Question 1

Why did local governments become administratively important in the early years of the Republic?

Accepted Answer

A)  They became important because the Constitution instructed them to implement all federal laws. 
B)  They became important because the Constitution instructed them to implement all state laws. 
C)  They became important because states lacked the administrative capability to implement laws and relied, therefore, on local governments. 
D)  They became important because Congress passed many laws that emphasized the role of local government in implementing federal laws. 
E)  They became important because the Supreme Court ruled that only local governments had the authority to implement laws under the Constitution. 
A)  They became important because the Constitution instructed them to implement all federal laws. 
B)  They became important because the Constitution instructed them to implement all state laws. 
C)  They became important because states lacked the administrative capability to implement laws and relied, therefore, on local governments. 
D)  They became important because Congress passed many laws that emphasized the role of local government in implementing federal laws. 
E)  They became important because the Supreme Court ruled that only local governments had the authority to implement laws under the Constitution. C

Question 2

When both state and national governments possess a certain level of authority, it is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  implied power. 
B)  reserved power. 
C)  expressed power. 
D)  concurrent power. 
E)  police power. 
A)  implied power. 
B)  reserved power. 
C)  expressed power. 
D)  concurrent power. 
E)  police power. D

Question 3

The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution addresses

Accepted Answer

A)  civil rights. 
B)  reserved powers. 
C)  implied powers. 
D)  concurrent powers. 
E)  home rule. 
A)  civil rights. 
B)  reserved powers. 
C)  implied powers. 
D)  concurrent powers. 
E)  home rule. B

Question 4

The Antifederalists feared an overly strong central government under the new Constitution.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Economic policies that attempt to benefit the poor by taxing and spending are referred to as

Accepted Answer

A)  redistributive programs. 
B)  unfunded mandates. 
C)  general revenue sharing. 
D)  categorical grants. 
E)  formula grants. 
A)  redistributive programs. 
B)  unfunded mandates. 
C)  general revenue sharing. 
D)  categorical grants. 
E)  formula grants.

Question 6

What is the purpose of the Tenth Amendment?

Accepted Answer

A)  to offer each state constitution the same level of protection provided by the federal constitution 
B)  to limit the powers of the central government by establishing reserved powers for states and individuals 
C)  to grant citizens of each state access to the federal court system 
D)  to protect freedom of speech 
E)  to establish the electoral college 
A)  to offer each state constitution the same level of protection provided by the federal constitution 
B)  to limit the powers of the central government by establishing reserved powers for states and individuals 
C)  to grant citizens of each state access to the federal court system 
D)  to protect freedom of speech 
E)  to establish the electoral college

Question 7

Which level of government writes the majority of criminal laws?

Accepted Answer

A)  the national government 
B)  the state governments 
C)  the local governments 
D)  the special districts 
E)  the county boards of supervisors 
A)  the national government 
B)  the state governments 
C)  the local governments 
D)  the special districts 
E)  the county boards of supervisors

Question 8

Chart the changes in federalism throughout American history. What was dual federalism? How was governmental power distributed under this system? How did the Great Depression lead to the decline in dual federalism?

Accepted Answer

Federalism in the United States has unde

Question 9

Why do many political scientists and economists believe that states and localities should not be in charge of redistributive programs?

Accepted Answer

A)  States and local governments have to compete with each other and do not have, therefore, an incentive to spend their money on the needy people in their area. 
B)  Elected officials at the state and local level are typically less generous and more discriminatory than elected officials at the national level. 
C)  State and local governments are wasteful and are too often plagued by corruption and bribery. 
D)  The Constitution clearly states that redistributive programs should be handled by the national government rather than by state and local governments. 
E)  State and local governments have fewer powers under the Constitution to impose taxes and spend money than the federal government. 
A)  States and local governments have to compete with each other and do not have, therefore, an incentive to spend their money on the needy people in their area. 
B)  Elected officials at the state and local level are typically less generous and more discriminatory than elected officials at the national level. 
C)  State and local governments are wasteful and are too often plagued by corruption and bribery. 
D)  The Constitution clearly states that redistributive programs should be handled by the national government rather than by state and local governments. 
E)  State and local governments have fewer powers under the Constitution to impose taxes and spend money than the federal government.

Question 10

Which of the following statements best describes the discussion of local government found in the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)  Local government has no status in the Constitution. 
B)  Local governments are constitutionally required to turn over all of the local taxes collected from residents to state governments. 
C)  Local governments are given the authority to ignore federal laws that their citizens do not agree with. 
D)  Local governments have the power to establish local banks. 
E)  Local governments have the power to raise and maintain militias. 
A)  Local government has no status in the Constitution. 
B)  Local governments are constitutionally required to turn over all of the local taxes collected from residents to state governments. 
C)  Local governments are given the authority to ignore federal laws that their citizens do not agree with. 
D)  Local governments have the power to establish local banks. 
E)  Local governments have the power to raise and maintain militias.

Question 11

In the 1990s, welfare policy was centralized by the national government.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Federal laws concerning crime mostly deal with

Accepted Answer

A)  terrorism. 
B)  the District of Columbia and other federal territories. 
C)  drug trafficking and organized crime. 
D)  international crime. 
E)  crimes against children. 
A)  terrorism. 
B)  the District of Columbia and other federal territories. 
C)  drug trafficking and organized crime. 
D)  international crime. 
E)  crimes against children.

Question 13

Which of the following is the best example of a unitary system of government?

Accepted Answer

A)  The federal government sets education policies for all schools. 
B)  The federal government establishes general guidelines for schools but leaves most specific policy decisions up to local school boards. 
C)  The federal government makes funding for schools dependent on test scores but allows local school boards the freedom to determine how to best prepare students for the tests. 
D)  The federal government provides parents with vouchers for private schools, and local governments have no role to play in education policy. 
E)  The federal government provides no funding for schools and leaves education policy entirely up to local school boards. 
A)  The federal government sets education policies for all schools. 
B)  The federal government establishes general guidelines for schools but leaves most specific policy decisions up to local school boards. 
C)  The federal government makes funding for schools dependent on test scores but allows local school boards the freedom to determine how to best prepare students for the tests. 
D)  The federal government provides parents with vouchers for private schools, and local governments have no role to play in education policy. 
E)  The federal government provides no funding for schools and leaves education policy entirely up to local school boards.

Question 14

McCulloch v. Maryland gave Congress potentially expansive powers for regulating commercial activity.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

The full faith and credit clause demands that the U.S. government run a balanced budget.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

When the national government appropriates money to the states but simultaneously demands the authority to dictate its distribution, this money is identified as

Accepted Answer

A)  a grant-in-aid. 
B)  an unfunded mandate. 
C)  interstate commerce. 
D)  a devolution. 
E)  revenue sharing. 
A)  a grant-in-aid. 
B)  an unfunded mandate. 
C)  interstate commerce. 
D)  a devolution. 
E)  revenue sharing.

Question 17

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) was important because

Accepted Answer

A)  it fully developed the concept of judicial review. 
B)  it fully developed the concept of dual citizenship. 
C)  it established the supremacy of the national government in all matters affecting interstate commerce. 
D)  it determined that the forced relocation of the Five Civilized Tribes to Oklahoma was unconstitutional. 
E)  it determined that the Bill of Rights applied to state governments as well as to the federal government. 
A)  it fully developed the concept of judicial review. 
B)  it fully developed the concept of dual citizenship. 
C)  it established the supremacy of the national government in all matters affecting interstate commerce. 
D)  it determined that the forced relocation of the Five Civilized Tribes to Oklahoma was unconstitutional. 
E)  it determined that the Bill of Rights applied to state governments as well as to the federal government.

Question 18

A federal grant for states to afford increasing health care facilities would be an example of a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  categorical grant. 
B)  formula grant. 
C)  block grant. 
D)  unfunded mandate. 
E)  general revenue grant. 
A)  categorical grant. 
B)  formula grant. 
C)  block grant. 
D)  unfunded mandate. 
E)  general revenue grant.

Question 19

When the national government funds a project that is actually implemented by the states, it is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  dual federalism. 
B)  national supremacy. 
C)  cooperative federalism. 
D)  home rule. 
E)  states' rights. 
A)  dual federalism. 
B)  national supremacy. 
C)  cooperative federalism. 
D)  home rule. 
E)  states' rights.

Question 20

According to the text, when was the era of dual federalism?

Accepted Answer

A)  from the ratification of the Constitution until the end of the Civil War 
B)  from the ratification of the Constitution until the New Deal 
C)  from the Civil War until World War II 
D)  from the New Deal until the 1960s 
E)  from the 1970s until 1992 
A)  from the ratification of the Constitution until the end of the Civil War 
B)  from the ratification of the Constitution until the New Deal 
C)  from the Civil War until World War II 
D)  from the New Deal until the 1960s 
E)  from the 1970s until 1992

Exam 3: Federalism

Why did local governments become administratively important in the early years of the Republic?

When both state and national governments possess a certain level of authority, it is called a(n)

The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution addresses

The Antifederalists feared an overly strong central government under the new Constitution.

Economic policies that attempt to benefit the poor by taxing and spending are referred to as

What is the purpose of the Tenth Amendment?

Which level of government writes the majority of criminal laws?

Chart the changes in federalism throughout American history. What was dual federalism? How was governmental power distributed under this system? How did the Great Depression lead to the decline in dual federalism?

Why do many political scientists and economists believe that states and localities should not be in charge of redistributive programs?

Which of the following statements best describes the discussion of local government found in the Constitution?

In the 1990s, welfare policy was centralized by the national government.

Federal laws concerning crime mostly deal with

Which of the following is the best example of a unitary system of government?

McCulloch v. Maryland gave Congress potentially expansive powers for regulating commercial activity.

The full faith and credit clause demands that the U.S. government run a balanced budget.

When the national government appropriates money to the states but simultaneously demands the authority to dictate its distribution, this money is identified as

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) was important because

A federal grant for states to afford increasing health care facilities would be an example of a(n)

When the national government funds a project that is actually implemented by the states, it is an example of

According to the text, when was the era of dual federalism?

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