U.S. Government 101 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Division of power between federal and state governments

Federalism is a system of government with a written constitution in which power is divided between national, state, and local governments. There are exclusive and concurrent powers. For example, an exclusive power of the federal government is to conduct foreign relations, an exclusive state power would be the issuance of driver's licences, a concurrent power would be to raise taxes.

Answer: Creation of the federal budget

An implied power is power given to the government that is not enumerated in the Constitution. The power to regulate commerce, declare war, and establish post offices are among the enumerated powers granted to the federal government in the Constitution. The power to create a federal budget is an implied power.

Answer: Civil liberty

"Civil liberties" are defined as those freedoms with which the government may not interfere. "Civil liberties" have limits and exceptions, they are not absolute.
"Civil rights" refers to the governmental protection of minority groups against discrimination.

The government may not interfere with "civil liberties" but can interfere with "civil rights" (under normal circumstances), therefore Freedom of Speech is a "civil liberty".

Answer: Fiscal policy is initiated by Congress through taxing and spending; monetarypolicy is implemented by the FED through interest rates and money supply

The FED is the Federal Reserve Board, made up of 7 presidential appointees who are confirmed by the Senate. Their job is to implement a monetary policy that regulates the supply of money and to make necessary adjustments in interest rates. It's the job of Congress to make fiscal policy by adjusting taxing and spending.
"Fiscal" refers to the financial matters of the government. "Monetary" refers to the methods by which money is circulated and distributed throughout the economy.

Answer: Realignment occurs when a significant number of voters switch political parties; reapportionment occurs when the seats in the House of Representatives are changed based on the census

Realignment occurs when significant number of voters "realigns" itself with a different political party so as to influence both parties' election strategy. Reapportionment occurs in the House of Representatives when a state's election district lines may be altered by the latest census, thereby causing the number of seats in the House allotted to a state to change.

Answer: The people have the power

Popular sovereignty can be found in the first three words of the U.S. Constitution, "We the People". The People are all powerful in our system of government. It is the voters who put people in power, and it is the voters who have the power to dismiss them.

Answer: Judiciary

A "standing" committee is one that continues from one Congress to the next that focuses on one particular policy area. The House Judiciary Committee is responsible for initiating the impeachment process. The Senate Judiciary Committee oversees the confirmation of federal judges.

Answer: False

False. Most democratic presidents (including Obama) believe in the economic theory developed by John Maynard Keynes. This theory is based on supply/demand and that the federal government should be active in stimulating the economy. On the other hand, Republican presidents generally advocate the supply-side (also sometimes called trickle-down) theory developed by Arthur Laffer.

This theory is based on reducing taxes on businesses and the wealthy in order to stimulate investment and create new businesses and jobs, with little or no involvement by the federal government.

Answer: State, War, Treasury

Washington had only three cabinet secretaries, State, War and Treasury. Henry Knox, Washington's saviour at Boston was his Secretary of War. Two more opposing figures Washington would have been hard pressed to find than his Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and his Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. They not only had opposing views, the actually disliked each other.


Secretary of War changed to Secretary of Defense in 1949.

Answer: Cloture

Cloture only occurs in the Senate. When one party tries to delay a vote on an issue a senator from that party may speak endlessly on any and all subjects (filibuster). If the other party can get a 60-vote supermajority the filibuster can be halted.