Chapter 3 example #12697

In the Supreme Court case McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), Chief Justice John Marshall argued that a. the federal government had the right to charter a national bank, and that state governments had no right to impede its functions through taxation. b. although the federal government could create a national bank, it could not shield the bank's branches from taxation by the governments of the states in which the branches were located. c. state governments had the power and the duty to protect their citizens from onerous federal legislation. d. although a national bank would have been an effective means with which the federal government could regulate the economy, it was not the only means available and therefore did not meet the requirement of the "necessary and proper clause." e. the will of the people, as expressed through the actions of their state governments, must always take precedence over the whims of the more distant national governing officials.

In his famous landmark cases, Chief Justice John Marshall generally a. maintained that the powers of the state and federal governments were identical and inseparable. b. supported the authority of the federal government over that of state governments. c. held that no restraints could be placed on a government that derived its authority from the consent of the majority of its citizens. d. contended that the Supreme Court had no authority to adjudicate in interstate or intrastate affairs. e. enhanced the power of state governments over that of the federal government.

In the case of Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), the Supreme Court decided that a. the federal government's authority to regulate international and interstate commerce bestowed on it some power to regulate intrastate commerce. b. the federal government had authority to regulate only international commerce, not interstate commerce. c. the federal government had authority to regulate only interstate commerce, not international commerce. d. states retained full authority to regulate commerce within their own borders and among their immediate neighbors. e. the federal government's limited ability to regulate interstate commerce was sharply curtailed by a narrow definition of "commerce."

Under the Articles of Confederation, states played a primary role in governing Americans, while the national government had very limited powers. True False

Which of the following theories about the applicability of the Bill of Rights to the states can be said to have emerged victorious? a. the "Total Incorporation Plus" theory b. the "Total Incorporation" theory c. the "Partial Incorporation" theory d. the "Selective Incorporation" theory e. the "No Incorporation" theory

A federal program that gives a state government federal funds to address a specific need but gives the state wide latitude in deciding how the funds will be spent is known as a(n) a. unfunded mandate. b. block grant. c. formula grant. d. categorical grant. e. program grant.

The legal doctrine at issue in the Plessy v. Ferguson case is the a. doctrine of eminent domain. b. separate but equal doctrine. c. hold and save harmless doctrine. d. privileges and immunities clause. e. supremacy clause.

One advantage that a federal system has over a highly centralized government is that it allows states to experiment with ways to improve public policy. True False

The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prevents state governments from imposing cruel and unusual punishments. True False

Dual federalism is also known as a. New Federalism. b. coercive federalism. c. layer-cake federalism. d. marble-cake federalism. e. cooperative federalism.

As of late April 2013, Attorney General Greg Abbot sued the Obama administration twice. True False

A defining characteristic of federalism is that a. state governments exist primarily to enact laws established by the national government. b. rather than being held exclusively or primarily by one body, governing authority is divided at different levels among several bodies. c. state governments can nullify the exercise of unpopular federal laws within their own states' boundaries. d. the federal government cannot pass any laws without the explicit consent of the majority of state governments. e. the federal government wields ultimate authority in all matters.

Which of the following requires state governments to spend their own money to meet standards imposed on them by the federal government? a. categorical grants b. block grants c. program grants d. formula grants e. unfunded mandates

Texas rejected the Equal Rights Amendment. Selected Answer: True False

Which Supreme Court case in 1869 voted Texas's secession from the Union? a. Texas v. Perry b. Texas v. Wilson c. Texas v. White d. Texas v. Chase e. Texas v. Marshall

Replacing the Articles of Confederation in 1787, the new U.S. Constitution allowed both the federal government and state governments to retain significant measures of sovereignty. True False

Federal laws provide the regulation for birth, death, marriage, divorce, and most crime and punishment. True False

Congress gained the power to tax income through a. the Tenth Amendment. b. the Sixteenth Amendment. c. the Seventeenth Amendment. d. the New Deal. e. coercive federalism.

The supremacy clause, stipulated in Article VI of the Constitution, holds that a. federal laws will be supreme in the national sphere and state laws will be supreme in local affairs. b. in a conflict between federal and state laws, the former will override the latter. c. despite temporarily sacrificing certain powers to the federal government, the state governments remain sovereign entities. d. as a sovereign institution, the only limits that the federal government need obey are ones that it establishes for itself. e. in the federal system established by the Constitution, the true source of sovereignty is in the people.

Both federal and state governments obtain sovereignty directly from a. the Divine Right of Kings. b. the Treaty of Versailles. c. block grants. d. the Declaration of Independence. e. the consent of the people.

In Plyler v. Doe, the Supreme Court held that Texas may not deny a free public education to the children of illegal aliens. How did the Court justify its decisions? a. The Court found that funding for schools came from both the state and federal governments and it was based on the number of students enrolled. b. Alienage is a suspect classification and Texas could not show it had a compelling interest. c. The Court held for the aliens on procedural grounds. d. Education is a fundamental right and Texas could not show that the statute was narrowly tailored. e. The statute lacked a rational basis.

The Fifteenth Amendment gives states leeway to expand the rights of their citizens. True False

The Supreme Court in Shelby County v. Holder (2013) ruled all of the following EXCEPT that a. Texas had to rewrite its voter ID law. b. the outdated coverage formula was an intrusion on states' rights. c. Congress must update the coverage formula. d. states were now free to pass laws affecting voting without Justice Department approval. e. the coverage formula used to determine which jurisdiction had engaged in egregious voting decisions was outdated.

For eligible participants, the Social Security Act of 1935 instituted all of the following EXCEPT a. aid for impoverished elderly persons. b. unemployment insurance for the unemployed. c. a national retirement pension for the elderly. d. aid for the blind and disabled. e. universal health care for all Americans.

Which of the following styles of federalism characterized the immediate pre-Civil War era? a. creative federalism b. cooperative federalism c. dual federalism d. devolution e. new federalism