POLS 1101 UPDATED TEST PAPER QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔In November of 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the United States' first
written constitution known as:
A. Virginia plan
B. Annapolis Convention
C. Declaration of Independence
D. United States Constitution
E. Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union - E. Articles of Confederation and
Perpetual Union
✔✔Which part of the national government was formed under the Articles of
Confederation?
A. the power to regulate commerce between states
B. the power of the people to elect their representatives directly
C. an independent executive branch
D. special panels of judges to resolve disputes between states
E. a bicameral congress - D. special panels of judges to resolve disputes between
states
✔✔A faction is a group of _____________________ that seek to control government
power to __________________.
A. minority interests; protect themselves from everyone else
B. majority interests; promote the public good
C. minority interests; promote the public good
D. minority or majority interests; pursue their own interests
E. minority or majority interests; promote the public good - D. minority or majority
interests; pursue their own interests
✔✔The Federalists generally:
,A. supported making both national and state governments much stronger than they
were under the Articles of Confederation
B. supported increasing the authority of the national government
C. were suspicious of a strong national government
D. preferred a monarchy to a presidency
E. wanted to eliminate the national legislature - B. supported increasing the authority of
the national government
✔✔For James Madison, the problem associated with a tyranny of majority was that:
A. large factions might capture control of the government and ignore the rights of those
in the minority
B. large groups of voters might grab power by circumventing elections
C. the representative legislative branch would exercise too much power over the
presidency
D. regional majorities would become entrenched and prevent government from working
for the common good
E. the president would have too much power over the legislative agenda - A. large
factions might capture control of the government and ignore the rights of those in the
minority
✔✔The Anti-Federalists:
A. were afraid that a strong national government would infringe on personal liberty
B. argued against the ratification of the U.S. Constitution
C. wanted the locus of power to stay with the states
D. all of the above - D. all of the above
✔✔Despite significant agreement on the need for a _____________________ national
government at the Constitutional Convention, there was a serious division about
______________________.
A. weaker; how much stronger state governments should be
B. weaker; how much weaker the federal government should be
C. stronger; how much stronger the federal government should be
D. stronger; how much stronger the state governments should be
E. stronger; how much weaker state governments should be - C. stronger; how much
stronger the federal government should be
✔✔Which of the following was NOT a source of significant conflict at the Constitutional
Convention?
A. whether to throw out or amend the Declaration of Independence
B. how much power to give to the legislative branch
C. how to represent small and large states in the new government
, D. what to do about slavery
E. how much power to give to the executive branch - A. whether to throw out or amend
the Declaration of Independence
✔✔Which of the following powers is NOT exclusive to the legislative branch?
A. the ability to raise revenue
B. the ability to send troops into armed conflict
C. the ability to regulate interstate commerce
D. the ability to establish post offices
E. the ability to coin money - B. the ability to send troops into armed conflict
✔✔The three principles that make up the primary framework of the constitution are:
A. freedom, justice, and two-party system
B. representation, equality, and judicial review
C. direct democracy, liberty, and limited government
D. federalism, separation of powers, and individual rights - D. federalism, separation of
powers, and individual rights
✔✔Which of the following statements would fall under the principle of coercive
federalism?
A. the national government threatens state governments with military might
B. the national government uses mandates or regulations without giving states the
money to execute and enforce the mandates or regulations
C. the national government passes new constitutional amendments limiting state power
D. the national government threatens to tax residents at a higher rate in states unwilling
to cooperate with the goals and policies of the national government
E. the national government forces the states to change policies through an act of
congress - B. the national government uses mandates or regulations without giving
states the money to execute and enforce the mandates or regulations
✔✔A form of government that divides sovereign power across at least two political units
is called:
A. a separation of powers system
B. a confederal government
C. federalism
D. a unitary government
E. a constitutional democracy - C. federalism
✔✔One advantage of decentralized power in a federal system is that it:
A. provides the legislative branch with more power than the executive branch
B. is a natural check on the power of the federal government
ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔In November of 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the United States' first
written constitution known as:
A. Virginia plan
B. Annapolis Convention
C. Declaration of Independence
D. United States Constitution
E. Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union - E. Articles of Confederation and
Perpetual Union
✔✔Which part of the national government was formed under the Articles of
Confederation?
A. the power to regulate commerce between states
B. the power of the people to elect their representatives directly
C. an independent executive branch
D. special panels of judges to resolve disputes between states
E. a bicameral congress - D. special panels of judges to resolve disputes between
states
✔✔A faction is a group of _____________________ that seek to control government
power to __________________.
A. minority interests; protect themselves from everyone else
B. majority interests; promote the public good
C. minority interests; promote the public good
D. minority or majority interests; pursue their own interests
E. minority or majority interests; promote the public good - D. minority or majority
interests; pursue their own interests
✔✔The Federalists generally:
,A. supported making both national and state governments much stronger than they
were under the Articles of Confederation
B. supported increasing the authority of the national government
C. were suspicious of a strong national government
D. preferred a monarchy to a presidency
E. wanted to eliminate the national legislature - B. supported increasing the authority of
the national government
✔✔For James Madison, the problem associated with a tyranny of majority was that:
A. large factions might capture control of the government and ignore the rights of those
in the minority
B. large groups of voters might grab power by circumventing elections
C. the representative legislative branch would exercise too much power over the
presidency
D. regional majorities would become entrenched and prevent government from working
for the common good
E. the president would have too much power over the legislative agenda - A. large
factions might capture control of the government and ignore the rights of those in the
minority
✔✔The Anti-Federalists:
A. were afraid that a strong national government would infringe on personal liberty
B. argued against the ratification of the U.S. Constitution
C. wanted the locus of power to stay with the states
D. all of the above - D. all of the above
✔✔Despite significant agreement on the need for a _____________________ national
government at the Constitutional Convention, there was a serious division about
______________________.
A. weaker; how much stronger state governments should be
B. weaker; how much weaker the federal government should be
C. stronger; how much stronger the federal government should be
D. stronger; how much stronger the state governments should be
E. stronger; how much weaker state governments should be - C. stronger; how much
stronger the federal government should be
✔✔Which of the following was NOT a source of significant conflict at the Constitutional
Convention?
A. whether to throw out or amend the Declaration of Independence
B. how much power to give to the legislative branch
C. how to represent small and large states in the new government
, D. what to do about slavery
E. how much power to give to the executive branch - A. whether to throw out or amend
the Declaration of Independence
✔✔Which of the following powers is NOT exclusive to the legislative branch?
A. the ability to raise revenue
B. the ability to send troops into armed conflict
C. the ability to regulate interstate commerce
D. the ability to establish post offices
E. the ability to coin money - B. the ability to send troops into armed conflict
✔✔The three principles that make up the primary framework of the constitution are:
A. freedom, justice, and two-party system
B. representation, equality, and judicial review
C. direct democracy, liberty, and limited government
D. federalism, separation of powers, and individual rights - D. federalism, separation of
powers, and individual rights
✔✔Which of the following statements would fall under the principle of coercive
federalism?
A. the national government threatens state governments with military might
B. the national government uses mandates or regulations without giving states the
money to execute and enforce the mandates or regulations
C. the national government passes new constitutional amendments limiting state power
D. the national government threatens to tax residents at a higher rate in states unwilling
to cooperate with the goals and policies of the national government
E. the national government forces the states to change policies through an act of
congress - B. the national government uses mandates or regulations without giving
states the money to execute and enforce the mandates or regulations
✔✔A form of government that divides sovereign power across at least two political units
is called:
A. a separation of powers system
B. a confederal government
C. federalism
D. a unitary government
E. a constitutional democracy - C. federalism
✔✔One advantage of decentralized power in a federal system is that it:
A. provides the legislative branch with more power than the executive branch
B. is a natural check on the power of the federal government
