Review Multiple Choice Quiz

1) (1 pts)

The Clean Air Act requires states to meet specific air quality standards but does not provide federal funding to cover the costs of implementation. This is an example of:

A. An Implied Power B. A Categorical Grant C. A Block Grant D. An Unfunded Mandate

2) (1 pts)

When the federal government provides a state with a 'Block Grant' for 'Community Development,' the state government generally has:

A. No obligation to follow any federal regulations related to the grant. B. Very little discretion in how to spend the funds. C. Significant flexibility to allocate the funds within that broad policy area. D. A requirement to match the federal funds with state tax revenue.

3) (1 pts)

Which of the following constitutional principles most directly addresses the tension between the national government’s authority and the states' reserved powers under the Tenth Amendment?

A. Popular Sovereignty B. Federalism C. Separation of Powers D. The Social Contract

4) (1 pts)

Which of the following was a primary weakness of the Articles of Confederation that the Great (Connecticut) Compromise helped resolve during the Constitutional Convention?

A. The federal government’s inability to negotiate treaties with foreign nations. B. Disagreements between large and small states over legislative representation. C. The inability of the central government to maintain a standing army. D. The lack of a clear process for adding new states to the union.

5) (1 pts)

Which provision in the U.S. Constitution most directly reflects the Enlightenment ideal of a Social Contract?

A. The Electoral College system for selecting the President. B. The 3/5 Compromise regarding legislative representation. C. The Supremacy Clause in Article VI. D. The 'Consent of the Governed' as expressed through the preamble’s 'We the People.'

6) (1 pts)

The Supreme Court's ruling in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) solidified the federal government's authority by establishing that Congress has:

A. Implied powers under the 'Necessary and Proper' Clause. B. Inherent powers to regulate state taxes. C. Reserved powers to charter a national bank. D. Expressed powers to override state judicial decisions.

7) (1 pts)

The President’s power to negotiate treaties is an example of an Expressed Power, but the power to recognize a new foreign government is often considered an:

A. Implied Power B. Enumerated Power C. Inherent Power D. Reserved Power

8) (1 pts)

Anti-Federalists writing in Brutus No. 1 expressed greatest concern that which of the following would lead to the destruction of state sovereignty?

A. The system of Checks and Balances B. The lack of a term limit for the President C. The Bill of Rights D. The 'Necessary and Proper' Clause and the Supremacy Clause

9) (1 pts)

A group of citizens in a small town organizes a series of town hall meetings to vote directly on a new environmental regulation. This scenario best illustrates which model of democracy?

A. Republicanism B. Elite Democracy C. Pluralist Democracy D. Participatory Democracy

10) (1 pts)

In Federalist No. 10, James Madison argues that the 'mischiefs of faction' are best controlled by:

A. Enhancing the inherent powers of the executive branch to maintain order. B. A small republic where the interests of the people are easily understood. C. A large republic where a variety of interests makes it difficult for a single majority to dominate. D. A direct democracy where every citizen has an equal vote.