Bakersfield College

The examination consists of 100 questions, 50 true-false and 50 multiple-choice. There is no time limit. Four areas are covered:

  1. Historical Development, including the background of the Revolution, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitutional Convention.
  2. Key aspects of the constitution, including basic principles and specific information about the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
  3. The changing Constitution, including the process of amendment, the 27 Amendments, and other historical forces for change, such as: forceful presidents and justices.
  4. Major court cases which have constitutional importance, particularly the following:
    Baker v. Carr, 1962
    Barron v. Baltimore, 1833
    Brandenburg v. Ohio, 1969
    Branzburg v. Hayes, 1972
    Brown v. Bd. Of Ed. Of Topeka, 1954
    Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, 1942
    Dred Scott v. Sandford, 1857
    Duncan v. Louisiana, 1968
    Engel v. Vitale, 1963
    Everson v. Board of Education, 1947
    Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963
    Griswold v. Connecticut, 1965
    Lemon v. Kurtzman, 1971
    Mapp v. Ohio, 1961
    Marbury v. Madison, 1803
    McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819
    Miller v. California, 1973
    Miranda v. Arizona, 1966
    Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896
    Regents v. Bakke, 1978
    Roe v. Wade, 1973
    Schenck v. U.S., 1919
    U.S. v. Nixon, 1974
    Weeks v. U.S., 1914

The following recommended text is available for purchase at the B.C. Bookstore: Our Federal and State Constitution by Alex Schmidt. Also examiners should acquire from an online source: The Bill of Rights a User’s Guide by Linda Monk. It is also recommended additional sources be studied – encyclopedias and college textbooks in American Government. The current American Government text located at the B.C. Library Circulation Desk is American Government, Custom Edition for Bakersfield College

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