C) how to establish boundaries between federal and state governments. (D) whether Congress could regulate intrastate commerce.
Answer: C
2. The state of California has formal authority over its inhabitants but the national government also passes laws that affect Californians. This illustrates the concept of
(A) dual sovereignty. (B) federalism. (C) centralization. (D) unitarianism. Answer: B
3. Most governments in the world today are (A) presidential democracies.
(B) federal systems. (C) confederations. (D) unitary governments. Answer: D
4. Which of the following is not a federal system of government? (A) Canada
(B) Germany (C) India (D) Great Britain Answer: D
5. When all the power resides in the central government, the political system is (A) a unitary government.
(B) a federal system. (C) a confederation.
(D) a presidential democracy. Answer: A
6. With respect to their local governments, American states are (A) confederal. (B) unitary. (C) federal. (D) absolutists. Answer: B
7. The entire set of interactions among national, state and local governments is called (A) intermingled relations.
(B) interconnectedness.
(C) intergovernmental relations. (D) intrastate relations.
Answer: C
8. The federal system in the United States makes politics very (A) distant from our everyday lives.
(B) elitist. (C) inaccessible. (D) decentralized. Answer: D
9. In a federal system, citizens vote for (A) state government officials only. (B) central government officials only. (C) local government officials only.
(D) both state and central government officials. Answer: D
10. Due to the division of government power in a federal system, the need for umpires to resolve disputes was necessitated. The umpires in the American system are usually
(A) legislators. (B) governors. (C) courts. (D) mayors. Answer: C
11. Candy Lightner’s foray into politics shows that (A) only politicians are effective in the policy arena.
(B) paid lobbyists are the only ones who can get things done.
(C) the federal government can use a carrot-and-stick strategy to obtain a national policy. (D) state governments are not susceptible to organized interest groups.
12. Which of the following is not part of the supreme law of the land under the supremacy clause? (A) state constitutions
(B) the U.S. Constitution
(C) laws of the national government when consistent with the Constitution (D) treaties
Answer: A
13. Which of the following powers is granted by the Constitution onlyto the national government? (A) tax
(B) coin money (C) establish courts
(D) take private property for public purposes, with just compensation Answer: B
14. Which of the following powers is granted by the Constitution onlyto state governments? (A) ratify amendments to the federal Constitution
(B) borrow money (C) tax
(D) make and enforce laws Answer: A
15. Which of the following powers is denied by the Constitution to state governments? (A) conduct elections
(B) tax imports or exports
(C) take measures for public health, safety and morals (D) establish local governments
Answer: B
16. Which of the following powers is denied to both national and state governments by the Constitution? (A) declare war
(B) establish post offices (C) permit slavery
(D) regulate commerce within a state Answer: C
17. All state executives, legislators and judges are bound by oath to support the U.S. Constitution. This is an example of
(A) judicial supremacy. (B) national supremacy. (C) dual federalism. (D) the elastic clause. Answer: B
18. Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that “powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people?” (A) Seventh Amendment
(B) Eighth Amendment (C) Ninth Amendment (D) Tenth Amendment Answer: D
19. In most U.S. Supreme Court cases since 1985, the rulings have consistently supported (A) states’ rights.
(B) national government supremacy. (C) local governments’ rights. (D) state government supremacy. Answer: B
20. Individual damage suits against state officials are prohibited by the (A) Tenth Amendment.
(B) Eleventh Amendment. (C) Twelfth Amendment. (D) Thirteenth Amendment. Answer: B
21. Although the Civil War was about slavery, it was also fought over (A) commerce.
(B) mercantile interests. (C) democracy.
(D) states’ rights. Answer: D
22. The doctrine of national supremacy was upheld in (A) McCulloch v. Maryland.
(B) Gibbons v. Ogden.
(C) National League of Cities v. Usery. (D) United States v. Lopez.
23. The idea that the national government has implied powers that go beyond its enumerated powers was established in
(A) McCulloch v. Maryland. (B) Gibbons v. Ogden.
(C) National League of Cities v. Usery. (D) United States v. Lopez.
Answer: A
24. Which of the following is referred to as the elastic clause in the Constitution? (A) Article I, Section 8
(B) the due process clause (C) the commerce clause
(D) the necessary and proper clause Answer: D
25. The definition of commerce, from U.S. Supreme Court ruling, is (A) very broad.
(B) limited. (C) narrow.
(D) inconsequential. Answer: A
26. If a Texan visits California, the Texan will pay the same sales tax and receive the same police protection as residents of California. This illustrates the
(A) full faith and credit clause. (B) principle of extradition.
(C) privileges and immunities clause. (D) equal protection clause.
Answer: C
27. Which of the following is not a standard operating procedure associated with cooperative federalism? (A) shared costs
(B) federal guidelines
(C) states are responsible for some policies, the national government for others (D) shared administration
28. Which of the following is not an advantage of federalism in a democracy? (A) Federalism offers more opportunities for participation in politics. (B) Federalism increases access to government.
(C) Federalism reduces conflict at the national level.
(D) Federalism allows local interests to thwart national majority support of certain policies. Answer: D
29. Grants that give states broad discretion in deciding how to spend the federal money are (A) categorical grants.
(B) block grants. (C) formula grants. (D) project grants. Answer: B
30. Which unit of government did President Reagan believe should have primary authority for governing in most policy areas?
(A) national (B) state (C) local (D) township Answer: B
