american experience midterm
A "prisoner's dilemma" arises in which of the following instances? a. Whenever individuals who ultimately would benefit from cooperating with each other also have a powerful and irresistable incentive to break the agreement and exploit the other side b. When a civilian is the commander in chief of the military c. When a convict pleads guilty to a crime he or she did not commit d. Whenever there are conflicting provisions in a constitution
a
A vision of American federalism in which the states and the national government work together to shape policy is called a. cooperative federalism. b. dual federalism. c. unitary federalism. d. coercive federalism.
a
Delegates from smaller states proposed which of the following? a. the New Jersey Plan b. the Virginia Plan c. the Connecticut Plan d. the Delaware Plan
a
Following the Gitlow case in 1925, the Supreme Court began issuing a series of decisions incorporating most of which amendment to the Constitution to the states? a. First b. Fourth c. Second d. Fifth
a
In unitary government systems, which of the following is true? a. The national government monopolizes constitutional authority. Selected: b. Local governments dictate policy to the national government. c. All governmental authority always rests with one person such as an emperor. d. Various ethnic groups are proportionally represented in a "united" parliament.
a
In unitary systems, which of the following is true? a. The national government monopolizes constitutional authority. b. Local governments dictate policy to the national government. c. All governmental authority always rests with one person such as an emperor. d. Various ethnic groups are proportionally represented in a "united" parliament.
a
In which section of the Declaration of Independence is one most likely to find the explanation of natural rights and the justification of American independence? a. the opening paragraphs b. the middle paragraphs c. the concluding paragraphs d. the entire document
a
President Roosevelt's plan for tackling the Great Depression was known as the a. New Deal. b. Grand Contract. c. Broad Horizon. d. Great Society.
a
President Roosevelt's policies fundamentally changed the relationship between the states and the national government by a. dramatically strengthening the role of the national government in the economy. b. collaboratively accomplishing a shared solution to economic problems. c. forcibly strengthening national police powers in comparison to those of the states. d. strengthening state power in the governance of commercial activities.
a
Rights which people are born with that cannot be taken away by kings or rulers with absolute power are described as: a. natural rights. b. political privileges. c. innate privileges. d. limited rights
a
The Dred Scott decision a. forbid the federal government from regulating slavery in the territories. b. freed thousands of slaves. c. required the northern states to follow the Fugitive Slave Law. d. imposed abolition on the southern states.
a
The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 forced law enforcement authorities a. in both the North and the South to act as slaveholders' agents in seizing and returning their "property." b. in the North but NOT in the South to act as slaveholders' agents in seizing and returning their "property." c. in the South but NOT in the North to act as slaveholders' agents in seizing and returning their "property." d. in the South to recognize that any slave who became a fugitive but then successfully entered a free state became free.
a
The Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka is most notable for which of the following reasons? a. It struck down the separate but equal doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson. b. It was completely ignored by the executive and legislative branches. c. It sparked the immediate desegregation of public facilities across the South. d. It marked the Supreme Court's first acceptance of the Tenth Amendment.
a
The collapse of the cod fishing industry off the coast of New England is a real-life analogy of which of the following? a. The tragedy of the commons b. Representative government c. The ends justifying the means d. Good policy poorly implemented
a
The foundation for extending protections in the Bill of Rights to state laws and actions are found in a. the 14th Amendment's Due Process Clause b. Article IV of the Constitution's Full Faith and Credit Clause. c. the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause. d. Article VI of the Constitution's Supremacy Clause.
a
The free-rider problem describes a. the decision of an individual to withhold his or her contribution from collective group action. b. the cost less consumption of public good by a large number of individuals resulting in its destruction. c. the tendency of individuals to defect from group activity in favor of their own interests. d. the challenges associated with balancing transaction and conformity costs.
a
The free-rider problem is most often found in a. large groups. b. small groups. c. medium-sized groups. d. patriarchal societies.
a
The right to just compensation when a person's private property is taken for public use can be found in which part of the Bill of Rights? a. Fifth Amendment b. Eighth Amendment c. Second Amendment d. First Amendment
a
Which of the following events mobilized states behind reforming the Articles of Confederation? a. Shays's Rebellion b. the Boston Tea Party c. the 1786 Annapolis Convention d. Patrick Henry's famous "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech
a
the speaker of the house a. is elected by majority vote and serves as the majority party leader and agent with the power to appoint committees, make rules, and manage the legislative process b. is the senior most member of the chamber and is primarily responsible for presiding over floor debates c. has the ability to exercise command authority through powers specified in Article II of the constitution in order to reduce transaction costs d. is a largely ceremonial position
a
Policies that use racial, ethnic, or gendered identity to target specific opportunities for individuals are defined as -----
affirmative action
A "logroll" refers to which of the following? a. members of the majority party in the House voting against the wishes of the congressional leadership b. a standard bargaining strategy in which two sides swap support for dissimilar policies c. a congressional override of a presidential veto d. the overturn of a federal law by a state supreme court
b
A system of government in which citizens vote directly on public issues in a society could best be described as a. limited democracy. b. direct democracy. c. representative democracy.. d. indirect democracy.
b
Affirmative action refers to a policy that does which of the following? a. relies exclusively on racial and ethnic quotas to accomplish its goals b. gives special consideration to minorities in their selection for employment and education c. promotes minorities in areas of previous discrimination without the use of quotas d. hires minorities without regard to their skills
b
After Brown v. Board of Topeka was decided in 1954, Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, was integrated in 1957 with the help of which of the following? a. national guard troops sent by Gov. Orval Faubus b. U.S. Army troops sent by President Dwight Eisenhower c. a large protest organized by the AFL-CIO d. a large protest march organized by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
b
As chief executive, the president's responsibility is to a. propose new laws to be passed by Congress. b. carry out laws passed by Congress. c. act as a strong leader with absolute power over Congress. d. interpret and enforce laws passed by Congress.
b
Bargaining and compromise a. generates bad policies that make society worse than if no political action had occurred. b. is essential for producing successful political outcomes. c. rarely leads to successful political outcomes. d. usually results in disappointment from political actors unable to achieve the ideal policies.
b
Dual federalism leaves the states and the national government to preside over which of the following? a. nonexclusive spheres of sovereignty b. mutually exclusive spheres of sovereignty c. one sphere of sovereignty d. identical spheres of sovereignty
b
In a federal system, the constitution divides authority between which of the following? a. a unitary government and a confederation b. two or more distinct levels of government c. an executive, a legislative, and a judicial branch d. the parliament and the king
b
In which Supreme Court case were slaves, former slaves, and their descendants deemed property and not citizens? a. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka b. Scott v. Sandford c. Missouri ex Gaines v. Canada d. Plessey v. Ferguson
b
In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court uphold the constitutionality of legalized racial segregation? a. Scott v. Sandford b. Plessey v. Ferguson c. Marbury v. Madison d. Brown v. Board of Education
b
Symbolic speech: a. has been banned by the U.S. Supreme Court. b. refers to the use of signs, leaflets, and other unspoken actions that communicate political ideas. c. receives no protection under the 1st Amendment. d. is regulated primarily by the U.S. Congress.
b
The Antifederalists argued that a. only the establishment of a monarchy could protect the United States against European encroachment. b. the United States was too large and too diverse to be ruled by a single set of laws. c. the United States needed one set of laws that could unite the country and encourage the development of a national marketplace. d. the Articles of Confederation were sufficient for governing the United States.
b
The Great Compromise established which of the following forms of government? a. a representation plan based on state choice b. a combination of equal and proportional representation c. equal representation d. proportional representation
b
The Madisonian view of democracy often is referred to as which of the following? a. Elitism b. Pluralism c. Conditional party government d. Factionalism
b
The Madisonian view of democracy often is referred to as which of the following? a. Factionalism b. Pluralism c. Elitism d. Conditional party government
b
The New Deal a. did little to advance the interests of African Americans because President Roosevelt was beholden to the South for political support. b. provided African Americans government assistance for the first time since Reconstruction and treated African Americans in an evenhanded fashion. c. reinforced the existing doctrines of separate but equal by expanding them to the northern states. d. explicitly called for providing greater civil rights protections to African Americans to foster greater economic equality in the United States.
b
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed which of the following requirements? a. voter registration b. literacy tests c. voter ID d. residency
b
The case of ______ was a landmark case in restricting the rights of African Americans following the Civil War by upholding the constitutionality of legalized racist segregation. a. Dred Scott v. Sanford b. Plessey v. Ferguson c. McCulloch v. Maryland d. Brown v. Board of Education
b
The costless consumption by a large number of individuals of a public good that results in its ruination is called a. an imperfect market solution. b. a tragedy of the commons. c. institutional rigidity. d. a perfectly elastic supply curve.
b
The first American Constitution created a confederation, which can best be described as which of the following? a. A parliamentary system heavily reliant on party discipline. b. A highly decentralized governmental system in which the national government derives limited authority from the states rather than directly from the citizens. c. A highly centralized governmental system in which the national government derives broad authority directly from the citizens rather than from the states. d. A presidential system featuring a very strong executive with broad police powers.
b
The free-rider problem describes a. the tendency of individuals to defect from group activity in favor of their own interests. b. the decision of an individual to withhold his or her contribution from collective group action. c. the challenges associated with balancing transaction and conformity costs. d. the costless consumption of public good by a large number of individuals resulting in its destruction.
b
The fundamental guarantees ensuring equal treatment and protecting against discrimination under the laws of a nation are called ______. a. civil disobedience b. civil rights c. civil liberties d. civil responsibilities
b
The poll tax, literacy tests, and grandfather clause were all mechanisms by which a. the North imposed its will on the South during Reconstruction. b. African Americans were deprived of the right to vote. c. African Americans were able to win elected office during the Jim Crow era. d. Republicans won most of the elections in the South
b
The short 2-year term in the House of Representatives were designed by the Framers of the Constitution to a. make the senate the more powerful of the two houses b. keep the house as close to the people as possible c. keep the house subordinate to the other branches of government d. ensure that incumbents would always have an advantage
b
To justify the New Deal's unprecedented intervention in the economy, the Roosevelt administration invoked which of the following? a. The free exercise clause b. The commerce clause c. The Tenth Amendment d. The equal protection clause
b
What three principles stated in the Declaration of Independence were generally agreed on by the Constitution's framers? a. natural rights, equality under the law, and government is accountable only to God b. equality under the law, self-rule, and natural rights c. self-rule, an end to all forms of taxation, and natural rights d. natural rights, the right to rebellion for transient causes, and popular democracy
b
What was the name of the practice where Britain ceded control to the colonists to manage their own domestic affairs including taxation? a. command authority b. home rule c. republicanism d. a parliamentary system
b
Which of the following events mobilized states behind reforming the Articles of Confederation? a. Patrick Henry's famous "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech b. Shays's Rebellion c. the Boston Tea Party d. the 1786 Annapolis Convention
b
Which of the following is an example of collective action? a. a person choosing to purchase a new cellphone b. cable TV subscribers organize to oppose a tax c. a member of Congress writing a letter to a constituent d. a king imposing a tax on his subjects
b
political parties in congress a. have grown less unified over time, and there is less agreement on major votes and the ideological gap between the parties has shrunken b. have grown more unified with higher levels of support on party votes as well as becoming more polarized along ideological lines c. have witnessed the democratic party become more unified and more ideological homogeneous while republicans remain fractured into competing coalitions d. have gotten much stronger in the house of representatives while growing weaker and less ideologically polarized in the senate
b
under the constitution the president pro tempore presides over the senate a. whenever the speaker of the senate is absent b. whenever the vice president is absent c. whenever both the vice president and the speaker of the house are absent d. whenever the vice president is absent, unless the president is available
b
which of the following is true about the way U.S. senators are now chosen? a. they continue to be chosen by state legislatures today, although many states hold elections that guide the legislature regarding the people's choice b. since 1913 senators have been elected by the people because of the Seventeenth Amendment c. senators are now elected but subject to confirmation hearings in the House d. since 1913, senators have been elected by the people because of the Fourteenth Amendment and the gerrymander
b
A "prisoner's dilemma" arises in which of the following instances? a. Whenever there are conflicting provisions in a constitution b. When a civilian is the commander in chief of the military c. Whenever individuals who ultimately would benefit from cooperating with each other also have a powerful and irresistible incentive to break the agreement and exploit the other side d. When a convict pleads guilty to a crime he or she did not commit
c
A system of government in which citizens select elected officials who then vote on matters of public policy for them could best be described as ______ democracy. a. direct b. indirect c. representative d. limited
c
Alexander Hamilton proposed a. a strong president that would serve for a single term of four years. b. a weak president that would serve for up to ten years. c. a strong president that would serve for life. d. a weak president that would serve for unlimited one-year terms.
c
Federalism presents opportunities for two kinds of majorities to pursue their interests in competition with each other. These majorities are which of the following? a. state and regional b. local and regional c. state and national d. consociational and bicameral
c
In comparing the Declaration of Independence to the United States Constitution, the authors of the Declaration felt the need to ______, while the framers of the Constitution sought to ______. a. outline a blueprint for government | persuade colonists to support separation b. create an organized and structured national government | reinforce the power of state governments c. announce and justify their separation from Great Britain | create a new nation d. change the structure of existing government | declare American independence to the world
c
In order to allow the Constitution to be changed as needed, a process of ______ was included. a. inclusion b. correction c. revision d. amendment
c
One of the most controversial of British revenue laws of the 1760s was the ______, which attempted to raise money through direct taxes on printed materials such as newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, cards, and dice. a. Intolerable Acts b. Sugar Act c. Stamp Act d. Currency Act
c
The Bill of Rights was designed to do which of the following? a. Maximize the capacity of the national government to enact the policy preferences of majorities b. Ensure that national majorities could impose their preferences on the press and the behavior of the citizenry c. Limit the capacity of government to impose conformity costs on those individuals and minorities whose views differ from the majority d. Simply limit the capacity of state-level majorities to impose their preferences on the press and the behavior of the citizenry
c
The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution provides in part that no state shall "deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without the due process of law," nor a. "remove any citizen from the armed forces based on that citizen's race or religion." b. "establish a religion." c. "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." d. "deprive any citizen of the right to free speech on account of that citizen's former status as a slave."
c
The Madisonian view of democracy often is referred to as which of the following? a. elitism b. factionalism c. pluralism d. conditional party government
c
The new system of government created by the Constitution in which government would be divided between the national and state levels is best described as a. confederalism. b. constitutionalism. c. federalism. d. institutionalism.
c
The problem that arises from the costless consumption by a large number of individuals of a public good that results in its ruination is called a. an imperfect market solution. b. a perfectly elastic supply curve. c. a tragedy of the commons. d. institutional rigidity.
c
Thomas Jefferson articulated the real rationale for throwing off British rule in the Declaration of Independence as a. embracing the divine right of kings. b. mandating that government officials should be elected for fixed terms. c. the fundamental right of self-governance. d. allowing slavery to continue in the colonies.
c
Thomas Jefferson saw his primary role in drafting the Declaration of Independence as a. complaining to Parliament about the actions of the king. b. persuading other nations to support American independence. c. justifying and defending American independence using logic. d. persuading British citizens to support the American ideal.
c
Virginia's delegation recommended a plan for representation that created a a. weak national government with a bicameral legislature based on equal representation in both houses. b. strong national government with a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the lower house and equal representation in the upper house. c. strong national government with a bicameral legislature using proportional representation in both houses. d. weak national government with a unicameral legislature based on equal representation.
c
What was the name of the practice where Britain ceded control to the colonists to manage their own domestic affairs including taxation? a. Command authority b. Republicanism c. Home rule d. A parliamentary system
c
Which of the following is a good formal definition of politics? a. A controlled study of the impact of an independent variable on a dependent variable b. A two-party system that governs nationally c. The process through which individuals and groups reach agreement on a course of common action even as they continue to disagree on the goals of the action d. Any system where the governed make all important decisions regarding governance
c
Which of the following statements about the partisanship of African Americans in the pre-World War I period is most accurate? a. The inability of African Americans to vote meant that they had no existing partisan attachments. b. African Americans were equally divided between the parties depending on their income and where they lived. c. African Americans were loyal to the Republican Party because of Emancipation and Reconstruction. d. African Americans remained loyal to the Democratic Party even though the party was not committed to civil rights.
c
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? a. George Washington b. Benjamin Franklin c. Thomas Jefferson d. Barack Obama
c
Why is the prisoner's dilemma a critical part of American politics? a. The dilemma has been viewed as a problem since the nation's founding. b. Uncertainty and incomplete information prevent collective action even when the majority agree on a policy. c. Successful exchanges occur when each side recognizes they will be better off with a collective outcome rather than acting alone. d. Each side recognizes they will be better off acting alone because no one can be trusted to cooperate.
c
A central feature of the Great Compromise was which of the following? a. a bicameral legislature with the upper chamber representation selected by the national executive and the lower chamber representation based on population b. a bicameral legislature with the upper chamber representation equal for all states and the lower chamber representation selected by the national executive c. a unified legislature with two classes of representatives, some elected from at-large districts and some elected from single-member districts d. a bicameral legislature with the upper chamber representation equal for all states and the lower chamber representation based on population
d
According to the original wording of the Constitution, slavery was a. restricted and regulated. b. not directly addressed. c. considered a basic property right. d. unrestricted until at least 1808.
d
In the Brown v. Board decision, the Court found that legal segregation in public education is in conflict with which of the following? a. the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution b. the Cruel and Inhumane Punishment clause of the Eighth Amendment c. the Civil Rights Act of 1964 d. the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment
d
The "necessary an proper clause" a. enables congress to declare acts of the President unconstitutional b. limits congress to only performing the essential acts of government c. requires congress to provide a written justification for all of its actions d. provides lawmakers with the single most expansive grant of power in the constitution so lawmakers have authority over many different spheres of public policy
d
The 1964 Civil Rights Act a. authorized the federal government to intervene in southern states where African Americans were denied the right to vote. b. established the Department of Justice and authorized it to investigate civil rights violation across the country. c. was another symbolic piece of legislation that provided few real gains for African Americans while giving the appearance of government action. d. authorized the federal government to end segregation in public education and public accommodations.
d
The reaction to Brown v. Board of Education was a. uncertain as none of the major political actors knew what to expect. b. quiet acceptance in most of the South since the Supreme Court decision was unanimous and clear. c. violent and many governors called out state militias to prevent rioting in the streets. d. met with massive resistance in the South as states refused to comply.
d
When was the Declaration of Independence signed? a. July 4th, 1776 b. July 4th, 1778 c. September 11, 2001 d. August 2, 1776
d
Which amendment provides the most explicit endorsement of federalism found in the Constitution? a. Fourth b. First c. Fifth d. Tenth
d
Which of the Framers was most enthusiastic about a strengthened and independent executive? a. Thomas Jefferson b. John Adams c. James Madison d. Alexander Hamilton
d
Which of the following is an example of collective action? a. a king imposing a tax on his subjects b. a person choosing to purchase a new cellphone c. a member of Congress writing a letter to a constituent d. cable TV subscribers organize to oppose a tax
d
Which of the following is true about the religious freedom provision of the First Amendment? a. It applied restrictions on the states and the national government as soon as it was ratified. b. It has been limited by the Fourteenth Amendment. c. It established official churches in the early colonies. d. It prohibits Congress from passing any legislation "respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
d
Which plan perpetuated the composition and selection of Congress as it functioned under the Articles of Confederation? a. Connecticut Plan b. Delaware Plan c. Virginia Plan d. New Jersey Plan
d
Which plan perpetuated the composition and selection of Congress as it functioned under the Articles of Confederation? a. Delaware Plan b. Connecticut Plan c. Virginia Plan d. New Jersey Plan
d
Why did Oliver Brown pursue his case against the Topeka Board of Education? a. He wanted to create a test case for the NAACP. b. He believed Plessey v. Ferguson was an unjust case and needed to be overturned. c. He believed separate but equal facilities were inherently unequal and unfair. d. He was concerned for his daughter's daily safety as she made her way to and from school.
d
Article I of the Constitution contains the Bill of Rights. True False
false
In Barron v. Baltimore, the Supreme Court ruled that the Bill of Rights restrained the actions of the state government. True False
false
Thomas Paine wrote the Declaration of Independence. True False
false
Madison wrote in Federalist No. 10 that "-------- is to faction what air is to fire, an aliment without which it instantly expires."
liberty
provides health insurance to low-income families, senior citizens in nursing homes, and disabled Americans. ------- provides health insurance to low-income families, senior citizens in nursing homes, and disabled Americans.
medicaid
A prisoner's dilemma occurs when an individual decides that even though he or she supports some collective undertaking, he or she is better off pursuing an action that rewards him or her individually. True False
true
John Stuart Mill in his essay, On Liberty, attempted to find a single criterion for deciding when society ought to interfere with individual's liberty. He claimed that the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercises over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is "to prevent harm to others." True False
true
States selected their representatives to the unicameral legislature and could choose the number of representatives they sent under the Articles of Confederation. True False
true
The Elastic Clause grants Congress the authority to legislate as necessary to carry out constitutionally granted powers. True False
true
The Supreme Court has found there to be a right to privacy in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. True False
true
The U.S. Constitution was negotiated secretly to increase the chances of bargaining and compromise. True False
true
The cases included in arguments for Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, dealt with whether it was constitutionally permissible to legally segregate African American and white children in public schools on the basis of race. True False
true
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain --------, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of ----------.
unalienable rights, happiness
