Which of the following statements about the amendment process is true?
(1 point)
Responses
It needs a unanimous consent from the states.
It needs a unanimous consent from the states.
It is a decision made by a majority of Senators.
It is a decision made by a majority of Senators.
It is necessary to call for a new Constitutional convention.
It is necessary to call for a new Constitutional convention.
Both the national government and the states are involved.
Both the national government and the states are involved.
Both the national government and the states are involved.
Which of the following was a case in which the Supreme Court claimed the power of judicial review?
(1 point)
Responses
Marbury v. Madison
Marbury v. Madison
McCulloch v. Maryland
McCulloch v. Maryland
Jackson v. Jefferson
Jackson v. Jefferson
Marshall v. Adams
Marbury v. Madison
Why is the necessary and proper clause in the Constitution sometimes called the “elastic clause”?
(1 point)
Responses
It stretched the power of the Supreme Court.
It stretched the power of the Supreme Court.
It can stretch the powers of Congress.
It can stretch the powers of Congress.
It is used to stretch the powers of the president.
It is used to stretch the powers of the president.
It stretches the power of the states.
The correct answer is: "Both the national government and the states are involved."
To get the answer, we need to understand the process of amending the Constitution. The amendment process is outlined in Article V of the United States Constitution.
First, an amendment can be proposed in two ways:
1. By Congress: A proposed amendment can be introduced either in the House of Representatives or the Senate. To be successful, it needs to be approved by a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and the Senate.
2. By a Constitutional Convention: If two-thirds of the state legislatures (i.e., 34 out of 50 states) request a Constitutional Convention, a convention will be called. Proposed amendments from the convention would then need to be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures (i.e., 38 out of 50 states) to become part of the Constitution.
Once an amendment is proposed, it must then be ratified. There are two methods for ratification:
1. By state legislatures: Three-fourths of the state legislatures (i.e., 38 out of 50 states) must approve the proposed amendment.
2. By state ratifying conventions: Congress can choose to have ratification done by state conventions instead of state legislatures. This method was used for the ratification of the 21st Amendment, which repealed Prohibition. Three-fourths of the states must approve the proposed amendment in this case as well.
Therefore, both the national government (through Congress) and the states (through their legislatures or conventions) are involved in the amendment process.