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

In every free government, the people must give their assent to the laws by which they are governed. This is the true criterion between a free government and an arbitrary one. The former are ruled by the will of the whole, expressed in any manner they may agree upon; the latter by the will of one, or a few. If the people are to give their assent to the laws, by persons chosen and appointed by them, the manner of the choice and the number chosen, must be such, as to possess, be disposed, and consequently qualified to declare the sentiments of the people; for if they do not know, or are not disposed to speak the sentiments of the people, the people do not govern, but the sovereignty is in a few. Now, in a large extended country, it is impossible to have a representation, possessing the sentiments, and of integrity, to declare the minds of the people, without having it so numerous and unwieldy, as to be subject in great measure to the inconveniency of a democratic government...."

Brutus 1

Which of the following statements would the author of the passage most likely agree with?
A
Average citizens cannot be trusted to vote because of low levels of education.

B
Nations with extended territory cannot fairly represent their citizens in a republican form of government.

C
The federal government should have greater authority than state legislatures.

D
A small federal legislature is the best way to represent the will of the people in a large country.

"In every free government, the people must give their assent to the laws by which they are governed. This is the true criterion between a free government and an arbitrary one. The former are ruled by the will of the whole, expressed in any manner they may agree upon; the latter by the will of one, or a few. If the people are to give their assent to the laws, by persons chosen and appointed by them, the manner of the choice and the number chosen, must be such, as to possess, be disposed, and consequently qualified to declare the sentiments of the people; for if they do not know, or are not disposed to speak the sentiments of the people, the people do not govern, but the sovereignty is in a few. Now, in a large extended country, it is impossible to have a representation, possessing the sentiments, and of integrity, to declare the minds of the people, without having it so numerous and unwieldy, as to be subject in great measure to the inconveniency of a democratic government...."

Brutus 1

In the passage, Brutus is most concerned with the conflict between which of the following political ideas?
A
Civil rights and national security

B
Participatory democracy and elite democracy

C
Political parties and special interest groups

D
Religious liberty and the separation of church and state

"In every free government, the people must give their assent to the laws by which they are governed. This is the true criterion between a free government and an arbitrary one. The former are ruled by the will of the whole, expressed in any manner they may agree upon; the latter by the will of one, or a few. If the people are to give their assent to the laws, by persons chosen and appointed by them, the manner of the choice and the number chosen, must be such, as to possess, be disposed, and consequently qualified to declare the sentiments of the people; for if they do not know, or are not disposed to speak the sentiments of the people, the people do not govern, but the sovereignty is in a few. Now, in a large extended country, it is impossible to have a representation, possessing the sentiments, and of integrity, to declare the minds of the people, without having it so numerous and unwieldy, as to be subject in great measure to the inconveniency of a democratic government...."

Brutus 1

Which of the following excerpts from the passage best describes the author's reason for opposing an expansion of the scope of the federal government?
A
"In every free government, the people must give their assent to the laws by which they are governed."

B
"This is the true criterion between a free government and an arbitrary one. The former are ruled by the will of the whole, expressed in any manner they may agree upon; the latter by the will of one, or a few."

C
"If the people are to give their assent to the laws, by persons chosen and appointed by them, the manner of the choice and the number chosen, must be such, as to possess, be disposed, and consequently qualified to declare the sentiments of the people..."

D
"... [I]t is impossible to have a representation, possessing the sentiments, and of integrity, to declare the minds of the people, without having it so numerous and unwieldy, as to be subject in great measure to the inconveniency of a democratic government."

While [opponents of the Constitution] admit that the government of the United States is destitute of energy, they contend against conferring upon it those powers which are requisite to supply that energy. They seem still to aim at things repugnant and irreconcilable; at an augmentation of federal authority, without a diminution of State authority; at sovereignty in the Union, and complete independence in the members. . . . This [requires that] a full display of the principal defects of the Confederation [is] necessary, in order to show that the evils we experience do not proceed from minute or partial imperfections, but from fundamental errors in the structure of the building, which cannot be amended otherwise than by an alteration in the first principles and main pillars of the fabric. . . . [T]he United States has an indefinite discretion to [plead for] for men and money; but they have no authority to raise either, by regulations extending to the individual citizens of America. The consequence of this is, that though in theory their resolutions concerning those objects are laws, constitutionally binding on the members of the Union, yet in practice they are mere recommendations which the States observe or disregard at their option.

Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist 15

Which of the following experiences most likely influenced the perspective conveyed in the passage?
A
The increased centralization of power in the national legislature under the Articles of Confederation

B
The debt crisis of the 1780s which the national government was unable to address due to lack of authority

C
The tension between states relying on commerce and those relying on agriculture

D
Passage of the Stamp Act and other taxes during the revolutionary period

While [opponents of the Constitution] admit that the government of the United States is destitute of energy, they contend against conferring upon it those powers which are requisite to supply that energy. They seem still to aim at things repugnant and irreconcilable; at an augmentation of federal authority, without a diminution of State authority; at sovereignty in the Union, and complete independence in the members. . . . This [requires that] a full display of the principal defects of the Confederation [is] necessary, in order to show that the evils we experience do not proceed from minute or partial imperfections, but from fundamental errors in the structure of the building, which cannot be amended otherwise than by an alteration in the first principles and main pillars of the fabric. . . . [T]he United States has an indefinite discretion to [plead for] for men and money; but they have no authority to raise either, by regulations extending to the individual citizens of America. The consequence of this is, that though in theory their resolutions concerning those objects are laws, constitutionally binding on the members of the Union, yet in practice they are mere recommendations which the States observe or disregard at their option.

Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist 15

Which of the following is a difference between the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution that is a response to a problem expressed in the passage?
A
The Articles of Confederation lacked federal executive and judicial branches, whereas the United States Constitution did not.

B
The Articles of Confederation allowed for the federal government to request revenues from states but did not permit it to tax citizens directly, whereas under the United States Constitution the federal government could tax citizens directly.

C
Under the Articles of Confederation, members of the national legislature were paid by the state governments, whereas under the United States Constitution they were paid by the federal government.

D
Under the Articles of Confederation, members of the national legislature were not able to regulate currency, whereas under the United States Constitution the federal government regulates currency.

While [opponents of the Constitution] admit that the government of the United States is destitute of energy, they contend against conferring upon it those powers which are requisite to supply that energy. They seem still to aim at things repugnant and irreconcilable; at an augmentation of federal authority, without a diminution of State authority; at sovereignty in the Union, and complete independence in the members. . . . This [requires that] a full display of the principal defects of the Confederation [is] necessary, in order to show that the evils we experience do not proceed from minute or partial imperfections, but from fundamental errors in the structure of the building, which cannot be amended otherwise than by an alteration in the first principles and main pillars of the fabric. . . . [T]he United States has an indefinite discretion to [plead for] for men and money; but they have no authority to raise either, by regulations extending to the individual citizens of America. The consequence of this is, that though in theory their resolutions concerning those objects are laws, constitutionally binding on the members of the Union, yet in practice they are mere recommendations which the States observe or disregard at their option.

Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist 15

Which of the following excerpts from Article I of the United States Constitution resolves a problem described by the author?
A
"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;"

B
"No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time."

C
"The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States."

D
"The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it."

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the separation of powers is integral to the Constitution not to preserve the prerogatives of each branch of government but to divide governmental powers among the branches so as to keep power diffused—and thereby limited and protective of personal freedom. . . .

Thus, even if one branch of government consented to ceding an essential power to another branch, such a giveaway would be unconstitutional. . . .

Can the president legally use military force to attack a foreign land without a serious threat or legal obligation or a declaration of war from Congress? In a word: No. Here is the back story. . . .

. . . [A] bipartisan group of senators offered legislation supported by the president that . . . would permit a president to strike whomever and wherever he pleases. The president would be restrained only by a vote of Congress—after hostilities have commenced.

Such a statute would give the president far more powers than he has now, would directly violate Congress' war-making powers by ceding them away to the president, would defy the Supreme Court on the unconstitutionality of giving away core governmental functions, would commit the U.S. to foreign wars without congressional and thus popular support, and would invite dangerous mischief by any president wanting to attack any enemy—real or imagined, old or new—for foreign or domestic political purposes, whether American interests are at stake or not.

Andrew Napolitano, "At War with the Separation of Powers," The Washington Times, 2018.

Which of the following principles of government is most related to the author's argument in the passage?
A
Separation of powers is necessary to our constitutional system to limit the power of the three branches and guarantee limited government.

B
The president's power is constitutionally permitted to expand during times of crisis, which can lead to the use of force without permission from Congress.

C
As the legislative branch, Congress is authorized to change the constitutional balance of power whenever it deems necessary.

D
Separation of powers guarantees that each branch can focus on what it does best, but in some cases one branch may voluntarily cede power to another branch.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the separation of powers is integral to the Constitution not to preserve the prerogatives of each branch of government but to divide governmental powers among the branches so as to keep power diffused—and thereby limited and protective of personal freedom. . . .

Thus, even if one branch of government consented to ceding an essential power to another branch, such a giveaway would be unconstitutional. . . .

Can the president legally use military force to attack a foreign land without a serious threat or legal obligation or a declaration of war from Congress? In a word: No. Here is the back story. . . .

. . . [A] bipartisan group of senators offered legislation supported by the president that . . . would permit a president to strike whomever and wherever he pleases. The president would be restrained only by a vote of Congress—after hostilities have commenced.

Such a statute would give the president far more powers than he has now, would directly violate Congress' war-making powers by ceding them away to the president, would defy the Supreme Court on the unconstitutionality of giving away core governmental functions, would commit the U.S. to foreign wars without congressional and thus popular support, and would invite dangerous mischief by any president wanting to attack any enemy—real or imagined, old or new—for foreign or domestic political purposes, whether American interests are at stake or not.

Andrew Napolitano, "At War with the Separation of Powers," The Washington Times, 2018.

Which of the following describes a possible method that can check the power of the president who willingly violates the constitutional balance of power as described in the passage?

"[A] pure democracy... can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction. . . . [S]uch democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. . . .

The two great points of difference between a democracy and a republic are: first, the delegation of the government, in the latter, to a small number of citizens elected by the rest; secondly, the greater number of citizens, and greater sphere of country, over which the latter may be extended.

. . . [I]t may well happen that the public voice, pronounced by the representatives of the people, will be more consonant to the public good than if pronounced by the people themselves, convened for the purpose. On the other hand, the effect may be inverted. Men of factious tempers, of local prejudices, or of sinister designs, may, by intrigue, by corruption, or by other means, first obtain the suffrages, and then betray the interests, of the people."

James Madison, The Federalist 10

Which of the following sections of the United States Constitution most concerns Madison according to the passage?
A
Article I, Section 10—"No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws. . . ."

B
Article II, Section 1—"No Person except a natural born Citizen . . . shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."

C
Article III, Section 1—"The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office."

D
Article I, Section 2—"The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature."

Too often, we take our form of government for granted, not fully appreciating its unique and exceptional qualities. The framers of our Constitution, having revolted against tyranny, bequeathed to the nation, and to us as its citizens, a form of government with checks and balances intended to assure that we would never, as a nation, be subject to the abuses we experienced as a colony under a monarchy. . . .

We should appreciate that the separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution was modeled on the constitutions and declarations of the states, where the separation of powers was equally observed. Mirroring our U.S. Constitution, 40 state constitutions now specify that government is to be divided into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The separation of powers at the state level, with an independent executive, legislature, and judiciary, is also one of the fundamental tenets of our democracy.

What often gets lost in translation is how dynamic the competition among the branches of government has been, and how much stronger we are as a country because of that ongoing debate. It has been said that the Constitution is not just a historic document, but a living participant in who we are as a nation. Out of the continuing effort to assure the separation of powers, we have built a system of government that functions remarkably well. Although the powers ascribed to each of the three branches may sometimes appear to swing like a pendulum, we have continuously reconsidered and recentered our understanding of the authority and limitation of each of these branches.

Linda Leali, "Reflecting on the Great Gift of the Separation of Powers," Daily Business Review, 2018

Which of the following best explains how the view of the author of the passage compares with The Federalist 51 regarding separation of powers and checks and balances?
A
The author of the passage views the structure of government as providing a balance between the branches of government, whereas The Federalist 51 supports the idea of a powerful executive branch.

B
The author of the passage views separation of powers as a limitation on the authority of government, whereas The Federalist 51 argues in favor of using separation of powers as a means to expand the role of government.

C
Both the author of the passage and The Federalist 51 argue that elections are a sufficient means to ensure good government.

D
Both the author of the passage and The Federalist 51 assert that the structure of government helps control ambitions among the branches in such a way as to promote effective government.

The next most palpable defect of the subsisting Confederation, is the total want of a SANCTION to its laws. The United States, as now composed, have no powers to exact obedience, or punish disobedience to their resolutions, either by pecuniary [fines], by a suspension or divestiture of privileges, or by any other constitutional mode. There is no express delegation of authority to them to use force against delinquent members; and if such a right should be ascribed to the federal head, as resulting from the nature of the social compact between the States, it must be by inference and construction... There is, doubtless, a striking absurdity in supposing that a right of this kind does not exist. . .

Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist 21

Which of the following scenarios illustrates a solution for the problem of getting states to comply with federal government policies, as described in the passage?
A
The federal government can withhold highway funds from states that do not raise the age to drink alcohol to 21.

B
The federal government can place a tax on any goods that an individual regularly transports across state borders.

C
Both the states and the federal government have the power to issue income taxes.

D
A constitutional amendment can be passed to override a Supreme Court decision.

Refer to the map for the following question.

The figure presents a map of the United States titled "Status of Capital Punishment in the United States by State in 2016." A key indicates that states shaded light gray are "States with capital punishment" and states shaded dark gray are "States without capital punishment." The states with capital punishment, from north to south and east to west, are as follows: New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, and Hawaii. These states are primarily located in the South, in the central and southern Midwest, and in the West, with the exception of New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Hawaii. The states without capital punishment, from north to south and east to west, are as follows: Maine, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, New Mexico, and Alaska. These states are primarily in the Northeast and in the northern Midwest, with the exception of New Mexico and Alaska.

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, 2017

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

B
Judicial review

C
Checks and balances

D
Federalism

Refer to the passage for the following question.

In many places, classrooms are overcrowded and curricula are outdated. Most of our qualified teachers are underpaid, and many of our paid teachers are unqualified. So we must give every child a place to sit and a teacher to learn from. Poverty must not be a bar to learning, and learning must offer an escape from poverty.

But more classrooms and more teachers are not enough. We must seek an educational system which grows in excellence as it grows in size. This means better training for our teachers. It means preparing youth to enjoy their hours of leisure as well as their hours of labor. It means exploring new techniques of teaching, to find new ways to stimulate the love of learning and the capacity for creation....

. . . While our Government has many programs directed at those issues, I do not pretend that we have the full answer to those problems.

But I do promise this: We are going to assemble the best thought and the broadest knowledge from all over the world to find those answers for America. I intend to establish working groups to prepare a series of White House conferences and meetings... on the quality of education, and on other emerging challenges. And from these meetings and from this inspiration and from these studies we will begin to set our course toward the Great Society.

The solution to these problems does not rest on a massive program in Washington, nor can it rely solely on the strained resources of local authority. They require us to create new concepts of cooperation, a creative federalism, between the National Capital and the leaders of local communities.

President Lyndon B. Johnson, May 22, 1964

By using the phrase "creative federalism," President Johnson is most likely referring to which of the following features of the American system?
A
The relationship between the federal and state governments evolves over time and flexible enough to permit new forms of interaction.

B
National policymaking is constrained by the sharing of power between the three branches of government.

C
The balance of power between the states and federal government has been trending toward more federal regulation and less state control.

D
Congress may use the commerce clause to address problems in public schools such as lack of resources and school safety.

Refer to the passage for the following question.

In many places, classrooms are overcrowded and curricula are outdated. Most of our qualified teachers are underpaid, and many of our paid teachers are unqualified. So we must give every child a place to sit and a teacher to learn from. Poverty must not be a bar to learning, and learning must offer an escape from poverty.

But more classrooms and more teachers are not enough. We must seek an educational system which grows in excellence as it grows in size. This means better training for our teachers. It means preparing youth to enjoy their hours of leisure as well as their hours of labor. It means exploring new techniques of teaching, to find new ways to stimulate the love of learning and the capacity for creation....

. . . While our Government has many programs directed at those issues, I do not pretend that we have the full answer to those problems.

But I do promise this: We are going to assemble the best thought and the broadest knowledge from all over the world to find those answers for America. I intend to establish working groups to prepare a series of White House conferences and meetings... on the quality of education, and on other emerging challenges. And from these meetings and from this inspiration and from these studies we will begin to set our course toward the Great Society.

The solution to these problems does not rest on a massive program in Washington, nor can it rely solely on the strained resources of local authority. They require us to create new concepts of cooperation, a creative federalism, between the National Capital and the leaders of local communities.

President Lyndon B. Johnson, May 22, 1964

Which of the following actions did President Johnson suggest he would take to address problems in public schools?
A
Driving down the cost of education by removing ineffective teachers

B
Calling on experts to advise the federal government in finding ways to improve public education
C
Increasing school accountability by requiring schools to show evidence of improvement

D
Scaling back the role of the federal government and allowing state and local governments to take the lead in education policy

Percent of Spending Bills Passed On Time (On or Before October 1) by Congress for Each Fiscal Year

The figure presents a bar graph titled "Percent of Spending Bills Passed On Time (On or Before October 1) by Congress for Each Fiscal Year." The horizontal axis is labeled "Year," and starts with the year 1977, followed by the years 1980 through 2010, in increments of 5, and ends with the year 2017. The vertical axis represents the percentage, and the percentages 0 through 100, in increments of 25 percent, are indicated. There are 27 vertical bars along the horizontal axis that each represents one fiscal year. From left to right, the bars and their data are as follows. Note that not all years have a bar. 1977, 100%. 1978, 70%. 1979, 37%. 1980, 23%. 1981, 7%. 1982, 7%. 1983, 7%. 1984, 34%. 1985, 34%. 1989, 100%. 1990, 7%. 1992, 23%. 1993, 7%. 1994, 15%. 1995, 100%. 1997, 100%. 1998, 7%. 1999, 7%. 2000, 34%. 2001, 15%. 2004, 23%. 2005, 7%. 2006, 17%. 2007, 7%. 2009, 25%. 2010, 7%. 2017, 7%.
Source: Congressional Research Service, 2017

In which year did Congress pass all stand-alone appropriations (spending) bills on time?
A
1977

B
1980

C
1993

D
2012

Refer to the passage for the following question.

I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it....

It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution in those entrusted with its administration to confine themselves within their respective constitutional spheres, avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another. The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism.

George Washington's Farewell Address, 1796

Which of the following scenarios illustrates Washington's concerns?
A
An increasing number of voters are not turning out to vote in elections.

B
Federalism can lead to different public policy outcomes between states.

C
Ideological divisions within Congress can lead to partisan gridlock.

D
Members of the press fail to report on the illegal activities of certain members of the bureaucracy.

Which of the following best describes Madison's primary concern about representative government *?

Which of the following best describes Madison's primary concern about representative government? Those who seek to represent the people may be tempted to act in their own interests instead.

Which section of the US favored strong state rights?

The federalists supported a strong national government to preserve order. The antifederalists favored strong state governments and believed that the national government created by the Constitution was too strong.

What supported the states rights?

When the Federalists passed the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison secretly wrote the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, which provide a classic statement in support of states' rights and called on state legislatures to nullify unconstitutional federal laws.

Can states influence the policies of the federal government?

So long as their laws do not contradict national laws, state governments can prescribe policies on commerce, taxation, healthcare, education, and many other issues within their state. Notably, both the states and the federal government have the power to tax, make and enforce laws, charter banks, and borrow money.