| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| This case is often criticized for its suggestion that Native Americans didn’t have rights to their own land, which was actualized in Johnson v. M'Intosh. The expulsion of state legislators who illegally sold land along the Yazoo River led to this case in which the Supreme Court ruled that states can’t invalidate contracts. For the point, name this 1810 case in which it was ruled that Georgia couldn’t prevent the previously-agreed-to sale of land, even if bribes were involved in the sale. | Fletcher v. Peck (or Robert Fletcher v. John Peck) |
| Note to reader – silently read the direction in the answerline first! This man succeeded Hussein-Ali Montazeri as the next-in-line to a position he took in 1989. This leader was elected by an Assembly of Experts, despite his personal opposition. In 2003, this leader issued an edict against producing nuclear weapons, and, since 1989, this man has overseen five presidents, including Hassan Rouhani and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Ebrahim Raisi became the president of Iran with the support of, for the point, which autocratic supreme leader? | Ali Khamenei (or Ali Hosseini Khamenei) – be careful to listen for anything sounding closer to “Khomeini” (and do not accept or prompt on that) |
| In "Suspension and Delegation," this figure argued that only Congress can determine the legitimate suspension of habeas corpus. This former member of the Federalist Society received a twelve to zero vote from the Judiciary Committee after one party boycotted the hearings. This figure, who was a former “handmaiden” in the People of Praise, was unable to name the protections of the First Amendment in a confirmation hearing. For the point, name this woman who controversially replaced Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020. | Amy Coney Barrett (or Amy Vivian Coney Barrett; or Amy Vivian Coney) |
| Patricio Escobar was the first president to represent this political party, whose streak of consecutive presidents was interrupted in 2008 with the election of Bishop Fernando Lugo. Bernardino Caballer founded this political party which supported Federico Chávez prior to a 1954 coup d'etat. Alfredo Stroessner mandated that all military officials be affiliated with, for the point, what right-wing political party of Paraguay? | Colorado Party (or National Republican Association – Colorado Party; or ANR- PC) |
| This man portrayed Senator Purrington in Batman v Superman, and along with Tom Daschle, this man's office was targeted in the 2001 anthrax attacks. This man defeated Republican Richard Mallary and a Liberty Union candidate in his first election and was the last "Watergate Baby" in Congress. This man, who was succeeded in one office by Peter Welch, served as president pro tempore from 2012-15 and again from 2021-23. For the point, name this first Democratic US senator to be elected from the state of Vermont. | Patrick Leahy (or Patrick Joseph Leahy) |
| This clause was found to be discriminatory, in violation of a "dormant" doctrine, in a case challenging another 1978 case involving a Waste Control Act. Personal crop consumption was found to fall within the realm of this clause in Wickard v. Filburn, which dealt with quotas under the Agricultural Adjustment Act. An early assessment of this clause arose out of competing ferry licenses in the state of New York in Gibbons v. Ogden. For the point, name this Article I [[ONE]] clause dealing with regulations on business conducted across states. | Commerce Clause |
| This politician assigned Atlas Shrugged as required reading for staff but later denied Ayn Rand's influence on him. This politician headed the Ways and Means Committee before being pushed into a different position at the retirement of John Boehner. This politician debated Joe Biden during a campaign during which he became the first member of Gen X to run on a major party's national ticket. For the point, name this Speaker of the House from 2015 to 2019 who ran on Mitt Romney's ticket in 2012. | Paul Ryan (or Paul Davis Ryan) |
| The writer of a dissent in this court case claimed that one side’s complaint was that a group was “not sufficiently numerous or powerful.” Non-discoverable and unmanageable standards as well as “an unusual need for unquestioning adherence to a political question” are among the six tests outlined by Justice Brennan in the majority opinion of this case whose plaintiff was a resident of Shelby County. Arising from allegations that a certain urban area had ten times as many voters as did its rural counterparts, for the point, what is this landmark case dealing with redistricting? | Baker v. Carr (accept Charles W. Baker et al. v. Joe. C. Carr et al.) |
| Hours before this company's CEO testified in front of the U.S. Senate, one of its products suffered significant damage in Calhoun County, Alabama. This company's CEO, Alan Shaw, was accused of prioritizing $10 billion in stock buybacks over maintenance. Chemicals, including vinyl chloride, were found inside a vehicle operated by this company, resulting in class action lawsuits filed by residents of East Palestine [[PAL-eh-STEEN]]. A February 2023 train derailment damaged, for the point, what freight railroad based in Atlanta? | Norfolk Southern Railway (prompt on "NS"; prompt on partial answers) |
| News of this event was first broken by Peter Schorsch, a writer for the website Florida Politics. Items labelled "TS/SCI" were among the targets of this event, for which Merrick Garland issued a warrant based on alleged violations of the Espionage Act and destruction of federal records. Over 13,000 documents were taken by federal agents during, for the point, what event of August 8, 2022 in Palm Beach, in which a former president's residence was searched for classified materials taken from the White House? | FBI Search of Mar-a-Lago (prompt on partial or descriptive answers like “Donald Trump’s house”) |
| This man described himself as "a moderate independent" in his 2015 memoir, The Courage to Act. In one position, this man implemented a series of programs known as QE1, QE2, and QE3. Along with Douglass Diamond and Philip Dybvig [[DIB-vig]], this man won a 2022 Nobel Prize "for research on banks and financial crises." For the point, name this successor to Allan Greenspan, who oversaw monetary policy while responding to the Great Recession as chair of the Federal Reserve from 2006 to 2014. | Ben Bernanke (or Ben Shalom Bernanke) |
| Joseph Schlesinger identified three types of this characteristic of politicians, including "static" and "discrete." Jennifer Lawless and Richard Fox identified a gap in the "nascent" form of this trait between men and women as a source of women’s under-representation in politics. Machiavelli encouraged leaders to "make mistakes of [this trait]" as opposed to "mistakes of sloth." For the point, name this trait, the "progressive" form of which leads office holders to seek higher office. | Ambition (accept word forms; accept Static ambition; accept Discrete ambition; accept Nascent ambition; accept Progressive ambition; accept Mistakes of ambition) |
| This politician surpassed his prime minister's father as the longest-serving foreign minister in the post-World War Two history of his country. Demon Slayer is allegedly among the favorite works of this man, who promised support for his country's animation industry. The National Diet [[DEE-et]] confirmed this man after his electoral victory over Taro Kono in the aftermath of the assassination of his predecessor, Shinzo Abe [[AH-beh]]. For the point, name this prime minister of Japan. | Fumio Kishida (accept in either order; prompt on "Fumio") |
| As attorney general, this politician unsuccessfully attempted to investigate sitting lieutenant governor and former state Treasurer Brian Krolicki for mishandling the state's College Savings Trust Fund. This woman narrowly won re-election to one office after running an ad calling her opponent Adam Laxalt "a child of Washington," and in 2021, Gary Peters succeeded this woman as the chair of the DSCC. For the point, name this successor of Harry Reid, the first Latina elected to the US Senate, a Democrat from Nevada. | Catherine Cortez Masto (or Catherine Marie Cortez Masto; or Catherine Marie Cortez; accept either underlined portion) |
| This organization received almost one million euros from the National Council of Resistance of Iran and the People's Mujahedin of Iran due to their "personal relationship" with fundraiser Alejo [[ah-LEH-hoh]] Vidal-Quadras. This party had a spike in membership after its leader sued one region's parliament following a 2017 independence referendum. In 2022, this party entered a coalition government with the People's Party in Castile and Leon. For the point, name this far-right Spanish party, whose name translates to "Voice." | Vox |
| One state senator from this U.S. state resigned in 2022 after allegations of groping an Uber driver, and another state senator from this U.S. state blamed "the fatherlessness crisis in America" when debating gun control on The Problem with Jon Stewart. Nathan Dahm has represented this state in which Republican lawmakers opposed State Question 820 allowing all citizens over 21 to legally use marijuana. For the point, identify this U.S. state whose senators have included James Lankford and Markwayne Mullin. | Oklahoma |
| This place was likely chosen to host one event due to a having a big parking lot and for being near Interstate 95. Concurrent with a press conference at this location, located across State Road from a crematorium, the Associated Press called Pennsylvania and the 2020 presidential election for Joe Biden. For the point, name this Philadelphia business at which Rudy Giuliani announced the Trump campaign would legally challenge the ballot counting process, not to be confused with an upscale Canadian hotel chain. | Four Seasons Total Landscaping (prompt on partial answers) |
| Brent Allison, a student at the University of Georgia, founded the first U.S. example of these organizations to advocate for the repeal of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Former Prague mayor Zdeněk Hřib [[ZDEN-ek hah-RIB]] was elected as a member of one of these organizations, whose Icelandic members were part of a parliamentary coalition government after the 2018 elections. For the point, name these types of organizations who typically advocate for e-democracy and net neutrality, often sporting a black flag as their logo. | Pirate parties (accept word forms and clear knowledge equivalents; prompt on partial answers) |
| The exercise of this power was upheld in the context of the overconcentration of its central concept in the Midkiff case. A mine fire in Centralia led to the exercise of this power, which was the subject of a case which dealt with a “comprehensive redevelopment plan” in the Connecticut city of New London. The Kelo case dealt with this concept which requires “just compensation” as per a clause in the Fifth Amendment. For the point, name this power of appropriating land for public use. | Eminent domain (accept Appropriation before “appropriating” is mentioned; accept Expropriation before “appropriating” is mentioned and prompt after) |
| Ian Murphy prank-called this U.S. state's governor while pretending to be David Koch [[KOKE]]. A group yelled the refrain "Shame! Shame!" at Glenn Grothman during a series of protests in this state regarding its Act 10, or "Budget Repair Bill." Over 100,000 protestors rallied against a bill placing limitations on collective bargaining in this state, in which 2020 protests centered on the shooting of Jacob Blake. For the point, identify this U.S. state in which a 2011 recall election attempted to replace Scott Walker as governor. | Wisconsin |
| In December 2021, a fire broke out in a prison in this city, which Vice President Prosper Bazombanza said killed 38 people. The planned relocation of one government to this city was announced by a president from the CNDD–FDD Party in 2007, Pierre Nkurunziza [[nn-KOO-roon-ZEE-zah]]. A leader of the FRODEBU party, Évariste Ndayishimiye [[nn-"DIE"- ee-SHEE-mee-yeh]], was inaugurated as president in this city in June 2020. For the point, name this city which reacquired its status as the capital of Burundi from Bujumbura in 2019. | Gitega (or Kitega) |
| A ban on this party was lifted a few months after the Sunningdale Agreement. One leader of this party was arrested in April 2014 for four days in connection with the murder of Jean McConville. Arthur Griffith founded this party, which was later led by Mary Lou McDonald. This party was previously led by Gerry Adams and was banned during the Troubles. For the point, what is this political party whose name means “we ourselves” and which is opposed by the Fianna Fail [[fah-EEL]] party in Ireland? | Sinn Féin [[SHIN-FAYN]] (be lenient on pronunciation) |
| The second head of this agency was Najeeb Halaby, the father of Queen Noor of Jordan. This agency was created through a 1958 act that was passed in the wake of an incident at the Grand Canyon. In the wake of two foreign incidents involving faulty MCAS [[EM-KASS]] software, this agency was criticized for its relatively slow grounding of the 737 MAX. For the point, name this agency within the Department of Transportation, the successor of the Civil Aeronautics Administration, which overseas civil aviation in the United States. | FAA (or Federal Aviation Administration) |
| Media attention over these objects stemmed from a Bloomberg News interview with Richard Trumka, a US product safety commissioner, who later clarified that any updates to federal regulations applied only to new models. As part of a new budget, Ron DeSantis proposed providing a permanent sales tax exemption for these devices, despite only being used in eight percent of Florida households. For the point, name these cooking appliances which became a culture war touchstone in 2023 after studies linked them to childhood asthma. | Natural gas stoves (prompt on partial answers) |
| This country's Consultative Assembly, created in a 2003 referendum, has 15 appointed and 30 elected members. In 2022, this country's head of state was voted as the most influential Muslim in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre. That same head of state of this country bought the Paris Saint-Germain F.C. soccer team in 2011. For the point, name this hereditary monarchy with no political parties, a Persian Gulf nation led by Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. | State of Qatar (or Dawlat Qaṭar) |
| This statement was written by Gouverneur Morris and approved by the Committee on Style. Barack Obama delivered a speech titled after part of this statement in Philadelphia to address racial tensions and campaign controversies regarding Reverend Jeremiah Wright. A lyrical version of this text for Schoolhouse Rock notably omits the words "of the United States." For the point, name this introduction to the US Constitution which begins with "We the People..." | Preamble (prompt on less specific answers; anti-prompt on "We the People" before mentioned; anti-prompt on "A More Perfect Union") |
| In 2021, PolitiFact wrote that this item "was real in the sense that it exists, but it didn’t prove much." Mac Isaac supposedly provided Rudy Giuliani information associated with this object, which was used during one person's tenure at Burisma. A Washington Post investigation of part of this object was "stymied by missing data" but said that experts "confirmed the veracity of thousands of emails." For the point, name this personal possession of a presidential family member which was allegedly found abandoned in a Delaware shop in 2019. | Robert Hunter Biden's laptop (accept "computer" in place of "laptop"; prompt on partial answers) |
| This department was established via a namesake act which included the Brooke Amendment and its "thirty percent rule of thumb." This department was initially led by the first Black man to be appointed to a cabinet-level position, Dr. Robert C. Weaver. This department adhered to a crime prevention strategy, called "defensible space," when awarding grants through the HOPE SIX program. For the point, identify this executive department which grew out of an organization partially known as the Home Financing Agency. | Department of Housing and Urban Development (or HUD) |
| In Operation Monopoly, the FBI and the NSA attempted to build a tunnel under this building on Mount Alto hill. An urban legend states that the grotesque statue of a camera on the National Cathedral is pointed at this building. In 1985, an intelligence officer escaped his handlers at the Au Pied De Cochon [[oh-PYEHD-duh-koh-SHOHN]] restaurant in Georgetown to reach this building. In 2018, a section of Wisconsin Avenue in front of this building was renamed "Boris Nemtsov Plaza." For the point, name this diplomatic mission in Washington, D.C. where Anatoly Antonov took office in 2017. | Embassy of Russia in Washington, D.C. (accept clear knowledge equivalents; accept Soviet Embassy and equivalents before "2018" is mentioned) |
| After this event, Anderson Torres was arrested, and Celina Leão temporarily took power as governor for two months. Over 1,400 people were arrested in connection with this event which started in the Three Powers Plaza and caused damage to the Palácio do Planalto and the National Congress Building. For the point, name this January 8, 2023 event in which supporters of Jair Bolsonaro caused civil unrest and attempted to overthrow the newly sworn-in government of Lula da Silva. | 2023 Brazilan Congress attack (accept clear knowledge equivalents) |
| Mexico's president commented that a crisis surrounding this thing was caused by a "lack of hugs." Texas senator Joan Huffman introduced a bill that would allow distributors of this thing to be charged with murder. In 2018, Nebraska prisoner Carey Dean Moore became the first death row inmate to be executed using this substance. Poisonings and overdoses of this substance caused over 100,000 deaths in 2021. For the point, name this synthetic opioid, over fifty times more potent than morphine. | Fentanyl citrate (or Sublimaze) |
| A politician who served as a senator from this U.S. state for forty years once chaired this state's committee for Nixon-Agnew before becoming the first Republican to be elected state-wide in more than 100 years. That man, Thad Cochran, was on the same college cheerleading squad as a fellow senator from this state, Trent Lott. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker are senators from, for the point, what U.S. state from which Confederate president Jefferson Davis hailed? | Mississippi (accept University of Mississippi) |
| In a work focused on "Rethinking" the history of this group, Dipesh Chakrabarty offered an analysis of the jute industry. In a work focusing on this group, whooping cough is said to contribute to a mortality rate four times higher in one region than in another. This group is subject to "a monopoly. . .in the broadest sense of the word," according to a work that analyzes the effects of urbanization in one country. That work by Friederich Engels focuses on this group's experiences in England. Often engaging in manual labor, for the point, what is this group, often conflated with the proletariat? | Working Class (accept Rethinking Working Class History; prompt on "proletariat" before mentioned) |
| This amendment was ratified twice by North Carolina and Kentucky, and this amendment's impetus for ratification was a government paper written by the only student to earn an A+ at the University of Texas. Action taken by the state of Ohio against the Salary Grab Act supported this amendment, which was first proposed in 1789. For the point, identify this amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which requires changes relating to Congressional salaries to be delayed until the election of the next House of Representatives, the most recently adopted amendment. | 27th Amendment (or Amendment 27) |
| This man offered digital strategies to combat gridlock in a book titled Citizenville. This man was reported to have been present at a birthday party at the French Laundry during the COVID pandemic, which resulted in an election featuring candidates including Larry Elder. This incumbent claimed that if he won, he wanted a nickname stylized on "The Governator," just like a former holder of the same position, Arnold Schwarzenegger. For the point, name this successor to Jerry Brown as governor of California. | Gavin Newsom (or Gavin Christopher Newsom) |
| Barack Obama appeared in a series launched by this company about some of the world's national parks. In countries like Canada and New Zealand, this company implemented crackdowns on password sharing between accounts, which followed the launch of a new ad- supported tier. Starting in 2023, Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos served as co-CEOs of this company after its founder, Reed Hastings, stepped down. A stage spinoff of Stranger Things was announced by, for the point, what streaming giant? | Netflix, Inc. |