Government Ch. 13 Practice TEST

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

____	1.	The first method political parties developed to pick their presidential candidates was the 
a.	state caucus.	
b.	congressional caucus.	
c.	national convention.	
d.	presidential primary.	

____	2.	When the Vice President’s office is vacant, how is a new Vice President selected?
a.	The President pro tem of the Senate becomes Vice President.	
b.	The Speaker of the House becomes Vice President.	
c.	The President nominates a new Vice President, to be confirmed by a majority congressional vote.	
d.	A national election is held.	

____	3.	If the Presidency becomes vacant, presidential succession is determined by the
a.	Presidential Succession Act of 1947.	
b.	Congress.	
c.	Constitution. 	
d.	Supreme Court.	

____	4.	An opponent of the 22nd Amendment would most likely argue that it
a.	promotes “executive tyranny.”	
b.	gives people unlimited rights.	
c.	gives too much authority to Congress.	
d.	is undemocratic.	

____	5.	The election crisis of 1800 occurred because of the
a.	lack of an electoral college.	
b.	mistakes by Congress.	
c.	rise of well-defined parties.	
d.	failure of the popular vote.	

____	6.	Which is a true statement about primaries?
a.	According to congressional guidelines, all state primaries are held on the same day.	
b.	The method of nominating candidates is specified in the Constitution.	
c.	Most state primaries are very much the same. 	
d.	Each state has a different way of choosing its delegates.	

____	7.	The presidential election of 1800 was decided by the
a.	State legislatures.	c.	House of Representatives.	
b.	Senate.	d.	electoral college.	

____	8.	In the Framers’ plan, a candidate would win which office with the second largest number of electoral votes? 
a.	Speaker of the House	
b.	Vice President	
c.	President 	
d.	Chief Justice	

____	9.	A major flaw in the electoral college system is that
a.	electors must vote in agreement with the popular vote.	
b.	any election might have to be decided in the U.S. Senate.	
c.	the candidate who wins the popular vote might not become President.  	
d.	electors are chosen by popular vote.	

____	10.	Which argument do some people make against the direct popular election of the President?
a.	It would end the two-party system.	
b.	It would weaken the federal system.	
c.	It would do away with national conventions.	
d.	It would increase the power of the electoral college.	

____	11.	What role does the President fill when working with Congress to pass laws?
a.	chief administrator	
b.	chief of party	
c.	chief legislator	
d.	commander in chief	

____	12.	Why was the 22nd Amendment written?
a.	The congressional caucus system of nomination proved corrupt, so a provision had to be included in the Constitution to explain how parties should nominate candidates for the presidency.	
b.	Congress feared an upset in the balance of power and proposed it in the wake of Franklin Roosevelt’s unprecedented third and fourth terms of office.	
c.	The Constitution originally did not explain how a vacant presidency should be filled, and this became an issue when President William Henry Harrison died in office.	
d.	The election of 1800 showed the need to separate the presidential and vice presidential elections.	

____	13.	The purpose of the 25th Amendment is to
a.	define the order of succession following the Vice President.	
b.	define the Vice President’s duties.	
c.	legally state that the Vice President shall become President upon the vacancy of that office.	
d.	limit the Vice President’s number of terms.	

____	14.	Which is one of the three main goals of a national convention?
a.	naming candidates for governor	
b.	getting supporters from  the opposing party	
c.	proposing constitutional amendments	
d.	adopting the party’s platform	

____	15.	What was the one major change the 12th Amendment made to the electoral college?
a.	The presidential and vice-presidential elections were separated.	
b.	The presidential electors were appointed by Congress.	
c.	The President and Vice President would be chosen by Congress.	
d.	Electors were given one vote to cast for President or Vice President.	

____	16.	The Constitution provides that the Vice President
a.	presides over the Senate.	
b.	advises the President on domestic matters.	
c.	serves as the primary foreign ambassador for the United States.	
d.	presides over the House of Representatives.	

____	17.	The 25th Amendment deals with
a.	the electoral college.	
b.	presidential disability.	
c.	vice presidential duties.	
d.	the order of succession.	

____	18.	The Framers’ original plan was that each presidential elector would cast how many votes?
a.	one each for President and Vice President	
b.	a single vote for President	
c.	two votes, each for a different presidential candidate	
d.	as many as they wished	

____	19.	According to the Constitution, the President must
a.	be at least 35 years old.	
b.	have served in the U.S. military.	
c.	be a registered voter.	
d.	have served in Congress.	

____	20.	When a President fails in one of his roles, what can it lead to?
a.	the addition of a new role	
b.	one less role to fill	
c.	failure in another role	
d.	support from the press	

____	21.	What happens when a presidential candidate wins a state with just 51 percent of the popular vote?
a.	The winner of the popular vote gets all of the state’s electoral votes.	
b.	The Constitution requires that all the ballots be counted again.	
c.	The election is too close to call, so the state has another election.	
d.	The winning candidate gets a proportionate share of electoral votes.	

____	22.	Which critical event prevented a U.S. presidential election?
a.	the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941	
b.	the September 2001 terrorist attacks	
c.	the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962	
d.	no crisis has prevented a presidential election	

____	23.	Who would be least likely to want to engage in a presidential debate?
a.	an incumbent President	
b.	a candidate lagging in the polls	
c.	a candidate from a small, rural State	
d.	a third-party candidate	

____	24.	Who becomes Acting President if the President becomes disabled?
a.	the Vice President 	
b.	the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court	
c.	the President’s Chief of Staff	
d.	the Speaker of the House 	

____	25.	If neither presidential candidate wins a majority in the electoral college, how is the election decided?
a.	by the Supreme Court	
b.	by a new election	
c.	in the House of Representatives	
d.	in the Senate	

____	26.	During the nomination process, political battles are most likely to occur in
a.	presidential primaries in the party out of power.	
b.	the Cabinet.	
c.	the electoral college.	
d.	presidential primaries in the President’s party.	

____	27.	Prior to the 22nd Amendment, how many terms could a President serve according to the Constitution?
a.	The Constitution resolved that the number of terms should follow tradition.	
b.	The Constitution set the limit at two terms.	
c.	The Constitution permitted a President to serve a maximum of ten years.	
d.	The Constitution did not limit the number of terms.	

____	28.	What is the role of the presidential candidate at a party convention?
a.	giving an acceptance speech	
b.	writing the platform	
c.	giving the keynote address	
d.	leading the roll call balloting 	

____	29.	A candidate receives 60 percent of all votes cast in a State’s presidential primary. Suppose that State has 50 delegates. Under proportional representation, how many of that State’s delegates will the candidate receive? 
a.	20	
b.	50	
c.	40	
d.	30	

____	30.	Before the 25th Amendment, how did the Constitution provide for presidential succession?
a.	Within three months of the vacancy, a new national election should be held.	
b.	The powers and duties of the President were to be shared by members of the Cabinet.	
c.	The powers and duties of the President, not the office itself, were to be transferred to the Vice President.	
d.	The powers and duties of the President were to be transferred to the Supreme Court.	

____	31.	Which description fits a person typically nominated for President?
a.	a businessman	
b.	a governor of a large state	
c.	a female lawyer	
d.	a corporate president	

____	32.	According to the Constitution, the President must
a.	be no older than 65.	
b.	be a man who owns property. 	
c.	have held a major public office.	
d.	be at least 35 years of age.	

____	33.	Most of the Framers opposed choosing the President by 
a.	presidential electors.	
b.	electoral votes.	
c.	popular vote.	
d.	the electoral college.	

____	34.	The President must be which of the following to qualify for office?
a.	a natural born U.S. citizen	
b.	a general in the military	
c.	no older than 65	
d.	a U.S. senator	

____	35.	Which describes the method used to decide a presidential election in the House of Representatives?
a.	Each state gets one vote; it takes a majority of 26 to elect.	
b.	Each House member gets one vote; it takes a majority of 218 to elect.	
c.	Each state gets votes based on its population; it takes a 2/3 majority to elect.	
d.	The House and Senate vote, and their votes are combined. It takes a majority to elect.	

____	36.	One reason why the winner of the popular vote might not win the presidency is that
a.	most States distribute presidential electors on a proportional basis.	
b.	voter turnout tends to be large in States with few electoral votes.	
c.	the allotment of electoral votes among the States does not match the facts of population and voter distribution.	
d.	the Constitution forces electors to vote for the candidate favored by the popular vote in their States.	

____	37.	Which is a criticism of the plan for direct popular election?
a.	It would not be proportional.	
b.	It would weaken federalism.	
c.	It would favor small states.	
d.	It would be too complicated.	

____	38.	If no person receives a majority of the electoral votes for Vice President, who chooses the Vice President?
a.	the House of Representatives	
b.	the President-elect	
c.	the Senate	
d.	the Supreme Court	

____	39.	According to the Constitution, presidential disability can be determined by the
a.	chief White House physician.	
b.	President and Vice President alone.	
c.	Vice President and the Cabinet.	
d.	President alone.	

____	40.	If no presidential candidate wins a majority of the electoral votes, the election is
a.	decided by the Supreme Court.	
b.	rescheduled.	
c.	decided by the House of Representatives.	
d.	decided by the State legislatures.	

____	41.	Which of the following is true about the President’s pay?
a.	It can increase, but not decrease, during the President’s term.	
b.	It can decrease, but not increase, during the President’s term.	
c.	It must be equal to the pay of the Vice President.	
d.	It cannot change during a President’s term.	

____	42.	How are presidential electors chosen within a state?
a.	winner-take-all	
b.	proportional vote	
c.	direct popular vote	
d.	winner-take-district	

____	43.	Historically, few major party presidential candidates have been
a.	former State governors.	
b.	residents of large States.	
c.	incumbent Presidents. 	
d.	Roman Catholics.	

____	44.	A speech given early at a party convention to set the tone for the convention and the campaign to come is called the
a.	acceptance speech.	
b.	nomination.	
c.	keynote address.	
d.	platform address.	

____	45.	According to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, which of these officers follows the Vice President in the line of presidential succession?
a.	President pro tempore of the Senate	
b.	Speaker of the House	
c.	Secretary of the Treasury	
d.	Secretary of State	

____	46.	What did supporters of the 22nd Amendment want to accomplish?
a.	allow a President to run for unlimited terms	
b.	keep a President from getting too much power	
c.	put a cap on the President’s salary	
d.	ensure a President is at least 35 years old	

____	47.	What happens if no presidential candidate wins a majority of electoral votes?
a.	The parties schedule a run-off election.	
b.	The election is decided by a council of governors.	
c.	The election is decided in the House of Representatives.	
d.	The winner of the largest states wins the election.	

____	48.	How did the Framers decide the President and Vice President should be selected?
a.	by Congress	c.	by the electoral college	
b.	by popular vote	d.	by the Cabinet	

____	49.	In some states’ primaries, voters are choosing the party’s delegates to the national convention. They may also be expressing a preference for which of the following? 
a.	a state for the convention	
b.	a presidential nominee	
c.	a delegate selection method	
d.	a hotel for the convention	

____	50.	What must the President do if the vice presidency becomes vacant?
a.	schedule a new election	
b.	take on the job himself	
c.	hire a Vice President	
d.	nominate a Vice President	

____	51.	Who determines the President’s salary?
a.	the U.S. voters	
b.	the Treasury Department	
c.	the Senate	
d.	Congress	

____	52.	States in which the outcome of a presidential election is “too close to call” are called 
a.	battleground States.	
b.	red States.	
c.	independent States.	
d.	squeaker States.	

____	53.	The Cabinet member who is first in line for presidential succession is the
a.	secretary of state.	
b.	secretary of the interior.	
c.	secretary of homeland security.	
d.	attorney general.	

____	54.	Which changed the Framers’ plan for choosing a President?
a.	political parties	
b.	dishonest electors	
c.	the Supreme Court	
d.	private lawsuits	

____	55.	What caused the major parties to stop using congressional caucuses to nominate candidates?
a.	Governors made all the decisions.	
b.	Too few people were represented.	
c.	The meetings got way too large.	
d.	Caucuses violated the Constitution.	

____	56.	Under the current electoral college system,
a.	“faithless electors” have affected the outcome of presidential elections.	
b.	the electoral vote closely mirrors the popular vote.	
c.	the House of Representatives could decide who will become President.	
d.	a President cannot win the White House with less than a majority of the popular votes. 	

____	57.	Before the 25th Amendment, what did the Constitution say about how the presidency should be filled if the President should become disabled?
a.	A council of governors should select an Acting President.	
b.	The Vice President should take over the office of the President.	
c.	There were no guidelines for what to do in case of presidential disability.	
d.	The Vice President should become the Acting President.	

____	58.	Which of the following brought about a national convention system for nominating presidential candidates?
a.	the two major parties	
b.	the Constitution	
c.	new federal laws	
d.	new state laws	

____	59.	The election of 1800 
a.	was the last time a President was elected into office without winning the popular vote.	
b.	introduced the idea that presidential electors should act as “free agents” in  the electoral process.	
c.	introduced the nomination of candidates to serve as presidential electors in the several States.	
d.	was the last time political parties nominated candidates for the presidency.	

____	60.	Why do some people think the presidency should be limited to a single six-year term?
a.	More Americans would have the opportunity to serve as President.	
b.	The balance of power between the legislative and executive branches would be more equal.	
c.	The President would be able to pass more laws.	
d.	Without the prospect of reelection, the President would be more likely to do what he or she thinks is right rather than what is politically popular.	

____	61.	How did presidential electors cause the election crisis of 1800?
a.	They voted a tie for the presidency.	
b.	Many refused to vote.	
c.	They voted for people not on the ballot.	
d.	Many were also candidates.	

____	62.	What reasoning did Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, and Reagan use when calling for the repeal of the 22nd Amendment?
a.	A President should not be limited to one four-year term in office.	
b.	A President should not be limited to one six-year term in office.	
c.	Anyone over the age of 21 should be able to run for President.	
d.	The people should determine how long a President should serve.	

____	63.	The President is the main architect of American foreign policy, making him or her the nation’s 
a.	commander in chief.	
b.	chief diplomat.	
c.	chief citizen.	
d.	chief bureaucrat.	

____	64.	A national convention is held to accomplish all of the following except
a.	name its presidential candidate.	
b.	unify the party behind its candidates.	
c.	select the party’s delegates.	
d.	adopt the party’s platform.	

____	65.	Which is a major flaw in the electoral college system?
a.	Many elections end up being decided in the U.S. Supreme Court.	
b.	Electors are not required to vote for the best possible candidate. 	
c.	Electors are not required to vote for the candidate who wins the popular vote.	
d.	Many electors do not cast their votes as they promised.	

____	66.	Which set the first guidelines for deciding when a President is disabled?
a.	25th Amendment	
b.	Disabled Americans Act	
c.	22nd Amendment	
d.	Presidential Disability Act	

____	67.	Why do the political parties award bonus delegates to some states?
a.	because some states don’t qualify for many electoral votes	
b.	because those states had to give up their presidential candidate	
c.	so those states will not insist on an early primary date	
d.	because those states have been strong party supporters	

____	68.	Which determines the number of presidential electors for a state?
a.	members of Congress	
b.	number of ballots cast	
c.	number of counties	
d.	number of cities	

____	69.	Which of the following election plans would guarantee that the winner of the national popular vote would win the presidency?
a.	the district plan	
b.	the proportional plan	
c.	direct popular election	
d.	the party plan	

____	70.	The President’s salary is determined by
a.	the Constitution.	
b.	the Federal Reserve. 	
c.	the Treasury Department.	
d.	Congress.	

____	71.	Who was the President the first time the disability provisions of the 25th Amendment came into play?
a.	Ronald Reagan	
b.	John F. Kennedy	
c.	William Henry Harrison	
d.	Abraham Lincoln	

____	72.	In a State’s presidential primary, voters
a.	elect the President of the United States.	
b.	either choose convention delegates or express a preference for a candidate.	
c.	always select their candidate’s delegates.	
d.	meet in a caucus to select candidates.	

____	73.	After the Vice President, who is next in the line of succession to become President?
a.	Secretary of Labor	
b.	Chief of Staff	
c.	Secretary of Energy	
d.	Speaker of the House	

Government Ch. 13 TEST
Answer Section

MULTIPLE CHOICE

	1.	ANS:	B
The congressional caucus was the first method political parties developed to pick their presidential candidates.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.377	
OBJ:	13.4.1 Describe the role of conventions in the presidential nominating process.
TOP:	The Presidency | Nomination

	2.	ANS:	C
When there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President nominates a new Vice President, who must be confirmed by a majority vote in Congress.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.373	
OBJ:	13.2.3 Describe the role of the Vice President.	
TOP:	The Presidency | The Vice Presidency	

	3.	ANS:	C
Originally, the Constitution did not provide for the succession of a Vice President; in practice, the Vice President did succeed to the office when it became vacant. In 1967, presidential succession became a part of the written Constitution through the 25th Amendment.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.370	
OBJ:	13.2.1 Explain how the Constitution provides for presidential succession.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Succession	

	4.	ANS:	D
Opponents of the 22nd Amendment insist that it is undemocratic because it places an arbitrary limit on the right of the people to decide who should be President.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.367	
OBJ:	13.1.3 Explain how the President’s term of office has changed over time.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Terms		

	5.	ANS:	C
The original version of the electoral college worked as the Framers intended only as long as George Washington was willing to hold the presidency. He was unanimously elected President in 1789 and in 1792. With the rise of well-defined parties by 1800, the system broke down. Elector-candidates were picked with the understanding that, if elected, they would vote for their party’s presidential and vice-presidential nominees. The Constitution gave each elector two votes, each to be cast for a different person but each to be cast for someone as President.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.375-A.376		
OBJ:	13.3.2 Understand how the rise of political parties changed the process of choosing a President as set out in the Constitution.		TOP:	The Presidency | The Electoral Process

	6.	ANS:	D
Primaries are difficult to describe. Each state has a different way of choosing its delegates.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.326	
OBJ:	13.4.2 Evaluate the importance of presidential primaries.	TOP:	The Presidency | Primaries

	7.	ANS:	C
The House of Representatives had to take 36 ballots before settling on Thomas Jefferson as President.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.376	
OBJ:	13.3.2 Understand how the rise of political parties changed the process of choosing a President as set out in the Constitution.		TOP:	The Presidency | Election of 1800

	8.	ANS:	B
According to the Framers’ plan, each elector was to cast two electoral votes, each for a different candidate. The person with the most votes would be President. The person with the second largest number would be Vice President.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.322	
OBJ:	13.3.1 Explain the Framers’ original provisions for choosing the President.
TOP:	The Presidency | Electoral Process

	9.	ANS:	C
The electoral college system has three major flaws: the winner of the popular vote is not guaranteed the presidency; electors are not required to vote in agreement with the popular vote; and any election might have to be decided in the House of Representatives.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.389	
OBJ:	13.5.3 Identify several flaws in the electoral college system.	
TOP:	The Presidency | Electoral College

	10.	ANS:	B
The reform plan that would allow for the direct popular election of the President would ensure that the winner is the majority choice. Each vote in the nation would count equally. However, small states tend to dislike this plan because they would lose their advantage in the electoral college. Some believe it would also weaken the federal system by taking away the states’ role in the choice of President.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.333	
OBJ:	13.5.4 Outline the advantages and disadvantages of proposed reforms of the electoral college.
TOP:	The Presidency | The Electoral Process	

	11.	ANS:	C
As chief legislator, the President shapes public policy. In this role, the President may suggest that Congress enact laws he believes are needed.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.315	
OBJ:	13.1.1 Describe the President’s many roles.		TOP:	The Presidency | Chief Legislator

	12.	ANS:	B
The 22nd Amendment was written to prevent any individual from being elected to the presidency more than twice. It was passed in the aftermath of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s third and fourth elections to the presidency in the 1940s, which broke the unwritten “no-third-term” custom.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.367	
OBJ:	13.1.3 Explain how the President’s term of office has changed over time.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Term		

	13.	ANS:	C
The 25th Amendment states: “In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.”

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.370	
OBJ:	13.2.1 Explain how the Constitution provides for presidential succession.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Succession	

	14.	ANS:	D
A national convention has three main goals: 1) naming the party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates, 2) promoting party unity, and 3) adopting the party’s platform.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.328	
OBJ:	13.4.4 Outline the events that take place during a national convention.
TOP:	The Presidency | National Conventions	

	15.	ANS:	A
The 12th Amendment was added to the Constitution following the 36 separate ballots it took to elect Thomas Jefferson as the third President of the United States in the election of 1800. This amendment changed the electoral college system when it separated the presidential and vice-presidential elections. Electors could name one person they voted for as President. In a separate ballot, they could name the one person they voted for as Vice President.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.376	
OBJ:	13.3.2 Understand how the rise of political parties changed the process of choosing a President as set out in the Constitution.		TOP:	The Presidency | 12th Amendment

	16.	ANS:	A
The Constitution assigns only two formal duties to the vice presidency: to preside over the Senate and to help decide the question of presidential disability.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.372	
OBJ:	13.2.3 Describe the role of the Vice President.	
TOP:	The Presidency | The Vice Presidency	

	17.	ANS:	B
According to the 25th Amendment, whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.371	
OBJ:	13.2.2 Understand the constitutional provisions relating to presidential disability.
TOP:	The Presidency | The Vice Presidency	

	18.	ANS:	C
The Framers’ original plan called for presidential electors to cast two electoral votes, each for a different presidential candidate. The person receiving the majority of votes would become President; the person with the second highest number of votes would become Vice President.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.374-A.375		
OBJ:	13.3.1 Explain the Framers’ original provisions for choosing the President.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Electors	

	19.	ANS:	A
According to the Constitution, the President must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, must be at least 35 years old, and must have been a resident within the U.S. for at least 14 years.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.366	
OBJ:	13.1.2 Understand the formal qualifications necessary to become President.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Qualifications	

	20.	ANS:	C
The President must carry out each of his many roles at the same time. Sometimes, the failure to perform one duty can lead to failure in another area.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.315	
OBJ:	13.1.1 Describe the President’s many roles.		TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Roles

	21.	ANS:	A
The winner of a state’s popular vote gets all of the state’s electoral votes. This winner-take-all factor means that any votes won by the loser of the popular vote are not reflected in the electoral vote.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.332	
OBJ:	13.5.3 Identify several flaws in the electoral college system.	
TOP:	The Presidency | Electoral College

	22.	ANS:	D
In the United States, a presidential election is held every four years. Wars and other crises have never prevented an election.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.331	
OBJ:	13.5.1 Describe the features of the presidential campaign.		
TOP:	The Presidency | The Electoral Process	

	23.	ANS:	A
Since 1960, a series of presidential debates has been a highlight of the campaign season. Though an incumbent President or a candidate well ahead in the polls may not really want to debate, both major party contenders regularly agree to do so.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.387	
OBJ:	13.5.1 Describe the features of the presidential campaign.		
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Debate		

	24.	ANS:	A
According to the 25th Amendment, if the President should become disabled, the Vice President would become Acting President.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.320	
OBJ:	13.2.2 Understand the constitutional provisions relating to presidential disability.
TOP:	The Presidency | The Vice Presidency	

	25.	ANS:	C
If neither presidential candidate wins a majority in the electoral college, the election is decided in the House of Representatives.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.333	
OBJ:	13.5.3 Identify several flaws in the electoral college system.	
TOP:	The Presidency | Electoral College

	26.	ANS:	A
Without the unifying force of the President as party leader, several top personalities and factions in the party out of power compete with one another for the presidential nomination.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.380	
OBJ:	13.4.2 Evaluate the importance of presidential primaries.	
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Primary	

	27.	ANS:	D
Though the Constitution placed no limit on the number of terms a President might serve, several Presidents, beginning with George Washington, refused to seek more than two terms, thus establishing the “no-third-term” tradition that was finally broken in 1940 by Franklin D. Roosevelt.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.366-A.367		
OBJ:	13.1.3 Explain how the President’s term of office has changed over time.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Terms		

	28.	ANS:	A
The presidential candidate’s acceptance speech caps the convention and launches the party’s general election campaign.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.384	
OBJ:	13.4.4 Outline the events that take place during a national convention.
TOP:	The Presidency | National Convention	

	29.	ANS:	D
Under proportional representation, any candidate who wins at least 15 percent of the votes cast in a primary gets the number of that State’s delegates that corresponds to his or her share of that primary vote.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.379	
OBJ:	13.4.2 Evaluate the importance of presidential primaries.	
TOP:	The Presidency | Proportional Representation

	30.	ANS:	C
Originally the Constitution did not have a way to fill the office of President if it became vacant. It stated only that the “powers and duties” of the President were to be transferred to the Vice President, not the office itself. This changed when the 25th Amendment was adopted in 1967. It said that the Vice President would become President if the President died, resigned, or was removed from office.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.319	
OBJ:	13.2.1 Explain how the Constitution provides for presidential succession.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Succession	

	31.	ANS:	B
One of the most common profiles for a President has been that of a governor of a large state.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.330	
OBJ:	13.4.5 Examine the characteristics that determine who is nominated as a presidential candidate.
TOP:	The Presidency | Nomination

	32.	ANS:	D
The Constitution says that the President must meet three formal qualifications: be a natural-born citizen, be at least 35years old, and have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.366	
OBJ:	13.1.2 Understand the formal qualifications necessary to become President.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Qualifications	

	33.	ANS:	C
Most Framers believed that the American people, scattered over so wide an area, could not possibly know enough about the available candidates to make wise, informed choices. They thought the process of a popular vote would lead to “tumult and disorder.”

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.374	
OBJ:	13.3.1 Explain the Framers’ original provisions for choosing the President.
TOP:	The Presidency | The Electoral Process	

	34.	ANS:	A
The Constitution says that the President must meet certain formal qualifications. He or she must be a natural born U.S. citizen, at least 35 years old, and have been a resident of the United States for at least 14 years.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.316	
OBJ:	13.1.2 Understand the formal qualifications necessary to become President.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Qualifications	

	35.	ANS:	A
If no presidential candidate wins a majority of electoral votes, the election is decided in the House of Representatives. Each state has one vote, and it takes a majority of 26 to elect.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.332	
OBJ:	13.5.2 Explain how the electoral college provides for the election of the President. | 13.5.3 Identify several flaws in the electoral college system.		
TOP:	The Presidency | The Electoral Process	

	36.	ANS:	C
The winner of the popular vote might not win the presidency because of the winner-take-all feature of the electoral college system and because the allotment of electoral votes among the States does not match the facts of population and voter distribution.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.389	
OBJ:	13.5.3 Identify several flaws in the electoral college system.	
TOP:	The Presidency | The Electoral Process	

	37.	ANS:	B
The plan for the direct popular election of the President and Vice President would abolish the electoral college system. Each vote in the nation would count equally. Some people think it would weaken the federal system by taking away the states’ role in the choice of President.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.333	
OBJ:	13.5.4 Outline the advantages and disadvantages of proposed reforms of the electoral college.
TOP:	The Presidency | Direct Popular Election	

	38.	ANS:	C
If no person receives a majority of the electoral votes for Vice President, the Senate decides between the top two candidates.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.389	
OBJ:	13.5.2 Explain how the electoral college provides for the election of the President.
TOP:	The Presidency | The Electoral Process	

	39.	ANS:	C
The 25th Amendment provides that the Vice President and a majority of Cabinet members can declare the President to be disabled.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.371	
OBJ:	13.2.2 Understand the constitutional provisions relating to presidential disability.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Disability	

	40.	ANS:	C
If no presidential candidate wins a majority of the electors’ votes, the election is thrown into the House of Representatives.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.389	
OBJ:	13.5.2 Explain how the electoral college provides for the election of the President.
TOP:	The Presidency | The Nomination Process	

	41.	ANS:	D
Congress sets the pay of the President, and it cannot change during a President’s term.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.316	
OBJ:	13.1.4 Describe the President’s pay and benefits.	TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Pay

	42.	ANS:	A
Presidential electors are chosen by popular vote in each state. They are chosen on a winner-take-all basis. That is, the candidate who receives the largest number of popular votes wins all of a state’s electoral votes.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.332	
OBJ:	13.5.2 Explain how the electoral college provides for the election of the President.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Elector		

	43.	ANS:	D
Major party presidential candidates usually have prior experience serving in elective office, most often as governor of a large State. Most have also been Protestants from large States such as New York, Ohio, and Texas. Historically, few major party presidential candidates have been Roman Catholic.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.384-A.385		
OBJ:	13.4.5 Examine the characteristics that determine who is nominated as a presidential candidate.
TOP:	The Presidency | Nomination

	44.	ANS:	C
The keynote address is usually delivered by one of the party’s greatest speakers. It typically glorifies the party, its history, its leaders, and its programs; criticizes the other party; and predicts a great victory for the party and its candidates in November.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.383	
OBJ:	13.4.4 Outline the events that take place during a national convention.
TOP:	The Presidency | Keynote Address

	45.	ANS:	B
By the terms of the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, the Speaker of the House follows the Vice President in the line of succession. After the Speaker comes the President pro tem of the Senate, the Secretary of State, and then each of the other 14 heads of the Cabinet.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.370	
OBJ:	13.2.1 Explain how the Constitution provides for presidential succession.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Succession	

	46.	ANS:	B
The Framers did not set a limit on the number of times a President could be reelected. During the 1940s, Franklin Roosevelt served four terms, or 16 years, as President. In 1951, the states ratified the 22nd Amendment to limit a President to no more than two terms in office. Those in favor of the 22nd Amendment claim that it prevents a single person from having too much power.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.316	
OBJ:	13.1.3 Explain how the President’s term of office has changed over time.
TOP:	The Presidency | 22nd Amendment		

	47.	ANS:	C
If no presidential candidate wins a majority of electoral votes (270 out of 538), the election is decided in the House of Representatives.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.332	
OBJ:	13.5.2 Explain how the electoral college provides for the election of the President.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Elector		

	48.	ANS:	C
According to the Framers’ plan, the President and Vice President are to be chosen by the electoral college, a special body of presidential electors chosen in each state.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.322-B.323	
OBJ:	13.3.1 Explain the Framers’ original provisions for choosing the President.
TOP:	The Presidency | The Electoral College	

	49.	ANS:	B
Depending on the state, presidential primary voters choose the state party organization’s delegates to the party’s national convention and/or express a preference for their party’s presidential nominee.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.326	
OBJ:	13.4.2 Evaluate the importance of presidential primaries.	
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Primary	

	50.	ANS:	D
If the office of Vice President becomes vacant, the 25th Amendment says that the President must nominate a Vice President. Both houses of Congress must confirm this nomination.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.321	
OBJ:	13.2.3 Describe the role of the Vice President.	
TOP:	The Presidency | The Vice Presidency	

	51.	ANS:	D
Congress determines the President’s salary. It was first set at $25,000 per year and is now $400,000 per year. Congress set that figure in 1999, and it became effective on January 20, 2001.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.368	
OBJ:	13.1.4 Describe the President’s pay and benefits.	TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Salary

	52.	ANS:	A
Either candidate could win in a battleground State—a State in which the outcome of a presidential election is “too close to call.”

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.386	
OBJ:	13.5.1 Describe the features of the presidential campaign.		
TOP:	The Presidency | The Electoral Process	

	53.	ANS:	A
According to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, the Speaker of the House and President pro tem of the Senate are followed by the secretary of state.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.370	
OBJ:	13.2.1 Explain how the Constitution provides for presidential succession.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Succession	

	54.	ANS:	A
The Framers’ plan for choosing a President was changed when political parties began nominating candidates and choosing electors who would vote along party lines. The electoral system completely failed in the election of 1800, causing Congress to permanently change the system.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.323	
OBJ:	13.3.2 Understand how the rise of political parties changed the process of choosing a President as set out in the Constitution.		TOP:	The Presidency | Political Parties

	55.	ANS:	B
Political parties first used congressional caucuses to nominate their presidential candidates. This ended because the caucuses represented the views of too few people. The parties moved to national conventions.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.325	
OBJ:	13.4.1 Describe the role of conventions in the presidential nominating process.
TOP:	The Presidency | National Convention	

	56.	ANS:	C
In any presidential election, it is possible that the contest will be decided in the House. A strong bid from a third-party candidate increases the likelihood that neither major party candidate would receive a majority of electoral college votes, thus throwing the election into the House.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.390	
OBJ:	13.5.3 Identify several flaws in the electoral college system.	
TOP:	The Presidency | Electoral College

	57.	ANS:	C
Before the 25th Amendment was adopted in 1967, there were no guidelines in the Constitution for deciding what to do when a President was disabled. The 25th Amendment says that the Vice President will become Acting President if the President informs Congress that he or she cannot carry out the duties of the office. Or, the Vice President and a majority of the members of the Cabinet can inform Congress that the President is disabled.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.320	
OBJ:	13.2.2 Understand the constitutional provisions relating to presidential disability.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Succession	

	58.	ANS:	A
The two major political parties developed the national convention system for nominating presidential candidates.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.325	
OBJ:	13.4.1 Describe the role of conventions in the presidential nominating process.
TOP:	The Presidency | National Convention	

	59.	ANS:	C
The election of 1800 introduced three new elements into the electoral process: party nominations for the presidency and vice presidency; the nomination of candidates for presidential electors in the States pledged to vote for their party’s presidential ticket; and the automatic casting of the electoral votes in line with those pledges.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.375-A.376		
OBJ:	13.3.2 Understand how the rise of political parties changed the process of choosing a President as set out in the Constitution.		TOP:	The Presidency | The Electoral Process

	60.	ANS:	D
Some people have argued that a single, nonrenewable six-year presidential term would free a President from the pressures of campaigning for a second term—and so would allow the chief executive to focus on the pressing demands of the office.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L3/L4	REF:	A.367	
OBJ:	13.1.3 Explain how the President’s term of office has changed over time.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Term		

	61.	ANS:	A
In the election of 1800, the electoral system completely failed. The electoral college voting produced a tie for the presidency.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.323	
OBJ:	13.3.2 Understand how the rise of political parties changed the process of choosing a President as set out in the Constitution.		TOP:	The Presidency | Election of 1800

	62.	ANS:	D
The 22nd Amendment was passed to limit a President to two full terms in office. Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, and Reagan each called for its repeal. They claimed it should be left to the people to decide how along a President should serve.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.316	
OBJ:	13.1.3 Explain how the President’s term of office has changed over time.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Term		

	63.	ANS:	B
Every President is the nation’s chief diplomat, the main architect of American foreign policy, and the nation’s chief spokesperson to the rest of the world.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.365	
OBJ:	13.1.1 Describe the President’s many roles.		TOP:	The Presidency | Chief Diplomat

	64.	ANS:	C
Each party’s national convention meets to name its presidential candidate, hopes to unify the party behind its candidates, and adopts the party’s platform. Party delegates are not selected at the convention, however, and each party has its own rules governing delegate selection.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.381-A.382		
OBJ:	13.4.3 Understand the caucus-convention process.	TOP:	The Presidency | Convention

	65.	ANS:	C
The electoral college system has three major flaws: the winner of the popular vote is not guaranteed the presidency; electors are not required to vote in agreement with the popular vote; and any election might have to be decided in the House of Representatives.

PTS:	5	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.332-B.333	
OBJ:	13.5.3 Identify several flaws in the electoral college system.	
TOP:	The Presidency | Electoral College

	66.	ANS:	A
The 25th Amendment provided the first guidelines in the Constitution for deciding when a President is disabled.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.319-B.320	
OBJ:	13.2.1 Explain how the Constitution provides for presidential succession. | 13.2.2 Understand the constitutional provisions relating to presidential disability.	TOP:	The Presidency | 25th Amendment

	67.	ANS:	D
Delegates from each state are chosen by the parties to attend the convention. The number of delegates from each state is based on that state’s electoral vote. Both parties now award bonus delegates to some states that have supported a party’s candidate in the past.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.325	
OBJ:	13.4.1 Describe the role of conventions in the presidential nominating process.
TOP:	The Presidency | Conventions

	68.	ANS:	A
Each state has as many presidential electors as it has senators and representatives in Congress.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.322	
OBJ:	13.3.1 Explain the Framers’ original provisions for choosing the President.
TOP:	The Presidency | Electoral Process

	69.	ANS:	C
If the goal of election reform is to ensure that the winner of the national popular vote will win the presidency, only direct popular election will guarantee that result. However, the Constitution would need to be amended to accomplish direct popular election.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.392	
OBJ:	13.5.4 Outline the advantages and disadvantages of proposed reforms of the electoral college.
TOP:	The Presidency | The Electoral Process	

	70.	ANS:	D
Congress determines the President’s salary; currently, the President’s salary is $400,000 per year.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.368	
OBJ:	13.1.4 Describe the President’s pay and benefits.	TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Pay

	71.	ANS:	A
Ronald Reagan was the President the first time the disability provisions of the 25th Amendment came into play, when he transferred the powers of the presidency to Vice President George H.W. Bush for nearly eight hours while he underwent surgery.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.371-A.372		
OBJ:	13.2.2 Understand the constitutional provisions relating to presidential disability.
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Succession	

	72.	ANS:	B
Depending on the State, a presidential primary is an election in which a party’s voters choose some or all of a State party organization’s delegates to their party’s national convention and/or express a preference among various contenders for their party’s presidential nominations.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L3	REF:	A.378	
OBJ:	13.4.2 Evaluate the importance of presidential primaries.	
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Primary	

	73.	ANS:	D
According to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, the Speaker of the House is next in the line of succession to become President after the Vice President.

PTS:	3	DIF:	L2	REF:	B.319-B.320	
OBJ:	13.2.1 Explain how the Constitution provides for presidential succession. | 13.2.2 Understand the constitutional provisions relating to presidential disability.	
TOP:	The Presidency | Presidential Succession