US Constitution Principles of Governance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What constitutional principle prevents any single branch of government from becoming too powerful?
- Federalism
- Checks and balances (Correct answer)
- Judicial review
- Popular sovereignty
Correct answer: Checks and balances
Checks and balances give each branch mechanisms to limit the power of the others, preventing any one branch from dominating.
Question 2: Under the Constitution, which level of government holds powers not delegated to the federal government?
- Federal government
- Local municipalities
- States and the people (Correct answer)
- Federal courts
Correct answer: States and the people
The Tenth Amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people.
Question 3: Which constitutional clause requires states to honor the laws and court decisions of other states?
- Supremacy Clause
- Commerce Clause
- Full Faith and Credit Clause (Correct answer)
- Necessary and Proper Clause
Correct answer: Full Faith and Credit Clause
The Full Faith and Credit Clause (Article IV, Section 1) requires each state to respect the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of other states.
Question 4: What does the principle of 'popular sovereignty' mean in the context of the U.S. Constitution?
- The President holds ultimate authority
- Government authority derives from the consent of the governed (Correct answer)
- Congress is the supreme branch
- State governments have final say
Correct answer: Government authority derives from the consent of the governed
Popular sovereignty holds that all governmental power originates from the people, as expressed in the Constitution's preamble 'We the People.'
Question 5: Which constitutional provision allows Congress to make laws 'necessary and proper' for carrying out its enumerated powers?
- Commerce Clause
- Elastic Clause (Correct answer)
- Supremacy Clause
- Privileges and Immunities Clause
Correct answer: Elastic Clause
The Necessary and Proper Clause (also called the Elastic Clause) in Article I, Section 8 grants Congress flexibility to pass laws needed to execute its listed powers.
Question 6: How does the Constitution establish the principle of limited government?
- By granting the President veto power
- By listing only specific powers government may exercise (Correct answer)
- By requiring annual elections
- By creating a bicameral legislature
Correct answer: By listing only specific powers government may exercise
Limited government means federal power is restricted to those powers explicitly granted or reasonably implied by the Constitution.
Question 7: Which constitutional mechanism allows the President to restrain Congress?
- Judicial review
- The veto power (Correct answer)
- Habeas corpus
- Impeachment
Correct answer: The veto power
The President's veto power (Article I, Section 7) allows rejection of legislation passed by Congress, serving as an executive check on the legislative branch.
US Constitution Principles of Governance 2
What constitutional principle prevents any single branch of government from becoming too powerful?