Government Midterm

The WY Constitution was adopted in 1787. Select one: True False

False

Survey methodology did not become a powerful research tool until the a. 1990s. b. 1950s. c. 1970s. d. 1930s. e. 1980s.

b. 1950s.

An election on a public policy issue is called a(n) a. primary. b. recall. c. referendum. d. procedure. e. initiative.

c. referendum.

The number of electoral votes needed to win the presidency a. varies based on whether it is an even- or odd-numbered year. b. is 535. c. goes up every election. d. is 135. e. is 270.

e. is 270.

Wyoming's Constitution is shorter than the US Constitution. Select one: True False

False

The Wyoming Constitution contains a bill (or declaration) of rights. Select one: True False

True

In the discipline of political science, party identification refers to a. a sense of psychological attachment to a party. b. ability to discuss the platforms of a number of political parties that one admires. c. one's voting record and formal membership. d. formal membership. e. one's voting record.

a. a sense of psychological attachment to a party.

When compared with the U.S. Constitution, most American state constitutions a. are longer and more detailed. b. provide more enumerated protections. c. are shorter and less specific. d. vary greatly in text and subjects. e. have been amended less frequently.

a. are longer and more detailed.

In most democracies other than the United States, there is __________ support for the view that jobs and incomes for the unemployed are a right. a. much more b. much less c. about equal d. a little less e. a little more

a. much more

A symmetrical, bell-shaped distribution around a single mode is called a a. normal distribution. b. modality. c. skewed distribution. d. bimodal distribution. e. stable distribution.

a. normal distribution.

An autocracy is a political system ruled by a. one individual. b. a few powerful, wealthy individuals. c. a majority. d. a few. e. the military.

a. one individual.

The text defines __________ as the actions of private citizens by which they seek to influence or support government and politics. a. political participation b. conventional behavior c. conventional participation d. unconventional participation e. direct action

a. political participation

When sampled, the public strongly favors the death penalty for certain crimes. The graph of such a distribution would be characterized as a. skewed. b. biased. c. extremist. d. expected. e. stable.

a. skewed.

A country where the government heavily censors Internet news and search engines is a. Italy. b. China. c. South Africa. d. Germany. e. Argentina.

b. China.

__________ weaken parties more because it allows voters to float between parties rather than require the voters to participate in the party in which they are registered. a. Presidential primaries b. Open primaries c. Closed primaries d. Caucus primaries e. Congressional primaries

b. Open primaries

Which country was the first to provide for the general election of representatives through mass suffrage? a. Great Britain b. United States c. Canada d. France e. Australia

b. United States

Each state has one vote in the electoral college for a. each of its representatives in the U.S. House. b. each of its representatives and senators. c. every 10,000 registered voters. d. each of its citizens. e. the number of senators and representatives on the federal election nomination committee.

b. each of its representatives and senators.

The Internet was started a. in 1983, by IBM for use on its mainframes. b. in 1969, with support from the U.S. Department of Defense. c. in 1920, after the Great Depression. d. in 1972, by a group of thirty-seven universities.

b. in 1969, with support from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Counting both print and online users, news readership of newspapers a. has declined slightly. b. is up overall. c. has moved to weekly magazines. d. has virtually disappeared. e. is the same as it was 50 years ago.

b. is up overall.

In the United States today, the mass media a. are manipulated by the elite for their own purposes. b. provide a two-way channel of communication between the people and the government. c. play favorites. d. channel information from the government to the people. e. channel information from the people to the government.

b. provide a two-way channel of communication between the people and the government.

A republic is a government a. ruled by two political parties. b. resting on the consent of the governed through their representatives. c. based on majority law. d. ruled by a monarch. e. divided by two opposing cultures but ruled by one ruler.

b. resting on the consent of the governed through their representatives.

The country with the lowest voter turnout among eligible voters in congressional elections is a. Spain. b. the United States. c. Sweden. d. Belgium. e. Germany.

b. the United States.

The chief obstacle to ratification of the Constitution by the states was a. its failure to abolish slavery. b. the omission of a bill of rights. c. the power it granted to tax. d. inclusion of the plural executive. e. the lack of court structure below the Supreme Court.

b. the omission of a bill of rights.

Since 1964, government policies intended to help families have most clearly benefited a. all families b. the wealthy. c. poor and middle-income families. d. the poor. e. middle-income families.

b. the wealthy

According to the text, American presidential elections seem to last so long chiefly because a. the media spend so much time covering them. b. they are consistently held every four years. c. political parties spend so many resources keeping presidential candidates in the public eye. d. this is simply the way the world holds elections these days, and we are like other countries who have the same problem. e. front-loading primaries makes the elections seem like they last a long time.

b. they are consistently held every four years.

Where in the Constitution are political parties discussed? a. The Preamble b. Article I : The Legislative Branch c. Nowhere in the Constitution d. Article II : The Executive Branch e. Throughout the Constitution

c. Nowhere in the Constitution

Two nations with deep ties to the principle of communism that have moved in the direction of more private property are a. South Africa and Ethiopia. b. Japan and South Korea. c. Russia and China. d. Germany and France. e. Brazil and Argentina.

c. Russia and China.

A recent example of popular music conveying a political message is "Born This Way," by Lady Gaga, which focuses on a. racial prejudice. b. subjugation of women. c. bullying. d. obesity. e. same-sex marriage.

c. bullying.

A form of government that puts power in the hands of an elite is a(n) a. theocracy. b. dictatorship. c. oligarchy. d. democracy. e. autocracy.

c. oligarchy.

A consistent set of values and beliefs about the proper purpose and scope of government is a(n) a. political attitude. b. system of government. c. political ideology. d. original dilemma. e. public good.

c. political ideology

In 2000, Republican George W. Bush won the presidency despite a. losing more states than Al Gore. b. winning fewer electoral college votes than Democrat Al Gore. c. receiving fewer popular votes than Al Gore. d. not being on the ballot in five states.

c. receiving fewer popular votes than Al Gore.

The ancient Greeks classified governments as autocracies, oligarchies, or democracies based on a. the types of elected officeholders. b. the kinds of decisions the government was responsible for. c. the number of citizens involved in governing. d. the extent of government power. e. the fundamental purposes for which the government was instituted.

c. the number of citizens involved in governing.

A __________ is a preliminary election conducted within a political party to select candidates who will run for office. a. Caucus election b. Municipal election c. General election d. Primary election e. Special election

d. Primary election

The __________ is not a national political party because it does not nominate its own candidates. a. Republican Party b. Democratic Party c. Green Party d. Tea Party e. Libertarian Party

d. Tea Party

During a presidential election, the tendency of journalists to limit coverage of campaigns to coverage of which candidate is leading or behind in the polls at the time, rather than chiefly covering the issues, is known as a. pool coverage. b. media sophistication. c. pack journalism. d. horse race journalism. e. gatekeeping.

d. horse race journalism.

Some research indicates that people who watch partisan news become a. better critical thinkers. b. more apt to become or be sympathetic with terrorists. c. motivated to change their political views. d. more extreme in their politics. e. better informed on various sides of contentious issues.

d. more extreme in their politics.

A poll of Americans who had seen or heard of Michael Moore's 2007 documentary Sicko found that _________ changed their mind and said health-care reform was more necessary. a. about one-quarter b. almost all c. relatively few d. nearly half e. over three-quarters

d. nearly half

The text of the Constitution deals with slavery by a. requiring the individual states to decide the issue for themselves. b. abolishing it. c. making each state responsible for its own policy. d. not mentioning it directly. e. prohibiting it after 1807.

d. not mentioning it directly.

Services that benefit all citizens and are not likely to be produced by the voluntary acts of individuals are known as a. volunteered materials. b. social welfare. c. communism. d. public goods. e. private benefits.

d. public goods.

In 2005, voters in Texas voted by over a 60% margin to ban gay marriage. Arguing that gay marriage should be allowed in Texas anyway implies a reliance on the _____________ view of democracy. a. populist. b. procedural. c. elite. d. substantive. e. majoritarian.

d. substantive.

The basic definition of public opinion is a. support for or opposition to candidates or proposals. b. the underlying attitude of citizens toward their government. c. polling and survey results of the population. d. the collective attitudes of citizens on a given issue or question.

d. the collective attitudes of citizens on a given issue or question.

About __________ of all Americans adopt their parents party. a. 15 percent b. 30 percent c. 80 percent d. 25 percent e. 50 percent

e. 50 percent

The amendment granting womens suffrage is the a. Twenty-first Amendment. b. Twenty-eighth Amendment. c. Eighteenth Amendment. d. Twentieth Amendment. e. Nineteenth Amendment.

e. Nineteenth Amendment.

What fraction of the voting-age population will vote in a primary election? a. One-tenth b. One-half c. Two-thirds d. Three-fourths e. One-quarter

e. One-quarter

.All of the following are regarded in the text as examples of unconventional participation except a. the 1965 Selma, Alabama civil rights march. b. the Boston Tea Party. c. All of these are examples of unconventional participation. d. the Montgomery bus boycott. e. Timothy McVeigh's 1995 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City.

e. Timothy McVeigh's 1995 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City.

When one person has the same chance to succeed in life as another, this is called a. social order. b. equality of results. c. political equality. d. equality of outcome. e. equality of opportunity.

e. equality of opportunity.

One criterion that must be met for a country to be democratic is that it must a. have only two political parties. b. allow initiative and referendum. Incorrect c. prevent interest groups from unduly influencing elections. d. be politicly divided along traditional liberal/conservative lines. e. have more than one political party.

e. have more than one political party

Although terrorism is an unconventional political action, it is generally not counted as unconventional political participation because a. terrorism uses fear, not persuasion, as its primary tactic. b. terrorism does not use the established institutions of representative government. c. the acceptability of terrorism varies from culture to culture. d. terrorist acts generally concern international politics, not domestic disputes. e. terrorists do not seek to influence government but to destroy it.

e. terrorists do not seek to influence government but to destroy it.

The broad, basic definition of politics given by the text is a. the restriction of human freedom in the name of national sovereignty. b. the struggle for economic self-interest. c. rule by the people. d. the manipulation of public opinion by government. e. the authoritative allocation of values for a society.

e. the authoritative allocation of values for a society.

The Wyoming Constitution provides a right to free tuition (or as nearly free as possible). Select one: True False

True

In the 2000 presidential election, after more than a month of ballot counting, recounting, lawsuits, and court decisions, Bush was certified as the winner of Florida's 25 electoral votes by __________ popular votes. a. 537 b. 2113 c. 3051 d. 1924 e. 1055

a. 537

Why do most democracies give power to representatives rather than directly to citizens? Select one: a. Bringing large numbers of citizens together for discussions and votes is difficult, decisions may require specialized knowledge not possessed by the average citizen, and discussion of political issues consumes more time than most people are willing to spend. b. Decisions may require specialized knowledge not possessed by the average citizen. c. None of these choices is true. d. Discussion of political issues consumes more time than most people are willing to spend. e. Bringing large numbers of citizens together for discussions and votes is difficult.

a. Bringing large numbers of citizens together for discussions and votes is difficult, decisions may require specialized knowledge not possessed by the average citizen, and discussion of political issues consumes more time than most people are willing to spend.

The __________ Amendment to the Constitution prohibits states from denying the right to vote "on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." a. Fifteenth b. Twenty-second c. Fourteenth d. Tenth e. Eighteenth

a. Fifteenth

Which document proclaimed, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights"? a. The Declaration of Independence b. The Treaty of Lisbon c. The Articles of Confederation d. The Constitution

a. The Declaration of Independence

The text suggests that there are _________ forces that may be pushing authoritarian governments toward democratization. a. economic b. moral c. ethical d. philosophical e. religious

a. economic

Content analysis of the 2012 party convention platforms found that Republicans were more likely to mention the word __________ whereas Democrats were more likely to mention the word __________. a. freedom; equality b. freedom; order c. order; freedom d. equality; order e. equality; freedom

a. freedom; equality

The accuracy of the population sample used for public opinion polls depends on a. randomness of selection, size of sample, and variation in the population. b. the factors of believability and reliability. c. whether telephoning or direct contact is used to draw the sample. d. whether computers are used to draw the sample. e. the care with which questions are written and asked.

a. randomness of selection, size of sample, and variation in the population.

The assignment in the Constitution of lawmaking, law-enforcing, and law-interpreting functions to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches respectively is known as a. separation of powers. b. None of these choices is true. c. inherent powers. d. judicial review. e. direct democracy.

a. separation of powers.

The 1955 Montgomery bus boycott is an example of a. successful unconventional political participation. b. unsuccessful conventional political participation. c. unsuccessful unconventional political participation. d. indirect action. e. successful conventional political participation.

a. successful unconventional political participation.

The amount of information online is so vast that most people rely on _________ to help them determine which news is real and important. a. the mainstream media b. prominent political commentators c. guidance from the government d. Google

a. the mainstream media

A January 2014 poll showed that ____ percent of Americans knew that the Affordable Care Act prohibits companies from denying health insurance to people because of any illnesses they may have. a. 74 b. 54 c. 14 d. 34 e. 94

b. 54

Which of the following statements best describes the attitude of the American people toward political parties? a. Americans would like to see many more than two parties. b. Americans recognize the value of parties but distrust the existing ones. c. Americans are ideologically divided, as are parties. d. Americans see parties as inherently undemocratic. e. Americans feel strong personal loyalties to their parties.

b. Americans recognize the value of parties but distrust the existing ones.

Since the present two-party system was established, how many minor-party candidates have been elected to the presidency? a. One b. Zero c. Three d. Two e. Four

b. Zero

The Great Compromise provided for a. a two-chamber legislature with equal representation for all states. b. a two-chamber legislature with equal representation for all states in one chamber and population-based representation in the other. c. a one-chamber legislature with representation based on population. d. upper-house members elected separately from lower-house members. e. a two-chamber legislature with representation based on population.

b. a two-chamber legislature with equal representation for all states in one chamber and population-based representation in the other.

A polling company surveying public opinion on Obama's health-care plan finds public opinion to be almost evenly divided, for and against. The graph of such a distribution would be characterized as a. modal. b. bimodal. c. reversed. d. normal. e. skewed.

b. bimodal.

The Republican Party was established in response to the issue of a. taxes. b. slavery. c. free trade. d. silver. e. school prayer.

b. slavery.

The New Hampshire presidential primary gathers the lion's share of political and media attention because a. New Hampshire has more restrictive campaign laws than other states. b. the New Hampshire primary is the first one to occur each election year. c. the New Hampshire primary is the last one to occur each election year. d. New Hampshire is a large, populous state.

b. the New Hampshire primary is the first one to occur each election year.

A typical Gallup national poll surveys approximately _______ individuals. a. 500 b. 4,500 c. 3,000 d. 1,500 e. 10,000

d. 1,500

In a 2014 Gallup poll, _____ percent of Americans supported affording gay marriage the same legal status as traditional marriage. a. 14 b. 5 c. 32 d. 54 e. 67

d. 54

The Wyoming legislature shall not meet for more than _______ days every two years. a. 200 b. 20 c. 100 d. 60

d. 60

Despite new technological options, and despite criticism that in its current form it polarizes politics in an unhealthy way, _____ of Americans listen to traditional AM/FM radio weekly. a. 50% b. 75% c. 35% d. 90% e. 15%

d. 90%

According to a 2012 survey in your text, which of the following individuals is most likely to identify as a Republican? a. Earning under $30,000, no high school degree, female, and Hispanic b. Earning over $100,000, advanced degree, black, unaffiliated with any religion c. High school degree only, Protestant, female, living in the Northeast d. Earning between $75,000 to $99,999, college degree, male, age between 42-53 e. Living in the South, age between 18-29, Catholic, and an advanced degree

d. Earning between $75,000 to $99,999, college degree, male, age between 42-53

By national law, _________ of the seats in the House of Representatives and ____ of the seats in the Senate are filled in a general election held every even-numbered year. a. one-third; all b. one-half; two-thirds c. all; all d. all; one-third e. one-third; one-third

d. all; one-third

In his 2014 State of the Union address, President Obama proposed that the minimum wage a. be raised 2 percent each year. b. be abolished. c. be frozen at its current level. d. be raised to $10.10. e. be raised automatically in response to inflation.

d. be raised to $10.10.

The power of the president to veto laws is an example of a. separation of powers. b. implied powers. c. federalism. d. checks and balances. e. enumeration.

d. checks and balances.

The Articles of Confederation failed because a. None of these choices is true. b. they did not provide an effective means for the government to raise money. c. they did not include an independent leader to direct the government. d. they did not provide an effective means for the government to raise money, they did not include an independent leader to direct the government, and they did not give the government the power to regulate commerce. e. they did not give the government the power to regulate commerce.

d. they did not provide an effective means for the government to raise money, they did not include an independent leader to direct the government, and they did not give the government the power to regulate commerce.

National sovereignty is defined as a. a political entity's ability to engage meaningfully with foreign powers. b. a government's ability to effectively manage elections. c. separation of power between federal and state governments. d. regular peaceful transfer of governmental power. e. a political entity's externally recognized right to exercise final authority over its affairs.

e. a political entity's externally recognized right to exercise final authority over its affairs.

The major agents of early socialization in the United States are a. family, religion, and political party. b. school and social class. c. economics, television, and the Internet. d. religion and social class. e. family, school, community, and peers.

e. family, school, community, and peers.

Shays's Rebellion consisted of a. tobacco farmers protesting tariffs on their crops. b. Bostonians throwing British tea into Boston Harbor. c. Massachusetts residents protesting the national government's tax on liquor. d. Massachusetts residents protesting New Hampshire's import tax on their state's products. e. farmers trying to prevent foreclosure on their property for debts and taxes owed.

e. farmers trying to prevent foreclosure on their property for debts and taxes owed.

The principle of responsiveness requires that legislators Select one: a. consider the views of their fellow legislators more than the views of constituents. b. pay especial attention to groups that are highly organized. c. cast their ballots on the basis of what the people think back home. d. support public opinion in all matters related to electoral politics. e. follow the general contours of public opinion.

e. follow the general contours of public opinion.

The broad, basic definition of government given by the text is a. the use of force to benefit an elite. b. citizens participating in community decisions. c. leaders controlling power and authority. d. taking from each according to his or her ability and giving to each according to need. e. legitimate use of force within specified geographic boundaries to control human behavior.

e. legitimate use of force within specified geographic boundaries to control human behavior.

Globalization can be seen as a threat to a. socialism. b. commercial activity. c. capitalism. d. liberalism. e. national sovereignty

e. national soereignty

In the 2000 election, the candidacy of Ralph Nader a. had no significant impact. b. resulted in a loss of support for the Republican candidate, George W. Bush. c. resulted in an equal loss of support for Gore and Bush. d. has not been determined in its impact. e. resulted in a loss of support for the Democratic candidate, Al Gore.

e. resulted in a loss of support for the Democratic candidate, Al Gore.

The idea that all adults within the boundaries of a political community should be allowed to vote is known as a. political equality. b. suffrage. c. majority rule. d. plurality rule. e. universal participation.

e. universal participation.

The text defines suffrage and franchise as the right to a. rally. b. speak. c. participate. d. protest. e. vote.

e. vote.