C963 / C 963 Final Exam (Latest Update 2025 /
2026) American Politics and the US Constitution |
Questions and Answers | Grade A | 100% Correct
(Verified Answers). WGU
1. Who was responsible for drafting the Bill of Rights and submitting it to
Congress?: James Madison
2. Why did the colonists oppose being taxed by Great Britain?: They did
not have elected representatives in the House of Commons
3. What was a major difference between the Articles of Confederation and
the Constitution?: The Articles of Confederation did not provide for a
national judiciary.
4. Why did the farmers design the government under the Articles of
Confederation with a Congress?: They wanted a government that protected
state sovereignty.
,5. What did the Great Compromise between the Virginia Plan and the
New Jersey Plan that was finalized in the Constitution establish?: A two-
chamber congress
6. What was a Federalist argument in support of the ratification of the
Constitution?: A strong national government is better for national defense and
economic growth.
7. What were the results of the three-fifths compromise?: It allowed
slave states to count three-fifths of their enslaved population for the purpose of
representation.
8. Which concept was James Madison referencing when he stated,
"Ambition must be made to counteract ambition" in Federalist, no. 51?:
Separation of powers and checks and balances
9. What is a judicial check on the executive branch?: The Supreme Court
can declare actions by the executive branch unconstitutional.
10. What is the goal of new federalism?: Decentralize policy to enhance
administrative efficiency and reduce overall public spending
,11. Which congressional action would be the result of the implied powers
of Congress?: Congress passes a law raising the minimum wage to $10.00 per
hour.
12. What best explains why individual members of the Senate have more
power than individual members of the House of Represenatives?: The
smaller total number of Senate members compared to the number of
representatives.
13. What describes the equal proportions method of congressional
apportionment?: Congressional districts are drawn in order to maintain
similar numbers of voters in each district.
14. What describes the process of bills becoming laws in Congress?:
Bills change significantly through House and Senate revisions.
15. Which power does the president have under the Constitution?:
Appointing judges
16. What is a protection against an elected president abusing powers for
personal gain?: The power of Congress to impeach the president
17 Which constitutional amendment established term limits for the
president?: The Twenty-Second Amendment
, 18. What is the purpose of executive agreements?: To establish agreements
with foreign countries without congressional approval
19. What describes the importance of the Supreme Court decision in
Marbury
v. Madison?: It established the principle of judicial review.
20. How many federal appellate courts exist in the United States?: 13
21. How many sitting justices are there on the Supreme Court?: 9
22. What is a power reserved for the states?: Conducting elections
23. Which constitutional amendment allows states to reserve powers?:
The tenth amendment
24. What did the Supreme Court's ruling in Gibbons v. Odgen establish?:
A loose constructionist interpretation of the commerce clause
25. How do most states award votes in the Electoral College?: The
candidate who wins the popular vote in the state gets all the electoral
votes for the states.
26. Which amendment provided for the separate election of the president
and vice president?: The twelfth Amendment
2026) American Politics and the US Constitution |
Questions and Answers | Grade A | 100% Correct
(Verified Answers). WGU
1. Who was responsible for drafting the Bill of Rights and submitting it to
Congress?: James Madison
2. Why did the colonists oppose being taxed by Great Britain?: They did
not have elected representatives in the House of Commons
3. What was a major difference between the Articles of Confederation and
the Constitution?: The Articles of Confederation did not provide for a
national judiciary.
4. Why did the farmers design the government under the Articles of
Confederation with a Congress?: They wanted a government that protected
state sovereignty.
,5. What did the Great Compromise between the Virginia Plan and the
New Jersey Plan that was finalized in the Constitution establish?: A two-
chamber congress
6. What was a Federalist argument in support of the ratification of the
Constitution?: A strong national government is better for national defense and
economic growth.
7. What were the results of the three-fifths compromise?: It allowed
slave states to count three-fifths of their enslaved population for the purpose of
representation.
8. Which concept was James Madison referencing when he stated,
"Ambition must be made to counteract ambition" in Federalist, no. 51?:
Separation of powers and checks and balances
9. What is a judicial check on the executive branch?: The Supreme Court
can declare actions by the executive branch unconstitutional.
10. What is the goal of new federalism?: Decentralize policy to enhance
administrative efficiency and reduce overall public spending
,11. Which congressional action would be the result of the implied powers
of Congress?: Congress passes a law raising the minimum wage to $10.00 per
hour.
12. What best explains why individual members of the Senate have more
power than individual members of the House of Represenatives?: The
smaller total number of Senate members compared to the number of
representatives.
13. What describes the equal proportions method of congressional
apportionment?: Congressional districts are drawn in order to maintain
similar numbers of voters in each district.
14. What describes the process of bills becoming laws in Congress?:
Bills change significantly through House and Senate revisions.
15. Which power does the president have under the Constitution?:
Appointing judges
16. What is a protection against an elected president abusing powers for
personal gain?: The power of Congress to impeach the president
17 Which constitutional amendment established term limits for the
president?: The Twenty-Second Amendment
, 18. What is the purpose of executive agreements?: To establish agreements
with foreign countries without congressional approval
19. What describes the importance of the Supreme Court decision in
Marbury
v. Madison?: It established the principle of judicial review.
20. How many federal appellate courts exist in the United States?: 13
21. How many sitting justices are there on the Supreme Court?: 9
22. What is a power reserved for the states?: Conducting elections
23. Which constitutional amendment allows states to reserve powers?:
The tenth amendment
24. What did the Supreme Court's ruling in Gibbons v. Odgen establish?:
A loose constructionist interpretation of the commerce clause
25. How do most states award votes in the Electoral College?: The
candidate who wins the popular vote in the state gets all the electoral
votes for the states.
26. Which amendment provided for the separate election of the president
and vice president?: The twelfth Amendment
