American Government CLEP

A tax levied after one dies is called (A) An estate tax (B) A progressive tax (C) A payroll tax (D) A sales tax (E) A sin tax

(A) An estate tax

Which of the following Supreme Court cases involved the principle of one person, one vote? (A) Baker v. Carr (B) Roe v. Wade (C) Mapp v. Ohio (D) Korematsu v. United States (E) Gideon v. Wainwright

(A) Baker v. Carr

The president has been required to submit a budget to Congress since the passage of the (A) Budget and Accounting Act (B) The Judiciary Act (C) Lobbying Disclosure Act (D) Gramm-Rudman Act (E) The 1965 Voting Rights Act

(A) Budget and Accounting Act

Which of the following is a check on the power of the United States Supreme Court? (A) Congress controls the number of justices who may sit on the Court. (B) The Court has the power to enforce its decisions. (C) Cases involving a state's laws can be heard only through the Court's original jurisdiction. (D) The Court reviews all legislation after the president signs it into law. (E) Congress cannot rewrite or repass a law that the Court has declared unconstitutional.

(A) Congress controls the number of justices who may sit on the Court.

. All of the following statements correctly describe judicial appointments at the federal level EXCEPT: (A) Congress nominates and confirms all appointments to the federal judiciary (B) Federal judicial appointments are typically evaluated by the American Bar Association or the Federalist Society. (C) If a senator is a member of the president's party, tradition may allow the senator to exercise an informal veto over an individual being considered from the senator's state. (D) Presidents seldom recommend for judicial appointment individuals from the opposition political party. (E) Federal judgeships are often considered by presidents as patronage positions.

(A) Congress nominates and confirms all appointments to the federal judiciary

In the Constitution as originally ratified in 1788, the provisions regarding which of the following most closely approximate popular, majoritarian democracy? (A) Election of members of the House of Representatives (B) Election of members of the Senate (C) Election of the president (D) Ratification of treaties (E) Confirmation of presidential appointments

(A) Election of members of the House of Representatives

Which of the following accounts for the greatest percentage of expenditure for state and local governments in the United States? (A) Elementary and secondary education (B) Public welfare (C) Highways (D) Health and hospitals (E) Police

(A) Elementary and secondary education

Critics of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, better known as the McCain-Feingold Act, challenged it in the Supreme Court claiming it as a violation of rights found in the (A) First Amendment (B) Ninth Amendment (C) Ways and Means Committee (D) Twenty-Fifth Amendment (E) Necessary and Proper Clause

(A) First Amendment

In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court establish the precedent that a right to privacy stems from several amendments in the Bill of Rights? (A) Griswold v. Connecticut (B) New York Times v. Sullivan (C) Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (D) Lawrence v. Texas (E) Planned Parenthood v. Casey

(A) Griswold v. Connecticut

Which of the following statements about Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka is correct? (A) It declared segregation by race in the public schools unconstitutional (B) It established the principle of one person, one vote. (C) It required that citizens about to be arrested be read a statement concerning their right to remain silent. (D) It declared Bible reading in the public schools unconstitutional. (E) It declared segregation by race in places of public accommodation unconstitutional.

(A) It declared segregation by race in the public schools unconstitutional

Which of the following contemporary political ideologies posits that government power should be used to promote individual economic security and redistribute resources, but rejects the notion that government should favor a particular set of social values? (A) Liberalism (B) Conservatism (C) Communitarianism (D) Libertarianism (E) Elitism

(A) Liberalism

Although the Constitution does not explicitly give Congress the right to enact a military draft, which clause in the Constitution allows Congress to do so? (A) Necessary and proper clause (B) Take care clause (C) Taxing and spending clause (D) Due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment (E) Equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment

(A) Necessary and proper clause

Which of the following factors has most contributed to the persistence of the two-party system in the United States? (A) Plurality rules for determining election outcomes (B) Representation via multimember districts (C) Proportional representation in legislatures (D) Constitutional provisions for parties outlined by the framers (E) The influence and number of interest groups in politics

(A) Plurality rules for determining election outcomes

Which of the following best describes the concept of federalism embodied in the United States government? (A) The Constitution divides power between a central government and its constituent governments, with some powers being shared. (B) The Constitution grants all governmental powers to the central government, which may delegate authority to state governments. (C) State governments join together and form a central government, which exists solely by approval of the state governments. (D) The central government creates state governments. (E) State governments are sovereign in all matters except foreign policy, which is reserved to the central government.

(A) The Constitution divides power between a central government and its constituent governments, with some powers being shared.

An example of an independent regulatory agency is (A) The Federal Reserve (B) The Senate (C) Amtrak (D) The Department of Agriculture (E) The Supreme Court

(A) The Federal Reserve

Which of the following ensures that the president and the vice president are of the same party affiliation? (A) The Twelfth Amendment (B) Baker v. Carr (C) The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (D) Gerrymandering (E) Representative democracy

(A) The Twelfth Amendment

Throughout most of the twentieth century, which of the following was most likely to occur in midterm congressional elections? (A) The party of the president typically lost seats in Congress, regardless of whether the president was a Republican or a Democrat. (B) The party of the president typically gained seats in Congress, regardless of whether the president was a Republican or a Democrat. (C) The Democratic Party gained seats in Congress, whereas the Republican Party lost seats. (D) The Republican Party gained seats in Congress, whereas the Democratic Party lost seats. (E) Voter turnout was typically higher than in presidential elections.

(A) The party of the president typically lost seats in Congress, regardless of whether the president was a Republican or a Democrat.

73. The formation of numerous numbers of political action committees in the 1970s was a result of (A) The passage of bills by Congress attempting to limit the amount of money entering elections (B) Gideon v. Wainwright (C) Corruption in Congress (D) The growing influence of women's rights groups (E) The creation of a new executive agency

(A) The passage of bills by Congress attempting to limit the amount of money entering elections

Differences between House and Senate versions of a bill are resolved (A) in a conference committee (B) by the Rules committees of both chambers (C) in subcommittee hearings (D) by the president before the bill is signed into law (E) during the bill's markup phase

(A) in a conference committee

In the past 30 years, the single most important variable in determining the outcome of an election for a member of the House of Representatives has been (A) incumbency (B) the candidate's personal wealth (C) the previous political office the candidate held in the district (D) the candidate's membership in the political party of the president (E) the candidate's positions on key social issues

(A) incumbency

As compared with Republicans and Democrats, Independents in the United States are typically (A) less likely to vote in elections (B) less likely to engage in split-ticket voting (C) more likely to join an interest group (D) more likely to have a strong sense of political efficacy (E) more likely to share the ideology of their family members

(A) less likely to vote in elections

One important change in political culture since the Second World War is that United States citizens have become (A) less trusting of governmental institutions and leaders (B) less likely to think of themselves as ideologically moderate (C) less likely to support civil rights (D) more likely to believe that their actions can influence government policy (E) more trusting of non governmental institutions and leaders

(A) less trusting of governmental institutions and leaders

Each of the following is a power of Congress EXCEPT (A) recognizing foreign governments (B) declaring war (C) ratifying treaties (D) confirming ambassadors (E) appropriating funds for war

(A) recognizing foreign governments

3. An oral statement that is false and intended to damage an individual is known as (A) slander (B) libel (C) testimony (D) argument (E) free speech

(A) slander

In The Federalist paper number 10, James Madison argued that (A) the growth of factions was inevitable in a democracy (B) federalism would curb ambition among political leaders (C) the Supreme Court is the least dangerous branch of government (D) the Articles of Confederation would ensure the safety of the nation (E) the government should restrict the growth of interest groups through legislation

(A) the growth of factions was inevitable in a democracy

When judicial nominees come before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify, the Senate is fulfilling which of its roles? (A) Oversight (B) Advice and consent (C) Appropriations (D) Judicial review (E) Ratification

(B) Advice and consent

Which of the following is true of both the House of Representatives and the Senate? (A) Both chambers must approve the president's nominees for judicial and administrative positions. (B) Both chambers employ a complex system of permanent committees to assist them in carrying out their legislative duties. (C) Both the Speaker of the House and the Senate's president pro tempore are elected by majority vote of their respective chamber. (D) Both chambers encourage and permit extensive discussion of important issues and proposed legislation on the chamber floor. (E) When midterm vacancies occur in either chamber, state governors are permitted to appoint replacement members.

(B) Both chambers employ a complex system of permanent committees to assist them in carrying out their legislative duties.

How is the Constitution amended? (A) By Supreme Court decision (B) By ratification through the vote of state legislatures (C) By presidential veto (D) By popular vote (E) By Electoral College vote

(B) By ratification through the vote of state legislatures

Of the following list of ideologies, Americans are most likely to identify with (A) Communism (B) Conservatism (C) Totalitarianism (D) Libertarianism (E) Authoritarianism

(B) Conservatism

Which of the following is generally the most significant influence on an individual's identification with a particular political party? (A) Religious affiliation (B) Family (C) Level of education (D) Television (E) The party identification of the incumbent president

(B) Family

According to the Constitution, Congress may not (A) Discipline itself (B) Grant titles of nobility (C) Regulate interstate commerce (D) Declare war (E) Govern Washington, D.C.

(B) Grant titles of nobility

When the media calls out every candidates' moves throughout the presidential campaign this is called (A) The bandwagon effect (B) Horserace coverage (C) Exit polling (D) The elite effect (E) The elastic clause

(B) Horserace coverage

Which of the following best defines political culture? (A) It is the process by which one acquires opinions about government. (B) It is the shared attitudes of a people regarding government. (C) It is the belief that no one person can effect change in government. (D) It is the willingness of people to accept government's right to rule. (E) It is a statement by government officials about how citizens should behave.

(B) It is the shared attitudes of a people regarding government.

Individuals who identify themselves as conservative would most likely support which of the following? (A) Establishing universal health care (B) Lowering barriers to trade (C) Increasing luxury taxes (D) Tightening environmental regulations (E) Increasing protective tariffs

(B) Lowering barriers to trade

The Great Compromise solved one of the greatest challenges facing the framers of the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention, the issue of (A) Declaring independence from Great Britain (B) Representation in Congress (C) The right to a trial by jury (D) The need for a chief executive (E) The right to freedom of religion

(B) Representation in Congress

Citizen's rights to privacy can be found in (A) The balance of powers (B) The Bill of Rights (C) The Federal Bureau of Investigation (D) Baker v. Carr (E) The bureaucracy

(B) The Bill of Rights

A law that requires lobbyists to clearly state who their clients are and what they are lobbying for is (A) Marbury v. Madison (B) The 1965 Voting Rights Act (C) The Legislative Reorganization Act (D) The Federalist Papers (E) The First Amendment

(C) The Legislative Reorganization Act

Which of the following was a consequence of the New Deal legislation passed during the Great Depression under the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt? (A) States gained additional powers to pass legislation to relieve the economic problems of the Depression. (B) The federal government became a more important agent of change than in previous presidential administrations. (C) New presidential appointments to federal courts limited the judicial powers of the Supreme Court. (D) Social policy became the primary concern of state governments. (E) Presidents have been much more likely to defend their creation of emergency acts by claiming executive privilege.

(B) The federal government became a more important agent of change than in previous presidential administrations.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between socioeconomic status and participation in politics? (A) The lower one's socioeconomic status, the more likely it is that one will run for public office. (B) The higher one's socioeconomic status, the greater the probability of active involvement in the political process. (C) Adults who are unemployed have a greater personal interest in policy and tend to participate more actively in politics than do employed adults. (D) People in the lower socioeconomic status are the most likely to vote. (E) There is no relationship between socioeconomic status and political participation.

(B) The higher one's socioeconomic status, the greater the probability of active involvement in the political process.

If a party to a federal civil lawsuit loses the case and chooses to appeal, it would take the appeal to the (A) United States District Court (B) United States Courts of Appeals (C) United States Supreme Court (D) state superior court (E) state supreme court

(B) United States Courts of Appeals

. Which of the following committee assignments would confer the most power and influence on members of the House of Representatives? (A) Agriculture (B) Ways and Means (C) Veterans' Affairs (D) Armed Services (E) Education and Labor

(B) Ways and Means

The authority of a chief executive to withhold approval from specific parts of appropriations bills passed by the legislature is known as (A) a pocket veto (B) a line-item veto (C) a legislative veto (D) an executive order (E) an executive privilege

(B) a line-item veto

The ability of the media to define the importance of particular events and issues is called (A) preemption (B) agenda setting (C) investigative reporting (D) minimal effects thesis (E) adversarial journalism

(B) agenda setting

James Madison's goal of setting power against power to minimize the concentration of authority in any one branch of government is outlined in the Constitution as a system of (A) separation of powers (B) checks and balances (C) divided government (D) national supremacy (E) federalism

(B) checks and balances

Prior to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, literacy tests were used by some southern states to (A) determine the educational achievement of potential voters (B) prevent African Americans from exercising their right to vote (C) assess the general population's understanding of the Constitution (D) hinder the migration of northerners (E) defend the practice of segregation

(B) prevent African Americans from exercising their right to vote

The differences between the political attitudes of men and women are referred to as (A) the political gap (B) the gender gap (C) partisan politics (D) party loyalty (E) the median voter theory

(B) the gender gap

All of the following criteria must be met to become of citizen of the United States except (A) Being able to speak, read, and write English (B) Spending a period of time residing in the United States (C) Being sponsored by a United States citizen (D) Having a commitment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution (E) Having knowledge of American history and government

(C) Being sponsored by a United States citizen

The use of initiative and referendum illustrates which of the following theories of governance? (A) Separation of powers (B) Representative democracy (C) Direct democracy (D) Virtual democracy (E) Abusive democracy

(C) Direct democracy

Which of the following principles protects a citizen from imprisonment without trial? (A) Representative government (B) Separation of powers (C) Due process (D) Checks and balances (E) Popular sovereignty

(C) Due process

31. Which of the following political philosophers most influenced the writing of the United States Constitution? (A) Plato (B) Machiavelli (C) Locke (D) Rousseau (E) Marx

(C) Locke

The weakening of political parties is most often traced to (A) the single-member, winner-take-all system (B) the growth of political action committees (PACs) (C) Progressive Era reforms (D) voters' increasing level of education (E) voter apathy

(C) Progressive Era reforms

Which of the following statements best reflects the pluralist theory of American politics? (A) American politics is dominated by a small elite. (B) Public policies emerge from cooperation among elites in business, labor, and government. (C) Public policies emerge from compromises reached among competing groups. (D) American politics is dominated by cities at the expense of rural areas. (E) The American political arena is made up of isolated individuals who have few group affiliations outside the family.

(C) Public policies emerge from compromises reached among competing groups.

The third two-party system, in place since 1856, is made up of (A) The Federalists and the Anti-Federalists (B) The Know-Nothings and the Whigs (C) The Democrats and the Republicans (D) The Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists (E) The Patriots and the Tories

(C) The Democrats and the Republicans

A theoretical explanation of the operation of diverse interests in American politics is found in (A) the Virginia Plan (B) John Stuart Mill's On Liberty (C) The Federalist papers (D) the Declaration of Independence (E) John Locke's Two Treatises of Government

(C) The Federalist papers

According to the Constitution, which of the following decides the presidential election outcome in the event that a single candidate does not get a majority of electoral votes? (A) The Supreme Court (B) The Senate (C) The House of Representatives (D) Both houses of Congress (E) The sitting president

(C) The House of Representatives

Which of the following is a difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate? (A) Seniority is more important in the Senate than in the House. (B) Leadership is more centralized in the Senate than in the House. (C) The Senate has the exclusive power to ratify treaties. (D) The Senate has more committees than does the House. (E) The Senate may veto laws passed by the House, but the House may not veto senatorial legislation.

(C) The Senate has the exclusive power to ratify treaties.

The Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Constitution states that the vice president becomes president in all of the following cases except when (A) The president dies (B) The president is removed from office (C) The president travels abroad to negotiate treaties (D) The president resigns (E) The president is impeached

(C) The president travels abroad to negotiate treaties

Which of the following is most likely to weaken party leadership in the Senate? (A) The confirmation of appointments to the Supreme Court (B) The assignment of senators to permanent committees (C) The use of filibuster by individual senators (D) The removal of the president following impeachment (E) The ratification of treaties presented by the president

(C) The use of filibuster by individual senators

Which of the following statements is historically true of the electoral college? (A) The electoral college was added to the Constitution as an amendment and has been used only since the 1920s. (B) Third-party candidates are often overrepresented in the electoral college results. (C) The winner of the electoral college also usually wins the popular vote. (D) The electoral college allows small states to become swing states because each state gets two electoral college votes. (E) In the rare case of a tie vote in the electoral college, the winner is chosen by the popular vote results.

(C) The winner of the electoral college also usually wins the popular vote.

The 2016 presidential election was one of only five presidential elections when (A) The winner of the popular vote won the presidency (B) The House of Representatives decided the outcome of the election (C) The winner of the popular vote did not win the presidency (D) The president was determined by popular vote alone (E) The president did not win the popular vote or the Electoral College vote

(C) The winner of the popular vote did not win the presidency

If the vice presidency of the United States is vacated, the Constitution stipulates that the president must (A) appoint a new vice president with the approval of the House only (B) appoint a new vice president with the approval of the Senate only (C) appoint a new vice president with the approval of both houses of Congress (D) instate the Speaker of the House as the new vice president (E) leave the vice presidency vacant for the remainder of the term of office

(C) appoint a new vice president with the approval of both houses of Congress

All of the following are constitutional rights that neither the federal government nor the states can restrict EXCEPT the right to (A) remain silent during questioning (B) be represented by counsel (C) be indicted by grand jury (D) not be tried for the same offense twice (E) receive a trial by jury in a criminal case

(C) be indicted by grand jury

The principal source of presidents' political influence is their (A) constitutional authority to declare war (B) power to convene Congress (C) constitutional authority to execute public policies (D) power to dictate diplomatic relations with other countries (E) constitutional authority to grant pardons

(C) constitutional authority to execute public policies

In the United States political system, the situation when one party controls the presidency while the opposing party controls both houses of Congress is known as (A) separation of powers (B) checks and balances (C) divided government (D) dual federalism (E) power elite

(C) divided government

. In the electoral history of the United States, third parties have been effective vehicles of protest when they (A) aligned themselves with one of the major parties (B) presented innovative programs in Congress (C) dramatized issues and positions that were being ignored by the major parties (D) chose the president by depriving either of the major parties of an electoral college victory (E) supported a political agenda that appealed especially to women

(C) dramatized issues and positions that were being ignored by the major parties

The power of the Rules Committee in the House of Representatives primarily stems from its authority to (A) choose the chairs of other standing committees and issue rules for the selection of subcommittee chairs (B) initiate all spending legislation and hold budget hearings (C) limit the time for debate and determine whether amendments to a bill can be considered (D) determine the procedures by which nominations by the president will be approved by the House (E) choose the president if no candidate wins a majority in the electoral college

(C) limit the time for debate and determine whether amendments to a bill can be considered

Public opinion is given a lot of attention in democracies because the democratic form of government rests on (A) underwriting by the wealthy (B) access to politicians (C) the consent of the governed (D) mobilization of the poor (E) the capabilities of bureaucrats

(C) the consent of the governed

The passage of legislation in Congress often depends on mutual accommodations among members. This suggests that, to some extent, congressional behavior is based on (A) ideological divisions (B) partisan division (C) the principle of reciprocity (D) deference to state legislatures (E) norms of seniority

(C) the principle of reciprocity

Which of the following best describes a referendum? (A) A chief executive appoints an independent commission to investigate allegations of political corruption. (B) A legislature repeals an unpopular law to improve the electoral advantage of incumbents. (C) A political party caucuses to choose its candidates for a general election. (D) Citizens vote directly on laws proposed by a state legislature. (E) Citizens initiate the process of removing elected officials from office.

(D) Citizens vote directly on laws proposed by a state legislature.

All of the following can be considered weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation except (A) The legislature could only request states to pay taxes (B) The legislature could not draft troops, but was dependent on states to contribute military forces (C) The legislature could not regulate trade (D) No legislative branch existed (E) No judicial branch existed

(D) No legislative branch existed

Which of the following is the strongest determinant of an individual's voting behavior? (A) His or her socioeconomic background (B) Suggestions from family members (C) Newspaper and media endorsements (D) Political party affiliation (E) His or her opinions on policy issues

(D) Political party affiliation

The federal government may restrict civil liberties during a time of war citing (A) An increase in the number of interest groups (B) An increase in coercive monopolies (C) The need to protect First Amendment Rights (D) The need to protect national security (E) Separation of powers

(D) The need to protect national security

Which of the following is true of political parties? (A) They are highly centralized organizations that rely very little on state participants. (B) They establish guidelines of behavior and insist that their candidates follow these guidelines. (C) They require all members to pay dues. (D) They try to gain control of government by winning elections. (E) They generally concentrate their efforts on a single policy area.

(D) They try to gain control of government by winning elections.

Which of the following actions gives the president an advantage over Congress in promoting policy? (A) Using the franking privilege (B) Impounding funding for projects of which the president disapproves (C) Invoking senatorial courtesy (D) Utilizing the media through the bully pulpit (E) Invoking the power to end a filibuster

(D) Utilizing the media through the bully pulpit

The formation of numerous interest groups during the post-Civil War industrialization shows the (A) influence of debates about slavery on the public (B) growing influence of women's rights groups (C) minimal influence of the federal government on group formation (D) influence of social tensions and economic stress on group formation (E) shift in federal government funding for interest groups

(D) influence of social tensions and economic stress on group formation

Among the expressed powers of the federal government enumerated in the Constitution of the United States is the power to (A) monitor discrimination in the workplace (B) establish national political parties (C) standardize the licensing of lawyers (D) regulate interstate trade and commerce (E) standardize high school curriculums across states

(D) regulate interstate trade and commerce

The practice whereby individual senators can veto federal judicial nominations in their respective states is called (A) logrolling (B) preferential treatment (C) senatorial prerogative (D) senatorial courtesy (E) judicial selection

(D) senatorial courtesy

An election is a realigning or critical election if (A) one party controls the Congress and the other controls the presidency (B) voter turnout is higher than expected (C) it occurs during a major war (D) there is a lasting change in party coalitions (E) the same party controls both Congress and the presidency

(D) there is a lasting change in party coalitions

Closely held ideas that support values and expectations about life and politics are called (A) Subcultures (B) Public opinion (C) Valence issues (D) Variation (E) Beliefs

(E) Beliefs

Which of the following best describes the relationship between the media and citizens? (A) Most media are independent and unbiased, allowing citizens to form their own opinions. (B) The media are regulated by the government to ensure that consumers receive factually accurate information. (C) The media have greater influence in shaping the political ideology of citizens than any other factor does. (D) Citizens have little choice about how to consume media because of the consolidation of media ownership. (E) Citizens tend to seek out media that reinforce rather than challenge existing ideological views.

(E) Citizens tend to seek out media that reinforce rather than challenge existing ideological views.

Which of the following accurately describes a type of opinion that Supreme Court Justices issue I. A majority opinion II. A concurring opinion III. A dissenting opinion (A) I only (B) I and II only (C) I and III only (D) III only (E) I, II, and III

(E) I, II, and III

The framers of the original Constitution thought that which of the following would best protect judicial independence? (A) Presidential nomination and senatorial confirmation (B) The circuit-riding system (C) An odd number of Supreme Court justices (D) Judicial impeachments (E) Life tenure during good behavior

(E) Life tenure during good behavior

The power of judicial review was established in (A) McCulloch v. Maryland (B) Gitlow v. New York (C) Dandridge v. Williams (D) Miranda v. Arizona (E) Marbury v. Madison

(E) Marbury v. Madison

A graph denoting public opinion that reveals a bell curve with the fewest numbers of people being of extreme opinion on either end of the graph and the greatest number in the middle is representative of (A) Bimodal opinion (B) Consensus opinion (C) Divided opinion (D) Random sampling (E) Normal distribution

(E) Normal distribution

4. Which of the following is clearly a task charged to the Federal Reserve as a regulatory agency? (A) Protecting market users and the public from fraud, manipulation and abusive practices related to the sale of commodity and financial futures and options (B) Eliminating and preventing what regulators perceive to be harmfully anticompetitive business practices, such as coercive monopolies (C) Disclosing campaign-finance information and overseeing the public funding of presidential elections (D) Developing government-wide, cost-minimizing policies and offering superior workplaces, expert solutions, acquisition services and management policies (E) Providing financial services to depository institutions, the United States government and foreign institutions, as well as playing a key role in operating the nation's payments system

(E) Providing financial services to depository institutions, the United States government and foreign institutions, as well as playing a key role in operating the nation's payments system

All of the following are ways through which citizens learn about politics except (A) Religious institutions (B) Schools (C) Workplace culture (D) Mass media (E) Regulatory agencies

(E) Regulatory agencies

The right to keep and bear arms can be found in (A) The Armed Services Committee (B) Korematsu v. United States (C) The War Powers Act (D) The Articles of Confederation (E) The Second Amendment

(E) The Second Amendment

Which of the following best defines the term "judicial activism"? (A) The tendency of judges to hear large numbers of cases on social issues (B) The efforts of judges to lobby Congress for funds (C) The unwillingness of judges to remove themselves from cases in which they have a personal interest (D) The attempts by judges to influence election outcomes (E) The attempts by judges to influence public policy through their case decisions

(E) The attempts by judges to influence public policy through their case decisions

Which of the following is true of the Articles of Confederation? (A) They were written shortly before the Declaration of Independence. (B) They formed a national government with supremacy over the states. (C) They included a bill of rights that was applied to the states. (D) They provided for three branches of government. (E) They created a national government with a legislature but no executive or judiciary.

(E) They created a national government with a legislature but no executive or judiciary.

Which of the following best explains the consistent growth of the federal bureaucracy over the past hundred years? (A) Increases in federal income tax since 1925 (B) The inability of Congress to cut programs (C) The success of Democratic presidents in promoting their policies (D) Public demand for, and expectation of, social services (E) United States Supreme Court rulings requiring Congress to assist those living in poverty

Public demand for, and expectation of, social services