1. Missouri End-of-Course Assessment
Government

2. 1. Which of these is the main function of the legislative branch?
To make laws
To enforce laws
To define laws
To interpret laws
A. To make laws

3. 2. According to the chart, which state has the largest delegation in the United States House of Representatives?
Texas: 23,507,783 Michigan: 10,095,643
Florida: 18,089,880 Missouri: 5,842,713
Missouri
Florida
Michigan
Texas
D. Texas

4. 3. Which best explains why groups may hold meetings to discuss unpopular ideas in the United States?
State laws allow their actions
Executive orders protect their actions
Constitutional rights protect their actions
Municipal ordinances permit their actions
C. Constitutional rights protect their actions

5. 2000 Presidential Election
4.Which of these can best be concluded from the information in the chart?
2000 Presidential Election
Percentage of Eligible Voters Who can Cast a Ballot
18-24 years old 29%
All Voters 55%
Many Americans did not know their political rights
Many college students volunteered in their communities
Many young people neglected their responsibilities
Many American citizens actively participated in civic life
C. Many young people neglected their responsibilities

6. 5. Mason thinks he has a great idea for a new law
5. Mason thinks he has a great idea for a new law. What is the best action for Mason to get his law passed?
Post his opinions on the website
Talk with his best friend about his idea
Write a letter to the editor of the local paper
Contact his representative in Congress about his idea
D Contact his representative in Congress about his idea

7. 6. Which example best describes demonstrates a change in the government involvement in the economy?
Involvement in the United Nations
Creation of the Social Security Association
Deployment of the military troops in Iraq
Implementation of the Voting Rights Act
B Creation of the Social Security Association

8. 7. Which is a result of having political system dominated by two political parties?
It is easier to obtain a majority of votes
There is less confusion of the primaries
There is fewer legal challenges to elections
It increases voter turnout
A It is easier to obtain a majority of votes

9. 8. The Articles of Confederation represented the…
Rejection of the weaknesses in the Bill of Rights
First attempt at self-government in the U.S.
Acceptance of British rule in the colonies
Early effort to improve U.S ties to other nations
B First attempt at self- government in the U.S.

10. 9. Which issue is exclusively the responsibility of Federal Law?
Driver’s license
Gun control
Teaching certifications
Counterfeit money
D Counterfeit money

11. 10. Congress is prohibited from establishing an official religion by the…
First Amendment
Second Amendment
Fourth Amendment
Fifth Amendment
A First Amendment

12. 11. Which person is the member of the Legislative Branch?
President
Speaker of the House
Secretary of education
Ambassador to the United Nations
B Speaker of the House

13. 12. Which feature of ancient Rome made it republic?
Absence of a king emperor
Rule by elected representatives
Right to speak in civic gatherings
Quality for all adult male citizens
B Rule by elected representatives

14. 13. The expansion of suffrage in the US best illustrates society’s changing views of…
Civil rights
Limited government
Popular sovereignty
Due process of law
A Civil Rights

15. 14. Which part of the Connecticut (or Great) Compromise benefits states with smaller populations?
Each state had two representatives in the Senate
The senate ratifies all treaties with foreign nations
All bills for spending money must originate in the House of Representatives
A state’s population determines how many members it has in the House of representatives
A Each State had two representatives in the Senate

16. 15. Based on the information below, what type of government does Mexico have?
Mexico has a government system in which the power is divided between the national government and each state
Capitalism
Communism
Federalism
Totalitarianism
C Federalism

17. 16. The best title for the chart is…
1980: Candy Lightner establishes Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to advocate for strong drunk driving laws
1988: Minimum drinking set at age 21 in all fifty states
1992: Alcohol-related driving deaths dropped 26% since 1984
The Critical Need for Federal Speed Limit Reform
The Growing Problem of Drunk Driving in the U.S
Why Alcohol Advertising Needs to Be Banned
How an Individual Citizen Helped Improve Community Safety
D How an Individual Citizen Helped Improve Community Safety

18. 17. Which statement best describes a function of interest groups?
They nominate candidates to run for elected offices
They attempt to override presidential actions by protesting
The advocate for citizens who have similar ideas about issues
The organize public education forums to raise money for a cause
C The advocate for citizens who have similar ideas about issues

19. 18. Enlightenment-era political philosophers such as Hobbs, Locke, Rousseau, and Montesquieu…
Rejected government policies that allow the expansion of property rights
Adhere to traditional social customs in the creation of government offices
Emphasized governmental structures based in reason and social progress
Pursued strict obedience to religious scripture in government affairs
C Emphasized governmental structures based in reason and social progress

20. 19. Which of the circumstances illustrates a danger of majority rule?
A law is ruled unconstitutional by a judge
A law is used to oppress a group of people
A petition is signed by people
A prisoner is wrongly let out of prison
B A law is used to oppress a group of people

21. 20. This is known as…
Mr. Leonard was not required to testify at his own trial for armed robbery
Right to legal counsel
Right against false testimony
Right to legal privacy
Right against self-incrimination
D Right against self-incrimination

22. 21. Which of these received increased authority under the reserved powers clause of the Constitution?
States
Congress
Business
Supreme Court
A States

23. 22. Some people believe that the Supreme Court has too much power because justices…
Accumulate great sums of campaign contributions
Can ignore the outcome of confirmation hearings
Issue decisions in cases brought to them
Serve until they die or choose to retire
D Serve until they die or choose to retire

24. 23. Which headline best illustrates an example of checks and balances?
“President to Seek Term”
“House Passes Tax Legislation”
“Senate Confirms New Chief Justice”
“Supreme Court Rejects Case”
C “Senate Confirms New Chief Justice”

25. 24. Which is the best conclusion about President Lincoln’s quotation?
“Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
- President Abraham Lincoln, 1863
He believed all men were created equal
He intended to be reelected
He supported a republic
He was against slavery
C He supported a republic

26. 25. The most important role of the Electoral College is to…
Nominate candidates to local officers and Congress
Vote for the president and vice president
Settle national elections in case of a tie
Educate voters prior to an election
B Vote for the president and vice president

27. 26. Which constitutional principle does the scenario represent?
Chris challenged the law in his home state that allowed the chief of police to identify him as “a dangerous driver” based on observation. This classification denied him the right to renew his driver’s license. Chris successfully argued that he was entitled to a hearing before the state could post his name on the dangerous driver’s list.
Judicial review
Due process of law
Popular sovereignty
Checks and balances
B Due process of law

28. 27. Which activity of an interest group for teachers would have the most significant political impact?
Providing legal advice for members who feel their rights have been violated
Ensuring that continuing education is provided for experienced educators
Providing instructors with lesson plans that align with curriculum
Lobbying elected officials to enact new education laws
D Lobbying elected officials to enact new education laws

29. 28. According to the statement in the chart, which constitutional guarantee is most related to the Magna Carta?
“No free man shall be taken, or imprisoned… or in any way harmed… save by the lawful judgment of his peers, or by the land…To none will we sell, to none deny or delay, right or justice.”
- Magna Carta, 1215
Rights to bear arms
Rights of the accused
Rights of former slaves
Rights of the convicted
B Rights of the accused

30. 29. In order for a bill to become a law, what happens after both houses of Congress pass it?
The president signs
The Supreme Court reviews it
The president vetoes it
The Supreme Court interprets it
A The president signs

31. 30. Which constitutional principle is described in the quotation?
“It is equality evident, that members of each department should be as little dependent as possible on those of the others… Were the executive magistrate, or the judges, not independent of the legislature in this particular, their independence in every other word would be merely nominal.”
- Federalist No. 51
Federalism
Due process
Judicial review
Separation of powers
D Separation of powers

32. 31. What happens when a state law conflicts with federal law?
The federal government can penalize the state
The federal government must change its law
The state government can enforce its own law
The state must yield to the federal government
D The state must yield to the federal government

33. 32. Which statement best reflects Tocqueville’s point of view?
“The most powerful, and perhaps the only, means of interesting men in welfare of their country which we still possesses is to make them partakers in the government”
- Alexis de Tocqueville
Becoming involved in society will make business prosper
Taking an active role in society will help promote contributions to a nation
Encouraging people to become involved in communities will improve schools
Participating in the creation of legislation is particularly important for young citizens
B Taking an active role in society will help promote contributions to a nation

34. 33. Which executive action best demonstrates a check on legislative branch power?
The Senate rejects a Supreme Court nominee
The Supreme Court overturns a presidential pardon
The president vetoes a bill passed by Congress
The Speaker of the House consults with the vice president
C The president vetoes a bill passed by Congress

35. 34. Which of these best describes the change in government reflected in the chart?
under the Articles of Confederation, taxes were applied by Congress and collected by the states
under the Constitution, taxes are both applied and collected by Congress
Reducing duties of the executive branch
Reducing duties of the legislative branch
Expanding political power of the state government
Expanding political power of the national government
D Expanding political power of the national government

36. 35. In a presidential form of government, the head of the executive branch is…
Elected independently from the legislative branch and serves as a fixed term
Selected from the legislative branch and serves indefinite term
Elected to become the ruling member of the legislature and serves a fixed term
Selected by the legislature to rule independently and serves as indefinite term
A Elected independently from the legislative branch and serves as a fixed term

37. 36. Which of these situations illustrates citizens responsibly practicing the freedoms of a democratic society?
Melissa loudly argues with the grocery store manager about high food prices
Lindsay falsely accuses Jim of reckless driving in the local paper
Billy celebrates homecoming by honking his car horn in a residential neighborhood at midnight
Miko and some friends picket the local shoe factory because of recent layoffs
D Miko and some friends picket the local shoe factory because of recent layoffs

38. 37. Which internet group would most likely oppose eliminating the social security system?
National Rifle Association (NRA)
American Federation of Labor (AFL)
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
D American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

39. 38. Which of these is an example of popular sovereignty?
Federal courts overrule laws passed by Congress
Some states decided to prohibit slavery by a vote of residents
Political parties choose presidential candidates at national convention
Former colonial governments declared independence from British control
B Some states decided to prohibit slavery by a vote of residents

40. 39. Since 1960’s, which political party in the United States most closely represents the views of the conservative voters?
Democratic Party
Republican Party
Socialist Party
Green Party
B Republican Party

41. 40. Which view of the presidential power led to the Twenty-Second Amendment?
The office of the president had too much power in the nineteenth century
Original checks and balances in the Constitution sufficiently limit the president’s power
Congress should have more power to check the president’s power
Term limits are needed to keep any one president from growing too powerful
D Term limits are needed to keep any one president from growing too powerful