American Politics and the US Constitution (C963)

Correct Answer

A. Must be a citizen of the United States

Explanation

The U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 1, states that a candidate for President must:

Be a natural-born citizen of the United States

Be at least 35 years old

Have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years

The natural-born citizenship requirement prevents foreign-born individuals from becoming President, ensuring that the leader of the country has lifelong ties to the nation.

Why other options are wrong

B. Must be at least 30 years old

The correct age requirement is 35, not 30. The 30-year-old requirement applies to Senators, not Presidents.

C. Must have lived in the U.S. for 10 years

A candidate must have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years, not 10.

D. Must have a college degree

The Constitution does not require a President to have a college degree. Several U.S. Presidents, including Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman, did not hold college degrees.

Correct Answer

B. Impeachment

Explanation

Impeachment is the constitutional process used to charge and remove a government official accused of misconduct, such as abusing power for personal gain. The process typically begins in the House of Representatives, where formal charges are brought against the official. If the House votes to impeach, the case moves to the Senate for a trial. If convicted, the official can be removed from office and potentially barred from holding future government positions.

Why other options are wrong

A. Judicial review.

Judicial review is the power of the courts to assess the constitutionality of laws or executive actions. While courts can declare actions unconstitutional, they do not initiate impeachment proceedings against officials accused of misconduct. Impeachment is a legislative process, not a judicial one.

C. Legislative override.

A legislative override occurs when a legislature overturns a veto by the executive branch, typically requiring a supermajority vote. This process is related to lawmaking, not addressing misconduct by government officials. It does not remove or punish individuals accused of abusing power.

D. Executive order.

An executive order is a directive issued by the president or a governor to manage government operations. It is not a process for holding officials accountable for misconduct. Instead, impeachment is the appropriate constitutional mechanism for addressing abuse of power.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above.

Explanation:

Checks and balances are a fundamental principle of the U.S. Constitution, designed to ensure that no single branch of government becomes too powerful. The president's ability to veto legislation (A) prevents Congress from having unchecked legislative power. The Senate’s role in confirming Supreme Court justices (B) ensures that judicial appointments are not solely at the discretion of the president. The Supreme Court’s authority to declare laws unconstitutional (C) acts as a check on both the legislative and executive branches. Since all these actions exemplify checks and balances, the correct answer is D.

Why other options are wrong:

A. The president vetoes a bill passed by Congress. While this is an example of checks and balances, it is not the only one. The question asks for the best example, and since multiple branches interact to limit power, a more comprehensive answer is needed.

B. The Senate confirms a president’s appointment to the Supreme Court. This action demonstrates checks and balances, but it is just one of many mechanisms in place. Since the correct answer must include all relevant examples, this alone is too limited.

C. The Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional. This judicial review power is a critical example of checks and balances, but it does not account for the other checks performed by the legislative and executive branches. Answer D is the most complete response.

Correct Answer: D. They believed in a centralized national government with strong fiscal roots.

Explanation:

The Federalists, led by figures like Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, supported the ratification of the U.S. Constitution because they believed in a strong national government. They argued that a powerful central government was necessary for maintaining order, stability, and economic growth. They also advocated for a strong financial system, including a national bank and the ability to raise revenue through taxation.

Why other options are wrong:

A. They believed that states should have more power than the national government. This is incorrect because this belief was held by the Anti-Federalists, who opposed the Constitution and wanted stronger state governments to prevent federal overreach.

B. They believed the Constitution should be interpreted literally without flexibility. The Federalists favored a broad interpretation of the Constitution, particularly regarding implied powers, which allowed the federal government to adapt over time. This was in contrast to strict constitutional interpretation, which was more associated with the Anti-Federalists and later the Democratic-Republicans.

C. They believed the Constitution created a weak central government. The Federalists actually supported the Constitution because it established a stronger central government than what existed under the Articles of Confederation. They believed the previous system was too weak to manage national affairs effectively.

Correct Answer: B. Executive orders are issued directly by the President and can be easily changed.

Explanation:

Executive orders are directives issued by the President that have the force of law but do not require approval from Congress. They are used to manage the operations of the federal government and implement policies. However, executive orders can be revoked, modified, or overturned by future Presidents, and they are subject to judicial review.

Why other options are wrong:

A. Executive orders are the same as laws passed by Congress. This is incorrect because executive orders do not go through the legislative process. Laws passed by Congress require debate, voting, and Presidential approval (or veto override), whereas executive orders bypass Congress and are issued by the President alone.

C. Executive orders are permanent and cannot be revoked. This is incorrect because executive orders can be overturned by later Presidents, the courts, or Congress (through new legislation). For example, President Joe Biden reversed several executive orders issued by Donald Trump.

D. Executive orders require Senate approval to be enacted. This is incorrect because executive orders do not require approval from either the Senate or the House. Laws passed by Congress, on the other hand, must go through the House and Senate before reaching the President's desk.

Correct Answer: C. Removed barriers to black enfranchisement, banning poll taxes and literacy tests

Explanation:

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed to enforce the Fifteenth Amendment, which granted African Americans the right to vote. It outlawed discriminatory practices like literacy tests, poll taxes, and other voter suppression tactics used to prevent African Americans from voting, particularly in the South. It also allowed federal oversight of elections in states with histories of discrimination.

Why other options are wrong:

A. Established mandatory voting for all citizens. The U.S. does not have mandatory voting; citizens have the right to vote but are not required to do so.

B. Allowed states to regulate voting procedures without federal oversight. The Act actually increased federal oversight in states with histories of voter suppression.

D. Created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC was established by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to handle workplace discrimination, not voting rights.

Correct Answer:

B. The President can veto the law, preventing it from being enacted.

Explanation:

The checks and balances system allows the President to veto a bill if they believe it is unconstitutional or problematic. The veto power, granted by Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution, allows the President to reject legislation passed by Congress. However, Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate.

Why other options are wrong:

A. The President can ignore the law and continue with executive actions. – The President must follow laws once they are enacted unless they are overturned by judicial review or repealed by Congress. Ignoring a law would violate the Constitution.

C. The President can call for a national referendum to decide on the law. – The U.S. government does  not use national referendums to decide on legislation. Laws are determined through Congress and the President , not by public vote.

D. The President can directly challenge the law in the Supreme Court. – The President does not have the authority to file a Supreme Court case. Instead, a lawsuit must be filed by an affected party, and the Supreme Court can then review the law's constitutionality.

Correct Answer: C. Voting discrimination based on race

Explanation:

The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, states that the right to vote cannot be denied or abridged based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It was passed after the Civil War to ensure that formerly enslaved people had the right to vote.

Why other options are wrong:

A. Voting discrimination based on age. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment (1971) lowered the voting age to 18.

B. Voting discrimination based on gender. The Nineteenth Amendment (1920) granted women the right to vote.

D. Voting discrimination based on income. The Twenty-Fourth Amendment (1964) abolished poll taxes, which were used to prevent low-income individuals from voting.

Correct Answer:

D. Each citizen has the right to reason and autonomy

Explanation:

The Enlightenment emphasized individual rights, reason, and self-governance, which directly influenced the Declaration of Independence. Thinkers such as John Locke argued that governments exist to protect natural rights, including life, liberty, and property. Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration, integrated these ideas, asserting that government derives its power from the consent of the governed and that people have the right to overthrow an oppressive government.

Why other options are wrong:

A. Citizens should have no rights against the government. – This contradicts Enlightenment ideals, which emphasized individual rights and government accountability. The Declaration explicitly states that all men have "unalienable rights" that must be protected.

B. Only the wealthy should have political power. – Enlightenment thinkers promoted equality and self-rule, not a government exclusive to the wealthy. While property ownership was initially a voting requirement, the Enlightenment-inspired American Revolution sought broader democratic principles.

C. The government should be absolute and unchallenged. – The Enlightenment opposed absolute monarchy and championed limited government. Thinkers like Montesquieu advocated for the separation of powers to prevent tyranny, ideas that influenced both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.