POLS 1100 Exam 2 Practice Questions
with Complete Answers 2025/2026
Updated.
What is the definition of Federalism?
A. The power of the Fed. Gov. is limited by a constitution
B. The Constitution is the final governing authority of a country
C. The separation of power between the States and the Fed. Gov.
D. I have no idea. - Answer c. the separation of power between the States and the Fed. Gov.
What are "enumerated" powers?
A. Powers delegated to the States
B. Powers written in the Constitution for the Federal Government.
C. Powers directly prohibited to Congress
D. I have no idea. - Answer b. powers written in the constitution for the Federal Government
The "necessary and proper" clause is also known as:
A. The elastic clause
B. The inflexible clause
C. The terminal clause
D. The interchangeable clause - Answer a. the elastic clause
What is the definition of "sovereignty"?
A. Supreme and final governing authority
B. The ability for States to push back against government overreach through lawsuits.
C. The division of power between States and the Federal Government
D. Partisanship in the legislature that favors the Federal Government over States. - Answer a.
supreme and final governing authority
Who favored more state power as opposed to more Federal Government power during the
ratification debate of the Constitution?
,The "commerce clause" gives what power to the national government?
A. To regulate Intrastate Trade
B. To regulate Interstate Trade
C. To regulate Intercountry Trade
D. To regulate Intracountry Trade - Answer b. to regulate interstate trade
Dual Federalism is:
A. The idea that competing interests restrict Gov. power
B. Powers of the Fed. Gov. and the States are explicitly divided.
C. The States and the Fed. Gov. work together to accomplish specific goals
D. I have no idea. - Answer c. the states and the Fed. Gov. work together to accomplish
specific goals
McCulloch v. Maryland came about because:
A. Maryland taxed a Federal Bank
B. Maryland refused to execute a Fed. Law
C. Maryland passed a Unconstitutional Law
D. Maryland taxed the U.S. President - Answer a. Maryland taxed a Federal Bank
The Taney Supreme Court's decisions led to the end of which political party?
A. The Republican party
B. The Democrat Party
C. The Democrat-Republican Party
D. The Whig Party - Answer d. the whig party
Teddy Roosevelt made a legislation proposal that would allow him to nominate a new Justice
whenever a sitting justice reached the age of:
A. 65
B. 70
C. 75
D. 80 - Answer b. 70
, B. The States are subservient to the Fed. Gov.
C. The States and the Nat. Gov. have equal power
D. The States and the Nat. Gov. work together to accomplish a common goal - Answer d. the
states and the Nat. Gov. work together to accomplish a common goal
What is Fiscal Federalism?
A. The States tax their people and give the money to the National Government
B. The Nat. Gov. gives tax money to the States to accomplish a goal
C. The States rely on the Nat. Gov. for their taxing power.
D. The States rely on the Nat. Gov. to use the IRS to prosecute people who don't pay State taxes
- Answer b. the Nat. Gov. gives tax money to the States to accomplish a goal
Reagan pushed to spend more Nat. Gov. tax dollars on what kind of grant?
A. Block Grants
B. Categorical Grants
C. Devolution Grants
D. Unequivocal Grants - Answer a. block grants
What is the definition of Devolution?
A. A return to the Constitution and original intent
B. Giving more power to the Nat. Gov. that the States had previously taken.
C. Giving more power to the States that the Nat. Gov. had previously taken.
D. The fact that as generations continue, people get dumber. - Answer c. giving more power
to the states that the Nat. Gov had previously taken
In 1995, for the first time since the Great Depression, the Supreme Court put limits on what
provision in the Constitution?
A. Supremacy Clause
B. Due Process Clause
C. Commerce Clause
D. Equal Protection Clause - Answer c. Commerce Clause
with Complete Answers 2025/2026
Updated.
What is the definition of Federalism?
A. The power of the Fed. Gov. is limited by a constitution
B. The Constitution is the final governing authority of a country
C. The separation of power between the States and the Fed. Gov.
D. I have no idea. - Answer c. the separation of power between the States and the Fed. Gov.
What are "enumerated" powers?
A. Powers delegated to the States
B. Powers written in the Constitution for the Federal Government.
C. Powers directly prohibited to Congress
D. I have no idea. - Answer b. powers written in the constitution for the Federal Government
The "necessary and proper" clause is also known as:
A. The elastic clause
B. The inflexible clause
C. The terminal clause
D. The interchangeable clause - Answer a. the elastic clause
What is the definition of "sovereignty"?
A. Supreme and final governing authority
B. The ability for States to push back against government overreach through lawsuits.
C. The division of power between States and the Federal Government
D. Partisanship in the legislature that favors the Federal Government over States. - Answer a.
supreme and final governing authority
Who favored more state power as opposed to more Federal Government power during the
ratification debate of the Constitution?
,The "commerce clause" gives what power to the national government?
A. To regulate Intrastate Trade
B. To regulate Interstate Trade
C. To regulate Intercountry Trade
D. To regulate Intracountry Trade - Answer b. to regulate interstate trade
Dual Federalism is:
A. The idea that competing interests restrict Gov. power
B. Powers of the Fed. Gov. and the States are explicitly divided.
C. The States and the Fed. Gov. work together to accomplish specific goals
D. I have no idea. - Answer c. the states and the Fed. Gov. work together to accomplish
specific goals
McCulloch v. Maryland came about because:
A. Maryland taxed a Federal Bank
B. Maryland refused to execute a Fed. Law
C. Maryland passed a Unconstitutional Law
D. Maryland taxed the U.S. President - Answer a. Maryland taxed a Federal Bank
The Taney Supreme Court's decisions led to the end of which political party?
A. The Republican party
B. The Democrat Party
C. The Democrat-Republican Party
D. The Whig Party - Answer d. the whig party
Teddy Roosevelt made a legislation proposal that would allow him to nominate a new Justice
whenever a sitting justice reached the age of:
A. 65
B. 70
C. 75
D. 80 - Answer b. 70
, B. The States are subservient to the Fed. Gov.
C. The States and the Nat. Gov. have equal power
D. The States and the Nat. Gov. work together to accomplish a common goal - Answer d. the
states and the Nat. Gov. work together to accomplish a common goal
What is Fiscal Federalism?
A. The States tax their people and give the money to the National Government
B. The Nat. Gov. gives tax money to the States to accomplish a goal
C. The States rely on the Nat. Gov. for their taxing power.
D. The States rely on the Nat. Gov. to use the IRS to prosecute people who don't pay State taxes
- Answer b. the Nat. Gov. gives tax money to the States to accomplish a goal
Reagan pushed to spend more Nat. Gov. tax dollars on what kind of grant?
A. Block Grants
B. Categorical Grants
C. Devolution Grants
D. Unequivocal Grants - Answer a. block grants
What is the definition of Devolution?
A. A return to the Constitution and original intent
B. Giving more power to the Nat. Gov. that the States had previously taken.
C. Giving more power to the States that the Nat. Gov. had previously taken.
D. The fact that as generations continue, people get dumber. - Answer c. giving more power
to the states that the Nat. Gov had previously taken
In 1995, for the first time since the Great Depression, the Supreme Court put limits on what
provision in the Constitution?
A. Supremacy Clause
B. Due Process Clause
C. Commerce Clause
D. Equal Protection Clause - Answer c. Commerce Clause
