American Government: Power Dynamics Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of constitutional provisions?

B (correct)

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of the Supremacy & Full Faith & Credit Clauses?

C (correct)

In essence, the Defense of Marriage Act has been ruled unconstitutional for what reason?

prevents the Supreme Court from ruling on disputes between states

it allows the state governments to disregard a potentially applicable constitutional requirement

It allows the national government to take authority over previously reserved powers (correct)

it grants implied powers to the national government that cannot be related to expressed powers

Which statement best describes Madison's understanding of “Federal” & “National” as he uses those terms in the excerpt?

in a NATIONAL system, the states solve problems by considering the impact on the country as a whole while as a FEDERAL system, each state can look to its own self interests Signup and view all the answers

According to Madison's definitions of NATIONAL & FEDERAL, which of the following would be a strictly FEDERAL act?

debate & vote in the Senate on policy Signup and view all the answers

Funds appropriated for specific purposes, such as school lunches or the building of highways or airports, which are sometimes allocated by formula and subject to detailed federal conditions are called

categorical-formula grants Signup and view all the answers

The constitutional provision requiring that state courts enforce civil judgments of the courts of other states and accept their public records as valid is found in the

full faith and credit clause Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following policies would the states most likely prefer according to the political cartoon?

Block grants Signup and view all the answers

As opposed to Exclusive powers, which are held only by the federal government, Concurrent powers have which of the following effects on the United States political system?

They make it possible for the states and the national government to simultaneously exercise influence in the same areas of public policy Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was an argument used by the Supreme Court in upholding federal statutes outlawing segregation in public accommodations?

Such segregation affected interstate commerce, and Congress therefore had the authority to outlaw it. Signup and view all the answers

An example of “cooperative” federalism would be

a public policy program jointly determined, administered, and funded by both the national government and a state government Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following constitutional principles best explains why there is variation among states on the use of capital punishment?

Federalism Signup and view all the answers

Dual federalism

views the Constitution as giving a limited list of powers—primarily foreign policy and national defense—to the national government, leaving the rest to sovereign states Signup and view all the answers

Federalism encourages experimentation because

if states adopt programs that fail, the negative effects are limited; if programs succeed, they can be adopted by other states and by the national government Signup and view all the answers

The right of a federal law or regulation to preclude enforcement of a conflicting state or local law or regulation is known as

national supremacy Signup and view all the answers

Broad grants to states for prescribed activities—welfare, child care, education, social services, preventive health care and health services—with only a few strings attached are called

block grants Signup and view all the answers

When it comes to federal grants, national Democrats have consistently favored

more detailed, federally supervised spending Signup and view all the answers

Federal grants serve four purposes, the most important for efficiency of government is

to attack national problems yet minimize the growth of federal agencies Signup and view all the answers

The term that refers to a type of federalism in which all levels of government are involved in a variety of issues and programs, rather than a type in which uniform divisions are found between levels of government, is called

Marble cake federalism Signup and view all the answers

When defining “Our Federalism,” conservative justices have tended to favor what kind of relationship between the states & national government?

limited national government favoring the broad reserved powers of states Signup and view all the answers

The Constitutional basis for the implied powers of Congress is

The Necessary and Proper clause Signup and view all the answers

The Constitutional provision that ensures that state courts enforce civil judgments of the courts of other states and accept their public records as valid is found in the

Full faith and credit clause Signup and view all the answers

Centrists (centralists) tend to favor

National action over action at the state or local levels Signup and view all the answers

General purposes of federal grants include all of the following except

To be able to control state and local political systems Signup and view all the answers

No Child Left Behind & the Americans with Disabilities Act are often argued examples of what government action?

unfunded mandates Signup and view all the answers

By using the phrase “creative federalism,” President Johnson is most likely referring to which of the following features of the American system?

The relationship between the federal and state governments evolves over time and is flexible enough to permit new forms of interaction Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following actions did President Johnson suggest he would take to address problems in public schools?

Calling on experts to advise the federal government in finding ways to improve public education Signup and view all the answers

A liberal (think Democrats) response to the “strained resources” of local government most likely would include

an increase in federal spending on public education and more programs aimed at helping lower-income communities Signup and view all the answers

In Heart of Atlanta Motel v United States (1964), how far did the Supreme Court extend the commerce power of Congress?

to include more aspects of interstate trade in the definition of commerce including actions of private businesses Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an accurate comparison between McCulloch v Maryland (1819) & U.S. v Lopez (1995)?

A Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Question 1

Enhance Federal Power: Necessary & Proper Clause, Commerce Clause, Supremacy Clause, Fifth Amendment
Enhance State Power: Fourteenth Amendment, Tenth Amendment, Seventeenth Amendment, Article V of the Constitution

Question 2

Supremacy Clause: Allows equal degrees of state and national authority on policy. Allows the Supreme Court to strike down state actions that conflict with national policies
Full Faith & Credit Clause: Maintains the relationship between state and national governments. Allows the Supreme Court to strike down state actions that other states do not agree with. Tips the balance of power in favor of the national government in cases of conflict with the states. Holds the states accountable to each other and creates a stronger bond throughout the nation.

Question 3

The Defense of Marriage Act was ruled unconstitutional because it granted implied powers to the national government that could not be related to expressed powers. This allowed state governments to disregard potentially applicable constitutional requirements.

Question 4

Madison's understanding of "Federal" and "National": In both a National and Federal system, states can work together to solve national issues with help from the federal government. In a National system, states solve problems by considering the impact on the country as a whole while in a Federal system, each state looks to its own self-interest.

Question 5

Strictly Federal Act: The amendment process for the Constitution, a decision in Congress regarding a military response to foreign aggression and debate and vote by the House of Representatives and Senate on policy.

Question 6

Funds Appropriated for Specific Purposes: Categorical-formula grants, revenue-sharing grants, block grants, and project grants.

Question 7

Constitutional Provision: Full faith and credit clause.

Question 8

(No direct answer provided -- question is incomplete.)

Question 9

Concurrent Powers: They make it possible for states and the national government to simultaneously exercise influence in the same areas of public policy. They foster cooperation between the states and the national government by requiring that the two levels of government work together. They reinforce the expansion of the power of the national government and the supremacy of the national law.

Question 10

The Supreme Court upheld federal statutes outlawing segregation in public accommodations arguing that such segregation affected interstate commerce and therefore, Congress had the authority to outlaw it. Also stating it violated the Tenth Amendment's reservation of power to states, and the First Amendment's protection of the right to free assembly.

Question 11

Cooperative Federalism Example: A public policy program jointly determined, administered, and funded by both the national government and a state government.

Question 12

Constitutional Principle: (No direct answer provided -- question is incomplete, Map is related to capital punishment in US states)

Question 13

Dual Federalism: Views the Constitution as giving a limited list of powers—primarily foreign policy and national defense—to the national government, leaving the rest to sovereign states.

Question 14

Federalism Encourages Experimentation: If states adopt programs that fail, the negative effects are limited; if programs succeed, they can be adopted by other states and the national government. Encourages experiments in public policy, providing a training ground for state/local politicians to gain experience before moving to the national level. When one political party loses control of the national government, they’re still likely to hold office in a number of states and can continue to challenge the party in power at the national level.

Question 15

Preemption: The right of a federal law or regulation to preclude enforcement of a conflicting state or local law or regulation.

Question 16

Broad Grants to States: Block grants

Question 17

Federal Grants and National Democrats: (No direct answer provided -- question is incomplete)

Question 18

Federal Grants Most Important Purpose: To establish minimum national standards for such things as highways and clean air.

Question 19

(No direct question provided -- question is incomplete)

Question 20

Conservative Justices View of Federalism: Limited national government favoring the broad reserved powers of states.

Question 21

Constitutional Basis for Implied Powers: The Necessary and Proper clause

Question 22

Constitutional Provision: Full faith and credit clause.

Question 23

Centrists (Centralists) Tendency: Cooperation between all levels of government

Question 24

General Purposes of Federal Grants (Except): To be able to control state and local political systems.

Question 25

Government Action: Unfunded mandates

Question 26

(No direct question provided -- question is incomplete)

Question 27

(No direct question provided -- question is incomplete)

Question 28

(No direct question provided -- question is incomplete)

Question 29

Liberal Response to Strained Resources: An increase in federal spending on public education and more programs aimed at helping lower-income communities.

Question 30

Comparison between McCulloch v. Maryland & U.S. v. Lopez: The Court upheld federal law based on the use of the Elastic Clause. The Court struck down federal laws based on a view of the Elastic Clause.

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Description

Test your understanding of the balance of power between federal and state authorities in the United States. This quiz covers key clauses of the Constitution, including the Necessary & Proper Clause and the Supremacy Clause, as well as significant amendments. Explore how these elements shape the relationship between national and state governments.