The regular period oftime which Congress conducts it's business is called a?

A.Prorogue

B.Session

C.Special session

D.Congressional meeting

The number of Senate seats held by each State is?

A.Set by the Census Bureau

B.based on State populations

C.the same as the number of House seats

D.fixed by the constitution 

For the most part, when a person is elected the House must admit him or her, but ?

A.may then expel the member by majority vote

B.must wait 90 days before taking any action on the new member

C.may then expel the member by a two-thirds vote

D.can require the new member wait 30 days before participating in House actions

The term of Congress has remained the same since 1789, but?

A.the frequency of special sessions has increased 

B.the length of it's session has grown

C.will probably change in the near future

D.there is no constitutional basis for this

When  must congressional elections be held?

A.the first of tuesday of every november

B.the second day of january in odd numbers

C.the tuesday after the first monday in november of each even-numbered year

D.The monday after the first tuesday in november of each odd-numbered year

The party in power tends to lose seats off-year elections because?

A.voters want to show support for the President

B.voters are reacting to the president's policies 

C.the coattail effect has worn off by then

D.both b and c

1.voters are reacting to the presidents policies 

2.The coattail effect has worn off by then

Which of the following is a method of formal amendment?

A.proposal by three-fourths of the House of Representatives and ratification by conventions in three-fourths of State legislatures

B.proposal by two-thirds of the Senate and ratification by two-thirds of State legislatures

proposal by two-thirds of Congress and ratification by C.three-fourths of State Legislatures

D.all of the above

Which branch of the federal goverment plays the largest role in the formal amendment process?

A.the executive branch

B.the judicial branch

C.the legislative branch

D.all of the above

Once ratifiedm a constitutional amendment may only be changed by?

A.another amendment

B.repeal by 2/3 of the states in convention

C.the president 

D.the federal government

Length of term for judges appointed by the president is set by?

A.the constitution

B.Congress

C.the department of justice

D.the president

The president appoints jstices to the constitutional courts?

A.for terms varying from four to eight years

B.for 12-year terms

C.for 15-year terms

D.for life

the reason the courts of appeals are sometimes called "gatekeepers" is that?

A.they allow only the most qualified judges to pass through to the supreme court

B.they block unwanted influence from political parties from reaching the Supreme Court

C.they allow only the most controversial and significant cases past the gate to the Supreme court

D.They keep track of which cases go to which court in the federal system

A president may need to produce evidence of his ability to perform the powers and duties of his office in the event that?

A.the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet challenge his ability

B.war breaks out during his term of office

C.he loses a bid for reelection

D.all of the above

The national convention is held to accomplish all of the following except?

A.Unify the party behind it's candidates

B.pick its presidential candidate

C.select the party's delegates

D.adopt the paty's platform

The main reason that there is no exact definition of the due process guarantes is that the?

A.Constitution is too specific

B.guarantees protection of citizens against unfair processes, but not unfair laws

C.Supreme Courts only define the guarantees on a case-by-case basis

D.courts do not want to give away too much specific info to potential lawbreakers

The inclusion of two due process clauses in the Constitution reflects the fact that?

A.due process has two quite different meanings

B.the Constitution is written poorly in regards to due process

C.due process is very easy tp define

D.the Bill of Rights is for the National Government, and the 14th Amendment is for the Staes and their local governments

The power of judicial review is held?

A.exclusively by the Supreme Court

B.only my federal courts

C.by most federal courts and State courts

D.only by courts with appellate jurisdication 

Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes once said that the constitution "means that the judges say it means." He was defining the Supreme Courts?

A.Original jurisdiction

B.power of judicial review
C.exclusive jurisdiction

D.right to use the writ of certiorari 

What was the following would be a function of a grand jury?

A.Decide the guilt or innocence of those accused of crimes

B.conduct legal proceedings

C.issue bill of indictment when it finds enough evidence to warrant a trial

D.play a role in all federal and most states criminqal cases today

The rights of the accused to be silent and have a free lawyer when charged with a felony were established?

A.by the Congress right after the Civil War

B.by order of President Calvin Coolidge in 1924

C.by the Supreme court during the 1960's

The first major Supreme Court case that challenged affirmitive action was?

A.University of California vs. Bakke

B.Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka

C.Plessy vs. Ferguson

D.Hoyt vs. Florida

In addition to the Courts decision in Brown vs. Board of Education, desegregation aslso needed the support  of ____before it could make any real progess.

A.Congress

B.the supreme Court

C.African Americans

D.All of the Above

The fundamental and supreme laws of California are?

A.established by the governor

B.determined by the State courts

C.never subject to change

D.embodied in the State constitution

Which of the following is responsible for the formal interpretation of a States constitutional and statutory law?

A.the governor

B.the lieutenant governor

C.the secretary of state

D.the attorney general

The court that first hears a case is said to have?

A.appellate jurisdiction

B.exclusive jurisdiction

C.original jurisdiction

D.concurrent jurisdiction

The framers of the United States Constitution included ideas from t he Enlightment thinker John Locke, who argued that perople have?

A.an obligation to obey their king

B.rights that goverments must protect

C.inner emotions that  they must listen to

D.to obey the absolute power of the church

Which document by the founders of the U.S is most influenced by Charles Louis Montesquiu's idea of powers?

A.Declaration of independence

B.the U.S Constition

C.the Bill of Rights

D.The Articles of Confederation

The first amendment to the constitution gives citizens the right to do which of the following?

A.criticize the goverment

B.tell lies to the jury trial

C.threaten a public figure

D.damage someones reputation

Which of the following is not protected by the first Amendment to the Constitution?

A.writing a novel about overthrowing the government

B.painting a picture that is offensive to religious people

C.inciting someone to commit a crime

D.telling jokes on television about a public figure

In 1911, N.Y State passed the Sullivan Act, which requires people to have licenses for guns small enough to be concealed. Which part of U.S constitution is the basis for this law?

Public opinion refers to?

A.the process through which people form opinions about issues

B.the attitudes held by large numbers of Americans

C.private organizations that work to change public policies

D.a person who influences how others think

The most accurate way to measure public opinions is by

A.Election results

B.Straw votes

C.Studying the media

D.scientific polling

It is difficult for American politicians to deny previous statements they have made mainly because

A.access to federal campaign funds could be jeopardized

B.regulations have been passed that prohibit

C.surveys have shown that voters prefer honesty

D.videos can immediately be posted on internet