American Government Exam 1

McCulloch v. Maryland case was about___________________________________ a. Whether or not the executive branch had the power to institute a peacetime draft b. Whether or not Congress had the power to establish a Central bank c. Whether or not Congress had the power to regulate commerce along major waterways d. Whether or not the Supreme Court had the power to investigate the executive branch e. Whether or not it should remove one of its own members from the Court

Maybe b. Whether or not Congress had the power to establish a Central bank

According to the Declaration of Independence, governments get their "just powers" from ________________ a. "the consent of the governed." b. "God Almighty." c. "the benevolence of a just king." d. "the teachings of Aristotle." e. "the various factions."

a. "the consent of the governed."

Which of the following is another term for an avenue for participation in the political process? a. Gateway b. Solution c. Gate d. Public trust e. Institutional participation

a. Gateway

The Constitution did not give Congress the authority to establish the Internal Revenue Service. Congress did so, however, to implement its power to "lay and collect taxes." This an example of which of the following types of power? a. Implied b. Delegated c. Reserved d. Expressed e. Inherent

a. Implied

The Virginia Plan included which of the following? a. It called for a bicameral legislature. b. It worked to the advantage of the small states. c. It provided for the direct election of the president by the people. d. It settled all the controversies of government. e. It called for Supreme Court justices to select the president

a. It called for a bicameral legislature.

Which of the following statements best describes how federalism enhances democracy? a. It enables more citizens in a nation to live under laws that are made by their states and local government. b. It forces citizens to live under restrict regulations. c. It reduces the number of laws that are made locally. d. It reduces the number of government officials. e. It centralizes power and authority.

a. It enables more citizens in a nation to live under laws that are made by their states and local government.

Which of the following is a partnership that is a psychological attachment to a particular party that relates to political ideology but is more personal than philosophical? a. Party identification b. Political theory c. Political culture d. Party faction e. Political capita

a. Party identification

A properly drawn sample of one thousand individuals has a sampling error of roughly plus or minus a. 5 percent b. 3 percent c. 1 percent d. 8 percent e. 10 percent

b. 3 percent

__________________________ best describes the government of the United States? a. A direct democracy b. A republic c. A confederation d. A constitutional monarchy e. An anarchy

b. A republic

Under separation of powers, the U.S. system keeps power among branches balanced by enabling one branch to counter the actions of another by the use of which of the following? a. Authority b. Checks and balances c. Republicanism d. Economic manipulation e. Federalism

b. Checks and balances

Which of the following political ideologies has traditionally favored state governments over the federal government? a. Liberals b. Conservatives c. Socialists d. Federalists e. Traditionalists

b. Conservatives

When Antifederalists complained of too much power for the president in the new Constitution, Hamilton made which of the following arguments? a. He would be limited by the vice president. b. He could be impeached for "high crimes and misdemeanors". c. Presidents can be voted out of office. d. Presidents have public pressure limiting what they can do. e. Judicial review limits some of the president's actions.

b. He could be impeached for "high crimes and misdemeanors".

Which of the following provides the most common way to remove elected officials from office and can be the primary mechanisms for forging responsiveness? a. Elections b. Impeachment c. Interest groups d. Political parties e. Indictments

b. Impeachment

The "necessary and proper clause" is the basis for which of the following powers? a. Reserved powers b. Implied powers c. War powers d. Executive powers e. Judicial powers

b. Implied powers

What is the purpose of block grants or federal aid given to state or local governments? a. It is to be divided into discrete "blocks" of grants, each limited to $100 million. b. It is to be spent on a specific policy area decided on by the federal, state, and local governments. c. It is to be spent in the way the state or local government decides to spend it. d. It is to be tied to federal mandates that state or local governments must then implement, or they will be taxed on the money. e. It is to be contingent on state/local endorsement of so-called "social" federal legislation.

b. It is to be spent on a specific policy area decided on by the federal, state, and local

During the Constitutional Convention, why was federalism an appealing compromise to the delegates? a. It prevented cities and states from being dominated by a single group or faction. b. It maintained state traditions while creating a strong national government to handle common problems. c. It allowed politicians to avoid issues of slavery and women's suffrage. d. It permitted states to nullify actions of the national government. e. It made the national government the focal point of dissatisfaction

b. It maintained state traditions while creating a strong national government to handle common problems.

Which of the following did President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal include? a. A laissez-faire plan to address unemployment and poverty issues b. Large-scale emergency antipoverty programs c. A hands-off approach to regulating labor relations d. Open competition among businesses to improve the economy e. Policies that strictly followed the interpretation of commerce in the Constitution

b. Large-scale emergency antipoverty programs

According to the preamble of the U.S. Constitution, the functions of government do not include which of the following? a. Establish justice b. Promote economic security c. Provide for the common defense d. Promote the general welfare e. Ensure domestic tranquility

b. Promote economic security

James Madison and the other framers realized that the role of the new Constitution was to do which of the following? a. Spell out the natural rights of citizens. b. Serve as a gatekeeper to power. c. Maximize the power of government. d. Define what is meant by "citizen" and "rights". e. Create access to power for government officials.

b. Serve as a gatekeeper to power.

What is the constitutional provision that allows federal laws to take precedent over state laws? a. Commerce clause b. Supremacy clause c. Concurrent powers d. Reserve powers e. Elastic clause

b. Supremacy clause

The Constitution vests all judicial authority of the United States in which of the following, as well as in other inferior courts? a. The Appeals Courts b. The Supreme Court c. The Chief Justice d. The District Courts e. The Constitutional Courts

b. The Supreme Court

Which of the following gives Congress the power to regulate trade among the states? a. The Bill of Rights b. The commerce clause c. The McCulloch v. Maryland decision d. The necessary and proper clause e. The Supreme Court

b. The commerce clause

Which of the following is true regarding evaluation of the American political system? a. Poverty is declining in the United States. b. The public trust of public institutions is low. c. Political institutions are generally unstable. d. Political polarization is declining in the United States. e. Voter turnout is higher in the United States than in most other democracies.

b. The public trust of public institutions is low.

The Declaration of Independence was necessary for which of the following reasons? a. To establish a framework for a new system of government that would allow taxation without representation b. To establish the legitimacy of the new nation in the eyes of foreign governments and Americans. c. To create a delicate balance between federal and state powers. d. To identify the reasons the British saw separation from the colonies as necessary e. To demand a separation of church and state.

b. To establish the legitimacy of the new nation in the eyes of foreign governments and Americans.

What is the basic premise of federalism? a. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses. b. Two or more governments share power and authority over the same land and people. c. Supreme political authority remains with the states. d. The national government has ultimate sovereignty over a country's land and people. e. State and local governments may not exercise powers of their own that are independent of the national government.

b. Two or more governments share power and authority over the same land and people.

Which of the following is a requirement in federal legislation that forces state and local governments to comply with certain rules? a. A waiver b. An earmark c. A federal mandate d. A national agenda e. A leverage package

c. A federal mandate

The Articles of Confederation did which of the following? a. Provided for a bicameral legislature b. Established a strong executive branch c. Allowed the states to retain most of their power d. Created a way to raise taxes to fund an army e. Ended slavery

c. Allowed the states to retain most of their power

Which of the following is the term for the fundamental law undergirding the structure of government? a. Parliament b. Social contract c. Constitution d. Congress e. Federal system

c. Constitution

Who works together to determine public policies? a. The public, the media, and interest groups b. Interest groups, Congress, and the Justice Department c. Individuals, organizations, and political institutions d. The U.S. Supreme Court, the NRA, and the public e. The president, local police, and educational institutions

c. Individuals, organizations, and political institutions

As it relates to the states, what does the full faith and credit clause mean? a. It prosecutes individuals who have broken other states' laws. b. It returns persons fleeing justice back to their home state. c. It honors the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of other states. d. It extends to citizens of other states the privileges and immunities of its own citizens. e. It prosecutes individuals who have broken other states' laws and honor the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of other states.

c. It honors the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of other states.

Which of the following is a national power only? a. Law enforcement b. Intrastate commerce c. National defense d. Borrowing money e. Transportation

c. National defense

The selection of senators by state legislatures was intended to serve as a check on which of the following? a. State legislatures b. The senate c. Popular will d. The president e. Larger states

c. Popular will

Clean air is an example of which of the following that no one can be excluded from and that benefits all citizens? a. Private goods b. General welfare c. Public goods d. Self-interest e. Public policy

c. Public goods

Actions by the government to achieve a goal are known as which of the following? a. Politics b. Government c. Public policy d. Policy agenda e. Factional decisions

c. Public policy

The protest movement of debt-ridden farmers facing foreclosures on their homes and farms was known as which of the following? a. The Boston Tea Party b. The Boston Massacre c. Shays' Rebellion d. Bloody Thursday e. The Farmers' Rebellion

c. Shays' Rebellion

The Bill of Rights includes how many amendments to the U.S. Constitution? a. Eight b. Twelve c. Ten d. Twenty-Seven e. Thirteen

c. Ten

The document explaining the ideas of the Constitution and urging its ratification is__________________ a. The Declaration of Independence. b. The Mayflower Compact. c. The Federalist Papers. d. The Anti-federalist Commons. e. Magna Carta Papers.

c. The Federalist Papers.

Selective perception is primarily a result of__________________________ a. economic class. b. religion. c. partisanship. d. race and ethnicity. e. age and generational beliefs.

c. partisanship.

In America today, public education is primarily the funding responsibility of________________________ a. the National Education Association (NEA). b. the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). c. states and local governments. d. the U.S Department of Education. e. the federal government.

c. states and local governments.

When people have a fairly consistent view over a range of policy choices, they are said to have which of the following? a. An alliance b. A faction c. A political party d. A political ideology e. A democratic ideal

d. A political ideology

All of the following ideological types are prevalent in the United States EXCEPT a. Liberals b. Conservatives c. Populists d. Communists e. Libertarians

d. Communists

Transfer of government power from the federal government to states is known as ______________ a. Cooperative federalism b. Revolution c. Regression d. Devolution e. Dual federalism

d. Devolution

To whom do most modern democracies give power to make laws? a. Business leaders. b. Judges c. Political parties d. Elected representatives e. All citizens

d. Elected representatives

Which of the following is the last step in the policy-making process? a. Formulate a solution b. Placing the problem on the agenda of the policy makers c. Identify the problem d. Evaluate the effectiveness of the solution e. Discussing whether the problem needs to be addressed

d. Evaluate the effectiveness of the solution

Fiscal federalism refers to the______________________________ a. National banking system first established by Alexander Hamilton in the 1790s. b. Ability of the states to manipulate federal decision making. c. Revenue sharing measures and expenditure of federal aid on programs run in part through state and local governments. d. Fact that both the federal government and the states have the right to maintain fund reserves. e. None of the above

d. Fact that both the federal government and the states have the right to maintain fund reserves.

Which of the following are obstacles to influence that may limit access to participation? a. Public policies b. Problems c. Solutions d. Gates e. Gateways

d. Gates

Which of the following metaphors best describes cooperative federalism? a. Sponge cake b. Layer cake c. Fruit cake d. Marble cake e. Pineapple upside down cake

d. Marble cake

The origin of the concept of separation of powers is most associated with______________________ a. John Locke b. Jefferson c. Thomas Hobbs d. Montesquieu e. Richard Musgrave

d. Montesquieu

Originally, the Constitutional Convention's purpose was to do which of the following? a. Adopt a new Constitution. b. File a formal tax protest with Great Britain. c. Raise money for a national army to stop Shays' Rebellion. d. Revise the Articles of Confederation. e. Overturn articles amended by the Second Continental Congress.

d. Revise the Articles of Confederation.

Which of the following entities settles conflicts related to power sharing between the states and the national government? a. The president b. Committee of state governors c. A congressional conference committee d. The Supreme Court e. The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives

d. The Supreme Court

The accuracy of a poll is usually expressed in terms of a. population density b. census parameter c. population error. d. sampling error. e. interview error.

d. sampling error.

Equality of opportunity can be understood to mean which of the following? a. All citizens have the right to vote. b. All citizens will be both happy and free. c. All citizens will experience the same standard of living. d. All citizens must equally participate in government. e. All citizens will have an equal chance to succeed in life.

e. All citizens will have an equal chance to succeed in life.

Which of the following is true about public opinion polling? a. Sampling error decreases as the size of the sample increases. b. Polls can be erroneous at times. c. Polling accuracy diminishes when respondents are unfamiliar with the issues in question. d. Opinion polls are the most relied-upon method of measuring public opinion. e. All of these answers are correct.

e. All of these answers are correct.

Participating in the public sphere obviously includes voting, but it also includes which of the following other activities? a. Writing letters to your representatives in Congress b. Volunteering for a political campaign c. Attending political rallies d. Social networking in support of a candidate e. All of these are correct.

e. All of these are correct.

Which of the following is an example of checks and balances? a. Judicial review b. Impeachment process c. Veto power d. Approval of treaties e. All options are correct

e. All options are correct

As a political value, how is equality defined? a. All people should make the same amount of money. b. All people should be in a position to succeed economically. c. All people should have equal access to their elected representatives. d. All people have access to the courts to enforce their rights. e. All people are of equal moral worth.

e. All people are of equal moral worth.

Which of the following systems of government allows the central government to make laws that are directly applicable to member states, and those states can choose not to support the laws? a. Unitary b. Federal c. Authoritarian d. Totalitarian e. Confederal

e. Confederal

Which of the following best describes the police power of the states? a. It is the authority to tax citizens and imprison citizens for non-payment. b. It is reserved for the federal government to fight terrorism or domestic insurrection. c. It is the states' rights to make laws that are prohibited by the U.S. Constitution in order to regulate commerce within their borders. d. It is the power of local police to stop drivers suspected of out of state crimes. e. It is the authority to legislate for the protection of the health, welfare, safety, and morals of the people.

e. It is the authority to legislate for the protection of the health, welfare, safety, and morals of the people.

Which of the following groups would favor government efforts to increase equality, including greater provision of social benefits to support those in need? a. Moderates b. Populists c. Libertarians d. Conservatives/Republicans e. Liberals/Democrats

e. Liberals/Democrats

Which of the following is absent in a republic? a. Checks and balance b. Rule of law c. Separation of powers d. Bureaucracy e. Monarch

e. Monarch

The lack of a Bill of Rights was a problem for which of the following groups during the ratification debates? a. Federalists b. Republicans c. Democrats d. Democratic Republicans e. None of the above

e. None of the above

Which of the following is a problem with American democracy? a. The government always responds to public opinion. b. The U.S. national debt is the lowest it's ever been. c. Political polarization is decreasing. d. The rate of turnout in elections is at an all-time high. e. Racial tensions persist across the country.

e. Racial tensions persist across the country.

Which of the following is a concurrent power held by both the national government and state governments? a. Issuing currency b. Chartering local governments c. National defense d. Foreign affairs e. Taxation

e. Taxation

Which of the following was a weakness of the Articles of Confederation? a. Tax levels that were too high for most Americans. b. An overpowering executive. c. Congress's lack of power to conduct foreign affairs. d. Congress's lack of power to declare war. e. The inability of Congress to raise funds.

e. The inability of Congress to raise funds.

The writers of the Constitution established a federal system of government in part because___________________________ a. Locke and Montesquieu had concluded it was superior to other systems of government. b. Few states in history had successfully established unitary governments. c. The states would be valuable sources of revenue for a federal government. d. The British political system was based on the federal principle e. The states already existed as established entities and had to be preserved.

e. The states already existed as established entities and had to be preserved.

In monarchies, autocracies, and oligarchies, a single person or small elite rules society. These systems are by definition which of the following? a. Democratic b. Responsive c. Majoritarian d. Anarchist e. Undemocratic

e. Undemocratic