AP U.S. Government and Politics Practice Quiz: Expansion of Presidential Power
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 10 questions to check your progress.
Question 1 of 10
All Questions (10)
A) To ensure the dominance of the legislative branch.
B) To facilitate slow, deliberative decision-making.
C) To provide for the steady administration of the laws.
D) To encourage direct participation by citizens in government.
Correct Answer: C
The provided text explicitly states that Federalist No. 70 argues a strong executive is essential for the 'steady administration of the laws,' as well as for protection against foreign attacks and the security of liberty and property.
A) The expansion of presidential power over time.
B) The inefficiency of the executive branch.
C) The influence of foreign governments on the presidency.
D) The cost of presidential election campaigns.
Correct Answer: A
The content explicitly states that the Twenty-Second Amendment 'demonstrates concern about the expansion of presidential power.' Limiting the time a president can serve is a direct check on the potential for an individual to accumulate too much authority.
A) proposing a new constitutional amendment.
B) deferring to the formal powers of Congress.
C) interpreting and justifying their use of informal powers.
D) adhering to the limits set by the Twenty-Second Amendment.
Correct Answer: C
This scenario illustrates the first point in the provided content. The president is using an informal power (the executive order) and justifying it through a broad interpretation of their formal powers (commander-in-chief) to meet the demands of a contemporary event.
A) A president delivering the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress.
B) A president signing a bill into law that was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
C) A public argument over whether a president's use of a drone strike on a foreign target without congressional approval was a necessary security measure or an unconstitutional overreach.
D) A president nominating a candidate for a Supreme Court vacancy who then goes through Senate confirmation hearings.
Correct Answer: C
This scenario directly reflects the core tension mentioned in the text: 'Different perspectives on the presidential role...continue to be debated in the context of contemporary events.' The debate over the drone strike pits an expansive view of presidential power (for national security) against a limited view (requiring congressional approval for acts of war).
A) The First Amendment
B) The Tenth Amendment
C) The Twenty-Second Amendment
D) The Twenty-Fifth Amendment
Correct Answer: C
Federalist No. 70 advocates for a powerful, energetic executive. The Twenty-Second Amendment, which limits presidential terms, was passed out of fear that a president could become too powerful if allowed to serve indefinitely. This creates a direct tension between the need for a strong executive and the need to limit that executive's power.
A) A limited interpretation of presidential power.
B) The concerns that led to the Twenty-Second Amendment.
C) An expansive interpretation of presidential power.
D) The formal process of legislative oversight.
Correct Answer: C
The commentator is advocating for a more expansive interpretation and use of presidential power, which is one of the perspectives in the ongoing debate mentioned in the provided text.
A) Appointing a large number of campaign donors to ambassadorships.
B) Taking swift, unilateral military action to repel a foreign attack on a U.S. naval base.
C) Refusing to spend funds appropriated by Congress for a specific program.
D) Holding frequent press conferences to shape public opinion.
Correct Answer: B
Federalist No. 70 specifically argues that a strong, single executive is 'essential to the protection of the country against foreign attacks.' Swift, unilateral action in such a crisis is the quintessential example of the 'energy' in the executive that the paper advocates for.
A) A formal power explicitly granted by the Twenty-Second Amendment.
B) An informal power justified by an expansive view of the president's role in foreign policy.
C) A power that is primarily justified by Federalist No. 70's focus on property rights.
D) A formal power that is shared equally with the legislative branch.
Correct Answer: B
Executive agreements are not mentioned in the Constitution and are considered an informal power. Presidents justify their use by interpreting their formal powers as chief executive and diplomat broadly, which aligns with the text's explanation of how presidents use and justify their powers.
A) A bicameral legislature
B) A system of federal courts
C) A single executive
D) A council of state governors
Correct Answer: C
The text directly states, 'Federalist No. 70 offers justification for a single executive,' making this a direct recall question based on the provided content.
A) The Twenty-Second Amendment successfully resolved the debate over presidential power first raised in Federalist No. 70.
B) Presidents exclusively rely on formal powers, as informal powers are consistently rejected by the public.
C) While foundational arguments like those in Federalist No. 70 support a strong presidency, there is an ongoing and unresolved constitutional debate about the limits of that power, as evidenced by measures like the 22nd Amendment.
D) Federalist No. 70's argument for a single executive has been largely abandoned in the modern era in favor of a more limited interpretation of power.
Correct Answer: C
This option correctly integrates all the key points from the text: the justification for a strong executive (Federalist No. 70), the existence of checks and concerns about that power (22nd Amendment), and the fact that this debate over limited vs. expansive interpretations continues today.