Government B: Unit 8

If a member of the Nez Perce tribe travels to the Navajo Indian reservation to hunt, he or she does not need to purchase an Arizona state hunting license, since he or she is a Native American. True/False

False

If a nation has a leader with the title of president or prime minister, then this government is a democracy. True/False

False

Since the League of Nations was drawn from an idea of President Wilson's, the United States was not only the first nation to join, but also a strong supporter of this international organization. True/False

False

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which binds the economies of Canada, the United States and Mexico, is an example of a nongovernmental organization. True/False

False

The United Nations created a document known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Some of these rights are very similar to those we find in our Constitution, but some people find other rights to be controversial. However, since the UDHR was passed by the United Nations, it means the United States government MUST adhere to it. True/False

False

Under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, the federal government can only regulate trade that crosses a state's border (also known as interstate commerce). True/False

False

The most important source of revenue for STATES is: a. sales taxes b. property taxes c. inheritance taxes d. income taxes

a. sales taxes

Recognized Native American groups such as the Blackfoot, who have their own reservations, are a sovereign nation. What does this mean? a. It means they can do anything they want without the federal government's interference. b. It means they are in charge of their own government, police and fire protection, and environmental controls. c. It means they have very little power or control under the United States Constitution. d. None of these is correct.

b. It means they are in charge of their own government, police and fire protection, and environmental controls.

Which best described the public's response when the World Trade Organization (WTO) held their second and third ministerial conference? a. There were only a few minor protests to the WTO. These protest rallies did little to disrupt the meetings. b. There were several very large protests at both conferences. Many people protested that the WTO was unable to complete their agenda. c. The cities that held these conferences were peaceful and the public held rallies in support of the WTO. d. The WTO held their meetings in secret. Therefore nobody even knew of the meetings and there was no public response.

b. There were several very large protests at both conferences. Many people protested that the WTO was unable to complete their agenda.

Several American political ideas influenced the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. American political ideas are rooted in key documents like the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Give two specific examples of how U.S. political ideologies have influenced the UN's Declaration of Human Rights.

As Eleonor Roosevelt, the wife of the President of the United States, chaired the UN Commission on Human Rights and drafted the initial document herself, there were many other countries who were involved in the drafting as well, making changes and unanimously altering it. Although there were other countries who changed her initial document, the fundamental piece of the Declaration of Human Rights began with United States influence. There are many aspects of the Declaration of Human Rights that is similar to aspects within the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence as well such as sections about equality and freedom. Regarding equality, in the Declaration of Human Rights it states that all human beings are born with equal and free rights, similar to the US Declaration, and regarding freedom it states that all people are righted to peaceful assembly and association, similar to the US Constitution.

Today, many governments call themselves democracies, but in order to be considered a true democracy there are six criteria that a government must observe. Please list four of the six these attributes. Using your list, evaluate which of these criteria you believe is the most important to our government. Support your answer with evidence from the lesson.

As many governments claim to be democracies, the only way they are truly a democracy is if they meet six different criteria. Four of these attributes include citizen involvement, open compromise, popular sovereignty, and free and open elections. Out of these four, the most important to our government is popular sovereignty. The reason it is the most important is because the power and validity that the government has when it comes to actual operation does not happen without the people's consent. So if the government is conducting behavior without the consent of the people, there is no popular sovereignty, meaning the government is not actually a democracy.

In the lessons, you studied how the U.S. Constitution is different from constitutions of other nations such as Germany, Brazil, India, and Iran. Give one example of how one of these nations' constitutions are different AND similar to our constitution. Please be specific in your answers; general answers such as "Both constitutions explain how a nation's government operates" or "Both say what rights and responsibilities a nation's citizens have" would be insufficient.

Answer: As the US and other nations such as Germany, Brazil, India, and Iran have constitutions that display how the governments operate regarding the rights of the people, there are many similarities and many differences between them. When it comes to the United States, every single part of the first amendment, regarding freedom of speech, expression, religion, and press, is giving the people most of the power. Similarly to the US, constitutions for other nations such as Brazil and Germany allow the people the freedom of speech to the extent that they do not cause harm to anyone. However, on the contrary, countries like Iran and Ghana have little tolerance for the people and grant them rights that don't necessarily give them rights to anything, but all of the power to the government itself. For example, in Iran there is not even a section about freedom of speech for the individuals, and in Ghana the press is limited to what they discuss as they are not permitted to release anything that speaks against the land or culture of Ghana.

The United States has become an increasingly active member in the globalization movement with its involvement in NAFTA, WTO, and other trade alliances. Do you believe globalization has had a positive or negative impact? Now is your opportunity to voice your opinion. Please answer this question, and then cite two pieces of evidence to support your argument.

Globalization, being a system of internationally sharing national and cultural resources, is more beneficial to societal well-being rather than the contrary. As the United States becomes more involved in the globalization movement, working with organizations such as NAFTA, there is an increase in worldview and cultural intelligence for us alone. Being more globally involved and culturally aware will definitely be an advantage when it comes to resources that are needed to improve things such as capitalistic or democratic political systems. Not only does it affect us in such as way that we are more internationally aware of our surroundings, globalization increases economic growth. For example, South Korea had an 8% year-to-year economic growth after they became involved in the globalization movement. Although there are detriments that come with globalization, just like any other movement, the benefits definitely outweigh the drawbacks.

The United Nations' peacekeeping strategy has been debated for many years and remains controversial today. What do you think? Have they been successful or unsuccessful? Give two specific examples or pieces of evidence from the lesson to support your position.

The UN peacekeeping strategy and its success definitely depends on the countries themselves. For example, the peacekeepers were very unsuccessful in Somalia where the UN troops were killed as American soldiers were paraded around the city, but were successful in Sierra Leone as they helped the country recover from a devastating civil war.

Pick any two international organizations. Then explain the organization's purpose and give one example of what it does.

There are many international organizations, but two of particular importance include The North Atlantic Treaty Organization and The World Heath Organization. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a group of countries in Europe and North America that have signed a treaty agreeing to protect each other in case of attack. In 2010, Pakistan had suffered a major flood and asked NATO for help. NATO agreed to deliver donations from countries and nongovernmental organizations. The World Health Organization is an organization within the United Nations that was created in order to work to improve health around the entire world. One impact that the organization had was the eradication of the polio epidemic. With their aggressive Global Polio Eradication Initiative, polio was wiped out from much of the world.

Federalism is the concept of separating powers between local, state, and federal levels of government. True/False

True

In a true market or capitalist economy, people do not need to wait for the government's permission to change their output or occupations. Thus, individuals have more freedom and opportunities to work jobs they want. True/False

True

On the local level of government, the largest single expenditure is the funding of education. True/False

True

State and local governments have a greater impact on people's lives than the federal government. True/False

True

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is one of the oldest bureaus and provides services to 566 recognized tribes and manages and holds trust to 55 million of Native American lands. True/False

True

The purpose of any government is to provide two important services: protection from outside invasion and protection of citizens from one another. True/False

True

Which best describes the 10th Amendment? a. It reserves those powers not specifically granted to the federal government to the states or the people. b. It states that the government shall not quarter troops in peoples' homes. c. It states that the government does not have the right to search the peoples' property, papers, or person without proper cause. d. It reserves the right of Congress and/or the president to restrict habeas corpus when they feel it is necessary.

a. It reserves those powers not specifically granted to the federal government to the states or the people.

Which best describes the way social networking has influenced citizenship involvement? a. Social networking sites have allowed people to share their ideas with other people without government censorship. b. Social Networking site owners greatly influence what its customers are allowed to place on their platforms. c. Social networking sites in the past, such as MySpace, were very influential. But, this is not the case anymore. d. Presidential candidate John McCain used social media very effectively to mobilize his supporters.

a. Social networking sites have allowed people to share their ideas with other people without government censorship.

Which BEST describes the changes that occurred as a result of the Great Recession of 2008-2009? a. The American people accepted the government's expanded role in the nation's economy, called for new regulations upon business, and pushed for a greener economy. b. The American people wanted less government regulations and involvement in their lives. c. The government sought to implement massive tariffs on imported goods in order to protect American manufacturing jobs. d. The American economy moved to an information and green economy while maintaining a strong manufacturing base.

a. The American people accepted the government's expanded role in the nation's economy, called for new regulations upon business, and pushed for a greener economy.

Which best described the public's response when the World Trade Organization (WTO) held their second and third ministerial conference? a. There were several very large protests at both conferences. Many people protested that the WTO was unable to complete their agenda. b. The WTO held their meetings in secret. Therefore nobody even knew of the meetings and there was no public response. c. There were only a few minor protests to the WTO. These protest rallies did little to disrupt the meetings. d. The cities that held these conferences were peaceful and the public held rallies in support of the WTO.

a. There were several very large protests at both conferences. Many people protested that the WTO was unable to complete their agenda.

Which BEST describes Dillon's Rule? a. A rule established shortly after the American Civil War that allowed the establishment of Jim Crow Laws. b. A rule that gives city and county governments the authority to create laws without the state legislature's permission. c. A rule that allows state governments to place whatever restrictions it desires upon the municipalities in the state. d. A rule that allows the federal government to take over the management of a municipality or county government in a time of emergency such as war or rebellion.

c. A rule that allows state governments to place whatever restrictions it desires upon the municipalities in the state.

The United States is part of the United Nations Security Council. Which best describes the mission of the United Nations Security Council? a. It severs as a world court to address trade issues between nations. b. It severs to encourage economic growth in developing nations. c. It serves keep peace. The nations on this council send troops on peacekeeping missions. d. All of these are correct.

c. It serves keep peace. The nations on this council send troops on peacekeeping missions.

What single historical event seriously undermined the issue of states' rights? a. The Mexican American War b. World War I c. The Civil War d. The New Deal programs

c. The Civil War

The League of Nations was established after World War I to maintain world peace. Why was the League of Nations unsuccessful in its mission? a. The United States did not join the League of Nations, and therefore the League of Nations suffered from a lack of American leadership. b. The start of the Great Depression caused nations to stop supporting it financially. c. The League of Nations depended on the cooperation of its members and lacked an enforcement mechanism. d. All of these are correct

c. The League of Nations depended on the cooperation of its members and lacked an enforcement mechanism.

Which best describes the purpose of the League of Nations? a. The League of Nations was created to extend the mission of the Allies in their victory over the Central Powers and to oversee the break up of the Austrian-Hungary Empire. b. The League of Nations was created to prevent wars, to settle international disputes through negotiations, and to impose tariffs on defeated nations of World War I. c. The League of Nations was created to prevent wars, to end drug trafficking, to protect minority rights, and to protect prisoners of war. d. The League of Nations was created to end human and drug trafficking, to protect minorities in Europe, to prevent wars, and to protect the environment.

c. The League of Nations was created to prevent wars, to end drug trafficking, to protect minority rights, and to protect prisoners of war.

In the 1800s the United States government created Indian reservations for what reason? a. The United States government wanted to preserve Native American culture and the reservation system. b. The United States government felt Native Americans would be protected from white men. c. The United States government sought to strengthen its hold on the west as settlers moved west, thus clearing the way for settlement. d. The United State government felt Native Americans would serve to protect the environment if they were given their own land.

c. The United States government sought to strengthen its hold on the west as settlers moved west, thus clearing the way for settlement.

The original World Bank was established a. to help the United States' economy recover during the Great Depression. b. to establish one currency for the entire world. c. to help Europe rebuild after World War II. d. to help finance huge building projects like the Panama or Suez Canal.

c. to help Europe rebuild after World War II.

Which best describes the General Allotment Act of 1887? a. It divided the tribal lands up and gave 180 acres to every head of household (men). b. The Native Americans saw the act as a land grab by the whites. c. It was created as a way to encourage Native Americans to farm their lands. d. All of these are correct.

d. All of these are correct.

The court case Gonzales v. Raich was seen as supporting the expanding use of the Commerce Clause because: a. The Court ruled that the Commerce Clause was supported by the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution. b. The Court supported expanded taxation on imported goods-thus expanding the meaning of the Commerce Clause. c. The Court ruled that the President could make any law so long he/she made a connection to imported goods. d. The Court held that anything could conceivably be seen as a having a slight impact on commerce was subject to federal regulation.

d. The Court held that anything could conceivably be seen as a having a slight impact on commerce was subject to federal regulation.

U.S. Associate Justice Louis Brandeis once said, "state(s) may, if its citizens choose...try novel social and economic experiments without risks to the rest of the country". This quote is a reference to: a. Allowing the state governments to do whatever they want, even if it violates the Constitution. b. The national government's right to control the states. c. A quote Brandeis made shortly before the Civil War in support of slavery. d. The states and the people trying new solutions to problems on a small scale.

d. The states and the people trying new solutions to problems on a small scale.

When President Washington presented his Farewell Address to the young nation, what were his two pieces of advice? a. To raise a large peacetime army and protect American jobs. b. For the federal government not to raise taxes and to protect the sovereignty of the states. c. To end slavery and give the African-American men the right to vote. d. To beware of political factions and to be cautious of alliances with foreign nations.

d. To beware of political factions and to be cautious of alliances with foreign nations.

The role of the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is a diplomatic post. Like all ambassadorships, candidates are nominated by a. the president and confirmed by the House of Representatives. b. the Speaker of the House and confirmed by the Senate. c. the president and confirmed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. d. the president and confirmed by the Senate.

d. the president and confirmed by the Senate.