Final Exam

Every state has which characteristic?

a clearly defined territory

Which change came to American society as a result of the women's suffrage movement?

a constitutional amendment extended voting rights

Which phrase best describes a limited government?

a government established under an obligation to protect individual rights.

Which dispute would be heard in small claims court?

a landlord suing a tentant for damages of $5,000

Which scenario described an action that would be taken by a state government?

a law changes the requirements to obtaining a driver's license

What type of organization is NATO?

a military alliance

Which example illustrates the Constitution's checks and balances in action?

a president vetos a bill passed by congress

Which form of government is most similar to an autocracy?

absolute monarchy

Which federal department did President Lincoln establish during the Civil War?

agriculture

Which term describes an organization that has political control of the media and attempts to silence dissent?

authoritarian government

What is an indictment?

being charged with a crime

What do the Fifteenth and Nineteenth Amendments have in common?

both guarantee the right to vote to groups previously barred to voting.

Which situation involves criminal law?

breaking and entering

How does the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) assist the president in carrying out foreign policy?

by gathering information to combat terrorism

How can a campaign manager most affect a candidate's run for office?

by helping the candidate express the campaign's message effectively so he or she may have a better chance of winning an election

How has the equal protection clause most benefited women?

by preventing government- sponsored discrimination

What is the primary job of the governor?

carrying out laws and overseeing the state bureaucracy

Which statement describes how caucuses differ from primaries?

caucuses involve face- to - face discussions among voters rather than a secret ballot

What happens to a bill after it has been presented in the House for the first time?

committees are assigned to work on the bill

Which part of the government can limit presidential power by impeaching and removing the president form office?

congress

At a town meeting, citizens debate and then vote to decide which books should be used in its high school. Which term best describes this action?

direct democracy

Which feature of American political thought most strongly influenced the design of the Articles of Confederation?

distrust of centralized power

The membership of the Supreme Court historically laws with characteristic?

diversity in race and gender that matched the country

Every state uses local government to provide which service?

education

Most justices on the U.S. Supreme Court have what in common?

education in legal studies

Which statement explains how the rule of law protects citizens from abusive uses of government power?

elected officials have to follow the same laws as the people

Which term describes the part of the U.S. federal government that is charged with carrying out the nation's laws?

executive

Which level of government sets policies for the whole nation?

federal

Which term describes the strategies and action a country takes to guide its relation with other sovereign states?

foreign policy

Which phrase describes a protection given in the First Amendment?

freedom of expression

The Fifth Amendment prohibits the government from taking which action?

holding a second trial for the same crime after a jury has declared a defendant not guilty

On which standard is civil service hiring based?

individual merit

Which statement best explains the source of the U.S. Supreme Court's authority?

it derives it authority from the Constitution

Which statement explains how the right to own property strengthens the U.S. economic system?

it encourages people to earn and invest money

Which statement describes how the Nineteenth Amendment changed the U.S. history?

it expanded the right to vote to all citizens regardless of gender.

How has voter turnout typically been affected by adopting early voting laws?

it increases because voting is made more accessible.

Why was the Voting Rights Act of 1965 significant?

it removed barriers that had prevented citizens from voting.

Which was Vice President Al Gore attempting to do when he said he was "reinventing government"?

make the federal bureaucracy more efficient and effective

Which statement explains why Native Americans initially were not covered by the protections of the Fourteenth Amendment?

many Native Americans lived on the reservations that were considered sovereign territory.

Which was the earliest form of American mass media?

newspaper

Which example of media offers citizens the most unbiased political information?

newspapers that report on developing stories.

Which activity is a common source of non- tax state revenue?

operating lottery games

Which physical feature is located to the west of the United States?

pacific ocean

Governments are formed to solve which problem that exists in the "state of nature"?

people must protect themselves constantly from one another.

? share common goals advance policy proposals select candidates for office aim to wil elections Which title best replaces the question mark in the list?

political parties

The purpose of civil rights legislation is to what?

promote gender and minority equality

Which statement gives an example of someone fulfilling a civic responsibility?

quinn volunteers to campaign for someone running for city council

Which phrase describes a requirement for an amendment to be added to the Constitution?

ratified by three- fourths of the states

What does the president do as head of state?

recognizes foreign governments

To be an effective citizen, it is most important to do which of these activities?

research issues that impact the community

What would a county government most likely do to raise money without increasing taxes?

sell bonds to investors

Which statement describes U.S. photo identification (ID) requirements for voting?

several states require voters to present photo ID before voting.

In the United States, most voting policies and qualifications are determined by what?

state legislatures

What is the relationship between the two sides of a law suit?

the defendant is accused of harming the plaintiff.

Which statement describes a feature of a parliamentary government?

the executive branch is part of the legislative branch

Which action illustrated the presidential role of chief legislator?

the president submits a proposed budget to Congress, which then writes and passes budget bills to fund federal programs

Which scenario best explains the burden of proof in a criminal law?

the prosecution presents fingerprints to prove the defendant is guilty.

Gerrymandering most directly affects which of these?

the selection of representatives in Congress

How do most leaders gain the authority to govern their states?

they are appointed, elected, or born into power

According to the Declaration of Independence, how do human acquire "certain inalienable rights"?

they are born with them

Why are 48 of the states in the United States called contagious?

they are connected to one another

how are federal grant programs and Medicaid similar?

they are operated by states and funded by the national government.

Which statement best describes how some states in the South approached suffrage after the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment?

they enacted poll taxes and literacy tests to prohibit African Americans from voting.

How do dictatorships maintain control over the states?

they prevent citizens from exercising their rights

What do political action committees (PACs) do?

they raise money and advertise in support of political candidates

How have raising campaign costs most affected American elections?

they require more fund- raising, allowing individuals and organizations with money to have more influence with candidates.

Which statement best explains why 12 of the 13 states agreed to send delegates to Philadelphia Convention of 1787?

they were considering whether to return to rule by the English king

What is the main job of any government?

to define rules for the people living within a territory

Why would a governor most likely call a special state legislative session?

to discuss a proposed budget

Which power does the Supreme Court lack?

to enforce its decisions.

What is the purpose of the proposed DREAM Act?

to grant undocumented migrants temporary residency

What is the purpose of lobbying?

to influence the policymaking process

Why might citizens of a U.S. territory seek statehood?

to obtain the right to vote in federal elections

The Constitution give Congress which power?

to regulate trade between states.

Which is a goal of foreign policy?

to support humanitarian causes

Which term best describes the political system?

two- party

The president exercises which of these checks on the power of the legislature?

vetoing bills passed by Congress

Which government official has constitutional roles in both the legislative and executive branched of the federal government?

vice president

Which action is an example of civic virtue?

volunteering to work in a homeless shelter

Which group formed the majority of Americans allowed to vote until the early 1800s?

white men who owned property