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Q:
Throughout American history, how many times has the son of a former United States president been elected as president?
A.none
B.one
C.two
D.four
E.eight
Q:
Throughout history the most common occupation of United States presidents prior to holding the office has been
A.military commander.
B.corporate executive.
C.attorney.
D.career bureaucrat.
E.university professor.
Q:
Which of the following is NOT an occupation of at least one individual prior to becoming the President of the United States?
A.peanut farmer
B.Supreme Court justice
C.professional baseball team owner
D.hat salesman
E.lawyer
Q:
Most U.S. presidents have held one or more high-level elected offices. The two most commonly held offices are tied, with 19 presidents each having held these positions. In addition to the U.S. House of Representatives, which other elected office was held by 19 presidents?
A.U.S. senator
B.Supreme Court justice
C.Supreme Allied Commander
D.governor
E.secretary of state
Q:
Up to and including President George W. Bush, how many individuals have held the office of President of the United States?
A.25
B.42
C.83
D.120
E.251
Q:
Based on data from presidential elections throughout American history, an individual who is currently holding which of the following positions is the least likely to become the next president?
A.a state governor
B.a vice president of the United States
C.a member of the U.S. House of Representatives
D.a member of the U.S. Senate
E.a general in the U.S. Army
Q:
On September 11, 2001 President George Bush was faced with a deadly and horrific attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon by which group or power?
A.the government of Russia
B.fundamentalists from Israel
C.Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi military
D.Yasser Arafat and the Palestinians
E.Al Qaeda led by Osama bin Laden
Q:
In 1941 then-President Franklin Roosevelt was faced with an enormously deadly attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii by what group or power?
A.the Russian Empire
B.the Republic of China
C.Muslim fanatics of Al Qaeda
D.the Empire of Japan
E.the government of North Korea
Q:
During major historical events such as the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001, why does the role and position of president become so important?
A.The Constitution requires that Americans follow the president's advice.
B.The president becomes a strong voice to command the nation's attention, calm fears, provide direction, and employ resources.
C.Congress is often unwilling to lead during emergencies so the president's role and authority increases.
D.The states have sole power to respond to threats against them by foreign powers but they rely on the president for guidance.
E.Congress is incapable of taking any type of action against foreign enemies so this responsibility is left to the president.
Q:
How does presidential style affect the nature and success of a given administration?
Q:
What are the differences between an executive order and a law?
Q:
Discuss the evolution of executive powers since World War II.
Q:
Describe how the following positions and groups have historically served the president and helped him to perform his duties: First Lady, White House Chief of Staff, White House Press Secretary, Director of Communications, Cabinet.
Q:
Historically the office of vice president has not been a statistically good position from which to launch a bid for the office of president. What are some reasons for the low number of vice presidents who have later been elected president? In contrast, which previously held political offices are most commonly represented among all the individuals who have served as president?
Q:
The U.S. Constitution provides that the vice president is next in the line of succession to the president should the president leave office early or become unable to perform official duties. Historically, what has been the role of the vice president and the relationship to the president? How have those roles changed in the past 30 years?
Q:
As commander-in-chief, the role of the president in the twentieth century has evolved dramatically. Describe how presidents of the twentieth century have used this constitutional role to project their power in a global arena.
Q:
The office of president has changed significantly since the administration of George Washington. One example is in the arena of relationships with other nations. Beginning with the Theodore Roosevelt administration in 1901, describe how the role of the president in foreign policy matters and global relationships has evolved over the past century. Give some examples.
Q:
Which of the following is not a presidential power?
A.the power to convene Congress
B.the power to declare war
C.the power to pardon
D.the power to veto legislation
E.the power to command the military
Q:
What is the constitutional authority under which presidents have waged war?
A.The Constitution specifies that the president declares war.
B.The Constitution calls the president to be commander in chief.
C.In Baker v. Carr, the Supreme Court declared that the constitutional Authority to wage war is implied by the penumbras of Article I, Section 8 and Article III, Section 3.
D.The Bill of Rights gives the president authority to "protect and defend the Constitution by whatever means necessary."
E.Presidents have relied on the executive privilege clause to justify waging war.
Q:
The President cannot veto
A.tax legislation.
B.spending legislation.
C.social welfare legislation.
D.budget legislation.
E.constitutional amendments.
Q:
An executive order of the president
A.is not enforceable.
B.serves as a recommendation of legislation for Congress to consider.
C.has the effect of law.
D.is a type of presidential veto.
E.determines how much funding the president's policy priorities will receive.
Q:
The responsibilities of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) include
A.drafting Congress's budget proposal.
B.administrative adjudication.
C.balancing the budget.
D.providing detailed analyses of proposed bills.
E.borrowing money on behalf of the United States.
Q:
In 1947, the ______ was established to advise the president on military affairs and foreign policy.
A.National Security Council (NSC)
B.Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
C.Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
D.Strategic Defense Institute (SDI)
E.United Nations (UN)
Q:
Who was the most powerful vice president?
A.Dan Quayle
B.Al Gore
C.Martin Van Buren
D.John Calhoun
E.Dick Cheney
Q:
Which president was the first to use modern mass media to directly address the people through his "fireside chats"?
A.Abraham Lincoln
B.Calvin Coolidge
C.Franklin D. Roosevelt
D.John F. Kennedy
E.Richard M. Nixon
Q:
Which of the following is a function of the presidential pardon?
A.It provides an executive branch check on the judiciary.
B.It restricts the rights and privileges of citizenship.
C.It can be used to pardon someone after they have been impeached and convicted.
D.It allows the president to pardon someone for violation of state or federal law.
E.The presidential pardon does all of the above.
Q:
Why did Congress pass the War Powers Act?
A.because President Johnson misled Americans about the progress of the Vietnam War
B.because the president needs to have considerable discretion when waging war
C.to prevent future congresses from cutting off funding for military activities
D.to justify the use of military force against Iraq
E.to boost the morale of the Vietnam veterans
Q:
Authority to delete part of a bill without vetoing the entire bill is known as a
A.pocket veto.
B.partial veto.
C.line-item veto.
D.princess veto.
E.presidential disapproval veto.
Q:
Which of the following scenarios exemplifies the President's role as chief of state?
A.Obama's reception for the Super Bowl Champions
B.Nixon's trip to China in 1972
C.Eisenhower's use of troops to integrate public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas
D.Clinton's effort to reform the welfare system
E.George W. Bush's order to use military force in Afghanistan
Q:
Which of the following best illustrates a president as chief law enforcement officer?
A.Obama's reception for the Super Bowl Champions
B.Nixon's trip to China in 1972
C.Eisenhower's use of troops to integrate public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas
D.Clinton's effort to reform the welfare system
E.George W. Bush's order to use military force in Afghanistan
Q:
Which of the following best describes the frequency with which vetoes are overridden?
A.Vetoes are rarely overridden.
B.About one-fourth of all vetoes are overridden.
C.About half of all vetoes are overridden.
D.Vetoes are frequently overridden during divided government.
E.Vetoes are frequently overridden when the presidency and Congress are controlled by the same party.
Q:
The person who is responsible for presenting the president in a favorable light and for proactively creating favorable media events for, and images of, the president is
A.the White House Press Secretary.
B.the White House Chief of Staff.
C.the White House Director of Communications.
D.the head of a major news organization.
E.the national party chairman.
Q:
Since the second half of the twentieth century, the person most responsible for the public face of the presidential administration in the media and the daily direct interaction with the media has been
A.the White House Chief of Staff.
B.the White House Press Secretary.
C.the Vice President of the United States.
D.the head of a major network.
E.a person designated by a majority of the major news organizations.
Q:
The first president to rely on public opinion polls and to use radio as a form of mass communication with the public was
A.Abraham Lincoln.
B.Theodore Roosevelt.
C.Franklin Roosevelt.
D.John Kennedy.
E.Ronald Reagan.
Q:
How many presidents have been unmarried while serving as president?
A.none
B.one
C.two
D.four
E.six
Q:
Which of the following is NOT an example of a role taken throughout history by the First Lady, who is the spouse of the president?
A.advocating for social issues such as illiteracy or health care
B.serving on national committees to develop policy recommendations to Congress
C.serving as host and White House manager of social affairs
D.serving as intermediary between the president and other government leaders when the president is incapacitated
E.serving as an official member of the president's Cabinet
Q:
The Executive Office of the President is a large bureaucracy of currently more than 2,000 employees who work for the president to carry out management and administrative functions. The head of this bureaucracy and a very close advisor to the president is the
A.Vice President of the United States.
B.Speaker of the House.
C.White House Chief of Staff.
D.Attorney General.
E.National Party Chairman.
Q:
What would be a good description of the role of vice presidents in the past 30 years?
A.Vice presidents continue to have little visibility or power.
B.Vice presidents have an increased presence in presiding in the Senate but little else.
C.Presidents have delegated the powers as commander-in-chief to their vice presidents.
D.Vice presidents have been given some token roles as party leaders or chairs of cabinet meetings.
E.Vice presidents have increasingly taken on major responsibilities and more visible roles, including advising and policy development.
Q:
The U.S. Constitution designates the vice president as next in the line of succession of the president. If the vice president cannot serve, who does the Constitution designate as the next in the line of succession?
A.the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
B.the secretary of state
C.the United States Attorney General
D.the president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate
E.a U.S. senator designated by a three-fourths majority of Congress
Q:
Historically vice presidents have often been relegated to insignificant or low-profile positions, yet they are clearly positioned in the U.S. Constitution as next in line to the presidency. Vice President Martin Van Buren was elected president in 1836. The next time a sitting vice president was elected president was
A.1840.
B.1860.
C.1896.
D.1944.
E.1988.
Q:
Presidents frequently issue rules and regulations that carry the force of law, ranging from orders to the armed forces to designation of public lands. Such actions, once thought to be unconstitutional, are called
A.civil prosecution.
B.executive orders.
C.diplomacy.
D.enforcement prerogative.
E.executive negotiation.
Q:
The president exercises many powers and/or roles that are not explicitly stated in the Constitution. These are referred to as implied powers. Which of the following is NOT an example of an implied power of the president?
A.crisis manager
B.national leader for his/her political party
C.focal point in national emergencies, such as natural disaster or terrorist attacks
D.commander-in-chief
E.foreign diplomat
Q:
Which of the following is NOT an example of a president committing American troops into combat without congressional approval?
A.Roosevelt in Europe and the Pacific Theaters, 1945
B.Truman in Korea, 1950
C.Reagan in Grenada, 1983
D.Bush in Panama, 1989
E.Clinton in Haiti, 1994
Q:
Since the end of World War II presidents have acted much more independently in committing American troops to combat situations. In 1973 Congress attempted to severely limit the power of the president to deploy troops without Congressional approval. Then-president Nixon vetoed the legislation, but his veto was overridden. What was this legislation called?
A.the Monroe Doctrine
B.the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance
C.the Presidential Control Act
D.the War Power Resolution
E.the Pentagon Papers
Q:
What is the primary purpose for the president's designation as commander-in-chief?
A.to use the military experience that most presidents have and to allow them to effectively lead the armed forces
B.to allow for the United States to have the ability to declare war and take necessary military action
C.to allow the military to ultimately remain under civilian control
D.to simplify the chain of command
E.to improve relationships and alliances with the military in other nations
Q:
Historically, what percentage of presidential vetoes have been overridden?
A.less than 1 percent
B.4 percent
C.25 percent
D.40 percent
E.80 percent
Q:
The president has constitutional power to veto legislation passed by Congress. However, the Congress also has constitutional powers to override the veto. How is the veto overridden?
A.The Senate has the sole power to override the veto but it must have a three-fourths vote of all senators.
B.A simple majority of both houses of Congress is required for override.
C.A simple majority of both houses plus approval of the Supreme Court is required for override.
D.A three-fourths majority vote of both houses of Congress is required for override.
E.A two-thirds majority in each house of Congress is required for override.
Q:
Article II of the U.S. Constitution requires that the president will each year advise the Congress about the condition of the nation. This constitutional requirement is now a formal speech before Congress and is called
A.the Annual Performance Review.
B.the State of the Union address.
C.the Appeal to the Nation.
D.Review of Congress.
E.Face the Nation.
Q:
A presidential action that removes the punishment, as well as the finding of guilt, from a person convicted of a federal crime is called
A.a reprieve.
B.a commutation.
C.a full pardon.
D.presidential prerogative.
E.certiorari.
Q:
The U.S. Constitution extends certain powers to the president in regard to people who are convicted of violating federal laws. An executive action that reduces the severity of a punishment without removing the guilt is called
A.a pardon.
B.a reprieve.
C.power of appointment.
D.writ of habeas corpus.
E.presidential oversight.
Q:
In Myers v. United States (1926) the U.S. Supreme Court addressed the issue of a president's power to remove an appointed official from office. In the case of Cabinet members such as secretary of state, what power does the president have in removing him or her from office?
A.The president may not remove an appointee without Congressional approval.
B.The U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment and has sole power to remove the appointee.
C.Though the U.S. Senate must confirm the original appointment, the president has the power to remove such an appointee without Congressional approval.
D.The appointee may not be removed from office without a hearing before the Supreme Court.
E.The president has no discretion in removing the appointee.
Q:
The president has a very important power to appoint judges, justices, and cabinet-level officials. However, the Constitution requires that this power be checked through
A.approval of the Supreme Court for all appointees.
B.a successful background check for all appointees by the FBI prior to taking office.
C.approval of three-fourths of the state legislatures for all appointments.
D.confirmation by the U.S. Senate for all political appointments.
E.a thorough security clearance by the CIA.
Q:
John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and other political theorists of the 1700s argued that the need for an executive power was fundamental and obvious. Which of the following is NOT one of the primary reasons that Locke and Montesquieu used to justify their arguments?
A.Legislatures meet infrequently and are ill-equipped to execute their own laws.
B.If legislatures enforced their own laws they may be tempted to shape the laws to their own particular advantage.
C.Legislatures are inherently corrupt and incapable of ethical behavior.
D.A clear separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches is necessary so that legislatures do not exert too much influence over the executive area.
E.Legislatures need perpetual execution in order to carry out the intent of their laws.
Q:
Due to the role of the president to receive and meet directly with dignitaries and rulers of other countries on behalf of the United States, the president is designated as
A.head of state.
B.head of government.
C.commander-in-chief.
D.governmental designee.
E.chief negotiator.
Q:
Article II of the United States Constitution lists four express powers of the president. Which of the following is NOT one of the express powers?
A.commander-in-chief of the armed forces
B.power to grant reprieves or pardons
C.power to make treaties
D.power to declare war
E.power to appoint federal judges and justices
Q:
In the 1960s, President Lyndon Johnson attempted to resurrect the successes of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal initiatives by implementing more than 60 social reform measures, including Medicare and Medicaid, federal aid for education, and voting rights for African Americans. Collectively, these reforms came to be known as Johnson's
A.Great Society.
B.Second New Deal.
C.Square Deal.
D.New World.
E.Corollary.
Q:
Currently the United States is considered the only true superpower in the world arena. However, from the close of World War II until the late 1980s another superpower existed that often opposed the United States and consumed much of the president's energies. This superpower was
A.the People's Republic of China.
B.Great Britain.
C.the Soviet Union (USSR).
D.Cuba.
E.Israel.
Q:
In the decades immediately following the close of World War II and extending into the 1980s, the most dominant theme faced by United States presidents in the foreign policy arena was
A.the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.
B.the Cold War with its expansion of communism.
C.the war in Vietnam.
D.the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
E.equal access to and use of the international space station.
Q:
Since the early 1900s presidential authority has been greatest in the area of
A.crime and punishment.
B.health care.
C.domestic policy.
D.the environment.
E.national security.
Q:
In the twenty-first century the foreign relations role of the president is a given, but this was not so in the earlier years of our nation's existence. Which president is considered the first to envision his role as that of a world leader and to proactively extend his reach into the foreign policy arena?
A.Andrew Jackson in 1828
B.Abraham Lincoln in 1860
C.Theodore Roosevelt in 1901
D.Harry Truman in 1945
E.Ronald Reagan in 1980
Q:
The twentieth century brought about significant changes in the presidency as evidenced by Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Roosevelt, just in the first half of the century. The "imperial presidency" is often noted as having taken root during this era. What is meant by this term?
A.The president becomes a dictator and takes total control of the government.
B.The president assumes powers to act independently of Congress under certain circumstances and to make significant decisions related to national security.
C.The office of president comes to be viewed as royalty with all its trappings.
D.The sons of presidents also assume the position, thus creating a de facto aristocracy.
E.The president becomes the uncontested leader of the free world.
Q:
President Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" policies did NOT include which of the following?
A.creation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to protect deposits in commercial banks during the Great Depression
B.creation of federal jobs by hiring the Depression-era unemployed to perform various public works
C.creation of a social security program that provided old-age benefits
D.creation of free trade zones with Mexico and Canada
E.creation of unemployment insurance benefits
Q:
The presidency of Woodrow Wilson is crowned by successful intervention of the United States into World War I in 1917. Though Wilson saw several successes, his greatest downfall was
A.his failure to gain Senate approval to join the League of Nations, which he was instrumental in creating.
B.the loss of the Philippines to Japan.
C.the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Empire of Japan.
D.his failure to enact comprehensive civil rights legislation.
E.his inability to desegregate the military.
Q:
Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest president in history when inaugurated in 1901 at the age of
A.29.
B.35.
C.42.
D.50.
E.55.
Q:
As president, Theodore Roosevelt has many credits. Which of the following is NOT an achievement of his term of office?
A.He encouraged a revolution in Panama.
B.He began building of the Panama Canal.
C.He aggressively pursued an interventionist stance in Europe that led to World War I.
D.He won a Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating a war settlement between Japan and Russia.
E.He increased national park lands fivefold.
Q:
Theodore Roosevelt was a proactive and forceful president. Building on the Monroe Doctrine from 80 years earlier, he developed the "Roosevelt Corollary," which
A.created an isolationist stance whereby American military forces were not allowed to leave the borders of the United States.
B.created an alliance of all English-speaking nations.
C.formed an alliance of nations against the developing Empire of Japan.
D.declared that the United States would serve as a police power to maintain stability in the Western Hemisphere by opposing European interference in Latin America.
E.launched a pre-emptive attack on Cuba and began the Spanish-American War.
Q:
The first sitting president to visit a foreign country on official business was
A.George Washington in 1790.
B.Abraham Lincoln in 1865.
C.Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.
D.Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1943.
E.John Kennedy in 1961.
Q:
As president, Abraham Lincoln thrived due to a rare combination of factors. Seen in retrospect as an endearing historical figure, Lincoln was nonetheless an aggressive politician. Which of the following was NOT one of the actions taken by Lincoln?
A.He suspended the writ of habeas corpus.
B.He spent U.S. Treasury funds without approval of Congress.
C.He ordered a military blockade of southern ports while Congress was in recess.
D.He ordered the states to provide 75,000 soldiers for battle.
E.He encouraged and nurtured a cooperative relationship between the executive and legislative branches.
Q:
History views most of the presidents from the two decades prior to the Civil War as
A.highly efficient and proactive in addressing the major events of that era.
B.activists regarding sensitive issues such as the abolition of slavery.
C.ineffective in addressing major issues of the day and failing to avert tensions that led to the Civil War.
D.effective in social issues but lacking in proper use of the military.
E.politically powerful beyond what is accepted in modern times.
Q:
James Monroe, president from 1817 to 1825, was the first to assume a strong foreign policy. His famous "Monroe Doctrine" declared
A.that the United States would regard as an unfriendly act any attempt by a European nation to intervene on the American continent.
B.that the United States had an inherent right to stop foreign navies on the high seas.
C.that the United States would be aggressive in invading foreign countries that resisted its trade policies.
D.that the United States had a moral obligation to serve as a sort of global police force.
E.that democracy was the dominant form of government and should be heavily impressed on weaker nations.
Q:
As the first president of the United States, George Washington is often credited with establishing many presidential standards and precedents that are still in effect today. Which of the following is NOT one of Washington's precedents?
A.He avoided entrapments of royalty by rejecting references such as "Your Majesty."
B.He was very aggressive in establishing a global military presence by basing American military personnel in volatile foreign arenas.
C.He consulted often with other branches of government, especially Congress.
D.He established the influence of the executive in crafting public policy.
E.He established and preferred the reference of "Mr. President."
Q:
How many presidents have voluntarily resigned?
A.none
B.one
C.two
D.three
E.five
Q:
Describe a typical day in the life of a Congressional Representative.
Q:
What is a filibuster, why is it used, how does it work, and how does it end?
Q:
Discuss the key differences between the powers granted to the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Q:
What is meant by congressional oversight? What oversight authority is given to the House? To the Senate? Identify and discuss some of the unique oversight powers of the Senate, especially in relation to the other two branches of government.
Q:
Identify and describe the roles of the leaders within each chamber of Congress. How do these leaders obtain their positions? How are leadership positions of the House and Senate similar? How are they different?
Q:
Assume a scenario in which the House of Representatives has considered the president's spending bill and has authorized military funding of $8 billion. After consideration of the same legislation, the Senate recommends authorization of $12 billion for military expenditures. Describe the process that the two chambers of Congress will utilize to come to consensus on this spending issue.
Q:
As an elected member of Congress prepares to vote on a proposed bill, he/she is influenced by a number of factors. List at least five modern factors and describe how they may affect the legislation process.
Q:
The process of bringing a bill to the point of enacting it as legislation is a multi-step and often complicated process. Describe how a bill becomes a law. Be sure to discuss the steps taken, the political and partisan activity, the authority of committees, and the compromise involved in the process.