Constitutional Law
Exam Bank
Course Introduction
Constitutional Law is an in-depth analysis of the principles, structures, and functions of constitutions, with a primary focus on the United States Constitution. This course examines the framework and distribution of government powers, the roles of federal and state governments, the system of checks and balances, and the protection of individual rights. Students will explore landmark Supreme Court decisions and engage with contemporary constitutional issues, developing an understanding of how constitutional doctrines and interpretations shape both law and society. The course further emphasizes the evolution of constitutional law through judicial review and the impact of constitutional change over time.
Recommended Textbook
The Challenge of Democracy American Government in Global Politics 13th Edition by Kenneth Janda
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
18 Chapters
1303 Verified Questions
1303 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/1043 Page 2
Chapter 1: Freedom, Order, or Equality
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
75 Verified Questions
75 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20663
Sample Questions
Q1) An underlying assumption of the text is that perfect freedom and order can never be achieved because
A)no government structure is perfectly designed.
B)some political officials will always be corrupt or incompetent.
C)these two values are inherently in conflict and cannot be provided simultaneously.
D)these terms refer essentially to the same thing.
E)upper-class citizens do not want parity with lower-class citizens.
Answer: C
Q2) The national government under the U.S.Constitution
A)does not need to trace its actions to a constitutionally delegated power.
B)has fewer delegated powers than the state governments.
C)can only pass laws affecting states, not individual citizens of the states.
D)lacks a general police power.
E)can regulate individuals in the name of equality, but not order.
Answer: D
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
3
Chapter 2: Majoritarian or Pluralist Democracy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20664
Sample Questions
Q1) A referendum is best described as a(n)
A)statement of legislative goals.
B)do-over of a previous election.
C)ballot without true competition for offices.
D)election on a policy issue.
E)decision that resolves a legal issue.
Answer: D
Q2) The procedural view of democracy is most concerned with
A)the level of popular participation in decision making.
B)the equality of government decisions.
C)minority protections.
D)the impact of government decisions.
E)how government decisions are made.
Answer: E
Q3) Identify three of the four principles of procedural democracy and discuss the difficulties with their implementation.
Answer: Answers will vary.
Q4) Identify and discuss some of the problems with participatory democracy,and ways to respond to those problems.
Answer: Answers will vary.
Page 4
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 3: The Constitution
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20665
Sample Questions
Q1) An estimated _________ American colonists remained loyal to the British Crown.
A)one-half of
B)one in three
C)one in five
D)one in ten
E)one in twenty
Answer: C
Q2) Which of the following is not one of the political principles relied on by the founders?
A)Federalism
B)Checks and balances
C)One person, one vote
D)Republicanism
E)Separation of powers
Answer: C
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 5
Chapter 4: Federalism
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
72 Verified Questions
72 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20666
Sample Questions
Q1) Discuss three Supreme Court decisions that reflect the Court's changing conception of the limits of federal power.
Q2) In recent years,the Supreme Court has denied states the power to execute individuals who are A)mentally disabled.
B)poor and uneducated.
C)from broken homes.
D)seventeen years old.
E)mentally disabled and/or seventeen years old.
Q3) Real ID,a federally mandated program that imposes security standards for states to issue driver's licenses,is an example of A)redistricting.
B)a block grant. C)preemption.
D)a restraint.
E)an unfunded mandate.
Q4) Explain what preemption means,and identify recent trends in its use and the issues that have been addressed.
Q5) Compare the attitudes of conservatives and liberals to states' rights.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 6
Chapter 5: Public Opinion and Political Socialization
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
71 Verified Questions
71 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20667
Sample Questions
Q1) When elementary schools introduce students to authority figures outside the family,like the teacher,they prepare students for the value of _________; when they stress norms of democratic decision making and respecting the opinions of others,they teach _________.
A)order; freedom
B)order; equality
C)freedom; order
D)equality; order
E)equality; freedom
Q2) A libertarian is most likely to exhibit the characteristics of
A)low education and high income.
B)low education and low income.
C)low income and high education.
D)high income and high education.
E)moderate education and moderate income.
Q3) How is education related to attitudes toward social order and economic freedom?
Q4) How are race and ethnicity related to political beliefs and opinion?
Q5) Explain what skewed,bimodal,and normal distributions are.
Q6) How is geographic region related to Americans' political beliefs?
Q7) How is gender related to political beliefs and opinion?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 7
Chapter 6: The Media
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
73 Verified Questions
73 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20668
Sample Questions
Q1) The amount of information online is so vast that most people rely on _________ to help them determine which news is real and important.
A)Google
B)guidance from the government
C)the mainstream media
D)prominent political commentators
E)the "blog index"
Q2) The reasonable access rule required
A)broadcasters to make facilities available to all responsible parties in a community wishing to express conflicting views on issues.
B)the press to refrain from publishing strategic information during wartime.
C)broadcast stations to provide fair coverage of all views on public issues.
D)broadcast stations to provide free air time to all candidates running for public office.
E)all Internet service providers to use similar equipment.
Q3) How are political blogs influencing news reporting and politics?
Q4) Explain what is meant by the media playing the role of gatekeeper.
Q5) Explain the consequences of the large degree of private ownership of media that exists in the United States.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 8
Chapter 7: Participation and Voting
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
73 Verified Questions
73 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20669
Sample Questions
Q1) The effect of the Twenty-sixth Amendment,which enfranchised eighteen-to-twenty-year-olds,was to
A)boost voter turnout in the United States above that of most other democratic nations.
B)reduce the national voter turnout rate.
C)increase the national voter turnout rate.
D)decrease the percentage of the population that distrusts the American political system.
E)counter the increasing social mobility of this group.
Q2) Psychological explanations of turnout suggest that voting will rise if
A)more Americans believe that government is responsive.
B)party identification increases among the electorate.
C)educational levels rise.
D)a major war begins.
E)satisfaction with government policies declines.
Q3) What do we know about trends in voter turnout and other forms of political participation from 1952 to 2012?
Q4) Summarize the expansion of voting rights by describing federal government actions that granted the franchise to those who had been denied suffrage.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 9
Chapter 8: Political Parties
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
71 Verified Questions
71 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20670
Sample Questions
Q1) All of the following were considered part of the "Roosevelt coalition" except A)middle-class liberals.
B)new European ethnic voters.
C)Catholics.
D)Jews.
E)African Americans.
Q2) The __________ party is probably the oldest political party in existence.
A)Republican
B)British Conservative
C)United Russia
D)British Whig
E)Democratic
Q3) Voters favor one-party control of the presidency and the congress when A)there is general agreement on national priorities between the parties.
B)it is wartime.
C)their party is in control.
D)unemployment is low.
E)it is not an election year.
Q4) Describe the ideological differences between the Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton and the Democratic Republicans led by Thomas Jefferson.
Page 10
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 9: Nominations, Elections, and Campaigns
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
71 Verified Questions
71 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20671
Sample Questions
Q1) The number of electoral votes needed to win the presidency
A)is 135.
B)is 270.
C)is 535.
D)varies based on whether it is an even- or odd-numbered year.
E)goes up every election.
Q2) Since 1952,Democrats have generally been a majority of the electorate,but Republicans have won more presidential elections,because according to the text,_____________.
A)polls estimating the Democrat voter population are faulty
B)Republican party identification has changed over the years
C)Democrats are more likely to "defect" on the basis of candidates' attributes and the issues
D)Democrats have failed to field candidates in some elections
E)voters are disenchanted with the Democrats' perennial fundraising advantage over Republicans
Q3) Discuss the importance of Iowa and New Hampshire to the presidential nominating process.
Q4) Describe the three basic campaign strategies,and generalize about when each would be appropriate.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 11
Chapter 10: Interest Groups
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
71 Verified Questions
71 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20672
Sample Questions
Q1) The money from PAC donations comes disproportionately from
A)religious or ethnic organizations.
B)public interest and consumer groups.
C)labor unions.
D)business and professional interests.
E)foreign countries.
Q2) When the air you breathe is made cleaner as a result of lobbying done by an interest group to which you do not belong,you are an example of
A)a program monitor.
B)an interest group entrepreneur.
C)the PAC problem.
D)a freeloader.
E)a free rider.
Q3) Identify five ways that interest groups benefit our political system.
Q4) The lobbyist's primary job involves
A)passing information on to their employers and to policymakers.
B)assisting campaigns.
C)trading on favors.
D)mobilizing campaign contributors.
E)exchanging goods for services.
Page 12
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 11: Congress
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
71 Verified Questions
71 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20673
Sample Questions
Q1) The minority counterpart to a committee chairperson is called a
A)ranking majority member.
B)vice chairperson.
C)minority whip.
D)ranking minority member.
E)ranking assistant chair.
Q2) A congressional representative is following the trustee philosophy when he or she
A)takes instructions from party leaders on how to vote.
B)votes in accordance with the perceived wishes of the citizens back home.
C)votes according to his or her conscience, even if doing so means going against the wishes of the majority back home.
D)consults the president before an important vote.
E)polls members of the district prior to a vote.
Q3) The rules that govern floor debate in the House of Representatives
A)must be agreed upon by all members.
B)are a tool the majority party uses to help it control the legislative process.
C)are neutral and assure a fair hearing for all sides.
D)encourage the development of partisan hostilities.
E)often result in deadlocked legislation that the leadership must negotiate.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 13
Chapter 12: The Presidency
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
71 Verified Questions
71 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20674
Sample Questions
Q1) From the end of World War II until the late 1980s,the primary item on the foreign policy agenda of American presidents was
A)the Arab-Israeli and the broader Middle East conflict.
B)containment of communism.
C)Islamist extremism.
D)cooperating with European powers to halt the spread of far right-wing hate groups.
E)working toward trade arrangements with "the East."
Q2) Typically,when Congress believes the executive branch has accumulated too much power,their response is to
A)enact legislation to reassert congressional authority.
B)impeach the president.
C)file a lawsuit.
D)request that the Supreme Court take action to declare the president's actions unconstitutional.
E)mount a campaign to have the president recalled by citizens.
Q3) Describe the Cuban missile crisis of 1962,and why this is a good example of a president exercising sound judgment and remaining cool when faced with difficult choices.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 14
Chapter 13: The Bureaucracy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20675
Sample Questions
Q1) New cabinet departments or agencies can be created
A)by executive order of the president.
B)by a regulation from a preexisting cabinet department.
C)by congressional law.
D)by executive order of the president and by congressional law.
E)by executive order of the president and by a regulation from a preexisting cabinet department.
Q2) According to the text,a primary reason for low morale among federal employees is A)realization of the needless nature of most of the work they do.
B)budget cuts resulting in staff reductions with no corresponding work output expectations.
C)disagreement with the fundamental philosophy of the presidential administration.
D)inability to challenge poor decisions frequently made by federal agency supervisors and managers.
E)inadequate screening of newly hired employees.
Q3) Explain why attitudes changed in the twentieth century concerning government intervention in the economy,resulting in the growth of government bureaucracy.
Q4) Describe what the Pendleton Act (1883)was,and how it helped reduce patronage.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 15
Chapter 14: The Courts
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
71 Verified Questions
71 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20676
Sample Questions
Q1) About how many requests for review does the U.S.Supreme Court receive each year?
A)1,500
B)9,000
C)4,000
D)400
E)12,500
Q2) The __________ represents the federal government before the Supreme Court.
A)attorney general
B)solicitor general
C)secretary of justice
D)chief justice
E)assistant chief litigator
Q3) Discuss judicial activism and judicial restraint,and explain what role political ideology plays,if any,in whether an opinion is considered to be representative of either.
Q4) Explain the relationship between public opinion and Supreme Court decisions.
Q5) Discuss what factors tend to make an oral argument before the Supreme Court more successful.
Q6) Explain the difference between a civil and a criminal case.
Q7) Summarize the Supreme Court's ruling in the case Marbury v.Madison.
Page 16
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 15: Order and Civil Liberties
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20677
Sample Questions
Q1) The Supreme Court case Lawrence and Garner v.Texas overturned the previous decision of
A)Roe v. Wade.
B)Griswold v. Connecticut.
C)Mapp v. Ohio.
D)Bowers v. Hardwick.
E)Palko v. Connecticut.
Q2) In Mapp v.Ohio,a case that involved the conviction of a woman for possession of obscene material found during an illegal search for a fugitive,the Supreme Court
A)ruled that illegally obtained evidence could be used in state courts but not in federal courts.
B)refused to incorporate the illegal search and seizure protection under the Fourteenth Amendment.
C)ruled that state police were not bound by due process guarantees.
D)extended the federal exclusionary rule to state courts.
E)threw out the conviction.
Q3) Summarize the difference between civil liberties and civil rights.
Q4) Explain how the Supreme Court interpreted the Ninth Amendment to decide the Griswold v.Connecticut case.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 17
Chapter 16: Equality and Civil Rights
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
71 Verified Questions
71 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20678
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following provisions of the strict 2010 Arizona immigration law was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2012?
A)Increased local enforcement of federal immigration law.
B)Requiring police to determine a person's immigration status if reasonable suspicion exists that the person is in the country illegally.
C)Making it illegal to shelter, hire, or transport illegal aliens in Arizona.
D)Criminalizing being an alien in Arizona without legal documents.
E)All of these choices are true.
Q2) What was the constitutional dispute the Supreme Court was asked to consider concerning the Virginia Military Institute (VMI)in the 1990s,and what ultimate decision did the Court reach?
Q3) The U.S.Supreme Court in 2003 considered policies _________ in Michigan that were based on racial preference.
A)at a law school and undergraduate school
B)at a medical school
C)of a professional football team
D)at a private high school
E)in hiring by the state legislature
Q4) What were the major provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 18
Chapter 17: Economic Policy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
72 Verified Questions
72 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20679
Sample Questions
Q1) The simultaneous occurrence of slow growth,unemployment,and inflation is referred to as ____________.
A)depression
B)stagflation
C)recession
D)authorization
E)monetarism
Q2) Non-entitlement spending that is authorized by annual appropriations is referred to as _____________ spending.
A)Congressional
B)optional
C)mandatory
D)committee
E)discretionary
Q3) Explain the basic premises of supply-side economics.
Q4) Describe the process through which the U.S.budget is developed and passed.
Q5) Describe President George W.Bush's election tax pledges,and what happened to budget deficits during Bush's presidency.
Q6) What are the three ways the Fed controls the money supply?
Page 19
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 18: Policymaking and Domestic Policy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/20680
Sample Questions
Q1) Discuss recent efforts in Congress and by the president to deal with the issue of illegal immigration.
Q2) Concerning the controversy over illegal immigration,several states are requiring employers to check their workers' residency status using a federal program known as A)the Arizona Model.
B)the Commerce Model.
C)E-Verify.
D)the Real ID Model.
E)None of these choices is true.
Q3) American unemployment reached _____ percent by 1933,in the depths of the Great Depression.
A)5
B)10
C)25
D)50
E)65
Q4) What is the difference between mean-tested and non-means-tested programs? Provide examples of each,and explain how allocation of non-means-tested benefits has been criticized.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 20