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Practice · CG.c

Structure and design of the U.S. government

Question 1 of 36 · 0 right

Question 1 of 36

The Constitution Creates Three Branches

(1) Article I, Section 1: "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."

(2) Article I, Section 2: "The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States…"

(3) Seventeenth Amendment (1913): "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote."

(4) Article II, Section 1: "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years…"

(5) Article III, Section 1: "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour…"

Word help: vested in = given to; legislative = lawmaking; executive = carrying out laws; judicial = relating to courts and judges; inferior courts = lower courts; ordain = set up; during good Behaviour = as long as they behave properly (in practice, for life).

According to Article I, Section 1, which body holds the power to make federal laws?

Answer choices
Hint

Legislative means lawmaking. Find where "legislative Powers" are vested.

Question 2 of 36

The Constitution Creates Three Branches

(1) Article I, Section 1: "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."

(2) Article I, Section 2: "The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States…"

(3) Seventeenth Amendment (1913): "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote."

(4) Article II, Section 1: "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years…"

(5) Article III, Section 1: "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour…"

Word help: vested in = given to; legislative = lawmaking; executive = carrying out laws; judicial = relating to courts and judges; inferior courts = lower courts; ordain = set up; during good Behaviour = as long as they behave properly (in practice, for life).

Based on the excerpts, which federal officials serve the shortest terms?

Answer choices
Hint

Find the length of term for each official: "every second Year," "six years," "four Years," and "during good Behavior."

Question 3 of 36

Hot spot
How a Federal Bill Becomes a Law

The flowchart shows the main steps a bill must pass through in Congress before it can become a federal law.

Flowchart: how a federal bill becomes a law. Step 1, a member introduces the bill in the House or the Senate. Step 2, a committee studies the bill, holds hearings, and may change it or let it die. Step 3, the full chamber debates and votes; a simple majority passes it. Step 4, the other chamber repeats steps 2 and 3. Step 5, a conference committee settles any differences and both chambers pass the identical final version. Step 6, the President acts on the bill. If the President signs it, it becomes a law. If the President does nothing for 10 days (Sundays excepted), it becomes law if Congress is in session, but it is a pocket veto if Congress has adjourned. If the President vetoes the bill, it returns to Congress with objections. Step 7, override: if two-thirds of the House and two-thirds of the Senate vote again to pass it, it becomes a law without the President. If the override vote fails, the bill does not become law. How a Federal Bill Becomes a Law 1. A member introduces the bill in the House or the Senate 2. Committee studies the bill, holds hearings, may change it or let it die 3. Full chamber debates and votes (simple majority to pass) 4. Other chamber repeats steps 2 and 3 5. Conference committee settles any differences; both chambers pass the identical final version 6. PRESIDENT acts on the bill SIGNS the bill → it becomes a LAW Does nothing for 10 days (Sundays excepted): law if Congress is in session; POCKET VETO if Congress has adjourned VETOES the bill → returns it to Congress with objections 7. OVERRIDE: if 2/3 of the House AND 2/3 of the Senate vote again to pass it, it becomes a LAW without the President If the override vote fails, the bill does not become law

The House passed a bill to fund highway repairs. The Senate then passed its own version, which spends a different amount.

Click the step in the flowchart where the two versions are made identical.

Click on the figure to mark your answer (or focus it and use the arrow keys).

Flowchart: how a federal bill becomes a law. Step 1, a member introduces the bill in the House or the Senate. Step 2, a committee studies the bill, holds hearings, and may change it or let it die. Step 3, the full chamber debates and votes; a simple majority passes it. Step 4, the other chamber repeats steps 2 and 3. Step 5, a conference committee settles any differences and both chambers pass the identical final version. Step 6, the President acts on the bill. If the President signs it, it becomes a law. If the President does nothing for 10 days (Sundays excepted), it becomes law if Congress is in session, but it is a pocket veto if Congress has adjourned. If the President vetoes the bill, it returns to Congress with objections. Step 7, override: if two-thirds of the House and two-thirds of the Senate vote again to pass it, it becomes a law without the President. If the override vote fails, the bill does not become law. How a Federal Bill Becomes a Law 1. A member introduces the bill in the House or the Senate 2. Committee studies the bill, holds hearings, may change it or let it die 3. Full chamber debates and votes (simple majority to pass) 4. Other chamber repeats steps 2 and 3 5. Conference committee settles any differences; both chambers pass the identical final version 6. PRESIDENT acts on the bill SIGNS the bill → it becomes a LAW Does nothing for 10 days (Sundays excepted): law if Congress is in session; POCKET VETO if Congress has adjourned VETOES the bill → returns it to Congress with objections 7. OVERRIDE: if 2/3 of the House AND 2/3 of the Senate vote again to pass it, it becomes a LAW without the President If the override vote fails, the bill does not become law
Hint

Before a bill goes to the President, both chambers must pass exactly the same text. Which step mentions "differences"?

Question 4 of 36

The President's Powers and Their Limits

From the U.S. Constitution (1787)

(1) Article II, Section 2: "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States;" …

(2) Article II, Section 2: "He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States," …

(3) Article I, Section 2: "The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment."

(4) Article I, Section 3: "The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present."

(5) Article II, Section 4: "The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

Word help: militia = citizen soldiers of a state (today, the National Guard); concur = agree; nominate = name someone for a job; chuse = old spelling of choose; sole = only; impeachment = formally charging an official with wrongdoing; try = hold a trial; concurrence = agreement; civil officers = non-military government officials.

According to the excerpts, which body has the sole power of impeachment, the power to formally charge a federal official with wrongdoing?

Answer choices
Hint

Find the word sole in paragraph 3.

Question 5 of 36

Checks and Balances

The framers of the Constitution gave each branch of the national government ways to limit the other two. The diagram shows some of the most important checks.

Diagram of checks and balances among the three branches of the U.S. government. Legislative branch (Congress) at top left, Executive branch (President) at top right, Judicial branch (Supreme Court and federal courts) at the bottom. Labelled arrows: Executive to Legislative: 'veto bills'. Legislative to Executive: 'override vetoes; impeach and remove the President; Senate approves treaties and executive appointments'. Executive to Judicial: 'nominate federal judges'. Legislative to Judicial: 'Senate confirms or rejects judges; create lower courts; impeach judges'. Judicial to Legislative: 'declare laws unconstitutional'. Judicial to Executive: 'declare executive actions unconstitutional'. Checks and Balances LEGISLATIVE Congress EXECUTIVE President JUDICIAL Supreme Court and federal courts veto bills override vetoes; impeach and remove the President; Senate approves treaties and executive appointments Senate confirms or rejects judges; create lower courts; impeach judges declare laws unconstitutional nominate federal judges declare executive actions unconstitutional

According to the diagram, which check can the judicial branch use on the legislative branch?

Answer choices
Hint

Find the arrow that starts at the Judicial box and points to the Legislative box.

Question 6 of 36

Vetoes in Lakeland

Lakeland is a fictional state. Like the U.S. Constitution, Lakeland's constitution lets the governor veto bills and lets the legislature override a veto by a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

(1) Governor Ruth Okafor took office in 2019. For her first two years, her party held a majority in both chambers of the legislature.

(2) In the 2020 election, the opposing party won more than two-thirds of the seats in both chambers. In the 2022 election, the governor's party gained seats, and from 2023 on the opposing party no longer held two-thirds of either chamber.

Grouped bar chart: Governor's vetoes and veto overrides in the fictional state of Lakeland, 2019 to 2024. 2019: 12 bills vetoed, 1 veto overridden; 2020: 8 bills vetoed, 0 vetoes overridden; 2021: 20 bills vetoed, 6 vetoes overridden; 2022: 15 bills vetoed, 4 vetoes overridden; 2023: 9 bills vetoed, 1 veto overridden; 2024: 6 bills vetoed, 0 vetoes overridden. Lakeland: Governor's Vetoes and Overrides (fictional) 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 Number of bills 12 1 2019 8 0 2020 20 6 2021 15 4 2022 9 1 2023 6 0 2024 Bills vetoed by the governor Vetoes overridden

According to the chart, in which year did Lakeland's legislature override the most vetoes?

Answer choices
Hint

Look only at the red bars (vetoes overridden).

Question 7 of 36

How a Federal Bill Becomes a Law

The flowchart shows the main steps a bill must pass through in Congress before it can become a federal law.

Flowchart: how a federal bill becomes a law. Step 1, a member introduces the bill in the House or the Senate. Step 2, a committee studies the bill, holds hearings, and may change it or let it die. Step 3, the full chamber debates and votes; a simple majority passes it. Step 4, the other chamber repeats steps 2 and 3. Step 5, a conference committee settles any differences and both chambers pass the identical final version. Step 6, the President acts on the bill. If the President signs it, it becomes a law. If the President does nothing for 10 days (Sundays excepted), it becomes law if Congress is in session, but it is a pocket veto if Congress has adjourned. If the President vetoes the bill, it returns to Congress with objections. Step 7, override: if two-thirds of the House and two-thirds of the Senate vote again to pass it, it becomes a law without the President. If the override vote fails, the bill does not become law. How a Federal Bill Becomes a Law 1. A member introduces the bill in the House or the Senate 2. Committee studies the bill, holds hearings, may change it or let it die 3. Full chamber debates and votes (simple majority to pass) 4. Other chamber repeats steps 2 and 3 5. Conference committee settles any differences; both chambers pass the identical final version 6. PRESIDENT acts on the bill SIGNS the bill → it becomes a LAW Does nothing for 10 days (Sundays excepted): law if Congress is in session; POCKET VETO if Congress has adjourned VETOES the bill → returns it to Congress with objections 7. OVERRIDE: if 2/3 of the House AND 2/3 of the Senate vote again to pass it, it becomes a LAW without the President If the override vote fails, the bill does not become law

Most bills introduced in Congress never receive a vote by the full House or Senate. Based on the flowchart, at which step is a bill most likely to be stopped before reaching a floor vote?

Answer choices
Hint

Which step comes before the "full chamber debates and votes" step, and what does that step say can happen to the bill?

Question 8 of 36

The Constitution on Vetoes

Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution (1787)

(1) "Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it."

(2) "If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law." …

(3) "If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law."

Word help: originated = started; objections = reasons for disapproving; journal = official written record; adjournment = ending a session or meeting.

According to paragraphs 1 and 2, what happens to a bill after the President refuses to sign it and returns it with objections?

Answer choices
Hint

Read paragraph 2 closely: how many chambers must vote, and by what margin?

Question 9 of 36

Fill in
The Constitution on Vetoes

Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution (1787)

(1) "Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it."

(2) "If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law." …

(3) "If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law."

Word help: originated = started; objections = reasons for disapproving; journal = official written record; adjournment = ending a session or meeting.

Under Article I, Section 7, overriding a veto requires a vote of "two thirds" in each chamber. The House has 435 members and the Senate has 100.

Suppose every member of both chambers is present and voting. What is the minimum number of votes needed to override a veto?

House: votes

Senate: votes

Type your answer in the box. Fractions like 3/4 are fine.

Hint

Multiply each chamber's size by 2/3. If the result is not a whole number, you need the next whole number up, because a vote can't be split.

Question 10 of 36

Drag and drop

Under federalism, some powers belong to the national government, some belong to the states, and some are shared. Drag each power to the correct category.

Federal (delegated) onlyState (reserved) onlyConcurrent (shared)

Tap a tile, then tap a box to place it.

Hint

Ask: Would it make sense for 50 states to each do this differently? Coins and wars need one national policy. Schools and licenses are local. Both levels need money.

Question 11 of 36

Powers of Congress and Powers of the States

Article I, Section 8 (selected clauses)

(1) "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States;"

(2) "To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;"

(3) "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;"

(4) "To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;"

(5) "To establish Post Offices and post Roads;"

(6) "To declare War…; To raise and support Armies…; To provide and maintain a Navy;"

(7) "To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

Tenth Amendment (1791)

(8) "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Word help: duties, imposts, excises = kinds of taxes; commerce = trade; foregoing = listed before; delegated = given or assigned.

Based on the excerpts, which power is reserved to the states under the Tenth Amendment?

Answer choices
Hint

A reserved power is one NOT delegated to the United States. Cross off every choice that appears in Article I, Section 8.

Question 12 of 36

Changing and Interpreting the Constitution

Excerpt 1: Article V of the U.S. Constitution (1787)

(1) "The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress…"

Excerpt 2: Chief Justice John Marshall, Supreme Court opinion in Marbury v. Madison (1803)

(2) "It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is. Those who apply the rule to particular cases, must of necessity expound and interpret that rule. If two laws conflict with each other, the courts must decide on the operation of each."

(3) "Thus, the particular phraseology of the constitution of the United States confirms and strengthens the principle, supposed to be essential to all written constitutions, that a law repugnant to the constitution is void; and that courts, as well as other departments, are bound by that instrument."

Word help: deem = judge, consider; ratified = formally approved; province = proper area of responsibility; expound = explain in detail; phraseology = wording; repugnant to = in conflict with; void = having no legal force; instrument = formal legal document (here, the Constitution).

Which sequence describes a valid way to amend the Constitution under Article V?

Answer choices
Hint

Article V has two stages: proposing and ratifying. Check the fraction used at each stage, and notice which officials are never mentioned.

Question 13 of 36

The President's Powers and Their Limits

From the U.S. Constitution (1787)

(1) Article II, Section 2: "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States;" …

(2) Article II, Section 2: "He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States," …

(3) Article I, Section 2: "The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment."

(4) Article I, Section 3: "The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present."

(5) Article II, Section 4: "The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

Word help: militia = citizen soldiers of a state (today, the National Guard); concur = agree; nominate = name someone for a job; chuse = old spelling of choose; sole = only; impeachment = formally charging an official with wrongdoing; try = hold a trial; concurrence = agreement; civil officers = non-military government officials.

The President signs a trade treaty with another country. According to paragraph 2, what must happen before the treaty can take effect?

Answer choices
Hint

Look for the phrase provided two thirds of the Senators present concur.

Question 14 of 36

Drag and drop
Who May Serve

From the U.S. Constitution

(1) Article I, Section 2 (House): "No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen."

(2) Article I, Section 3 (Senate): "No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen."

(3) Article II, Section 1 (President): "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."

(4) Twenty-second Amendment (1951), Section 1: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once." …

Word help: attained to = reached; inhabitant = resident; natural born citizen = a person who was a U.S. citizen at birth; eligible = qualified.

Use the excerpts in "Who May Serve." Drag each requirement to the office it applies to.

RepresentativeSenatorPresident

Tap a tile, then tap a box to place it.

Hint

Make a quick table: age and years of citizenship for each office, then any special rule.

Question 15 of 36

Drag and drop
The Journey of the Rural Broadband Act

This bill and the people in this account are fictional, but the steps follow the real federal process.

(1) In February, Representative Lena Ortiz introduced H.R. 2290, the Rural Broadband Act, in the House of Representatives. The bill would pay for high-speed internet lines in rural counties. It was sent to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

(2) The committee held hearings in March. At a markup session in April, committee members amended the bill to add money for libraries and then voted 30–22 to send it to the full House.

(3) In June, the House passed the bill, 251–180. In September, the Senate passed its own version, 61–38. The Senate version spent less money and started the program a year later.

(4) A conference committee of members from both chambers wrote a compromise. In November, the House and the Senate each passed the identical compromise bill and sent it to the President.

(5) On December 2, the President vetoed the bill, saying it cost too much, and returned it with his objections to the House, where it had started.

(6) On December 9, the House voted to override the veto. All 428 members who were present voted: 270 in favor and 158 against.

Use "The Journey of the Rural Broadband Act." Drag the five steps into the order in which they happened, from first (1) to last (5).

12345

Tap a tile, then tap a box to place it.

Hint

Use the months in the passage: February, April, June, September, November, December.

Question 16 of 36

Fill in
How the Constitution Has Changed

(1) Members of Congress have proposed thousands of constitutional amendments since 1789. Congress has sent only 33 of them to the states, and only 27 have been ratified.

(2) Article V makes amending difficult on purpose. An amendment must be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both the House and the Senate (or by a national convention called at the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures, a method that has never been used). It must then be ratified by three-fourths of the states, either by their legislatures or by special state conventions. Congress chooses which ratification method will be used. The President has no formal role.

(3) The first ten amendments, the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The Eighteenth Amendment (1919) banned the making and sale of alcohol. The Twenty-first Amendment (1933) repealed it, and it is the only amendment that was ratified by state conventions instead of state legislatures.

(4) Some amendments responded to Supreme Court decisions. In 1970 the Court ruled that Congress could not, by ordinary law, set the voting age for state and local elections. The Twenty-sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 in all elections.

(5) Congress may set a deadline for ratification. In 1972 Congress proposed the Equal Rights Amendment with a seven-year deadline, later extended to 1982. By the deadline, 35 states had ratified it, short of the number needed.

(6) Ratification can also be slow when there is no deadline. The Twenty-seventh Amendment, which delays any pay raise Congress votes for itself until after the next election, was proposed in 1789 but not ratified until 1992.

Paragraph 2 says an amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states. There are 50 states today.

What is the minimum number of states needed to ratify an amendment?

states

Type your answer in the box. Fractions like 3/4 are fine.

Hint

Multiply 50 by 3/4. A state cannot partly ratify, so round up if needed.

Question 17 of 36

Drag and drop
Dividing Power Between the Nation and the States

From the U.S. Constitution

(1) Article I, Section 8: "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises," … "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;" … "To establish Post Offices and post Roads;" …

(2) Article I, Section 8 (last clause): "To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

(3) Article I, Section 10: "No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit;" …

(4) Article VI: "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding."

(5) Tenth Amendment (1791): "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Word help: commerce = trade; foregoing = listed before; letters of marque and reprisal = permits for private ships to attack enemy ships; emit bills of credit = issue paper money; in pursuance thereof = following from it; notwithstanding = in spite of; delegated = given.

Under federalism, some powers belong only to the national government, some are reserved to the states, and some are shared (concurrent). Use the excerpts and what you know about federalism. Drag each power to the correct column.

National government onlyStates only (reserved)Shared (concurrent)

Tap a tile, then tap a box to place it.

Hint

Paragraph 3 lists things states may NOT do. Paragraph 5 says undelegated powers stay with the states. Some powers are used by both levels.

Question 18 of 36

Dividing Power Between the Nation and the States

From the U.S. Constitution

(1) Article I, Section 8: "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises," … "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;" … "To establish Post Offices and post Roads;" …

(2) Article I, Section 8 (last clause): "To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

(3) Article I, Section 10: "No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit;" …

(4) Article VI: "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding."

(5) Tenth Amendment (1791): "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Word help: commerce = trade; foregoing = listed before; letters of marque and reprisal = permits for private ships to attack enemy ships; emit bills of credit = issue paper money; in pursuance thereof = following from it; notwithstanding = in spite of; delegated = given.

Every state requires electricians to pass an exam before they can get a license. No part of the Constitution gives Congress the power to license electricians, and nothing forbids the states from doing it.

Which part of the excerpts best explains why states have this power?

Answer choices
Hint

Which excerpt talks about powers that are neither delegated to the United States nor prohibited to the states?

Question 19 of 36

How the Constitution Has Changed

(1) Members of Congress have proposed thousands of constitutional amendments since 1789. Congress has sent only 33 of them to the states, and only 27 have been ratified.

(2) Article V makes amending difficult on purpose. An amendment must be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both the House and the Senate (or by a national convention called at the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures, a method that has never been used). It must then be ratified by three-fourths of the states, either by their legislatures or by special state conventions. Congress chooses which ratification method will be used. The President has no formal role.

(3) The first ten amendments, the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The Eighteenth Amendment (1919) banned the making and sale of alcohol. The Twenty-first Amendment (1933) repealed it, and it is the only amendment that was ratified by state conventions instead of state legislatures.

(4) Some amendments responded to Supreme Court decisions. In 1970 the Court ruled that Congress could not, by ordinary law, set the voting age for state and local elections. The Twenty-sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 in all elections.

(5) Congress may set a deadline for ratification. In 1972 Congress proposed the Equal Rights Amendment with a seven-year deadline, later extended to 1982. By the deadline, 35 states had ratified it, short of the number needed.

(6) Ratification can also be slow when there is no deadline. The Twenty-seventh Amendment, which delays any pay raise Congress votes for itself until after the next election, was proposed in 1789 but not ratified until 1992.

According to the passage, what made the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment unique?

Answer choices
Hint

Paragraph 3 describes the Twenty-first Amendment. Paragraph 2 lists the two ways states can ratify.

Question 20 of 36

Dividing Power Between the Nation and the States

From the U.S. Constitution

(1) Article I, Section 8: "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises," … "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;" … "To establish Post Offices and post Roads;" …

(2) Article I, Section 8 (last clause): "To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

(3) Article I, Section 10: "No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit;" …

(4) Article VI: "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding."

(5) Tenth Amendment (1791): "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Word help: commerce = trade; foregoing = listed before; letters of marque and reprisal = permits for private ships to attack enemy ships; emit bills of credit = issue paper money; in pursuance thereof = following from it; notwithstanding = in spite of; delegated = given.

Which action by Congress relies on an implied power, a power that comes from the Necessary and Proper Clause (paragraph 2) rather than one listed word for word?

Answer choices
Hint

Look for the action that does not appear in the list of powers in paragraph 1 but helps Congress carry one of them out.

Question 21 of 36

Hot spot
Checks and Balances

The framers of the Constitution gave each branch of the national government ways to limit the other two. The diagram shows some of the most important checks.

Diagram of checks and balances among the three branches of the U.S. government. Legislative branch (Congress) at top left, Executive branch (President) at top right, Judicial branch (Supreme Court and federal courts) at the bottom. Labelled arrows: Executive to Legislative: 'veto bills'. Legislative to Executive: 'override vetoes; impeach and remove the President; Senate approves treaties and executive appointments'. Executive to Judicial: 'nominate federal judges'. Legislative to Judicial: 'Senate confirms or rejects judges; create lower courts; impeach judges'. Judicial to Legislative: 'declare laws unconstitutional'. Judicial to Executive: 'declare executive actions unconstitutional'. Checks and Balances LEGISLATIVE Congress EXECUTIVE President JUDICIAL Supreme Court and federal courts veto bills override vetoes; impeach and remove the President; Senate approves treaties and executive appointments Senate confirms or rejects judges; create lower courts; impeach judges declare laws unconstitutional nominate federal judges declare executive actions unconstitutional

The Senate voted 52–48 to reject a President's choice for a seat on the Supreme Court.

Click the label in the diagram that describes the check the Senate used.

Click on the figure to mark your answer (or focus it and use the arrow keys).

Diagram of checks and balances among the three branches of the U.S. government. Legislative branch (Congress) at top left, Executive branch (President) at top right, Judicial branch (Supreme Court and federal courts) at the bottom. Labelled arrows: Executive to Legislative: 'veto bills'. Legislative to Executive: 'override vetoes; impeach and remove the President; Senate approves treaties and executive appointments'. Executive to Judicial: 'nominate federal judges'. Legislative to Judicial: 'Senate confirms or rejects judges; create lower courts; impeach judges'. Judicial to Legislative: 'declare laws unconstitutional'. Judicial to Executive: 'declare executive actions unconstitutional'. Checks and Balances LEGISLATIVE Congress EXECUTIVE President JUDICIAL Supreme Court and federal courts veto bills override vetoes; impeach and remove the President; Senate approves treaties and executive appointments Senate confirms or rejects judges; create lower courts; impeach judges declare laws unconstitutional nominate federal judges declare executive actions unconstitutional
Hint

Which branch is the Senate part of? Which branch was the nominee going to join?

Question 22 of 36

The President's Powers and Their Limits

From the U.S. Constitution (1787)

(1) Article II, Section 2: "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States;" …

(2) Article II, Section 2: "He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States," …

(3) Article I, Section 2: "The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment."

(4) Article I, Section 3: "The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present."

(5) Article II, Section 4: "The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

Word help: militia = citizen soldiers of a state (today, the National Guard); concur = agree; nominate = name someone for a job; chuse = old spelling of choose; sole = only; impeachment = formally charging an official with wrongdoing; try = hold a trial; concurrence = agreement; civil officers = non-military government officials.

Based on paragraphs 3–5, which statement correctly describes how a President can be removed from office?

Answer choices
Hint

Paragraph 3 tells who impeaches. Paragraph 4 tells who holds the trial and what vote is needed. Paragraph 5 tells what happens after conviction.

Question 23 of 36

Fill in
Vetoes in Lakeland

Lakeland is a fictional state. Like the U.S. Constitution, Lakeland's constitution lets the governor veto bills and lets the legislature override a veto by a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

(1) Governor Ruth Okafor took office in 2019. For her first two years, her party held a majority in both chambers of the legislature.

(2) In the 2020 election, the opposing party won more than two-thirds of the seats in both chambers. In the 2022 election, the governor's party gained seats, and from 2023 on the opposing party no longer held two-thirds of either chamber.

Grouped bar chart: Governor's vetoes and veto overrides in the fictional state of Lakeland, 2019 to 2024. 2019: 12 bills vetoed, 1 veto overridden; 2020: 8 bills vetoed, 0 vetoes overridden; 2021: 20 bills vetoed, 6 vetoes overridden; 2022: 15 bills vetoed, 4 vetoes overridden; 2023: 9 bills vetoed, 1 veto overridden; 2024: 6 bills vetoed, 0 vetoes overridden. Lakeland: Governor's Vetoes and Overrides (fictional) 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 Number of bills 12 1 2019 8 0 2020 20 6 2021 15 4 2022 9 1 2023 6 0 2024 Bills vetoed by the governor Vetoes overridden

Use the chart. In 2021, what percent of the governor's vetoes did the legislature override?

%

Type your answer in the box. Fractions like 3/4 are fine.

Hint

Divide the 2021 overrides (red) by the 2021 vetoes (blue), then multiply by 100.

Question 24 of 36

The Constitution on Vetoes

Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution (1787)

(1) "Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it."

(2) "If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law." …

(3) "If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law."

Word help: originated = started; objections = reasons for disapproving; journal = official written record; adjournment = ending a session or meeting.

Congress passes a bill and presents it to the President on December 14. The President neither signs it nor returns it. On December 18, Congress adjourns its session and does not meet again until January. Twelve days pass, not counting Sundays.

Based on paragraph 3, what is the status of the bill?

Answer choices
Hint

Paragraph 3 has a main rule and an exception that begins with "unless." Which one applies here?

Question 25 of 36

Changing and Interpreting the Constitution

Excerpt 1: Article V of the U.S. Constitution (1787)

(1) "The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress…"

Excerpt 2: Chief Justice John Marshall, Supreme Court opinion in Marbury v. Madison (1803)

(2) "It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is. Those who apply the rule to particular cases, must of necessity expound and interpret that rule. If two laws conflict with each other, the courts must decide on the operation of each."

(3) "Thus, the particular phraseology of the constitution of the United States confirms and strengthens the principle, supposed to be essential to all written constitutions, that a law repugnant to the constitution is void; and that courts, as well as other departments, are bound by that instrument."

Word help: deem = judge, consider; ratified = formally approved; province = proper area of responsibility; expound = explain in detail; phraseology = wording; repugnant to = in conflict with; void = having no legal force; instrument = formal legal document (here, the Constitution).

In Marbury v. Madison (Excerpt 2), Chief Justice Marshall wrote that "a law repugnant to the constitution is void" and that it is the duty of the judicial department "to say what the law is."

Which statement best describes the significance of this reasoning?

Answer choices
Hint

What can a court now do to a law passed by Congress? And does the excerpt say the Constitution spells this power out in so many words?

Question 26 of 36

Who May Serve

From the U.S. Constitution

(1) Article I, Section 2 (House): "No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen."

(2) Article I, Section 3 (Senate): "No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen."

(3) Article II, Section 1 (President): "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."

(4) Twenty-second Amendment (1951), Section 1: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once." …

Word help: attained to = reached; inhabitant = resident; natural born citizen = a person who was a U.S. citizen at birth; eligible = qualified.

Maria Delgado is 32 years old. She moved to the United States as a child and became a naturalized citizen 8 years ago. She has lived in Ohio for 20 years.

Based on the excerpts, which federal office is Maria currently eligible to hold?

Answer choices
Hint

Test Maria against each office's three requirements: age, years of citizenship, and any other rule.

Question 27 of 36

The Journey of the Rural Broadband Act

This bill and the people in this account are fictional, but the steps follow the real federal process.

(1) In February, Representative Lena Ortiz introduced H.R. 2290, the Rural Broadband Act, in the House of Representatives. The bill would pay for high-speed internet lines in rural counties. It was sent to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

(2) The committee held hearings in March. At a markup session in April, committee members amended the bill to add money for libraries and then voted 30–22 to send it to the full House.

(3) In June, the House passed the bill, 251–180. In September, the Senate passed its own version, 61–38. The Senate version spent less money and started the program a year later.

(4) A conference committee of members from both chambers wrote a compromise. In November, the House and the Senate each passed the identical compromise bill and sent it to the President.

(5) On December 2, the President vetoed the bill, saying it cost too much, and returned it with his objections to the House, where it had started.

(6) On December 9, the House voted to override the veto. All 428 members who were present voted: 270 in favor and 158 against.

Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution describes what happens after a President returns a vetoed bill to the chamber where it started:

"If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law."

Based on this rule and paragraph 6, what is the status of the Rural Broadband Act?

Answer choices
Hint

First compute whether 270 out of 428 reaches two-thirds. Then decide whether the Senate ever gets to vote.

Question 28 of 36

Fill in
The Journey of the Rural Broadband Act

This bill and the people in this account are fictional, but the steps follow the real federal process.

(1) In February, Representative Lena Ortiz introduced H.R. 2290, the Rural Broadband Act, in the House of Representatives. The bill would pay for high-speed internet lines in rural counties. It was sent to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

(2) The committee held hearings in March. At a markup session in April, committee members amended the bill to add money for libraries and then voted 30–22 to send it to the full House.

(3) In June, the House passed the bill, 251–180. In September, the Senate passed its own version, 61–38. The Senate version spent less money and started the program a year later.

(4) A conference committee of members from both chambers wrote a compromise. In November, the House and the Senate each passed the identical compromise bill and sent it to the President.

(5) On December 2, the President vetoed the bill, saying it cost too much, and returned it with his objections to the House, where it had started.

(6) On December 9, the House voted to override the veto. All 428 members who were present voted: 270 in favor and 158 against.

In paragraph 6, all 428 House members who were present voted on the override. Under Article I, Section 7, an override needs "two thirds" of the House.

What is the minimum number of "yes" votes that would have been needed to override the veto?

votes

How many more "yes" votes would the bill's supporters have needed, beyond the 270 they received?

votes

Type your answer in the box. Fractions like 3/4 are fine.

Hint

Multiply 428 by 2/3. If the result is not a whole number, round up. Then subtract 270.

Question 29 of 36

Select all
Dividing Power Between the Nation and the States

From the U.S. Constitution

(1) Article I, Section 8: "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises," … "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;" … "To establish Post Offices and post Roads;" …

(2) Article I, Section 8 (last clause): "To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

(3) Article I, Section 10: "No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit;" …

(4) Article VI: "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding."

(5) Tenth Amendment (1791): "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Word help: commerce = trade; foregoing = listed before; letters of marque and reprisal = permits for private ships to attack enemy ships; emit bills of credit = issue paper money; in pursuance thereof = following from it; notwithstanding = in spite of; delegated = given.

Based on Article I, Section 10 (paragraph 3), which actions are forbidden to a state government?

Select all that apply.

Select all that apply.

Answer choices
Hint

Use the word help for emit bills of credit. Then check each action against the list in paragraph 3.

Question 30 of 36

Dividing Power Between the Nation and the States

From the U.S. Constitution

(1) Article I, Section 8: "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises," … "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;" … "To establish Post Offices and post Roads;" …

(2) Article I, Section 8 (last clause): "To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

(3) Article I, Section 10: "No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit;" …

(4) Article VI: "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding."

(5) Tenth Amendment (1791): "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Word help: commerce = trade; foregoing = listed before; letters of marque and reprisal = permits for private ships to attack enemy ships; emit bills of credit = issue paper money; in pursuance thereof = following from it; notwithstanding = in spite of; delegated = given.

Congress, using its power to regulate commerce among the states, passes a valid law that limits how heavy trucks on interstate highways may be. A state then passes a law allowing heavier trucks on the interstate highways within its borders. A trucking company is fined under the federal law and argues in a state court that the state law protects it.

Based on paragraph 4, how should the state judge rule?

Answer choices
Hint

Paragraph 4 tells state judges what to do when a state law conflicts with a valid federal law.

Question 31 of 36

Dividing Power Between the Nation and the States

From the U.S. Constitution

(1) Article I, Section 8: "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises," … "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;" … "To establish Post Offices and post Roads;" …

(2) Article I, Section 8 (last clause): "To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

(3) Article I, Section 10: "No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit;" …

(4) Article VI: "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding."

(5) Tenth Amendment (1791): "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Word help: commerce = trade; foregoing = listed before; letters of marque and reprisal = permits for private ships to attack enemy ships; emit bills of credit = issue paper money; in pursuance thereof = following from it; notwithstanding = in spite of; delegated = given.

A student writes: "Congress can set a national minimum wage because the Constitution lists 'setting wages' among the powers of Congress."

Which statement best corrects the student's error?

Answer choices
Hint

Is 'setting wages' anywhere in paragraph 1? If not, where could the power come from?

Question 32 of 36

Select all
Checks and Balances

The framers of the Constitution gave each branch of the national government ways to limit the other two. The diagram shows some of the most important checks.

Diagram of checks and balances among the three branches of the U.S. government. Legislative branch (Congress) at top left, Executive branch (President) at top right, Judicial branch (Supreme Court and federal courts) at the bottom. Labelled arrows: Executive to Legislative: 'veto bills'. Legislative to Executive: 'override vetoes; impeach and remove the President; Senate approves treaties and executive appointments'. Executive to Judicial: 'nominate federal judges'. Legislative to Judicial: 'Senate confirms or rejects judges; create lower courts; impeach judges'. Judicial to Legislative: 'declare laws unconstitutional'. Judicial to Executive: 'declare executive actions unconstitutional'. Checks and Balances LEGISLATIVE Congress EXECUTIVE President JUDICIAL Supreme Court and federal courts veto bills override vetoes; impeach and remove the President; Senate approves treaties and executive appointments Senate confirms or rejects judges; create lower courts; impeach judges declare laws unconstitutional nominate federal judges declare executive actions unconstitutional

Based on the diagram, which checks can the legislative branch use on the executive branch?

Select all that apply.

Select all that apply.

Answer choices
Hint

Use only the arrow that starts at Legislative and points to Executive.

Question 33 of 36

Vetoes in Lakeland

Lakeland is a fictional state. Like the U.S. Constitution, Lakeland's constitution lets the governor veto bills and lets the legislature override a veto by a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

(1) Governor Ruth Okafor took office in 2019. For her first two years, her party held a majority in both chambers of the legislature.

(2) In the 2020 election, the opposing party won more than two-thirds of the seats in both chambers. In the 2022 election, the governor's party gained seats, and from 2023 on the opposing party no longer held two-thirds of either chamber.

Grouped bar chart: Governor's vetoes and veto overrides in the fictional state of Lakeland, 2019 to 2024. 2019: 12 bills vetoed, 1 veto overridden; 2020: 8 bills vetoed, 0 vetoes overridden; 2021: 20 bills vetoed, 6 vetoes overridden; 2022: 15 bills vetoed, 4 vetoes overridden; 2023: 9 bills vetoed, 1 veto overridden; 2024: 6 bills vetoed, 0 vetoes overridden. Lakeland: Governor's Vetoes and Overrides (fictional) 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 Number of bills 12 1 2019 8 0 2020 20 6 2021 15 4 2022 9 1 2023 6 0 2024 Bills vetoed by the governor Vetoes overridden

Which statement best explains why the number of veto overrides rose sharply in 2021 and 2022 and then fell?

Answer choices
Hint

Connect paragraph 2 with the rule that an override needs two-thirds of each chamber.

Question 34 of 36

Select all
Powers of Congress and Powers of the States

Article I, Section 8 (selected clauses)

(1) "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States;"

(2) "To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;"

(3) "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;"

(4) "To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;"

(5) "To establish Post Offices and post Roads;"

(6) "To declare War…; To raise and support Armies…; To provide and maintain a Navy;"

(7) "To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

Tenth Amendment (1791)

(8) "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Word help: duties, imposts, excises = kinds of taxes; commerce = trade; foregoing = listed before; delegated = given or assigned.

Paragraph 7 of the excerpt is known as the Necessary and Proper Clause (or "elastic clause"). It allows Congress to use implied powers: powers not listed word for word but needed to carry out the listed powers.

Select all actions by Congress that rely on an implied power rather than a power stated directly in paragraphs 1–6.

Select all that apply.

Answer choices
Hint

For each action, search paragraphs 1–6 for the exact power. If it is listed, it's an expressed power. If it isn't listed but helps carry out a listed power, it's implied.

Question 35 of 36

How the Constitution Has Changed

(1) Members of Congress have proposed thousands of constitutional amendments since 1789. Congress has sent only 33 of them to the states, and only 27 have been ratified.

(2) Article V makes amending difficult on purpose. An amendment must be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both the House and the Senate (or by a national convention called at the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures, a method that has never been used). It must then be ratified by three-fourths of the states, either by their legislatures or by special state conventions. Congress chooses which ratification method will be used. The President has no formal role.

(3) The first ten amendments, the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The Eighteenth Amendment (1919) banned the making and sale of alcohol. The Twenty-first Amendment (1933) repealed it, and it is the only amendment that was ratified by state conventions instead of state legislatures.

(4) Some amendments responded to Supreme Court decisions. In 1970 the Court ruled that Congress could not, by ordinary law, set the voting age for state and local elections. The Twenty-sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 in all elections.

(5) Congress may set a deadline for ratification. In 1972 Congress proposed the Equal Rights Amendment with a seven-year deadline, later extended to 1982. By the deadline, 35 states had ratified it, short of the number needed.

(6) Ratification can also be slow when there is no deadline. The Twenty-seventh Amendment, which delays any pay raise Congress votes for itself until after the next election, was proposed in 1789 but not ratified until 1992.

Suppose that in 2027, both houses of Congress approve a proposed amendment by two-thirds votes and set a seven-year deadline for ratification. By the deadline in 2034, the legislatures of 36 states have ratified it, and a national poll shows that 70 percent of Americans support it.

Based on the passage, what is the status of the proposed amendment?

Answer choices
Hint

How many states must ratify (three-fourths of 50)? Does public opinion count?

Question 36 of 36

How the Constitution Has Changed

(1) Members of Congress have proposed thousands of constitutional amendments since 1789. Congress has sent only 33 of them to the states, and only 27 have been ratified.

(2) Article V makes amending difficult on purpose. An amendment must be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both the House and the Senate (or by a national convention called at the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures, a method that has never been used). It must then be ratified by three-fourths of the states, either by their legislatures or by special state conventions. Congress chooses which ratification method will be used. The President has no formal role.

(3) The first ten amendments, the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The Eighteenth Amendment (1919) banned the making and sale of alcohol. The Twenty-first Amendment (1933) repealed it, and it is the only amendment that was ratified by state conventions instead of state legislatures.

(4) Some amendments responded to Supreme Court decisions. In 1970 the Court ruled that Congress could not, by ordinary law, set the voting age for state and local elections. The Twenty-sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 in all elections.

(5) Congress may set a deadline for ratification. In 1972 Congress proposed the Equal Rights Amendment with a seven-year deadline, later extended to 1982. By the deadline, 35 states had ratified it, short of the number needed.

(6) Ratification can also be slow when there is no deadline. The Twenty-seventh Amendment, which delays any pay raise Congress votes for itself until after the next election, was proposed in 1789 but not ratified until 1992.

Suppose Congress passes a law setting a national rule for state elections, and the President signs it. The Supreme Court later rules that the law is unconstitutional.

Based on the passage and the system of checks and balances, which response by Congress would be constitutional?

Answer choices
Hint

Paragraph 4 shows how the nation responded in 1970–1971, when the Court said Congress lacked a power over state elections.