Basics of American Government Quiz

Answer: Bicameral

Bicameral is taken from Latin, meaning "two chambers".

Answer: Strict constructionist

A strict constructionist, for example, would likely oppose governmental regulation on freedom of expression since the Constitution in Amendment 1 says in part "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press". To such a person "Congress shall make no law" regarding a certain issue means exactly that. An activist, on the other hand, broadly interprets the law.

Answer: it empowers the U.S. Congress to propose and pass laws

Article I, Section 8 establishes what Congress may explicitly do and is responsible for. It says in part "The Congress shall have power to... make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof."
This is often called the Elastic Clause or the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Answer: House of Representatives

U.S. Constitution Article I, Section 7. "All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other Bills"

Answer: 6

Amendment XVII of the Constitution amends Article I, Section 3 with the following: "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years..." The Amendment allowed direct election by a State's voters as opposed to being chosen by a State legislature.

Answer: Facade of U.S. Supreme Court

This phrase appears on the frieze above the main entrance.

Answer: 13th Amendment

The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1865) states in part "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

Answer: 3rd Amendment

Amendment III states that "No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law." This issue, though not highly relevant or problematic today, or for most of the time since the Amendment was ratified, was in fact a problem during the Revolution where the British were doing exactly what the Amendment subsequently forbade.

The 4th Amendment sets rules for search and seizure; the 7th Amendment contains guidelines for civil jury trials; and the 10th Amendment affirms the rights of States to pass laws for themselves. All of these, however, have been the subject of numerous cases.

Answer: Vermont

The land that became Vermont was shared by Massachusetts and New York until it became the 14th State in 1791.

Answer: True

Convicted felons can run but they may be refused admittance to the House or Senate if their character or conduct is found by a vote of the assembled to be unbecoming of a representative or Senator. This has happened several times in the past, mostly when convicted criminals win elections.

Answer: both head of government and head of state

The presidency of the United States has dual roles of head of state (official representative of the United States) and head of government (chief executive). Most world states have an emperor, premier, king, queen, etc. as head of state and a prime minister, chancellor, etc. as chief executive and head of the legislature.

Answer: Gerald Ford

When president Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, there was no elected vice-president to succeed him, as Spiro Agnew had also resigned on unrelated bribery issues. Gerald Ford, as House Republican Leader- the highest ranking Republican remaining in U.S. Government at the time, was appointed by Congress to finish Agnew's term, and subsequently Nixon's.

Answer: Bob Dole

Bob Dole ran with Gerald Ford in 1976, and 20 years later he challenged President Clinton with Senator Jack Kemp as his running mate.

Answer: No limit

Strom Thurmond, so far the oldest U.S. senator on record, retired in January 2003 at age 99, having served for over 46 years.

Answer: anywhere that he is

There is no law that constrains the president to hold power only from the White House, or that he needs to be in Washington to do so. The president regularly performs official duties from the Camp David retreat, his personal residence, or anywhere that he is at the time (remember 9/11/01).

The president, by the constitution, is always vested with the full power and responsibilities of the office of president during his term of office.