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American Government 2e

Review Questions

American Government 2eReview Questions
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1.

Many at the Continental Congress were skeptical of allowing presidents to be directly elected by the legislature because ________.

  1. they were worried about giving the legislature too much power
  2. they feared the opportunities created for corruption
  3. they knew the weaknesses of an electoral college
  4. they worried about subjecting the commander-in-chief to public scrutiny
2.

Which of the following is a way George Washington expanded the power of the presidency?

  1. He refused to run again after serving two terms.
  2. He appointed the heads of various federal departments as his own advisors.
  3. He worked with the Senate to draft treaties with foreign countries.
  4. He submitted his neutrality proclamation to the Senate for approval.
3.

How did presidents who served in the decades directly after Washington expand the powers of the presidency?

4.

What factors contributed to the growth of presidential power in the twentieth century?

5.

How did the election of 1824 change the way presidents were selected?

  1. Following this election, presidents were directly elected.
  2. Jackson’s supporters decided to create a device for challenging the Electoral College.
  3. The election convinced many that the parties must adopt the king caucus as the primary method for selecting presidents.
  4. The selection of the candidate with fewer electoral votes triggered the rise of party control over nominations.
6.

Which of the following is an unintended consequence of the rise of the primary and caucus system?

  1. Sometimes candidates unpopular with the party leadership reach the top.
  2. Campaigns have become shorter and more expensive.
  3. The conventions have become more powerful than the voters.
  4. Often incumbent presidents will fail to be renominated by the party.
7.

What problems exist with the Electoral College?

8.

The people who make up the modern president’s cabinet are the heads of the major federal departments and ________.

  1. must be confirmed by the Senate
  2. once in office are subject to dismissal by the Senate
  3. serve two-year terms
  4. are selected base on the rules of patronage
9.

A very challenging job for new presidents is to ______.

  1. move into the White House
  2. prepare and deliver their first State of the Union address
  3. nominate and gain confirmation for their cabinet and hundreds of other officials
  4. prepare their first executive budget
10.

How do presidents work to fulfill their campaign promises once in office?

11.

President Theodore Roosevelt’s concept of the bully pulpit was the office’s ________.

  1. authority to use force, especially military force
  2. constitutional power to veto legislation
  3. premier position to pressure through public appeal
  4. ability to use technology to enhance the voice of the president
12.

In what ways have first ladies expanded the role of their office over the twentieth century?

13.

How were presidents in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries likely to reach the public? Were these methods effective?

14.

The passage of the Tenure of Office Act of 1867 was just one instance in a long line of ________.

  1. struggles for power between the president and the Congress
  2. unconstitutional presidential power grabbing
  3. impeachment trials
  4. arguments over presidential policy
15.

Which of the following is an example of an executive agreement?

  1. The president negotiates an agreement with China and submits it to the Senate for ratification.
  2. The president changes a regulation on undocumented immigrant status without congressional approval.
  3. The president signs legally binding nuclear arms terms with Iran without seeking congressional approval.
  4. The president issues recommendations to the Department of Justice on what the meaning of a new criminal statute is.
16.

How have the methods presidents use to negotiate with their party and the opposition changed over time?

17.

What strategies can presidents employ to win people over to their way of thinking?

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