1. Regarding the chief executive, the writers of the Constitution
a. were all in agreement about the necessity of a powerful executive for the new republic.
b. modeled the presidency of the United States after the Prime Minister of France.
c. had no models to follow when they created the presidency of the United States.
d. originally wanted a king.
e. created a leader with unchecked powers.
2. According to the Constitution, the minimum age to be President is
a. twenty-five years.
b. thirty years.
c. thirty-five years.
d. forty years.
e. forty-five years.
3. Who was the youngest person to be elected president of the United States?
a. John F. Kennedy
b. George W. Bush
c. Theodore Roosevelt
d. Ronald Reagan
e. Abraham Lincoln
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4. Which of the following best describes the people who have been elected president?
a. Older and from western states
b. Primarily Catholics and Jews
c. Military commanders from the South
d. White, male, Protestants
e. California natives
5. To be elected president, a candidate must obtain
a. a majority of the popular vote.
b. a majority of the electoral vote.
c. more popular votes than any other candidate.
d. more electoral votes than any other candidate.
e. every electoral vote.
6. When the Electoral College fails to elect a president, what happens?
a. The current president serves two more years and another general election is held.
b. The candidate who receives a plurality of the popular vote is elected.
c. The electors cast a second ballot to determine who will be elected.
d. The election is decided in the House of Representatives.
e. The election is decided in the Senate.
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7. Which of the following is true regarding presidential election campaigns?
a. One can become president without winning the popular vote.
b. So far, all of the presidents have had a majority of the popular vote when elected.
c. A third candidate for the presidency has never had any impact on the outcome of the election.
d. The House of Representatives is incapable of making a decision on who will be president.
e. There have not yet been any occasions on which the Electoral College has failed to give any candidate a
majority.
8. Which Amendment required that the President and the Vice President be chosen separately?
a. Marbury v. Madison
b. The Executive Voting Act
c. The Third Amendment
d. The Sixth Amendment
e. The Twelfth Amendment
9. The president, in the role of head of state, is responsible for
a. determining which countries the United States will have diplomatic relations.
b. acting as the ceremonial head of the government.
c. conducting the foreign policy of the country.
d. leading the legislative process by submitting legislation.
e. administering the laws.
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10. Which Presidential power or duty is most likely to give the president tremendous public exposure, which can be an
important asset in a campaign for reelection?
a. Chief oversight officer
b. Chief legislator
c. Independent status
d. Head of state
e. Resident of the White House
11. As chief executive, the president is constitutionally bound to
a. enforce the acts of Congress, treaties signed by the United Staes, and judgments of federal courts.
b. submit a balanced budget to Congress.
c. engage in preemptive military action.
d. oversee actions of state governments.
e. honor pronouncements of the United Nations.
12. The collective term for the body of employees working for the government, generally understood to apply to all those
who gain employment through a merit system, is
a. civil service employees.
b. political appointees.
c. the political rank-and-file.
d. the nonpartisan employee pool.
e. the bureaucratic troops.
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13. Which of the following best describes the President’s appointment power?
a. The President has executive power to enforce the laws.
b. The President appoints cabinet and subcabinet jobs, federal judgeships, agency heads, and several thousand
lesser jobs.
c. The President can veto laws.
d. The President can terminate appointments with a three-quarter Congressional approval.
e. The President can receive ambassadors or other foreign officials.
14. Which of the following aspects of the President’s role as chief executive is false?
a. The president fills cabinet and subcabinet positions.
b. The president may, to a limited extent, fire certain government employees.
c. The president is owed political allegiance by all 2.7 million federal employees.
d. Thepresidentmust“takecarethatthelawsbefaithfullyexecuted.”
e. The federal bureaucracy assists the President in carrying out various tasks.
15. The granting of release from the punishment for a crime is called
a. a reprieve.
b. a congressional sanction.
c. a pardon.
d. executive privilege.
e. impeachment.
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16. A reprieve is
a. when the President forgives someone of a crime.
b. when the President issues a formal postponement of the execution of a sentence imposed by a court of law.
c. when the President makes a sentence less severe.
d. when Congress metes out a symbolic punishment delivered to any of its members who criticize the president.
e. unconstitutional.
17. As commander in chief, the president is
a. only a symbolic leader of the military.
b. the ultimate decision maker in military matters.
c. allowed to make military decisions, but only with the approval of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
d. not responsible for military decisions.
e. one of five people with the power to order the use of nuclear force.
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18. Which of the following best describes the War Powers Resolution?
a. TheSupremeCourt’sdecisioninUnited States v. Curtiss-Wright Export Corp.
b. The requirement that the President report to Congress within forty-eight hours of sending troops into action,
and then obtain the approval of Congress within sixty days
c. An Act of Congress that gives the President sweeping powers to defend the nation against terrorists,
subversives, and any enemy combatant of the United States
d. A policy pronounced by President Ronald Reagan that supported aid to any country or people resisting
Communism
e. Resolution explained in Article II of the Constitution
19. The presidential power known as diplomatic recognition
a. is a relatively meaningless tradition.
b. has seldom been used by any president.
c. is the power of the president to recognize, or not recognize, foreign governments.
d. isasimpleanduncontroversialpartofthepresident’sduties.
e. has been used more by Congress than by the president.
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20. In order for a treaty to go into effect, it must be
a. signed by the members of the UN Security Council.
b. approved by three-fourths of the state legislatures.
c. passed by a Supreme Court majority.
d. approved by a two-thirds vote in the Senate.
e. approved by a majority vote in both houses of Congress.
21. An international agreement with the head of a foreign state made by the president without Senate approval is
a. a treaty.
b. an executive agreement.
c. a signing statement.
d. constitutionally required to be funded by Congress.
e. subject to expiration after one year.
22. The State of the Union message is
a. delivered by the president to the General Assembly of the United Nations at least once every four years.
b. a policy statement of Congress over which the president seldom has influence.
c. required by the Constitution and gives a broad view of what the president wishes the legislature to accomplish
during its session.
d. aneffectivetoolusedbythepresidenttolimitothercountries’foreignpolicyendeavorsinthishemisphere.
e. constitutionally limited to reviewing the events of the last year.
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23. In order for the President to veto a law, he
a. must propose an alternative bill to Congress.
b. cannot veto again until ten days have passed.
c. must have the approval of the leadership of both houses of Congress.
d. must return the bill to Congress with a veto message.
e. does it free of being overridden by Congress.
24. If the president refuses to sign a bill and Congress adjourns within ten working days after the bill has been submitted
to the president, it is called a
a. line-item veto.
b. pocket veto.
c. political statement.
d. signing statement.
e. legislative postponement.
25. Which of the following happens when the president signs a bill?
a. He or she cannot include any instructions as to how to administer the law.
b. He or she is exercising the right to a pocket veto.
c. It goes back to the Senate for ratification.
d. It goes back to Congress, which has ten days to modify it.
e. It becomes law.
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26. Which of the following statements about the line-item veto is true?
a. It was used only in treaty ratification.
b. It was found to be unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1998.
c. It was given to the president of the United States, but prohibited to state governors.
d. It was denied to the president by an act of Congress.
e. It was frequently used on specific spending provisions by President George W. Bush.
27. A veto is
a. usuallyemployedtopunishmembersofthepresident’spartywhodisagreewithhim.
b. morelikelywhenthepresident’spartycontrolsCongress.
c. aclearcutindicationofthepresident’sdissatisfactionwithlegislation.
d. likely to be overridden about half the time.
e. requiredtobeusedatleastonceduringeachpresident’sterm.
28. Which of the following is true about signing statements?
a. Theyarewrittendeclarationsthatapresidentmaymakewhensigningabillintolawregardingthelaw’s
enforcement.
b. They can only be used to make rhetorical statements.
c. They cannot be used to praise or denounce political parties.
d. They were used frequently in the nineteenth century, but are rarely used today.
e. They were used by President Reagan to make more sweeping claims on behalf of presidential power than any
other president.
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29. Rewarding faithful party workers with government employment is called
a. “goingpublic.”
b. pork.
c. patronage.
d. executive privilege.
e. civil service.
30. Which of the following is TRUE regarding presidential fundraising?
a. The president of the United States is prohibited from engaging in fund-raising activities by Article II of the
Constitution.
b. Bythe1990sandearlytwentyfirstcentury,presidentswerenolongerwillingtolowerthemselvesto“begging
formoney”andlimitedtheirfundraising.
c. Most presidents rely on others to raise money for them because it is not part of the role of the president to
raise money.
d. Barack Obama had spectacular success in raising funds as a candidate.
e. Congress has enacted legislation prohibiting a sitting president from engaging in fund-raising activities.
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31. Which of the following statements best explain the use of Presidential popularity as it affects the legislative process?
a. It is irrelevant to Congress or bureaucrats.
b. It is rarely measured by pollsters.
c. It is of little concern to second-term presidents.
d. It is required before a president may claim executive privilege.
e. It is an extra resource to use to persuade Congress to pass legislation.
32. Which of the following is true concerning presidential popularity?
a. President Bush enjoyed high popularity ratings throughout his presidency.
b. PresidentObama’sapprovalnumbershavealwaysbeenlowerthanPresidentBush’s.
c. PresidentObama’sapprovalratingspeakedinAugust2010.
d. President Bush had only a 25 percent public approval rating by the time he left office.
e. PresidentBush’sapprovalratingsin2004werethehighesteverrecorded.
33. Which of the following best defines statutory power?
a. Powers that are given to the President by the Constitution
b. Powers that are given to the Congress
c. Power created for the president through laws enacted by Congress
d. Temporary powers
e. Inherent powers
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34. Which of the following is true about Presidential emergency powers?
a. They are listed in the Twenty-second Amendment.
b. They have never been exercised.
c. They are listed in each amendment of the Bill of Rights.
d. TheywerefirstenunciatedintheSupremeCourt’sdecisioninUnited States v. Curtiss-Wright Export
Corp.
e. They are not outlined in the Constitution.
35. A rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect of law is a(n)
a. legislative declaration.
b. presidential statute.
c. Congressional override.
d. emergency provision.
e. executive order.
36. An executive order must be
a. published in the Federal Register.
b. approved by Congress.
c. approved by a majority of the cabinet.
d. issued only when Congress is not in session.
e. avoided in matters concerning foreign policy.
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37. Which of the following statements best defines executive privilege?
a. The President can withhold some information from Congress or the courts.
b. Members of the executive branch are free from prosecution.
c. The President employs the pocket veto at will.
d. The president makes political appointments.
e. It stipulates that requests from the President has the force of law.
38. In United States v. Nixon, the Supreme Court ruled that
a. a sitting president cannot be sued in civil court for offenses that occurred before the president took office.
b. executive privilege could not be used to prevent evidence from being heard in criminal proceedings.
c. congressional approval must be granted before presidents make use of executive privilege.
d. the president is immune from criminal prosecution except for impeachable crimes.
e. members of the Secret Service cannot be required to testify against the president.
39. According to the Constitution, impeachment
a. cannot be used against an incumbent president.
b. can only be applied to a president who has committed treason.
c. can only be used against a president who has committed a violation of criminal law.
d. charges are voted on by the House of Representatives and, if approved, go to the Senate for a trial.
e. has been used against only one president.
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40. In the history of the United States, no president has ever
a. been impeached and acquitted.
b. died while in office.
c. been impeached and convicted.
d. resigned from office.
e. been impeached.
41. _____ and _____ are the only presidents in American history to have been impeached and acquitted.
a. Andrew Johnson; Bill Clinton
b. Richard Nixon; Franklin Roosevelt
c. Andrew Jackson; Herbert Hoover
d. Thomas Jefferson; Martin Van Buren
e. Andrew Jackson; Jimmy Carter
42. Today, the members of the cabinet
a. are an informal group of presidential advisers.
b. are limited to the heads of the fifteen executive departments.
c. include fourteen department secretaries and the attorney general, plus other top officials chosen by the
president.
d. include only the heads of the Departments of State, Justice, Defense, and Treasury, plus the heads of the
EPA, CIA, and FBI.
e. are a subset of any six executive department heads, chosen by the president.
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43. Informal advisers to the president are referred to as
a. FOP, or friends of the President.
b. the kitchen cabinet.
c. the Executive Counsel.
d. the cabinet.
e. the brain trust.
44. Allofthefollowingaretrueofthepresident’scabinetEXCEPT
a. originally, it consisted of only four officials.
b. they usually have some experience in the area of the cabinet position.
c. they are heads of executive departments.
d. it is thoroughly detailed in the Constitution as to what the cabinet should do.
e. the cabinet is an advisory group selected by the president to aid in making decisions.
45. The organization established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to assist the president in carrying out major duties is
called
a. the kitchen cabinet.
b. the cabinet.
c. the Executive Office of the President.
d. the Council of Presidential Advisors.
e. the system of checks on executive power.
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46. The personal office of the president is
a. the Office of Economic Advisers.
b. the cabinet.
c. the Executive Office of the President.
d. the White House Office.
e. the Domestic Policy Council.
47. The Office of Management and Budget is charged with
a. helping Congress write the budget.
b. helping the president prepare the annual budget.
c. revising the budget passed by Congress.
d. reducing the scope of the federal budget.
e. replacing the House Appropriations Committee.
48. The National Security Council is a link between
a. Congress and the president.
b. leaders of foreign governments and the president.
c. the Securities and Exchange Commission and the president.
d. thepresident’skeyforeignandmilitaryadvisersandthepresident.
e. state governments and the president.
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49. AccordingtotheTwentyfifthAmendment,ifapresident’sabilitytodischargehisnormalfunctionsisinquestionand
he is unable to communicate,
a. the Supreme Court is empowered to select a physician to certify whether or not the president is able to
perform the functions of his office.
b. the Speaker of the House becomes acting president until the matter is resolved.
c. a majority of the cabinet, including the vice president, can declare the president incapable.
d. the president must be permanently removed from office.
e. thevicepresidenthastheexclusivepowertodeterminethepresident’scapability.
50. After the Speaker of the House, the next person in the line of succession to the presidency is the
a. Senate president pro tempore.
b. Secretary of State.
c. Chief of Staff.
d. Attorney General.
e. Secretary of Homeland Security.
51. What are the constitutional requirements to run for the presidency? Should more be added? Explain.
52. Explainthepresident’sroleasheadofstate.
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53. Examinethepresident’sroleaschiefdiplomat.
54. How have presidents exercised their role as commander in chief? How did Congress attempt to limit this power in
the War Powers Resolution?
55. Examinethepresident’sroleaschieflegislator,andoutlinetheimpactoftheothertwobranchesofgovernmenton
this role.
56. Analyzethepresident’sfunctionsaspartychiefandsuperpolitician.
57. Explain the concept of executive privilege and how it has been used by the presidents.
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58. Does the way Presidents use their cabinets indicate that the cabinet has more power than the President, or vice
versa? Explain your answer.
59. Compare the two impeachment occurrences in U.S. history with the near-impeachment of President Nixon. Should
any of the three Presidents involved have been impeached and convicted? Why or why not?
60. Describe the process, per the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, in the event of a President being unable to discharge the
duties of his office.
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