POLS 1101 AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS | STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
how does the preamble to the constitution begin? - ANS ✔✔We the people
what was the most common initial reason for settlement in North America by the first colonists? - ANS
✔✔commerce
indirect democracy uses which of the following? - ANS ✔✔representation
what are republics? - ANS ✔✔representative democracies
which function of government stated in the preamble is consistent with the notion of having
government-provided police protection? - ANS ✔✔ensuring domestic tranquility
which of the following is the doctrine that society should be governed by certain ethical principles that
are part of nature and can be understood by reason? - ANS ✔✔natural law
The Framers agreed that the new nation had to be founded on notions of which of the following? - ANS
✔✔religious freedom
at the constitutional convention, the delegates agreed that slaves would be counted as _____ of a
person for determining population for representation in the HoR. - ANS ✔✔3/5
What is an economic theory designed to increase a nation's wealth through the development of
commercial industry and a favorable balance of trade? - ANS ✔✔mercantilism
In what year was the Declaration of Independence signed? - ANS ✔✔1776
how many constitutions has the United States had in its history? - ANS ✔✔2
the u.s. constitution was adopted in response to the weakness of which document? - ANS ✔✔the
articles of confederation
The colonists rebelled against the imposition by the British government of which of the following? - ANS
✔✔taxes
Which clause provides that the Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land? - ANS ✔✔supremacy
which of the following people generally favored a stronger national government and supported the
proposed u.s. constitution? - ANS ✔✔federalists
how many amendments comprise the bill of rights? - ANS ✔✔ten
In what year was the U.S. Constitution ratified? - ANS ✔✔1788
, article 1, section 8 of the constitution contains what powers? - ANS ✔✔congress's enumerated
what was a protest by Massachusetts farmers to stop foreclosures by state courts? - ANS ✔✔shays's
rebellion
under the constitution, the president is elected by which of the following? - ANS ✔✔electoral college
what is the principle that each branch of the federal government has some ability to oversee and
influence actions by other branches of government? - ANS ✔✔checks and balances
in what kind of system do local and regional governments derive authority from the national
government? - ANS ✔✔unitary
the United States was the _____ nation to adopt a federal system of government. - ANS ✔✔first
Article VI of the U.S. Constitution establishes that federal law is __________ in conflicts between federal
and state law. - ANS ✔✔supreme
the _____ amendment says that those powers not given to the federal government and not prohibited
to the states by the constitution are reserved for the states and the people. - ANS ✔✔tenth
what powers are shared by the federal and state governments? - ANS ✔✔concurrent
Which clause in the Constitution ensures that judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be
binding and enforceable in another? - ANS ✔✔full faith and credit
what was the first major Supreme Court decision to define the relationship between the federal and
state governments? - ANS ✔✔mcculloch v Maryland
in gibbons v ogden, the Supreme Court... - ANS ✔✔broadly interpreted the national government's
power to regulate interstate commerce
Which clause prevents the national government from sanctioning an official religion? - ANS
✔✔establishment
Which rule bars the use of illegally seized evidence at trial? - ANS ✔✔exclusionary
Which U.S. Supreme Court case found that a woman's right to have an abortion is protected by the
implied constitutional right to privacy? - ANS ✔✔roe v wade
A defamatory, false written statement is __________; the same statement spoken aloud is __________. -
ANS ✔✔libel; slander
which amendment protects the right to bear arms? - ANS ✔✔second
the fourth amendment of the constitution protects against unreasonable... - ANS ✔✔searches
AND ANSWERS | STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
how does the preamble to the constitution begin? - ANS ✔✔We the people
what was the most common initial reason for settlement in North America by the first colonists? - ANS
✔✔commerce
indirect democracy uses which of the following? - ANS ✔✔representation
what are republics? - ANS ✔✔representative democracies
which function of government stated in the preamble is consistent with the notion of having
government-provided police protection? - ANS ✔✔ensuring domestic tranquility
which of the following is the doctrine that society should be governed by certain ethical principles that
are part of nature and can be understood by reason? - ANS ✔✔natural law
The Framers agreed that the new nation had to be founded on notions of which of the following? - ANS
✔✔religious freedom
at the constitutional convention, the delegates agreed that slaves would be counted as _____ of a
person for determining population for representation in the HoR. - ANS ✔✔3/5
What is an economic theory designed to increase a nation's wealth through the development of
commercial industry and a favorable balance of trade? - ANS ✔✔mercantilism
In what year was the Declaration of Independence signed? - ANS ✔✔1776
how many constitutions has the United States had in its history? - ANS ✔✔2
the u.s. constitution was adopted in response to the weakness of which document? - ANS ✔✔the
articles of confederation
The colonists rebelled against the imposition by the British government of which of the following? - ANS
✔✔taxes
Which clause provides that the Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land? - ANS ✔✔supremacy
which of the following people generally favored a stronger national government and supported the
proposed u.s. constitution? - ANS ✔✔federalists
how many amendments comprise the bill of rights? - ANS ✔✔ten
In what year was the U.S. Constitution ratified? - ANS ✔✔1788
, article 1, section 8 of the constitution contains what powers? - ANS ✔✔congress's enumerated
what was a protest by Massachusetts farmers to stop foreclosures by state courts? - ANS ✔✔shays's
rebellion
under the constitution, the president is elected by which of the following? - ANS ✔✔electoral college
what is the principle that each branch of the federal government has some ability to oversee and
influence actions by other branches of government? - ANS ✔✔checks and balances
in what kind of system do local and regional governments derive authority from the national
government? - ANS ✔✔unitary
the United States was the _____ nation to adopt a federal system of government. - ANS ✔✔first
Article VI of the U.S. Constitution establishes that federal law is __________ in conflicts between federal
and state law. - ANS ✔✔supreme
the _____ amendment says that those powers not given to the federal government and not prohibited
to the states by the constitution are reserved for the states and the people. - ANS ✔✔tenth
what powers are shared by the federal and state governments? - ANS ✔✔concurrent
Which clause in the Constitution ensures that judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be
binding and enforceable in another? - ANS ✔✔full faith and credit
what was the first major Supreme Court decision to define the relationship between the federal and
state governments? - ANS ✔✔mcculloch v Maryland
in gibbons v ogden, the Supreme Court... - ANS ✔✔broadly interpreted the national government's
power to regulate interstate commerce
Which clause prevents the national government from sanctioning an official religion? - ANS
✔✔establishment
Which rule bars the use of illegally seized evidence at trial? - ANS ✔✔exclusionary
Which U.S. Supreme Court case found that a woman's right to have an abortion is protected by the
implied constitutional right to privacy? - ANS ✔✔roe v wade
A defamatory, false written statement is __________; the same statement spoken aloud is __________. -
ANS ✔✔libel; slander
which amendment protects the right to bear arms? - ANS ✔✔second
the fourth amendment of the constitution protects against unreasonable... - ANS ✔✔searches
