US Government Chapter 12-13 Answer Key

CHAPTER 12 1) Individual citizens influence Congress and its acts through A) civil disobedience. B) congressional elections. C) organized peaceful protests. D) All of these answers are correct. E) letters and emails to congressional staff members. 2) Which of the following statements is true? A) House members serve for two years, and Senate members serve for four years. B) House members serve for two years, and Senate members serve for six years. C) House members serve four years, and Senate members serve eight years. D) Both House and Senate members serve for four years. E) None of these answers are correct. 3) To address the issue of racial imbalance in the House of Representatives, state legislatures A) constructed a kind of gerrymandering called a minority-majority district. B) constructed a kind of gerrymandering called a majority-minority district. C) created a practice known as “packing” districts to exert influence in electing representatives of color in majority districts. D) created a practice known as “cracking” districts to break up majority-white congressional districts. E) None of these answers are correct. 4) The practice of redrawing electoral boundaries for political advantage is known as A) majority-minority district formation. B) gerrymandering. C) reapportionment. D) redistricting. E) casework. 5) Historically, what percentage of incumbent members of the House of Representatives running for reelection win? A) 84 percent B) 60 percent C) 90 percent D) 96 percent E) 33 percent Version 1 1 6) Which of these powers is/are granted to Congress by the Constitution? A) to borrow money and regulate currency B) taxation, spending, and establishment of tariffs C) administration of post offices D) punishing illegal acts on the high seas E) All of these answers are correct. 7) Because of the necessary and proper clause, Congress exercises a________ scope of authority. A) broad B) reasonable C) limited D) restricted E) tenuous 8) Within the instructed delegate model, elected representatives act A) according to their conscience at all times. B) mostly according to their conscience and occasionally in line with constituents. C) equally according to conscience and in line with constituents. D) in line with constituents, unless constituents' views contradict representatives' personal views. E) in line with constituents, even if those views contradict representatives' personal views. 9) When a member of Congress advocates on behalf of a constituent who has an issue with a bureaucratic agency, they are playing the role of A) legislator. B) caseworker. C) ombudsperson. D) trustee. E) instructed delegate. Version 1 2 10) Identify the correct chronological order of a legislative bill's passage. A) introduction, committee review, conference committee reconciliation, House and B) C) D) E) Senate approval, presidential approval introduction, conference committee reconciliation, committee review, House and Senate approval, presidential approval introduction, committee review, House and Senate approval, conference committee reconciliation, presidential approval committee review, introduction, conference committee reconciliation, House and Senate approval, presidential approval introduction, conference committee reconciliation, House and Senate approval, committee review, presidential approval 11) The wooden box into which House members insert proposed bills is known as the A) matchbox. B) hopper. C) earmark. D) jumper. E) casket. 12) Permanent committees with a defined legislative jurisdiction are known as A) lead committees. B) subcommittees. C) select committees. D) standing committees. E) joint committees. 13) A procedural move that attempts to halt the passage of a bill is called a A) billabuster. B) filibuster. C) nuclear option. D) vote of cloture. E) veto. Version 1 3 CHAPTER 13 STUDY GUIDE 14) How many electors must a presidential candidate secure in the Electoral College to be elected president? A) B) C) D) E) 270 288 435 438 538 15) The formal process of certifying a presidential election. A) takes place on the Monday following the second Wednesday of December. B) takes place on Wednesday, the day after the presidential election. C) takes place when the slate of electors chosen in each state meet in a joint session to cast their electoral votes. D) begins with the announcement in a joint session of Congress on January 20th. E) takes place within two weeks of the election. 16) Executive agreements are considered to be in force for how long? A) forever—they are the same as treaties B) for 100 years C) for as long as that political party retains presidential power D) for 8 years E) for the term of the administration that negotiates them 17) Which of the following is NOT a power vested in the president by the Constitution? A) serve as supreme military commander of the armed forces B) the power to declare war C) deciding when to send troops into battle D) control over military strategy E) act as supreme military commander of the Coast Guard 18) Many vice presidents have served a largely________ role, performing tasks such as visiting foreign nations. A) political B) ideological C) ceremonial D) informal E) bureaucratic Version 1 4