AP Gov Semster 1 Final Question Bank

An investment candidates today MUST make is in __________. a. a staff to set up and run technologies such as Facebook pages and Twitter accounts b. television ads aimed at the 18-29 age group c. a chartered jet for traveling from state to state d. professional pollsters to ensure compliance with all relevant election laws e. direct mail lists from previous campaigns

a

Because of the fact that younger people are less likely to participate in the political process by voting, who is more likely to be overrepresented at the polls? a. conservatives b. libertarians c. populists d. the poor e. liberals

a

Free speech and a free press are essential to which principle of traditional democratic theory? a. enlightened understanding b. inclusion c. equality in voting d. effective participation e. citizen control of the agenda

a

A__________ refers to an organization that seeks to influence public policy. a. interest group b. institute c. administration d. faction e. corporation

a

An interest group filing an amicus curiae brief is an example of __________. a. lobbying the judicial branch b. lobbying an executive branch agency c. how interest groups influence elections d. how groups influence the president e. grassroots or outside lobbying

a

How did the Framers implement equality in voting? a. state-determined eligibility b. suffrage based on property ownership c. universal male suffrage d. direct popular election for president only e. universal male suffrage except for slaves

a

In United States v. Lopez, the U.S. Supreme Court scrutinized the use of which of the following powers as related to the possession of firearms in public schools? a. commerce b. taxing c. war d. educational e. regulating

a

In a __________ system, local and regional governments derive authority from the national government. a. unitary b. constitutional c. confederate d. bi-cameral e. federal

a

In states with caucuses, __________. a. supporters of candidates attend a series of open meetings to express presidential preferences b. delegates are chosen through the general election of a candidate c. candidates appoint supporters to serve as delegates d. the state legislature selects the state's delegates to the national conventions e. party leaders select delegates according to their own candidate preferences

a

What is the name given to the law that would govern human beings before governments existed? a. natural law b. universal law c. Constitutional law d. Biblical law e. original law

a

Which Republican president called for the government to "get off the backs of the American people"? a. Ronald Reagan b. George W. Bush c. Gerald Ford d. George H. W. Bush e. Richard Nixon

a

Which is a consequence of hyperpluralism? a. contradictory and confusing policies b. termination of government programs c. reduced agency budgets d. growth in the number of political parties e. reduced campaign spending

a

Which of the following is the best definition of federalism? a. A constitutional arrangement by which power is distributed between a central government and state governments. b. A loose association of states constitutionally created by a strong central government. c. A constitutional arrangement by which sovereign states create a limited central government. d. A loose association of states with mutually recognized compacts but no central government. e. A constitutional arrangement concentrating power in a central government.

a

Which of the following plans proposed proportional representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate? a. Virginia b. Pennsylvania c. New Jersey d. Massachusetts e. Ohio

a

Which theory argues that special interests groups have become sovereign, and the government is merely their servant? a. hyperpluralism b. bureaucratism c. balance of power d. elitism e. pluralism

a

Who is at the center of all theories of elite domination of politics? a. big business b. the nouveau riche c. the Trilateral Commission d. the president e. the Congress

a

Who is given primary credit for writing the Constitution? a. James Madison b. Benjamin Franklin c. George Washington d. John Adams e. Thomas Jefferson

a

According to many network executives, many in the American public are not well informed in this high-tech age because of __________. a. lack of relevant information b. influence of personal bias c. their own personal choice d. information overload e. government limits on the press

c

American journalists have long been free to criticize government leaders and policies because of __________. a. First Amendment protections b. both First Amendment protections and public ownership of media c. both First Amendment protections and private ownership of media d. private ownership of the media e. public ownership of media

c

Andrew Downs's rational-choice theory is a popular idea among political scientists. It postulates that __________. a. logic and reason will prevail in the American electorate b. ideological polarization in a society will disappear in a crisis c. voters and politicians will generally act in their own self-interest d. some candidates enter races even when they know they will lose e. party identity will lose its importance in the next 100 years

c

Before the ratification of the Constitution, the United States was organized as ___________. a. a conglomerate b. a monarchy c. a confederation d. an oligarchy e. colonies

c

How do lobbyists typically seek to influence members of Congress? a. by offering them money to vote a particular way b. by filing amicus curiae briefs c. by providing specialized expertise d. by introducing bills e. by organizing protests and demonstrations on Capitol Hill

c

How is political participation defined? a. as the capacity of individuals (or groups) to exert their own political will b. as all the activities used by citizens to socialize their children to the political process c. as all the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue d. as a measure of the minimum requirements needed to vote e. as a theory of how democracies work

c

How many states employ a winner-take-all system in which all their electors are awarded to the presidential candidate who wins the most votes statewide? a. 40 b. 35 c. 48 d. 38 e. all 50

c

How might pluralism serve to enhance democracy? a. by allowing policy makers to ignore the demands of certain organizations b. by requiring people to join interest groups c. by ensuring that no single interest becomes dominant d. by streamlining the legislative process e. by discouraging bargaining and compromise on policy issues

c

If no candidate receives an Electoral College majority, the election is decided in the __________. a. Supreme Court b. Elections and Campaigns Committee c. House of Representatives d. Ways and Means Committee e. Senate

c

If the poor participated at higher levels in the political process, what might happen? a. government workers would likely unionize b. government-run services would likely be privatized c. government programs to alleviate economic inequality would likely be higher on the political agenda d. government programs to help individuals invest their Social Security would likely be higher on the political agenda e. government programs to aid struggling democracies overseas would likely be higher on the political agenda

c

In what year was the U.S. Constitution ratified? a. 1797 b. 1776 c. 1788 d. 1777 e. 1791

c

Money earmarked for party-building expenses at the grassroots level or for generic party advertising is known as __________. a. matching funds b. hard money c. soft money d. support funds e. campaign funds

c

Paradoxically, as technology has enabled the media to pass along information with greater speed, news coverage has become __________. a. less biased b. more thorough c. less thorough d. more biased e. more objective

c

Party realignments are rare and cataclysmic events in American political history. According to your text, when did the last one occur? a. 1932 b. 1860 c. 1968 d. 2000 e. 1894

c

President Obama has encountered resistance to his policies from the congressional group known as the __________. a. Yellow Dog Democrats b. Purple Heart Independents c. Blue Dog Democrats d. Red Dog Republicans e. New York Republicans

c

Research suggests that the overriding bias in the news is one toward stories that __________. a. put the president in a good light b. favor liberals c. will draw the largest audience d. are humanitarian e. favor conservatives

c

The Defense of Marriage Act potentially violates which clause of the Constitution? a. Due Process b. Commerce c. Full Faith and Credit d. Equal Protection e. Supremacy Clause

c

The McGovern-Fraser Commission made the delegate selection process of the Democratic party more democratic by __________. a. increasing the number of delegates chosen b. encouraging the use of presidential caucuses rather than primaries c. weakening the power of party leaders to choose convention delegates d. giving the power of selecting delegates to party officials e. requiring delegate selection procedures to be open

c

The No Child Left Behind Act is an example of a __________. a. programmatic request b. categorical grant c. unfunded mandate d. business grant e. block grant

c

The primary interest of publicly owned media is __________; the primary interest of privately owned media is __________. a. making a profit; serving the public interest b. undermining democracy; supporting democracy c. serving the public interest; making a profit d. serving the state; serving the people e. spreading propaganda; being as objective as possible

c

The textbook discusses three important agents that can socialize Americans to participate in the political process. What are they? Select one: a. the family, the schools, and the political parties b. the family, the media, and political parties c. the media, the schools, and the family d. the schools, politicians, and political parties e. the schools, the family, and politicians

c

The ways in which people get involved in politics make up their political __________. a. ideals b. philosophy c. participation d. party e. opinions

c

Who declared, "The president of the United States will not stand and be questioned like a chicken thief by men whose names he does not even know"? a. John F. Kennedy b. Ronald Reagan c. Herbert Hoover d. Richard Nixon e. Bill Clinton

c

According to James Q. Wilson, an "intense commitment to a candidate, a culture, or an ideology that sets people in one group definitively apart from people in another, rival group" is a definition of which of the following? a. laissez-faire economics b. reification c. socialization d. polarization e. liberalism

d

The __________ problem occurs when people fail to join a group because they can get the benefits the group offers without contributing to the group's efforts. a. group coordination b. group formation c. pluralist d. free-rider e. collective good

d

Some people have called the American electoral process __________. a. "the permanent election" b. "the permanent campaign" c. "the never-ending nomination" d. "the election game" e. "the endless commercial"

b

That the U.S. government is more limited and smaller than other advanced industrialized countries is a reflection of the strength of which type of economic policies? a. elitist b. laissez-faire c. corporatist d. pluralist e. populist

b

The "minimal effects hypothesis" suggests that the media have which of the following? a. a major effect on public opinion b. a marginal effect on public opinion c. a minimal effect on Americans' consumption of newspapers d. a minimal effect on policymakers' issue positions e. a minimal effect on Americans who do not watch TV

b

Which of the following has made it easier for contemporary voters to choose the best person for the office, regardless of party? a. increased polarization in Congress b. advances in information technology c. the media's tendency to focus on policy issues d. relaxed voter registration requirements e. voter ID laws

b

Which of the following helps to explain why voter turnout is lower in the United States than in other democracies? a. The United States elects fewer officeholders. b. The United States hold elections midweek. c. U.S. candidates tend to offer starkly different choices. d. The United States hold fewer elections. e. U.S. candidates tend to rely more heavily on public financing.

b

The two key components of rational-choice theory state that __________. a. voters want to maximize job growth, and parties want to win wealthy donors b. voters want to maximize party-line victories, and parties want favored policy adoption c. voters want to maximize personal opportunities, and politicians want happy constituents d. voters want to maximize the country's well-being, and politicians will act in self-interest e. voters want to maximize favored policy adoption, and parties want to win office

NOT A or C

Who is included in the "party in the electorate"? a. public officials who are registered with one major party b. voters loyal to/identify with one of the two major parties c. voters active in the business of the party d. party officers who seek to educate the public on key party stances e. party officers who seek to steer the electorate through media spin

NOT A or E

Which statement best describes the functioning of party machines in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries? a. Parties provided jobs to urban electorates in exchange for votes and kickbacks. b. Parties provided protection to urban electorates in exchange for kickbacks. c. Parties provided cash handouts to urban electorates in exchange for votes. d. Parties provided policy support to rural electorates in exchange for votes. e. Parties provided jobs to rural electorates in exchange for votes and kickbacks.

NOT D or E

A __________ often requires voters to declare party affiliation on their voter registration forms, which for political parties is something akin to the government collecting information for them about who likes their product. Select one: a. closed primary b. open primary c. provisional primary d. multiparty primary e. universal primary

a

In the United States, pluralist theory suggests which of the following? a. Many groups vie for power with no one group dominating politics. b. Because most citizens fail to pay attention to serious issues, government has become an elite institution. c. Society is governed by an upper-class elite. d. Too many influential groups cripple government's ability to govern. e. Congress is stronger and more influential than the presidency.

a

Iyengar and Kinder's research found that TV news __________. a. alters the priorities Americans attach to problems b. changes viewers' policy and voting preferences, particularly during campaigns c. is more effective in changing American public opinion than is print news d. has minimal effects on the public opinion of viewers e. effectively manipulates what Americans think about public issues

a

Many of the commercials that air during the nightly news broadcasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC seem to be for various prescription drugs. What is the most plausible explanation for this fact? a. The median age of viewers of nightly news broadcasts is 62. b. In 1960, there were 5.7 workers per retiree; today there are 3. c. Children who develop positive feelings toward political authorities grow into adults who are not easily disenchanted with politics. d. Today's generation of young adults is significantly less likely to read newspapers than their elders. e. Political socialization is more important to governments than to individuals.

a

Of the following, which is a form of political participation? a. calling your representative to express your opinion about some legislation coming up for a vote b. choosing to define people as poor by comparing their incomes to those of other people c. working as a caseworker in a social services agency d. compiling a statistical analysis on the demographic factors of students enrolled at a local community college e. donating money to a charity for homeless veterans

a

One benefit of the federal system is the ability of the states to operate as __________ for new ideas. a. laboratories b. churches c. cradles d. classrooms e. courts

a

One of the down sides to the American system of elections and campaigns is that __________. a. a person who might be an excellent candidate could be discouraged from running b. only candidates with considerable personal wealth can run c. candidates are forced by special interest groups to make promises they cannot keep d. almost anyone can come out of nowhere to win a nomination e. the candidate who wins the popular vote always wins in the Electoral College

a

The principle that, in a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires the majority's desire to be respected is called __________. a. majority rule b. minority rights c. representation d. pluralism e. enlightened rule

a

The years 1860-1928 saw the ascendency of which party? a. Republicans b. Democrats c. Federalists d. Whigs e. Democratic-Republicans

a

Ticket splitting can be an indicator of __________. a. dealignment b. issue evolution c. progressive reform d. patronage e. realignment

a

What are the institutions that make public policy decisions for a society collectively known as? a. government b. political culture c. the armed forces d. the national media e. the courts

a

What do right-to-work laws uphold? a. a worker's freedom to decline the opportunity to join a union b. pleadings based on amicus curiae briefs c. the public's right to collective goods d. the requirement that workers in a union shop must join the union e. selective benefits

a

What is the main objective of most labor unions? a. to protect jobs and secure favorable wages and benefits for their members b. to protect the interests of businesses within an industry c. to protect consumers from unsafe products d. to support free trade policies e. to ensure equality of all people under the law

a

What is the most common reason given for not voting by U.S. citizens who are registered to vote? a. It's hard to take time off of work or school. b. The candidates are too similar. c. The lines at the polls are too long. d. None of the candidates is appealing. e. One vote doesn't carry much weight.

a

Which of the following groups is overrepresented among voters? a. younger citizens b. people who are married c. Africa Americans d. men e. Hispanics

b

"Letter from a Birmingham Jail," penned by Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1963, is a classic defense of which form of political protest? a. tax resistance b. civil disobedience c. rioting d. judicial activism e. flag burning

b

After the 2004 Iowa caucuses, the press, rather than showing the whole event, chose to repeatedly display a short clip of Howard Dean's infamous scream. This is an example of what? a. a trial balloon b. a sound bite c. a talking head d. viewer bias e. a beat

b

How are third political parties usually significant? a. They intentionally spoil election wins by their ideologically closest major party. b. They bring new voters into the electorate. c. They win the vote in crucial swing states. d. They distract from important policy debates. e. They push major parties to take extreme positions.

b

How many amendments have been made to the Constitution since its ratification? a. thirty-six b. twenty-seven c. twelve d. fifteen e. ten

b

In the United States, the national government derives its power from which of the following? a. states b. citizens c. courts d. legislature e. laws

b

Of the following, who would be most likely to vote? a. someone who sees few differences between the candidates b. someone with a high sense of political efficacy c. someone with a low sense of civic duty d. someone who thinks that both candidates are very conservative e. someone who thinks that both candidates are moderate

b

One of the various ways in which parties contribute to democratic governance is by __________. a. dividing the electorate b. nominating candidates c. reducing accountability mechanisms d. narrowing voter choice e. reducing inter-party competition

b

Prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment, how were senators selected? a. by state governors b. by state legislators c. by direct election d. by the Supreme Court e. by the president

b

The Constitution says that states are required to return a person charged with a crime in another state to that state for trial or imprisonment, a practice called __________. a. tradition b. extradition c. change of venue d. imprisonment e. out-of-state trial

b

The Democratic and Republican candidates for president are formally nominated by the __________. a. presidential caucuses b. national party conventions c. Electoral College d. national committees e. presidential primaries

b

The U.S. troop surge in Afghanistan resulted from which of the following? a. a congressional statute b. a presidential action c. a regulation d. a court decision e. a budgetary choice

b

The media act as a __________ between the people and policy makers. a. negative element of democracy b. key linkage institution c. sole form of communication d. necessary evil e. unappreciated mediator

b

The textbook classifies political participation into two broad types. What are they? a. casual political participation and causal political participation b. conventional political participation and unconventional political participation c. elitist political participation and pluralist political participation d. productive political participation and nonproductive political participation e. reliable political participation and unreliable political participation

b

What condition occurs when interests conflict and no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy? a. hyperpluralism b. policy gridlock c. divided government d. separation of powers e. federalism

b

What is a public interest lobby/group? a. a group that most people in society are aware of b. a group that works to gain benefits for society as a whole c. a group that represents workers within a particular industry d. a group that expresses its political views publicly e. a group that conducts research and analysis on public policy issues

b

What is lobbying? a. educating the public about the activities of government b. communicating with government officials to persuade them to support a particular policy position c. conducting surveys to gauge public opinion on a policy issue d. fundraising for political candidates e. convincing potential members to join an interest group by offering them material benefits

b

What is the phenomenon that people's beliefs often guide what they pay attention to and how they interpret events? a. frontloading b. selective perception c. agenda setting d. discriminatory perception e. scorekeeping

b

What is the theory that argues that group competition results in a rough approximation of the public interest in public policy? a. balance-of-power theory b. pluralist theory c. bureaucratic theory d. elite-and-class theory e. hyperpluralist theory

b

What must precede a major-party realignment? a. censure b. a critical election c. a caucus d. a key nomination e. economic crises

b

What was the median age of viewers of CBS, ABC, and NBC news programs in 2010? a. 79 b. 62 c. 52 d. 69 e. 72

b

What was the subject of the Great Compromise? a. the form of the executive branch b. the form of the legislative branch c. the number of Supreme Court justices d. the legality of slavery e. the number of states in the Union

b

When can a party change its platform? a. virtually anytime b. during the national party convention c. after a federal census d. every two years e. at the start of each fiscal year

b

Which of the following debated and drafted the Declaration of Independence? a. Revolutionary Congress b. Continental Congress c. American Congress d. Liberty Congress e. Constitutional Congress

b

Which of the following generally favored a strong national government and supported the proposed U.S. Constitution? a. Tories b. Federalists c. Constitutionalists d. Anti-Federalists e. Whigs

b

Which of the following generally opposed the Senate because it would operate as an "aristocratic" upper house? a. Tories b. Anti-Federalists c. Republicans d. Whigs e. Federalists

b

Which of the following is a consequence of the rise of narrowcasting? a. Young adults are more likely than other age groups to use newspapers and broadcast media as news and information sources. b. Young adults are less likely than other age groups to use newspapers and broadcast media as news and information sources. c. Narrowcasting has demonstrated that cable news programs are apt to cover political events in great detail. d. Most Americans follow politics more frequently and with greater intensity than they follow popular culture. e. Narrowcasting has encouraged less repetition of stories on broadcast news programs.

b

Which of the following is a consequence of the rise of television broadcasting? a. The American public has become more politically informed. b. Candidates are more capable of running for office on their own by appealing to people directly through TV. c. Individuals have a greater need for political parties to help them make decisions. d. Congress has received more television coverage compared to the other two branches of government. e. Groups have greater access to spread their issues and messages to the public.

b

Which of the following is an example of a public interest lobby? a. a labor union b. a consumer rights group c. a political action committee d. a group representing a state government e. a professional association

b

Which of the following is the best definition of protest? a. a form of political participation designed to achieve policy change through subtle tactics b. a form of political participation designed to achieve policy change through dramatic and unconventional tactics c. a form of political participation designed to achieve policy change through casual tactics d. a form of political participation designed to achieve policy change through conventional tactics e. a form of political participation designed to achieve policy change through peaceful tactics

b

Which of the following statements indicates a high level of political efficacy? a. "Democracy is only democratic if citizens participate in the process." b. "One vote can make a difference; I want my vote to be the difference maker." c. "I should vote to honor those who sacrificed their lives to make America free." d. "Voting in the United States is so easy that there is no excuse for not voting." e. "I don't think public officials care much what people like me think."

b

Which president forged the New Deal coalition? a. Teddy Roosevelt b. Franklin Roosevelt c. Lyndon Johnson d. William McKinley e. Harry Truman

b

Who was the author of the Declaration of Independence? a. Benjamin Franklin b. Thomas Jefferson c. James Madison d. Paul Revere e. John Adams

b

Why are people with higher-than-average education more likely to vote? a. Education depresses political efficacy which then encourages turnout. b. Education helps would-be voters navigate the voter registration process. c. Education increases tolerance which then encourages turnout. d. Education enables voters to calculate the probability that their vote will decide the election. e. Universities are required to register students to vote when they matriculate.

b

The who of politics includes voters, candidates, groups and parties; the what refers to which of the following? a. institutions that respond to voters, candidates, groups, and parties b. media organizations that cover voters, candidates, groups, and parties c. the substance of politics and government-benefits and burdens d. winners and losers e. procedures through which voters, candidates, groups, and parties get what they want

c

What are the two types of powers given to the national government under the United States Constitution? a. implied; explicit b. suggested; explicit c. enumerated; implied d. enumerated; suggested e. suggested; implied

c

What did the Connecticut Compromise help to establish? a. separation of powers b. universal male suffrage c. a bicameral legislature d. an independent judiciary e. the federalist system

c

What is an iron triangle? a. an activity directed at government officials with the hope of influencing their decision b. a joining together of interest groups or individuals to achieve common goals c. a form of subgovernment, composed of leaders of interest groups, government agencies, and legislative committees d. an organization that solicits and receives campaign contributions from corporations, unions, trade associations, and other groups e. a nonprofit tax-free policy planning organization that concentrates on policy development

c

What makes up the government's policy agenda? a. the issues that make up party platforms b. the issues that attract the serious attention of the national media agenda c. the issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and others actively involved in politics at a given time d. the issues that inform public opinion polls e. the issues that concern single-issue interest groups

c

What most closely exemplifies equality in voting? a. free speech b. a free press c. one person, one vote d. open citizenship to all e. adequate and equal opportunities to express preferences

c

What technique is the key to the accuracy of public opinion polls? a. sample size b. response rate c. random sampling d. question format e. indexing

c

What was the dominant form of federalism early in the history of the United States? a. cooperative b. combined c. dual d. competitive e. progressive

c

When top aides to President Clinton leaked his admission of an "inappropriate relationship" to Richard Berke of the New York Times, prior to Clinton's public admission before the grand jury, this was an example of a __________. a. beat b. talking head c. trial balloon d. sound bite e. guilty plea

c

Which constitutional plan called for a one-house legislature with representation based on state population? a. Maryland b. Ohio c. Virginia d. Connecticut e. New Jersey

c

Which of the following is a method of ratification for a constitutional amendment? a. by half of the state governors b. by three-fourths of the state governors c. by three-fourths of the state legislatures d. by three-fourths of voting-age citizens e. by half of the state legislatures

c

Which of the following is an example of the free-rider (or collective action) problem? a. an elected official relying on information from lobbyists b. a political action committee contributing to candidates from both major political parties c. an environmental group struggling to raise funds for a "clean air" campaign d. an environmental group disagreeing on what policy goals to pursue e. an elected official accepting bribes from an interest group

c

Which of the following were most likely to oppose the proposed Constitution? a. merchants b. plantation owners c. farmers d. bankers e. lawyers

c

Which philosopher inspired the Founding Fathers with his concept of natural law? a. Rene Descartes b. Jean-Jacques Rousseau c. John Locke d. Edmund Burke e. Jeremy Bentham

c

Which states tend to have higher voter turnout? a. states with large minority populations b. southern states c. states with Election Day voter registration d. states with voter ID laws e. states with burdensome voter registration requirements

c

Which theory contends that American society is divided along class lines? Select one: b. balance of power c. elitism d. bureaucratism e. hyperpluralism

c

Why does the United States have a two-party system? a. It developed in the struggle between slave owners and abolitionists. b. It was a compromise between a unitary system's efficiency and a multi-party system's diversity. c. It developed in the struggle between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. d. The Framers wanted to avoid the mistakes of Europe. e. The Framers wanted competition between political parties.

c

Why is participation in the census so important? a. because the information the census collects is useful for thinking about how things work in the real world b. because changes in the U.S. population affect membership in political parties c. because the information the census collects helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent d. because the information the census collects helps to assess whether the poor's resources are sufficient to obtain basic necessities e. because state governments require participation

c

__________ of the governed made the exercise of political power in the new American system legitimate. a. Exploitation b. Participation c. Consent d. Submission e. Control

c

The Founders created the Electoral College because they wanted the president to be selected by __________. a. the states b. members of Congress c. ordinary Americans d. elites e. voters

d

Because states are the key battlegrounds of campaigns, candidates often find themselves __________. a. unsure where they are campaigning on any given day b. promising to bring jobs to every state c. visiting every state in the union multiple times d. tailoring their appeals to the particular interests of a state e. promising to increase the power of a state's government

d

Civil rights activists in the 1960s used the media to show Americans the injustice of the treatment of minorities, successfully placing the civil rights issue onto the __________. a. civil progress report b. equality agenda c. civil agenda d. policy agenda e. policy progress report

d

How did the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 affect lobbyists? a. It required all organizations and firms to register their employees as lobbyists. b. It limited the number of hours each lobbyist could work during a single session of Congress. c. It required all lobbyists to register with the American Lobbyist Association in Washington, D.C. d. It required lobbyists to file a report regarding each of their clients, including how much money they were paid by them for lobbying services. e. It set limits on how many lobbyists could be employed by a PAC.

d

How does civil disobedience differ from a protest? a. Civil disobedience is voluntary; a protest is involuntary. b. Civil disobedience is involuntary; a protest is voluntary. c. Civil disobedience involves violence; a protest is peaceful. d. Civil disobedience involves intentionally breaking a law; a protest involves intentionally getting attention from the media. e. Civil disobedience involves unintentionally breaking a law; a protest involves intentionally breaking a law.

d

How does our government respond to the priorities of its people? a. through social networking b. through public opinion polls c. through political science d. through a policymaking system e. through political tolerance

d

How many constitutions has the United States had in its history? a. five b. four c. three d. two e. one

d

In covering military conflicts, the majority of TV news stories usually originate from correspondents posted at the White House, Pentagon, and State Department, specific locations known as __________. a. elements b. regions c. districts d. beats e. trial balloons

d

In order to overcome the free rider problem, many interest groups offer selective/material benefits. What are selective/material benefits? a. the policies that interest groups help to bring about b. campaign contributions to elected officials c. bonuses given to the most effective lobbyists d. benefits given only to group members e. gifts given to members of Congress in return for their support on legislation

d

In what crucial aspect did the Constitution improve upon the failed Articles of Confederation? a. strengthened individual rights b. strengthened democratic principles c. strengthened states rights d. strengthened federal government e. strengthened support for capitalism

d

In which of the following systems is government by representatives of the people instead of directly by the people themselves? a. democracy b. oligarchy c. monarchy d. republic e. utopia

d

It is 2050. You are interested in how large the U.S. population is, the number of resident legal aliens in the country, membership in non-Protestant religious denominations, party affiliation, and similar demographic facts. What tool should you use? a. telephone directories b. tax records c. congressional reapportionment data d. the census e. a history book

d

James Madison described how a government could be designed to control the effects of __________. a. political parties b. trade associations c. monarchies d. factions e. representative government

d

Of the following forms of political participation, which is more likely than the others to be classified as conventional? a. staging a sit-in on campus b. burning the American flag c. blocking the entrance to a military installation d. running for office on a third-party ticket e. holding a candlelight vigil at a prison during an execution

d

Of the following, which is a power denied states by the Constitution? Select one: a. establishment of criminal laws b. establishment of traffic laws c. supervision of contracts between businesses and corporations d. the power to enter into treaties e. supervision of contracts between individuals

d

One cost-cutting measure a candidate might come to regret is __________. a. not hiring a pollster b. hiring a policy advisor c. signing up too many volunteers d. acting as his or her own campaign manager e. setting up a Web site

d

Preservation of individual rights was a key concern during the Constitutional Convention, thus resulting in a prohibition on the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. What does this protect individuals against? a. private property taxation b. religious freedom infringement c. free speech infringement d. unlawful incarceration e. quartering of troops

d

The appearance and increase in __________ was an unintended resulted of an amendment in 1979 to the original Campaign Reform Act, which allows parties to raise and spend money on voter registration and other campaign materials without limits on spending or the size of contributions that they can accept. a. expenditure waivers b. party discretionary funding c. institutional assistance d. soft money e. party expenditure exemption

d

The ideological gap between men and women is evident at the polls, where women are more likely than men to cast their ballots for which type of candidate? a. Republican candidates who support higher levels of spending on the military as opposed to spending on social services b. Democratic candidates who support higher levels of spending on the military as opposed to spending on social services c. Democratic candidates who support neither higher levels of spending on the military nor on social services d. Republican candidates who support higher levels of spending on social services as opposed to spending on the military e. Democratic candidates who support higher levels of spending on social services as opposed to spending on the military

d

The publication of which of the following galvanized the colonists' belief that reconciliation with Great Britain was impossible? a. Federalist No. 10 b. Revolution c. American Cousin d. Common Sense e. Articles of Confederation

d

The voters most likely to engage in ticket splitting are __________. a. Evangelicals b. Republicans c. Socialists d. Independents e. Democrats

d

To run an efficient campaign, a candidate needs __________. a. a dedicated blogger b. several campaign managers c. a travel agent d. a number of volunteers e. someone who can run a video camera for candid campaign footage

d

Under the Constitution, the president is elected by which of the following? a. Congressional College b. Election College c. Presidential College d. Electoral College e. State College

d

What 2012 candidate lost momentum when he could not remember the names of the three federal cabinet departments he would eliminate? a. Jon Huntsman b. Rick Santorum c. Ron Paul d. Rick Perry e. Mitt Romney

d

What are policy impacts? a. issues that attract serious attention of public officials b. systems of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public's preferences c. branches of government charged with taking action on political issues d. the effects that a policy has on people and on society's problems e. choices that governments make in response to political issues

d

What determines whom we select as our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue? a. public opinion b. the media c. lobbying efforts d. politics e. public policy

d

What is an event called that is purposely staged for the media and that is significant just because the media are there? a. a political event b. a campaign event c. a legislative event d. a media event e. a reporter event

d

What is an example of a collective good? a. medical care b. food stamps c. a college education d. clean air e. a toll road

d

What is the effect of aging on political participation? a. Aging increases political participation among men, but not women b. Aging decreases political participation among women, but not men. c. Aging decreases political participation. d. Aging increases political participation. e. Aging has no discernible effect on political participation.

d

What was the first major Supreme Court decision to define the relationship between the federal and state governments? a. Dred Scott v. Sanford b. Gibbons v. Ogden c. US v. Lopez d. McCulloch v. Maryland e. Barron v. Baltimore

d

Which Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence? a. Tenth b. Fourth c. Third d. Second e. Fifth

d

Which clause of the U.S. Constitution did the Supreme Court interpret in McCulloch v. Maryland? a. Due process b. Dormant commerce c. Commerce d. Necessary and proper e. Equal protection

d

Which of the following remains a compelling source for determining the intent of the Framers? a. Treatise on Government b. Common Sense c. Declaration of Independence d. The Federalist Papers e. Minutes of the Constitutional Convention

d

Which of the following specifies the procedure for amending the Constitution? a. Article III b. Article VI c. Article IX d. Article V e. Article I

d

Which of the following statements about immigration in the United States is true? Select one: a. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that immigrants represent 30 percent of the nation's population. b. Federal law allows for the legal admission of 5 million new immigrants every year. c. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 5 percent of the nation's immigrants have become American citizens. d. Federal law allows for the legal admission of about 1 million new immigrants every year. e. In recent years, illegal immigrants have outnumbered legal immigrants.

d

Which of the following statements about the influence of education on political attitudes and behavior is false? a. better-educated citizens are more likely to vote than less-educated citizens b. better-educated citizens are more tolerant of opposing opinions than less-educated citizens c. better-educated citizens exhibit more knowledge about public policy than less-educated citizens d. less-educated citizens are more likely to vote than better-educated citizens e. less-educated citizens are less tolerant of radical opinions than better-educated citizens

d

Which of these statements aligns with Jacobs and Shapiro's research on how politicians use public opinion polls? a. Politicians use public opinion polls to identify public policies that have the broadest popular appeal. b. Politicians use public opinion polls to identify centrist approaches to public policy. c. Politicians use public opinion polls to try to be right about issues of public policy. d. Politicians use public opinion polls to strengthen their messages to the public. e. Politicians use public opinion polls to tell them how to vote.

d

Which type of federalism is characterized by a system of separate but distinct state and national governments? a. cooperative b. combined c. progressive d. dual e. pure

d

Why are campaign contributions so important for interest groups seeking to influence government? a. There are very few restrictions on campaign contributions, compared to restrictions on lobbying. b. Groups can offer contributions in return for favorable votes on pending legislation. c. Legislators only grant meetings with interest groups that offer campaign contributions. d. Campaign contributions help elect candidates who are friendly to groups' goals. e. Organizations seeking to offer input on a political party's platform are required to make campaign contributions.

d

With politicians relying on journalists to get out their message, and journalists relying on politicians to keep them in the know, their relationship can best be defined as which of these? a. cooperative b. adversarial c. parasitic d. symbiotic e. professional

d

A __________ grant is a large grant to a state by the federal government with only general spending guidelines. a. federal b. business c. credit d. commerce e. block

e

A set of values widely shared within a society is referred to as which of the following? a. liberalism b. public policy c. government d. politics e. political culture

e

According to the textbook, what is the most common form of political participation? a. participating in protesting b. participating in public opinion polls c. participating in exit polls d. participating in civil disobedience e. participating in voting

e

Advocates of the responsible party model believe parties should craft an articulate platform and __________. a. do whatever is necessary to stay in the majority b. do what is in the best interest of the entire nation c. be flexible to the will of the electorate d. act in a way that adheres to the Constitution e. be consistently held accountable to it

e

At the Constitutional Convention, the delegates agreed that slaves would be counted as __________ of a person for determining population for representation in the House of Representatives. a. two-thirds b. four-fifths c. one-third d. one-fourth e. three-fifths

e

Burning the flag is __________ protected by the Constitution. a. a private action b. never c. a form of due process d. a commercial act e. free speech

e

For the past several decades, research has consistently found that a majority of the public believes press criticism of political leaders __________. a. does more harm than good b. reflects a liberal bias c. reflects a conservative bias d. is corrosive to the American political process e. does more good than harm

e

From 1955 to 1976, Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley ruled one of the most powerful political __________ in U.S. history. a. action committees b. trusts c. cartels d. juntas e. machines

e

How are critical elections and party realignments interrelated? a. A party realignment occurs during one or more critical elections and is characterized by gradual change. b. A party realignment occurs after one or more critical elections and is characterized by barely discernible demographic shifts. c. A party realignment occurs before one or more critical elections and may be characterized by gradual or dramatic change. d. A party realignment occurs before one or more critical elections and may be associated with a national crisis. e. A party realignment occurs after one or more critical elections and may be associated with a national crisis.

e

How does government usually protect its national sovereignty? a. by maintaining schools, libraries, hospitals, and highways Incorrect b. by politically socializing the young c. by collecting taxes d. by maintaining a national police force e. by maintaining armed forces

e

How is a constitutional amendment ratified? a. either by two-thirds of the U.S. Congress or by two-thirds of the U.S. Senate b. either by three-fourths of the U.S. Congress or by three-fourths of the U.S. Senate c. either by two-thirds of state legislatures or by special state conventions in two-thirds of the states d. either by two-thirds of both U.S. chambers or by two-thirds of state legislatures e. either by three-fourths of state legislatures or by special state conventions in three-fourths of the states

e

In America, what is protest usually directed at? a. at deciding who shall decide what government shall do b. at giving ordinary people opportunities to determine how the government is run c. at overthrowing the government d. at the age-old question of how well informed people are about political issues e. at making the government listen to specific demands

e

In Gibbons v. Ogden, the Supreme Court held that Congress has the power to regulate __________ activity. a. holiday b. interstate c. educational d. local e. commercial

e

Increasing public attention to specific problems is a core feature of the media's __________ power. a. watchdog b. investigative c. gate-keeping d. score-keeping e. agenda-setting

e

Of the following forms of political participation, which is more likely than the others to be classified as unconventional? a. voting for a third-party candidate b. signing a petition in a school parking lot c. running for an unopposed office d. gathering signatures for a proposed ballot measure e. staging a sit-in

e

Party dealignment is associated with a rising number of __________. a. Democrats b. Republicans c. evangelicals d. coalitions e. Independents

e

Proponents of the "devolution revolution" argue that: a. The authority of the military should be expanded. b. The authority of Congress should be expanded. c. The authority of the federal government should be expanded. d. The authority of the president should be expanded. e. The authority of state governments should be expanded.

e

Reapportionment occurs once a decade, after every census. Why? a. to reallocate seats in the House of Representatives, based on each state's proportion of the population b. to reallocate seats in the Senate, based each state's proportion of the population c. to reallocate seats in the House of Representatives, based on each state's proportion of new legal permanent residents d. to reallocate the number of nonimmigrant visas apportioned to each state, based on each state's proportion of the immigrant population e. to reallocate seats in the House of Representatives, based each state's proportion of party-affiliated voters

e

Richard Nixon's __________ is widely credited with starting the march to the Republican Party in this former Democratic stronghold. a. Western strategy b. suburban strategy c. Southwestern strategy d. urban strategy e. Southern strategy

e

The Framers adopted a federal system of government partly because they feared __________. a. decentralization by the states b. limiting the national government c. to challenge the power of the states d. regulation of interstate commerce e. centralizing power in one institution

e

The colonists rebelled against the unilateral imposition by the British government of which of the following? a. a military draft b. curfews c. health care d. religious laws e. taxes

e

The cozy relationship between politicians and the press in the twentieth century lasted until when? a. the Iran Hostage Crisis b. the beginning of Franklin Roosevelt's presidency c. World War II d. the commercialization of television e. the Vietnam War and Watergate

e

The power of both the state and federal governments to levy taxes is an example of __________ federalism. a. pancake b. cupcake c. layer cake d. pineapple upside down cake e. marble cake

e

The responsible party model implies that parties should be __________. a. more accountable regarding electoral rules and regulations b. more accountable to party leaders c. more accountable regarding adherence to popular opinions d. more accountable to the party in majority e. more accountable regarding adherence to the party platform

e

What best describes a linkage institution? a. a gathering of people to represent a public opinion b. a location to express a political opinion c. the formation of a special interest group d. an environment where one learns about the political process e. a channel through which people's concerns become a political agenda

e

What is a mandate? a. An order from the federal government prohibiting the states to take a certain action. b. An order requiring joint state and federal action. c. An order from a state government requiring a federal action. d. An order from a state government prohibiting a federal action. e. An order from the federal government requiring the states to take a certain action.

e

What is the "paradox of mass politics," according to Russell Newman? a. that the American political system works so well despite politicians' overreliance on public opinion polls b. that the American political system works so well despite the public's lack of consensus on matters of public policy c. that the American political system works so well despite the growing polarization of public opinion d. that the American political system works so well despite the growing diversity of the American population e. that the American political system works so well despite the public's lack of knowledge about politics

e

What is the principal provision of the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli Act? a. the initiation of a visa system for skilled workers b. the requirement that the president apprehend and deport resident aliens if their home countries are at war with the United States c. the requirement that state and local police perform roadside immigration checks d. the creation of a diversity admissions category for legal permanent residents e. the requirement that employers document the citizenship of their employees

e

What major concern did the 2000 presidential election between Gore and Bush highlight regarding the role of third parties? a. third parties' poor candidate choices b. third parties' poor access to ballots c. third parties' ineffective organization d. third parties' lack of media attention e. third parties' spoiler role in elections

e

What model of federalism began in the 1930s? a. dual b. republican c. progressive d. unified e. cooperative

e

What was the greatest fear of the Anti-Federalists during the Constitutional Convention and subsequent debate? a. that a weak judiciary would be unable to enforce the new Constitution b. that a weak national government would undermine the survival of the United States c. that powerful state governments would never assent to the new Constitution d. that a powerful judiciary would restrict freedom of religion e. that a strong national government would infringe on the essential liberties of the people

e

Where do some critics place the blame for Americans' lack on political knowledge? a. on the schools, for failing to teach political numeracy b. on the media, for providing too much meaningful information to Americans about politics c. on America itself, because it is an unsophisticated political backwater d. on the education system as a whole, for raising public knowledge about politics over the past five decades e. on Americans themselves, for not remembering much about what they are exposed to through the media

e

Which clause in the Constitution ensures that judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be binding and enforceable in another? a. Commerce b. Equal Protection c. Due Process d. Dormant Commerce e. Full Faith and Credit

e

Which of the following is a reason for the separation of powers? a. to create gridlock in government b. to improve international relations c. to ensure the power of the executive d. to promote justice e. to prevent tyranny by any one branch

e

Which of the following is a shared power between states and the federal government? a. control over money supply b. contract law c. social welfare activities d. raising and maintaining an army e. power to tax

e

Which of the following is an accurate statement about private control of the media in the U.S.? a. A study of a set of major newspapers found that the total number of foreign news stories in U.S. newspapers quadrupled between 1985 and 2010. b. A study of a set of major newspapers found that the total number of foreign news stories in U.S. newspapers doubled between 1985 and 2010.. c. Striving for profits does not influence how the news is reported in the U.S. d. In this age of evolving technology, American media are increasingly independent from advertising revenue to support their businesses. e. Increasing profit orientation has driven American media organizations to cut back on their foreign bureaus abroad.

e

Which of the following is an activity that lobbyists regularly engage in? a. introducing bills in Congress b. providing legal counsel to interest groups in court cases c. speaking on behalf of elected officials at press conferences d. answering e-mails from elected officials' constituents e. providing elected officials with information about an interest group's position on a bill or issue

e

Which of the following is the main type of organization that lobbies on behalf of workers? a. public interest group b. corporation c. trade association d. ideological group e. labor union

e

Which value most accurately describes the number of adult Americans who voted in the presidential election of 2012? a. 1/3 of adult American citizens b. 1/4 of adult American citizens c. 1/10 of adult American citizens d. 8/10 of adult American citizens e. 1/2 of adult American citizens

e

While working on the Constitution, what aspect of the new government most concerned James Madison? a. taxation without representation b. political parties c. democratic institutions d. elitist control e. tyranny of the majority

e

Who wrote, in Federalist 10, "The most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property"? a. Alexander Hamilton b. John Jay c. Paul Revere d. Thomas Jefferson e. James Madison

e

Why do interest groups typically offer selective benefits to their members? a. to distract members from the groups' political motives b. to encourage only the most committed supporters to become involved c. to foster greater diversity among group members d. to discourage members from joining more than one interest group e. to overcome the free rider/collective action problem

e