American National Government Exam Study Questions
Correctly Answered
Checks and Balances - Answer An arrangement in which no one branch of government can conduct its
core business without the approval of the other branches.
Government - Answer The individuals and institutions that make society's rules and also possess the
power and authority to enforce those rules.
Direct Democracy - Answer A system of government in which political decisions are made by the people
themselves rather than by elected representatives.
Republic - Answer A form of government in which sovereign power rests with the people rather than
with a king/monarchy... and is based on the concept of popular sovereignty. (Ultimate authority is based
on the will of the people.)
Articles of Confederation - Answer This document, the nation's first constitution, was adopted by the
Second Continental Congress in 1781 during the Revolution. The document was limited because states
held most of the power, and Congress lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or control coinage.
Shay's Rebellion - Answer An "army" of 1,500 farmers (whose farms had been taken by the courts)
attempted to take over an armory in protest.
Great (or Connecticut) Compromise - Answer A compromise that proposed two houses of Congress; one
where a state's population would determine representation and another where all states were
represented equally.
Three-Fifths Compromise - Answer Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in
determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by the 13th
amendment).
Federalists - Answer Favored a strong national government and supported the constitution proposed at
the American Constitutional Convention of 1787.
, Anti-Federalists - Answer Favored a weak national government and strong state governments.
Opponents of the constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787.
Unitary Government - Answer A centralized government in which all government powers belong to a
single, central agency.
Federalism - Answer The belief that multiple sources of government authority could coexist, each with
its own sphere of responsibility.
Confederalism - Answer The local units hold all of the power and the central government is dependent
on them for its existence.
Dual Federalism - Answer A system of government in which both the states and the national
government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.
Block Grants - Answer Sums of money transferred to lower-level governments such that, as long as the
general purpose of the grant is met, the lower-level governments are allowed considerable freedom in
deciding how the money is spent.
Categorical Grants - Answer Grants that define how the funds are to be spent. These grants normally
come with conditions that need to be satisfied in order for the money to be used.
Unfunded Mandates - Answer The imposition of federal regulation on state and local governments
without the appropriation of enough money to cover their cost.
U.S. v. Lopez - Answer (Power tipped in favor of states) 1995, the court held that congress had exceeded
its powers by prohibiting guns in a school zone. Lopez attempted to sell a gun on school property, and
argued that the federal government shouldn't be allowed to regulate gun sales on campuses.
Commerce Clause - Answer The section of the Constitution in which Congress is given the power to
regulate trade among the states and with foreign countries.
Correctly Answered
Checks and Balances - Answer An arrangement in which no one branch of government can conduct its
core business without the approval of the other branches.
Government - Answer The individuals and institutions that make society's rules and also possess the
power and authority to enforce those rules.
Direct Democracy - Answer A system of government in which political decisions are made by the people
themselves rather than by elected representatives.
Republic - Answer A form of government in which sovereign power rests with the people rather than
with a king/monarchy... and is based on the concept of popular sovereignty. (Ultimate authority is based
on the will of the people.)
Articles of Confederation - Answer This document, the nation's first constitution, was adopted by the
Second Continental Congress in 1781 during the Revolution. The document was limited because states
held most of the power, and Congress lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or control coinage.
Shay's Rebellion - Answer An "army" of 1,500 farmers (whose farms had been taken by the courts)
attempted to take over an armory in protest.
Great (or Connecticut) Compromise - Answer A compromise that proposed two houses of Congress; one
where a state's population would determine representation and another where all states were
represented equally.
Three-Fifths Compromise - Answer Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in
determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by the 13th
amendment).
Federalists - Answer Favored a strong national government and supported the constitution proposed at
the American Constitutional Convention of 1787.
, Anti-Federalists - Answer Favored a weak national government and strong state governments.
Opponents of the constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787.
Unitary Government - Answer A centralized government in which all government powers belong to a
single, central agency.
Federalism - Answer The belief that multiple sources of government authority could coexist, each with
its own sphere of responsibility.
Confederalism - Answer The local units hold all of the power and the central government is dependent
on them for its existence.
Dual Federalism - Answer A system of government in which both the states and the national
government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.
Block Grants - Answer Sums of money transferred to lower-level governments such that, as long as the
general purpose of the grant is met, the lower-level governments are allowed considerable freedom in
deciding how the money is spent.
Categorical Grants - Answer Grants that define how the funds are to be spent. These grants normally
come with conditions that need to be satisfied in order for the money to be used.
Unfunded Mandates - Answer The imposition of federal regulation on state and local governments
without the appropriation of enough money to cover their cost.
U.S. v. Lopez - Answer (Power tipped in favor of states) 1995, the court held that congress had exceeded
its powers by prohibiting guns in a school zone. Lopez attempted to sell a gun on school property, and
argued that the federal government shouldn't be allowed to regulate gun sales on campuses.
Commerce Clause - Answer The section of the Constitution in which Congress is given the power to
regulate trade among the states and with foreign countries.
