lesson 2 state government and politics unit 5

Answer the following questions.

1) Check all that apply.

Which parts of the Constitution provide for state governments?

	the Eighth Amendment
	the Tenth Amendment
	Article I
	Article VI

2) Check all that apply.

Select THREE ways to amend state constitutions.

	by a voter-instigated initiative
	by constitutional conventions
	by U.S. Supreme Court decisions
	by a majority vote in the legislature and approval by the governor
	by a majority or three-fourths of the legislature with approval by a majority of the voters
	by referendum

3) Check all that apply.

Select TWO reasons state constitutions are less stable than the U.S. Constitution.

	State constitutions are shorter.
	changed.
	regarding the day-to-day relationships between government and its people.
	Federal law mandates that state constitutions must be reviewed every 25 years.

4) Select the best answer.

What did the 1964 Reynolds v. Sims ruling decide?

	Governors were given the right to use line-item vetoes.
	courts.
	State legislatures were to be capped at 200 members.
	Representation in legislatures should be based on equal population.

5) Select the best answer.

Much of a state’s actual business is conducted by ____.

	secretary of state
	joint committees
	the state supreme court
	the lieutenant governor

6) Match the powers with the branches of state governments. Answers will be used more than once.

executive branch, judicial branch legislative branch. possible answers.

commute the sentences of, or parole, criminals

police power to protect and promote the public’s health, safety, morals, and welfare

includes justice of the peace, magistrates, judges, and supreme court justices

propose the state budget

executive authority is delegated among elected officers

remove executive officers or judges through the impeachment process

oversee the state police and the National Guard

line-item veto power

7) Match the powers with the branches of state governments. Answers will be used more than once.

executive branch, judicial branch legislative branch. possible answers.

shapes public opinion to support favored policy agenda

confirms appointments for office and appoints some executive officeholders

may be appointed by the governor, chosen by the legislature, or elected by the voters

powers of appointment and removal

responsibility to faithfully execute the laws

consider civil cases, misdemeanors, small claims, and probate problems; refers cases with federal questions to the U.S. Supreme Court

call a special session of the legislature

branch whose members represent equal segments of the population

8) Place the state courts in their hierarchical order, beginning with the highest court. Some answers may be used more than once.


possible answers magistrate courts or justice of peace, supreme court, appellate court, trial courts, municipal courts.
1.

2.


3.


4.


5.


6.

9) Match the words with the descriptions.
concurrent powers, advisory referendum, recall, appellate court, police power, initiative, line-item veto, reserved powers, exclusive powers. possible answers

a process whereby voters may petition for a law or amendment to be placed on the ballot
a nonbinding question that is put on the ballot to see what voters think of it
power of the governor to reject portions of a bill while retaining the other portions
hierarchically located between the trial court and the state supreme court
power to protect and promote the public health, safety, and welfare
granted solely either to the national government or the states
a political device by which voters may remove a public official from office
shared powers

not given to the national government, but kept by the states

10) Match the powers with the entities. Answers will be used more than once.
exclusive to state government, concurrent power, exclusive to national government. possibly answers

build roads
establish local governments
issue licenses
establish an army and navy
collect taxes
make treaties and conduct foreign policy
establish courts
spend money for the general welfare

regulate intrastate trade