Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 5
100
What was the central finding of Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)?
Every person is allowed a lawyer. If they cannot afford one, the state will provide one at no cost.
100
What is the process of cloture?
The process by which 60 Senators in the Senate vote to cut shot debate or filibuster.
100
What court case (including the year) established the doctrine of "separate but equal"?
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
100
What is a "lame duck" in politics?
An officeholder in the last year of their term who has been voted out or is leaving office.
100
What Constitutional amendment granted women the right to vote?
19th amendment (1920)
200
Identify the author of Federalist #51 and explain the main argument.
Written by James Madison, discusses importance of checks and balances and the separation of powers in the constitution
200
What precedent did the case of Marbury v. Madison establish?
The principle of judicial review.
200
Recite the full Miranda rights and explain the court case that led to these rights.
“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?”
The Fifth Amendment requires that law enforcement officials advise suspects of their right to remain silent and to obtain an attorney during interrogations while in police custody.
200
Name three different types of polling strategies used to measure public opinion.
Benchmark, tracking, entrance, focus group, mass survey.
200
Describe two programs that are categorized as "mandatory spending" in the budget every year.
Social Security – a program that began in 1935 that taxed individuals to provide funds that were used to support the poor, elderly, and unemployed.
Medicare – an insurance program begun under LBJ in 1964 that paid for the medical expenses of senior citizens.
300
Identify two weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and explain how the Constitution fixed those problems.
Weaknesses
Congress could not tax, it relied on contributions from states
Congress couldn’t regulate interstate trade
No chief executive to enforce the law
No national judiciary to handle state fights
Each state was given only one vote
Constitution
National government had power to tax directly
Interstate Commerce Clause gives Congress interstate regulatory power
Article II creates president who enforces the law
Article III creates Supreme Court
Bicameral legislature represents states both by population, and equality
300
What in the Constitution allows Congress to have power over things such as regulating commerce, collecting taxes, or coining money?
Enumerated powers clause.
300
Explain the dangers of "horserace journalism."
Journalists cover elections like a horserace, focusing almost exclusively on the candidate who is doing well at that particular moment and not on the substantive issues.
300
Name two powers of the President in foreign affairs.
appoint ambassadors
make treaties (to be confirmed by senate)
Commander and Chief of the Armed Forces: Send troops anywhere in the world if Congress authorizes it or during national emergency (War Powers Act)
300
Describe the essential differences between Keynesian economic theory and Reganomics.
Keynesianism – Belief that government must manage the economy by spending more money during recessions and cutting spending when there is inflation
Reaganomics – Reagan’s economic policies that combined monetarism, supply-side economics, and lower spending (except on the military) to stimulate the economy
400
Explain the main differences between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan and identify which plan was more represented in the final Constitution.
The most significant difference between the two plans was that the Virginia Plan called for two legislative houses, with the number of representatives per state based on population, while the New Jersey Plan advocated for a single legislative body with an equal number of representatives per state.
Virginia plan was more represented.
400
Explain the process of gerrymandering and identify two court cases in which the Supreme Court addressed gerrymandering.
Gerrymandering – The practice of redistricting in order to benefit a specific party by drawing districts based on the demo of their residents (Baker v. Carr and Shaw v. Reno were court cases in which the supreme court ruled that gerrymandering was unconstitutional)
400
Identify four Constitutional amendments that have altered who can vote in America.
Elimination of race requirement (15th amendment)
Direct election of senators (17th amendment)
Women allowed to vote (19th amendment)
Elimination of laws that discriminated against blacks from various civil rights acts like the voting rights act (grandfather clause, literacy tests, white primaries)
Allowing DC residents to vote (23rd amendment)
Elimination of poll tax (24th amendment)
Lowering voting age to 18 (26th amendment)
400
Name two informal powers of the President.
Executive orders – orders written by president or agency that have the weight of law. There are several ways to undo executive orders: president can rescind it, next president can rescind it, the supreme court can rule it unconstitutional
Executive privilege – right of president to keep certain documents private if pertaining to national security (in USA vs. Nixon the supreme court ruled that executive privilege is NOT unlimited)
Agenda Setting – president sets out the legislation he wants passed (he uses his bully pulpit)
Impoundment – ability to refuse to spend money appropriated by congress (this was ruled unconstitutional)
400
Draw the Iron Triangle with each corner of the triangle correctly labeled.
500
List all 15 foundational Supreme Court cases.
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Schenck v. the United States (1919)
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
Baker v. Carr (1962)
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)
New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)
Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Shaw v. Reno (1993)
United States v. Lopez (1995)
McDonald v. Chicago (2010)
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
500
Define a referendum, initiative and recall in elections.
Referendum – people vote on whether or not to accept a law passed by state legislature, or a proposed amendment to the state constitution
Initiative – people vote on laws and constitutional amendments within state
(direct democracy)
Recall – voters remove elected officials
500
In the age of Citizens United v. US (2010) in which most "dark money" is subject to very few restrictions, explain three proposed ideas for campaign finance reform that would likely not be struck down by the court.
Proposed Campaign Financing Reforms
Public Financing
Limit expenditures
Free TV ads
Shorten Campaign Season
500
By which date must the President submit an annual budget proposal to Congress?
The first Monday after January 3rd.
500
Explain the central argument of a Federalist paper that was NOT 10, 51, 70, OR 78.
Answers will vary.