Question 1

A confederal system features strong states that can sometimes veto national government decisions.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

The Supreme Court's endorsement of laissez-faire capitalism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was significant because:

Accepted Answer

A)   it gave Congress added powers to regulate private affairs.
B)   it prevented Congress from regulating any economic activity that occurred within a state.
C)   it gave additional freedom to Congress to act under the commerce clause.
D)   it strengthened the full faith and credit clause of the Constitution.
E)   it signified the beginning of what became known as the "New Federalism Era."

Question 3

The Dred Scott case ruled that:

Accepted Answer

A)   the Missouri Compromise deprived slave owners of property without due process of law.
B)   previous Court rulings that relied on the principle of dual federalism were incorrect because this was not what the Founders envisioned when drafting the Constitution.
C)   federal law was supreme over state law.
D)   the Bill of Rights did not apply to the states.
E)   the Missouri Compromise was constitutional and had to be enforced.

Question 4

Following the Civil War, why were the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments added to the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)   to guarantee African Americans seats in Congress
B)   to move the nation toward a unitary government
C)   to ensure that the Union's views on states' rights were the law of the land
D)   to ensure that northern states would dominate the national government
E)   to protect northern industry and financial interests

Question 5

The ________ clause is vague but gives the national government a very broad grant of power to carry out its responsibilities.

Accepted Answer

A)   supremacy
B)   necessary and proper
C)   enumerated powers
D)   full faith and credit
E)   affirmation

Question 6

The commerce clause specifically gives:

Accepted Answer

A)   state governments the power to raise funds by taxing goods and services.
B)   state governments the power to regulate commerce.
C)   Congress the power to set interest rates.
D)   Congress the power to run the postal service.
E)   Congress the power to regulate economic exchange between the states.

Question 7

Because the Constitution only sets broad boundaries for state and federal powers, the ________ is very important in resolving disputes over powers in specific instances.

Accepted Answer

A)   Congress
B)   Tenth Amendment
C)   Supreme Court
D)   federal government
E)   president

Question 8

The 1965 Voting Rights Act, where the federal government sent marshals to the South to make sure African Americans were allowed to vote, is a good example of dual federalism.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 9

________ commerce refers to economic activity between states that ________ be regulated by the federal government.

Accepted Answer

A)   Intrastate; can
B)   Interstate; can
C)   Interstate; cannot
D)   Fiscal; cannot
E)   Coercive; can

Question 10

Unfunded mandates:

Accepted Answer

A)   are a nullification of state law.
B)   are an imposition of state priorities on the national government.
C)   are regulations that require state action but provide no money.
D)   devolve power from the federal government back to the states.
E)   were recently declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Question 11

Which political party prefers giving the states flexibility in spending federal money?

Accepted Answer

A)   Republican Party
B)   Democratic Party
C)   Both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party equally
D)   Neither the Republican Party nor the Democratic Party
E)   Whig Party

Question 12

Imagine a situation in which the national and state governments work closely together to solve a problem. They share resources and knowledge until the issue is resolved. This is most closely aligned with which type of federalism?

Accepted Answer

A)   dual
B)   competitive
C)   cooperative
D)   coercive
E)   fiscal C

Question 13

Which court case strengthened Congress by providing for a broad interpretation of the commerce clause?

Accepted Answer

A)   Gibbons v. Ogden
B)   Barron v. Baltimore
C)   Roe v. Wade
D)   Mayor of City of New York v. Miln
E)   Maryland v. United States

Question 14

The term "states' rights" refers to:

Accepted Answer

A)   the right of the states to determine their own laws without interference from the federal government.
B)   the right of any state to secede from the Union.
C)   the powers given to states by their constitutions.
D)   the right of any state to sue the federal government in court.
E)   the principle that state powers are superior to and have a higher priority than individual rights.

Question 15

According to the text, Americans are more likely to:

Accepted Answer

A)   trust their local and state governments over the federal government.
B)   trust the federal government over their local and state governments.
C)   fear executive power when a Republican is president.
D)   support expanded executive power when a Republican is president.
E)   expect the states to enact legislation supporting progressive causes.

Question 16

What are categorical grants and block grants? Why might a national political leader favor categorical grants? Why do other national political leaders see block grants as preferable to categorical grants? If you were a member of Congress, which approach would you advocate and why?

Accepted Answer

Answers will vary.

Question 17

Recent Supreme Court rulings concerning the Fourteenth Amendment have had the effect of:

Accepted Answer

A)   reducing the power of state governments.
B)   reducing the power of the federal government.
C)   increasing the power of both state and federal governments.
D)   strengthening Congress.
E)   strengthening the executive branch.

Question 18

The principal impact of McCulloch v. Maryland was:

Accepted Answer

A)   its decision to interpret the commerce clause broadly, thus giving the national government the ability to become involved in many more policy areas.
B)   its decision to let states interfere in the federal government's business by taxing it.
C)   its ruling that the national government's power to print money did not imply that it could open a bank for regulating the economy.
D)   its expansive interpretation of implied powers and the supremacy clause in favor of the national government.
E)   its decision to allow states to nullify federal laws that conflicted with their state constitutions.

Question 19

Why is Barron v. Baltimore important?

Accepted Answer

A)   It sided with the national government over state government, giving added power to the supremacy clause.
B)   It ruled that Congress did not have the authority to prohibit slavery in any state.
C)   It helped begin the "rights revolution."
D)   It helped establish dual federalism as a guiding judicial principle to settle questions concerning state and national power.
E)   The majority ruling stated that the Tenth Amendment "does not alter the distribution of power between the national and state governments."

Question 20

Which of the following statements would fall under the principle of coercive federalism?

Accepted Answer

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.

Exam 3: Federalism

A confederal system features strong states that can sometimes veto national government decisions.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Supreme Court's endorsement of laissez-faire capitalism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was significant because:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Dred Scott case ruled that:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Following the Civil War, why were the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments added to the Constitution?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The ________ clause is vague but gives the national government a very broad grant of power to carry out its responsibilities.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The commerce clause specifically gives:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Because the Constitution only sets broad boundaries for state and federal powers, the ________ is very important in resolving disputes over powers in specific instances.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The 1965 Voting Rights Act, where the federal government sent marshals to the South to make sure African Americans were allowed to vote, is a good example of dual federalism.

Correct AnswerverifiedFalse

________ commerce refers to economic activity between states that ________ be regulated by the federal government.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Unfunded mandates:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which political party prefers giving the states flexibility in spending federal money?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Imagine a situation in which the national and state governments work closely together to solve a problem. They share resources and knowledge until the issue is resolved. This is most closely aligned with which type of federalism?

Correct AnswerverifiedC

Which court case strengthened Congress by providing for a broad interpretation of the commerce clause?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The term "states' rights" refers to:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

According to the text, Americans are more likely to:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What are categorical grants and block grants? Why might a national political leader favor categorical grants? Why do other national political leaders see block grants as preferable to categorical grants? If you were a member of Congress, which approach would you advocate and why?

Correct AnswerverifiedAnswers will vary.

Recent Supreme Court rulings concerning the Fourteenth Amendment have had the effect of:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The principal impact of McCulloch v. Maryland was:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why is Barron v. Baltimore important?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements would fall under the principle of coercive federalism?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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False

commerce refers to economic activity between states that be regulated by the federal government.

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C

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Answers will vary.

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