WGU C963 TFN1 TASK 3 CIVIL LIBERTIES AND CIVIL
RIGHTS
COMPLETE QUESTION SET WITH VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
Question 1.
Gibbons v. Ogden
ANSWER
(1824) presented a challenge to the Court to define and interpret the power to regulate
interstate commerce given to Congress in Article I of the Constitution. the Court had to
interpret the Commerce Clause of Article I, Section 8. Specifically, it had to determine whether
the federal government had the sole authority to regulate the licensing of steamboats
operating between New York and New Jersey. Aaron Ogden, who had obtained an exclusive
license from New York State to operate steamboat ferries between New York City and New
Jersey, sued Thomas Gibbons, who was operating ferries along the same route under a
coasting license issued by the federal government. Supreme Court, Chief Justice Marshall
delivered a ruling in favor of Gibbons that strengthened the power of the national government.
First, interstate commerce was interpreted broadly to mean "commercial intercourse" among
states, thus expanding the authority of Congress to regulate navigation
Question 2.
Checks on Congress
ANSWER
By President
Can veto legislation
Can use executive agreements
Can use executive orders
Negotiates treaties (not Congress)
By Judiciary
Can overturn acts of Congress as unconstitutional if they violate the law
Can influence laws by interpretation
Serve during good behavior to maintain independence of judiciary
,Question 3.
Anti-Federalists
ANSWER
Opponents of ratification. feared the power of the national government and believed state
legislatures could better protect their freedoms. most distrusted the elite and believed a strong
federal government would favor the rich over those of "the middling sort." fears that the
strong central government for which the Federalists advocated would levy taxes on farmers
and planters who lacked the hard currency needed to pay. Many also believed Congress would
impose tariffs on foreign imports that would make American agricultural products less
welcome in Europe and in European colonies in the Western Hemisphere. Argued, the diversity
of religion tolerated by the Constitution would prevent the formation of a political community
with shared values and interests.
Question 4.
Checks on Other Branches (Congress/legislative branch)
ANSWER
Article I, Ways in which Congress can check the other branches of government specifically
mentioned in Article I of the Constitution; advice and consent, impeachment, and oversight,
· Congress can act as a check on presidential authority. For example, while the president
appoints federal judges, ambassadors to foreign countries, cabinet secretaries, and other high-
ranking government officials, the Senate must provide its advice and consent to those
appointments
· Treaty-making is another shared power. the president, as chief diplomat, has the right to
negotiate agreements (or treaties) with foreign nations on behalf of the United States, the
Senate must ratify those treaties. This is done by a two-thirds supermajority vote.
· power of impeachment; power is shared by both the House and the Senate. The House has
the authority to impeach the president, the vice president and "all civil officers of the United
States." Impeachment does not lead to removal from office unless the Senate, which is given
the authority to conduct impeachment trials, votes to convict. Under the Constitution,
conviction requires a super-majority, a two-thirds vote in the Senate.
,Question 5.
executive orders
ANSWER
provide direction to government agencies and deal with routine matters. can be used to
achieve policy goals in areas where Congress has been unwilling to act or is even opposed to
the desires of the president. however, it cannot directly contradict or change existing law. are
subject to court rulings or changes in policy enacted by Congress. Subject to reversal by
presidents who come after, and recent presidents have wasted little time reversing the orders
of their predecessors in cases of disagreement.
Question 6.
Issue Voting
ANSWER
an individual's propensity to select candidates or parties based on the extent to which the
individual agrees with one candidate more than others on specific issues
Voters will also look at issues or the economy when making a decision. For some single-issue
voters, a candidate's stance on abortion rights will be a major factor while other voters may
look at the candidates' beliefs on the Second Amendment and gun control.
Question 7.
Voter Application
ANSWER
a citizen wishing to vote must complete an application. Whether the form is online or on paper,
the prospective voter will list his or her name, residency address, and, in many cases, party
identification (with Independent as an option) and affirm that he or she is competent to vote.
States may also have a residency requirement, which establishes how long a citizen must live in
a state before becoming eligible to register; it is often 30 days.
Question 8.
public interest groups
ANSWER
attempt to promote public, or collective, goods. Such collective goods are benefits—tangible or
intangible—that help most or all citizens.
· Many environmental groups are public interest groups that lobby for and raise awareness of
issues that affect large segments of the population.
, Question 9.
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
ANSWER
Maryland levied a tax on banknotes that were not issued in Maryland. McCulloch was the chief
teller of a branch of the national bank in Maryland and refused to pay the tax, arguing that
states should not tax the national government. The Supreme Court ruled that the national
bank was indeed a reasonable means of carrying out the powers of government, providing for
a loose construction of the Constitution via the Necessary and Proper Clause. It also ruled in
the case that since the power to tax was the power to destroy and that the states could not tax
federal property.
Question 10.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation (Regulating Trade):
ANSWER
The national government did not possess the power to regulate trade among the different
states. This lack of authority not only affected the national government, but the states as well.
The national economy suffered as foreign countries began to form trade agreements with
individual states, agreements for which the national government could not regulate or tax.
Question 11.
hypodermic theory
ANSWER
(1920's) which argues that information is "shot" into the receiver's mind and readily accepted.
Question 12.
Reserved power
ANSWER
The 10th Amendment affirms this right. Any powers not prohibited by the constitution or
delegated to the national government; powers reserved to the states and denied to the federal
government.
· This Amendment is the reason why each state has its own health and safety rules and even its
own marriage and divorce laws.
· The state of Utah allows grocery and convenience stores to sell only "3.2 beer" (beer with no
more than 3.2% alcohol content by weight).
· One example is a city's prohibiting the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of a school.
RIGHTS
COMPLETE QUESTION SET WITH VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
Question 1.
Gibbons v. Ogden
ANSWER
(1824) presented a challenge to the Court to define and interpret the power to regulate
interstate commerce given to Congress in Article I of the Constitution. the Court had to
interpret the Commerce Clause of Article I, Section 8. Specifically, it had to determine whether
the federal government had the sole authority to regulate the licensing of steamboats
operating between New York and New Jersey. Aaron Ogden, who had obtained an exclusive
license from New York State to operate steamboat ferries between New York City and New
Jersey, sued Thomas Gibbons, who was operating ferries along the same route under a
coasting license issued by the federal government. Supreme Court, Chief Justice Marshall
delivered a ruling in favor of Gibbons that strengthened the power of the national government.
First, interstate commerce was interpreted broadly to mean "commercial intercourse" among
states, thus expanding the authority of Congress to regulate navigation
Question 2.
Checks on Congress
ANSWER
By President
Can veto legislation
Can use executive agreements
Can use executive orders
Negotiates treaties (not Congress)
By Judiciary
Can overturn acts of Congress as unconstitutional if they violate the law
Can influence laws by interpretation
Serve during good behavior to maintain independence of judiciary
,Question 3.
Anti-Federalists
ANSWER
Opponents of ratification. feared the power of the national government and believed state
legislatures could better protect their freedoms. most distrusted the elite and believed a strong
federal government would favor the rich over those of "the middling sort." fears that the
strong central government for which the Federalists advocated would levy taxes on farmers
and planters who lacked the hard currency needed to pay. Many also believed Congress would
impose tariffs on foreign imports that would make American agricultural products less
welcome in Europe and in European colonies in the Western Hemisphere. Argued, the diversity
of religion tolerated by the Constitution would prevent the formation of a political community
with shared values and interests.
Question 4.
Checks on Other Branches (Congress/legislative branch)
ANSWER
Article I, Ways in which Congress can check the other branches of government specifically
mentioned in Article I of the Constitution; advice and consent, impeachment, and oversight,
· Congress can act as a check on presidential authority. For example, while the president
appoints federal judges, ambassadors to foreign countries, cabinet secretaries, and other high-
ranking government officials, the Senate must provide its advice and consent to those
appointments
· Treaty-making is another shared power. the president, as chief diplomat, has the right to
negotiate agreements (or treaties) with foreign nations on behalf of the United States, the
Senate must ratify those treaties. This is done by a two-thirds supermajority vote.
· power of impeachment; power is shared by both the House and the Senate. The House has
the authority to impeach the president, the vice president and "all civil officers of the United
States." Impeachment does not lead to removal from office unless the Senate, which is given
the authority to conduct impeachment trials, votes to convict. Under the Constitution,
conviction requires a super-majority, a two-thirds vote in the Senate.
,Question 5.
executive orders
ANSWER
provide direction to government agencies and deal with routine matters. can be used to
achieve policy goals in areas where Congress has been unwilling to act or is even opposed to
the desires of the president. however, it cannot directly contradict or change existing law. are
subject to court rulings or changes in policy enacted by Congress. Subject to reversal by
presidents who come after, and recent presidents have wasted little time reversing the orders
of their predecessors in cases of disagreement.
Question 6.
Issue Voting
ANSWER
an individual's propensity to select candidates or parties based on the extent to which the
individual agrees with one candidate more than others on specific issues
Voters will also look at issues or the economy when making a decision. For some single-issue
voters, a candidate's stance on abortion rights will be a major factor while other voters may
look at the candidates' beliefs on the Second Amendment and gun control.
Question 7.
Voter Application
ANSWER
a citizen wishing to vote must complete an application. Whether the form is online or on paper,
the prospective voter will list his or her name, residency address, and, in many cases, party
identification (with Independent as an option) and affirm that he or she is competent to vote.
States may also have a residency requirement, which establishes how long a citizen must live in
a state before becoming eligible to register; it is often 30 days.
Question 8.
public interest groups
ANSWER
attempt to promote public, or collective, goods. Such collective goods are benefits—tangible or
intangible—that help most or all citizens.
· Many environmental groups are public interest groups that lobby for and raise awareness of
issues that affect large segments of the population.
, Question 9.
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
ANSWER
Maryland levied a tax on banknotes that were not issued in Maryland. McCulloch was the chief
teller of a branch of the national bank in Maryland and refused to pay the tax, arguing that
states should not tax the national government. The Supreme Court ruled that the national
bank was indeed a reasonable means of carrying out the powers of government, providing for
a loose construction of the Constitution via the Necessary and Proper Clause. It also ruled in
the case that since the power to tax was the power to destroy and that the states could not tax
federal property.
Question 10.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation (Regulating Trade):
ANSWER
The national government did not possess the power to regulate trade among the different
states. This lack of authority not only affected the national government, but the states as well.
The national economy suffered as foreign countries began to form trade agreements with
individual states, agreements for which the national government could not regulate or tax.
Question 11.
hypodermic theory
ANSWER
(1920's) which argues that information is "shot" into the receiver's mind and readily accepted.
Question 12.
Reserved power
ANSWER
The 10th Amendment affirms this right. Any powers not prohibited by the constitution or
delegated to the national government; powers reserved to the states and denied to the federal
government.
· This Amendment is the reason why each state has its own health and safety rules and even its
own marriage and divorce laws.
· The state of Utah allows grocery and convenience stores to sell only "3.2 beer" (beer with no
more than 3.2% alcohol content by weight).
· One example is a city's prohibiting the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of a school.
