SDTV: Answers - American Government

1.What does popular consent mean?

Popular consent means people should be able to participate directly in the governing of their own societies.2.What is the idea behind the social contract theory?

The social contract theory compares the relationship between a society and its citizens to parties entering into a contract.3.True or False: In a direct democracy, people vote for representatives who work on their behalf to create laws.

False. In an indirect democracy, people vote for representatives who work on their behalf to create laws.4.True or False: England had a sizeable amount of money after the French and Indian war.

False. After the French and Indian war (1754-63), England was monetarily drained.5.True or False: The Virginia Plan called for a strong national government that derived its power from the people, not the states.

True. The structure of Congress is based both on the Virginia Plan (House of Representatives) and the New Jersey Plan (Senate).6.According to Aristotle's theory of natural law, society should be governed by:

a) A monarch
b) Ethical principles
c) Aristotle

Aristotle thought that a government should respect its citizens and not do things like steal a citizen's property.

7.In which type of government is the power to govern given to the people?

a) Aristocracy
b) Oligarchy
c) Democracy

In aristocracies and oligarchies the people have little or no popular consent. Thus, the founding fathers chose a form of democracy.

8.What is one of the main reasons the colonists began to organize against England?

a) England imposed strict taxes on the colonists
b) England said that the colonists would have to turn their homes over to the French
c) They came home late one night, and England grounded them

One of the main reasons the colonists began to organize against England is that England imposed strict taxes on the colonists, such as the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act.

9.When were the Articles of Confederation ratified?

a) Before the Revolutionary War
b) During the Revolutionary War
c) After the Revolutionary War

Although the Articles of Confederation were written before the Revolutionary War, they were ratified after the war.

10.In a confederation, which of the following holds the most power?

a) State governments
b) National government
c) Courts

In a confederation, state governments hold the most power, and the national government is weak. This was one of the main problems with the Articles of Confederation. The national government couldn't do much to assert control on a national level.

11.What is the result of the Great Compromise?

a) Representation in Congress determined by state population.
b) Every state gets two representatives in Congress.
c) Both "a" and "b."

The result of the Great Compromise is that states are represented two ways in Congress. One, by population in the House of Representatives, and two, each state gets two Senators in the Senate.

12.Which of the following best describes federalism?

a) The national government possesses almost all of the power.
b) The state governments possess almost all of the power.
c) Power is distributed to both the national and state governments.

In federalism, power is distributed to both the national and state governments.

13.According to the supremacy clause in the Constitution, which type of law has supremacy?

a) National law
b) State law
c) Local law

According to the supremacy clause, national law has supremacy over state and local law.

14.In Article I of the Constitution, the Necessary and Proper clause gives what type of powers to Congress?

a) Elastic powers
b) Enumerated powers
c) Super powers

In Article I of the Constitution, the Necessary and Proper clause gives elastic powers to Congress. Elastic powers are powers that aren't specifically stated in the Constitution, but that Congress can use to carry out its enumerated powers, which are explicitly stated in the Constitution.

15.Article III of the Constitution deals with what branch of government?

a) Executive
b) Legislative
c) Judicial

Article III of the Constitution lists the powers and responsibilities of the judicial branch of government.

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