UNIT 2 The Legislative Branch

Which of the following statements best describes the election of Senators?

• all seats are up for reelection every six years

• one half of the Senators are up for election at a time, with one off year election

• one-third of the senators are up for election every two years

• state legislators get to decide how each state will elect its U. S. Senators

How did the election of senators change after the addition of the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution?

• the number of senators per state increased

• the number of senators per state decreased

• the senators' election changed from direct to indirect election

• the senators' election changed from indirect to direct election

Which of the following statements best describes the outcome of Baker v. Carr?

• the federal courts cannot decide conflicts over drawing district boundaries

• conflicts over redrawing district boundaries can only be decided by state courts

• federal courts can decide conflicts over drawing district boundaries

• Congress is the only group who can decide conflicts over drawing district boundaries

Which of the following statements about congressional districts and representation is true?

• every senator represents a similar number of individuals

• each congressional district contains a similar number of individuals

• congressional districts cannot be changed

• redistricting only occurs every 50 years

Why is it difficult for a bill to become a law?

• bills are often vetoed by the president

• the process is lengthy and involves a series of checks and balances

• the House and the Senate have very different processes

• bills require passage by near unanimous numbers

After a bill is introduced in the Senate, the bill goes to the

• appropriate Senate committee

• appropriate House committee

• president for approval

• full Senate for debate

Every ten years the United States conducts a census for the purpose of reapportioning elected officials. How does reapportioning affect U.S. political geography?

• It changes the total number of seats in the state legislatures.

• It changes the total number of electors in the Electoral College.

• It changes the number of Senators each state has in Congress.

• It changes the number of Representatives each state has in the House.

You are a member of the House of Representatives and you were elected in 1998. In what year will you seek reelection?

• 1999

• 2000

• 2004

• 1998

Why would government officials use the practice of gerrymandering?

• to increase presidential powers after an election

• to favor one political party during congressional redistricting

• to apportion the number of members to the House of Representatives

• to increase the number of Electoral College members from a particular state

Why did President Roosevelt request specific action from Congress in this speech?

• The Constitution assigns Congress the power to declare war.

• The War Powers Act requires regular declarations from the president.

• The president wanted to demonstrate national unity in the face of attack.

• The response to the attack would require military appropriations.