PSC 101 MAIN EXAMS SET 2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Federalism - ✔✔A system of government in which power is divided, by a
constitution, between a central government and regional governments
✔✔Expressed Powers - ✔✔Specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress
and to the president
✔✔Elastic Clause - ✔✔Enumerates the powers of Congress with the authority to make
all laws "necessary and proper" to carry them out
✔✔Bicameral - ✔✔Having legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses;
distinguished from unicameral
✔✔Judicial Review - ✔✔The power of the courts to review and, if necessary, declare
actions of the legislative and executive branches invalid or unconstitutional
✔✔Supremacy clause - ✔✔Laws passed by the national government and all treaties
are supreme law of the land and superior to all laws adopted by any state or any
subdivision
✔✔Federalists - ✔✔Those who favored a strong national government and supported
the Constitution proposed at eh American Constitutional Convention of 1787
✔✔Antifederalist - ✔✔Those who favored strong state governments and weak national
government, and who were opponents of the Constitution
✔✔Federalist Papers - ✔✔A series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James
Madison, and John Jay supporting the ratification of the Constitution
✔✔Tyranny - ✔✔Oppressive government that employs cruel and unjust use of power
✔✔Amendment - ✔✔A change added to a bill, law, or constitution
✔✔Unitary System - ✔✔A centralized government system in which lower levels of
government have little power independent of the national government.
✔✔Implied Powers - ✔✔Powers derived from the necessary and proper clause of
Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution; such powers are not specifically expressed, but
are implied through the expansive interpretation on delegated powers
, ✔✔Necessary and Proper Clause - ✔✔Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which
provides Congress with the authority to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry
out its expressed powers
✔✔Reserved Powers - ✔✔Powers, derived from the Tenth Amendment to the
Constitution, that are not specifically delegated to the national government or denied to
the states
✔✔Police Power - ✔✔Power reserved to the state government to regulate the health,
safety, and morals of its citizens
✔✔Concurrent Powers - ✔✔Authority possessed by both state and national
governments, such as the power to levy taxes
✔✔Full Faith and Credit - ✔✔Provision from Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution
requiring that the states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take
place in another state.
✔✔Privileges and Immunities Clause - ✔✔Provision, from Article IV, Section 2, of the
Constitution, that a state cannot discriminate against someone from another state or
give its own residents special privleges
✔✔Home Rule - ✔✔Power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to
manage its own affairs
✔✔Political Parties - ✔✔Organized groups that attempt to influence the government by
electing their members to important government offices
✔✔Partisanship - ✔✔Identification with or support of a particular party or clause
✔✔Two-Party System - ✔✔A political system in which only two parties have realistic
opportunity to compete effectively for control
✔✔Nomination - ✔✔The process by which political parties select their candidates for
election to public office
✔✔Party Organization - ✔✔The formal structure of a political party, including its
leadership, election committees, active members, and paid staff
✔✔Caucus (political) - ✔✔A normally closed meeting of a political or legislative group to
select candidates, plan strategy, or make decisions regarding legislative matters.
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Federalism - ✔✔A system of government in which power is divided, by a
constitution, between a central government and regional governments
✔✔Expressed Powers - ✔✔Specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress
and to the president
✔✔Elastic Clause - ✔✔Enumerates the powers of Congress with the authority to make
all laws "necessary and proper" to carry them out
✔✔Bicameral - ✔✔Having legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses;
distinguished from unicameral
✔✔Judicial Review - ✔✔The power of the courts to review and, if necessary, declare
actions of the legislative and executive branches invalid or unconstitutional
✔✔Supremacy clause - ✔✔Laws passed by the national government and all treaties
are supreme law of the land and superior to all laws adopted by any state or any
subdivision
✔✔Federalists - ✔✔Those who favored a strong national government and supported
the Constitution proposed at eh American Constitutional Convention of 1787
✔✔Antifederalist - ✔✔Those who favored strong state governments and weak national
government, and who were opponents of the Constitution
✔✔Federalist Papers - ✔✔A series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James
Madison, and John Jay supporting the ratification of the Constitution
✔✔Tyranny - ✔✔Oppressive government that employs cruel and unjust use of power
✔✔Amendment - ✔✔A change added to a bill, law, or constitution
✔✔Unitary System - ✔✔A centralized government system in which lower levels of
government have little power independent of the national government.
✔✔Implied Powers - ✔✔Powers derived from the necessary and proper clause of
Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution; such powers are not specifically expressed, but
are implied through the expansive interpretation on delegated powers
, ✔✔Necessary and Proper Clause - ✔✔Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which
provides Congress with the authority to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry
out its expressed powers
✔✔Reserved Powers - ✔✔Powers, derived from the Tenth Amendment to the
Constitution, that are not specifically delegated to the national government or denied to
the states
✔✔Police Power - ✔✔Power reserved to the state government to regulate the health,
safety, and morals of its citizens
✔✔Concurrent Powers - ✔✔Authority possessed by both state and national
governments, such as the power to levy taxes
✔✔Full Faith and Credit - ✔✔Provision from Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution
requiring that the states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take
place in another state.
✔✔Privileges and Immunities Clause - ✔✔Provision, from Article IV, Section 2, of the
Constitution, that a state cannot discriminate against someone from another state or
give its own residents special privleges
✔✔Home Rule - ✔✔Power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to
manage its own affairs
✔✔Political Parties - ✔✔Organized groups that attempt to influence the government by
electing their members to important government offices
✔✔Partisanship - ✔✔Identification with or support of a particular party or clause
✔✔Two-Party System - ✔✔A political system in which only two parties have realistic
opportunity to compete effectively for control
✔✔Nomination - ✔✔The process by which political parties select their candidates for
election to public office
✔✔Party Organization - ✔✔The formal structure of a political party, including its
leadership, election committees, active members, and paid staff
✔✔Caucus (political) - ✔✔A normally closed meeting of a political or legislative group to
select candidates, plan strategy, or make decisions regarding legislative matters.
