AP Gov Final Exam Semester 1
The economic system which supports violence as necessary to overthrow existing economic order is a. both socialism and communism b. communism c. capitalism d. socialism
b. communism
The economic system which views history as a story of class struggle is a. both socialism and communism b. communism c. socialism d. capitalism
b. communism
Question 30 A system of governmet characterized by a division of governmental power. a. separation of powers b. federalism c. confederate d. unitary
b. federalism
If James Madison were alive today and heard of demands to make American government more libertarian by decentralizing its power, he would probably a. agree, but want to know how the power was to be centralized. b. flatly disagree. c. disagree with respect to economic powers only. d. disagree with respect to national defense only. e. agree wholeheartedly.
b. flatly disagree.
Advocates of democracy argue that the public interest is best discovered by a. consulting the top social scientists. b. permitting all adults to have a vote. c. the creation of philosopher kings. d. entrusting decision making to political party leaders.
b. permitting all adults to have a vote.
An example of political socialization is a. social gatherings of professional librarians. b. social studies course in public schools. c. government ownership of the railroads. d. reducing the voting age.
b. social studies course in public schools.
A political structure characterized by people, territory, government, and sovereignty. a. country b. state c. federalism d. nation
b. state
The people's will is expressed through an elected group of representatives. a. Separation of Powers b. Democracy c. Republic d. Social Contract
c. Republic
Federalism is a combination of which two ideas? a. A confederation and autocracy b. Majoritarian democracy and a unitary government c. Unitary government and a confederation d. Elitism and a confederation e. Unitary and oligarchy structures
c. Unitary government and a confederation
The Great Compromise led to which of the following? a. an enumeration of powers b. South Carolina's secession c. a bicameral legislature d. the retention of slavery e. an independent judiciary
c. a bicameral legislature
Which metaphor best describes cooperative federalism? a. a bundt cake b. a sponge cake c. a marble cake d. a fruit cake e. a layer cake
c. a marble cake
When a policy decision has been challenged or violated, the political sysem must provide some process of a. punishment. b. interest aggregation. c. adjudication. d. policy making
c. adjudication
Democracy demands respect for each person's worth and dignity a. during periods of international peace. b. when the person is a member of the majority. c. at all times. d. when it helps the government operate more smoothly.
c. at all times.
Money awarded for broad, general puposes is called a _____ grant. a. formula b. carry c. block d. user e. categorical
c. block
A system of government in which power is in the hands of the people. a. republic b. anarchy c. democracy d. sovereignty
c. democracy
A state must honor the public acts and records of any other state under the a. commerce clause. b. extradition clause. c. full faith and credit clause. d. elastic clause. e. supremacy clause.
c. full faith and credit clause
The central issue in the framing of the Constitution was that of a. how to adopt liberty but still allow slaveholding. b. how best to break with Great Britain. c. how strong to make the central government. d. enumerating the powers of local governments. e. how best to divide powers among the branches of government.
c. how strong to make the central government.
The case of Marbury v Madison (1803) established which principle? a. the writ of habeas corpus rule b. the supremacy clause c. judicial review d. natural rights of citizens e. the separation of powers
c. judicial review
The principal goal of the American Revolution was a. political efficacy. b. equality. c. liberty. d. financial betterment. e. lower taxes.
c. liberty
According to Thomas Hobbes, author of Leviathan, the proper objective of government is to ensure a. public goods. b. that the lives of citizens are protected. c. order. d. freedom. e. free and fair elections.
c. order
The complexity of the American federal system encourages a. government stagnation. b. majoritarian democracy. c. pluralism. d. conservative reactions by most registered voters. e. a high level of popular participation.
c. pluralism
The findings of political science usually are less scientifically reliable than those of physics or biology because a. physicists and biologists are usually brighter than political scientists. b. physics and biology employ methods of investigation that differ from political science c. political phenomena usually involve more variables and fewer "controls" than the physical sciences do. d. both b and c
c. political phenomena usually involve more variables and fewer "controls" than the physical sciences do.
If a state's drinking laws allowed eighteen-year-olds to drink alcoholic beverages in violation of the federal government's age requirement of twenty-one, the federal government's age restriction would supersede the state's law based upon the a. hold harmless clause. b. establishment clause. c. supremacy clause. d. implied law clause. e. elastic clause.
c. supremacy clause.
The theory underlying modern democracies was developed to challenge the idea that a. the head of a family, clan, or tribe, has the natural right to govern. b. the people as a whole are the sole source of political power. c. those of royal birth have absolute authority to rule. d. the strongest person or group has the right to control others by force.
c. those of royal birth have absolute authority to rule.
Sovereignty is synonymous with a. voting. b. separation of power. c. ultimate governing authority. d. checks and balances. e. federalism.
c. ultimate governing authority.
James Madison examined historical data on republics, confederations, and aristocracies to learn about the formation of a government. His conclustions are found in a. revolutionary governments. b. his personal diary. c. the United States Constitution. d. The Federalist papers. e. his essay
d. The Federalist papers.
An example of political "structures" or institutions is a. political parties. b. bureaucratic agencies. c. parliaments. d. all of the above
d. all of the above
Conflict in the practice of America's ideals occurs because these ideals a. are only one source of political action. b. are all seen as equally important but hard to reach. c. are general principles, not precise rules. d. all of the above e. conflict somewhat, one with another.
d. all of the above
Examples of political structures usually involved in the policy making process are a. political parties. b. legislatures. c. bureaucracies. d. all of the above
d. all of the above
In a democracy, the will of the majority a. cannot be changed or improved upon. b. rarely leads to satisfactory policy decisions. c. is not open to compromise. d. cannot be used to deprive a minority of its rights.
d. cannot be used to deprive a minority of its rights.
Which of the following is NOT necessarily a characteristic of the state? a. population b. sovereignty c. government d. democracy
d. democracy
Which of the following words is NOT at the heart of American economic beliefs? a. profit b. freedom of movement c. competition d. equality
d. equality
Which of the following types of political participation involve the most people in the United States? a. contacting public officials b. voting c. working in a political campaign d. following and discussing politics.
d. following and discussing politics.
Because the Founders believed they were creating a government of limited powers, they felt it unnecessary to a. specify what Congress could not do. b. have the Senate elected directly. c. specify what the Executive Branch could not do. d. include a bill of rights. e. impose checks on presidential power.
d. include a bill of rights
The political process usually begins when interests or preferences are expressed by individuals, groups, or organizations. The systems approach refers to this function as a. adjudication. b. structural-functional. c. interest aggregation. d. interest articulation.
d. interest articulation
The power of the people--popular majority rule--was limited by the Constitution in several ways, including a. concentrating political power in a single, supreme legislature. b. granting law-making powers to the judicial branch of government. c. establishing a directly elected House of Representatives. d. making the amending of the Constitution relatively difficult. e. splitting the enumerated powers between the central government and the state and local governments.
d. making the amending of the Constitution relatively difficult.
Which of the following is an example of a process function? a. political socialization b. political development c. political communication d. policy implementation
d. policy implementation
A system of government in which legislative and executive power is separated a. federalism b. unitary c. parliamentary d. presidential
d. presidential
Key principle of Presidential form of government: a. parliament b. dictatorship c. sovereignty d. separation of powers
d. separation of powers
The original Constitution provided that US senators were to be elected by a. the House of Representatives. b. the Supreme Court. c. the President. d. state legislatures. e. direct vote of the people.
d. state legislatures.
"Government of the people, by the people, and for the people" describes a system of government in which the people are sovereign. True False
True
Media may be influential in both political socialization and political communication. True False
True
The rise of the two party system and the spread of voting rights in the American South in the past forty years are indications of more competitive political recruitment. True False
True
The power to govern is determined by might a. force theory b. evolutionary theory c. communism d. dictatorships
a. force theory
How likely are voters to participate in state and local elections compared with national elections? a. less likely b. more likely if the issues are known and made clear to voters in advance c. equally likely d. no clear pattern e. more likely
a. less likely
The democratic concept demands for all persons equality of a. opportunity. b. wealth. c. happiness. d. success.
a. opportunity
The concept of liberty is most closely associated with a. personal freedom. b. civil rights. c. rule by the people. d. the power of the state. e. equality.
a. personal freedom.
Each citizen having one vote demonstrates a. political equality. b. a republic. c. mandated freedoms. d. equality of opportunity. e. social equality.
a. political equality
Which of the following is an example of a system function? a. political recruitment b. adjudication c. interest articulation d. policy making
a. political recruitment
The economic system which is characterized by working within the legal framework to expand the public sector of the economy. a. socialism b. communism c. capitalism d. both capitalism and socialism
a. socialism
The power to govern rests within a state without concern for a higher authority: a. sovereignty b. separation of powers c. Social Contract d. divine right
a. sovereignty
For the United States, the core substantive principles of democracy are embedded in a. the Bill of Rights and other amendments to the Constitution. b. legislative resolutions from state legislatures. c. the traditions and conscience of the people. d. Article I of the Constitution. e. colonial charters.
a. the Bill of Rights and other amendments to the Constitution.
The Antifederalists attacked the proposed Constitution on the grounds that a. the national government it created was too strong. b. it was not democratic enough. c. it created an independent judiciary. d. the national government it created was too weak. e. too much authority was enumerated.
a. the national government it created was too strong.
Each of the following is a fundamental conecpt in the systems approach to the comparative study of politics EXCEPT a. value b. structure/system c. function d. the environment
a. value
A democratic government is one in which all citizens have equal a. voting power. b. economic benefits. c. social status. d. political influence.
a. voting power
Which of the following expresses a traditional American political ideal? a. "from each according to ability; to each according to need" b. "all men are created equal" c. "to each his own" d. "duty, honor, country" e. "might makes right"
b. "all men are created equal"
The Founding Fathers had successfully rebelled against a unitary form of government. They had tried a confederation which was not working. Thus they developed a _______ form of government. a. Fascist b. Federal c. Socialist d. Popular Democratic e. Constitutional Monarchy
b. Federal
Supporters of the Constitution named themselves a. Republicans. b. Federalists. c. Antifederalists. d. Democrats. e. Sons of Liberty.
b. Federalists
The Founding Fathers designed a system of checks and balances for the national government. Which of the following best illustrates that concept? I. Congress overrides a presidential veto II. The Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional. III. The president issues an executive order reducing the size of the bureaucracy. IV. The House and Senate cannot agree on a Conference Committee report. a. II and IV b. I and II c. II and III d. III and IV e. I and IV
b. I and II
Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau would most likely agree that a. the state developed out of force. b. those of royal birth should rule the state. c. government should be eliminated. d. the state exists to serve the will of the people.
d. the state exists to serve the will of the people.
Compared to Federalists, Antifederalists tended to favor a a. weak decentralized government as a protection against socil inequality--differences in wealth b. powerful executive to take command during times of crisis. c. strong state government as a protection against factions. d. weak decentralized government as a protection of liberty. e. strong national government as a protection against political privilege.
d. weak decentralized government as a protection of liberty.
The primary goal of Federalist, No. 10 was to demonstrate that the new government a. would honor the Bill of Rights. b. would eventually overwhelm the states. c. would, if unopposed, become a tyranny. d. would not fall under the dominance of any one faction. e. could be abolished if England chose to ignore it.
d. would not fall under the dominance of any one faction.
Who said that to devise a proper government is "to find a form of association which will defend and protect with the whole common force the person and goods of each associate, and in which each, while uniting himself with all, may still obey himself alone, and remain free as before?" a. Kofi Annan b. Thomas Hobbes c. Joseph Kahn d. Karl Marx e. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
e. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Which of the following statements BEST characterizes the motives of the Framers of the Constitution? a. Most framers believed in Judeo-Christian values and wanted the new government to reflect those firsthand. b. Most Framers voted for or against the Constitution on the basis of how it affected them financially. c. Most framers acted out of self-interest, not out of a sense of political virtues. d. Most framers voted along class lines. e. Most framers acted out of loyalty to their state, not out of personal business interests.
e. Most framers acted out of loyalty to their state, not out of personal business interests.
Which metaphor best describes dual federalism? a. a fruitcake b. a marble cake c. a pineapple upside-down cake d. a sponge cake e. a layer cake
e. a layer cake
When did the U.S. Constitution become a source of legitimate authority? a. July 4, 1776 b. when it was written in Philadelphia c. only in recent years d. At the time of the War of Independence e. after 1787, gradually
e. after 1787, gradually
Compared to citizens in other nations, Americans a. place little value on order, freedom, or equality. b. value order more than freedom. c. value order more than freedom or equality. d. value order more than just about anything. e. do not value order very much.
e. do not value order very much.
The single most important factor leading to the Constitution Convention was a. the slavery question. b. fear of executive power. c. the heavy burden of taxation placed upon the colonists. d. the desire of the framers to improve their own financial status. e. inability of the national or state governments to maintain order under the Articles.
e. inability of the national or state governments to maintain order under the Articles.
Separation of power and federalism were two key principles in the framing of the Constitution. These two principles are related in that each a. grants power to a political elite that acts on behalf of the people. b. reflects a need for "political virtue"--frugality, industry, temperance, and simplicity. c. was opposed by the Antifederalists. d. requires a strong central government elected by a popular majority. e. involves a system of checks and balances in which power is dispersed.
e. involves a system of checks and balances in which power is dispersed.
The division of authority in the U.S. Constitution among competing branches and levels of government has encouraged the development of a. divided government institutions. b. elitism. c. indirect democracy. d. majoritarian democracy. e. pluralism.
e. pluralism
The power of Congress to enact laws by which the national government assumes complete or partial responsibility for a state government function is known as: a. new federalism. b. policy entrepreneurship. c. popular sovereignty. d. sanctioning. e. preemption.
e. preemption.
The notion that when state and federal laws conflict, the national laws will prevail is the a. full faith and credit clause. b. necessary and proper clause. c. extradition clause. d. privileges and immunities clause. e. supremacy clause.
e. supremacy clause.
An example of a concurrent power is a. declare war. b. regulate marriage and divorce. c. establish educational systems. d. establish the drinking age. e. tax.
e. tax
A shift away from dual federalism and toward cooperative federalism was a response to the problems associated with a. the fact that the United States has no official language. b. conflict among states. c. underage drinking. d. the Civil War. e. the Great Depression.
e. the Great Depression.
A state is an agency through which a society works to reach its goals. True False
False
Dictatorship is the complete absence of government. True False
False
Government is always synonymous to society. True False
False
In a representative democracy, it is the people themselves who make public policies and laws by their votes. True False
False
In most Western political systems, we would expect the national legislature or parliament to participate in the process of adjudication. True False
False
Political socialization refers to the selection of people for political activity and government offices. True False
False
Population, territory, government, and sovereignty are the defining characteristics of a democracy. True False
False
A political system in which one person or a small group has absolute power. a. Dictatorship b. Democracy c. State d. Communism
a. Dictatorship
The method for choosing the president was designed to address which of the following concerns? a. Distrust of the judgment of the people and the small states' fears that the large states would dominate the selection process b. Large states' fears that small states would dominate the selection process c. Fear that a plural executive would possess too many powers d. The people's desire to have a direct voice in the selection of the chief executive e. The demand that each state have an equal voice in selecting the president
a. Distrust of the judgment of the people and the small states' fears that the large states would dominate the selection process
Which of the following concepts became a major objective of government after industrialization and urbanization? a. Equality b. Order c. Relative Disparity d. Freedom e. Unity
a. Equality
Larger states benefited most under what plan? a. The Virginia Plan b. The New Jersey Plan c. The Articles of Confederation d. The Great Compromise e. The Connecticut Compromise
a. The Virginia Plan
Which statement about the Social Contract Theory is NOT true? a. The state is a natural extension of the people's family structure. b. The state was created voluntarily by a free people. c. Governmental powers are granted by the people. d. Governmental powers may be limited by the people.
a. The state is a natural extension of the people's family structure.
According to John Locke, the fundamental purpose of government is the protection of a. all of these b. life. c. liberty. d. property. e. none of these
a. all of these
The idea that each American should be economically self-reliant is most closely associated with the principle of a. capitalism. b. individualism. c. liberty. d. equality. e. socialization.
a. capitalism
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 a. checks and balances. b. economic manipulation. c. federalism. d. republicanism. e. authority.
a. checks and balances
A ___________ government normally limits the power of officials. a. constitutional b. federalist c. unitary d. federal
a. constitutional
Democracy as a theory of government is centered on a. interest groups. b. the individual. c. political parties. d. an independent judiciary.
b. the individual.
"Enumerated" powers are those given to a. the Supreme Court. b. the national government. c. state governments. d. the military. e. the federal bureaucracy.
b. the national government
A political scientist comparing several countries is probably seeking a. to research the influence of Aristotle's Politics. b. the special factors that may explain each country's distinctive characteristics. c. ways of improving the overall performance of bureaucratic institutions. d. the best form of government.
b. the special factors that may explain each country's distinctive characteristics.
Federalism, or the division of power between a national government and regional units, stands in contrast to a. republican government. b. unitary government. c. majoritarian government. d. pluralism. e. autocratic government.
b. unitary government
The framers of the Constitution intended _______ to be the strongest branch(es) of government. a. none of these b. the judiciary branch c. Congress d. the executive and the judiciary branches e. the executive branch
c. Congress
This claimed that God was responsible for the choice of rulers in a society. a. Magic Eight Ball b. Social Contract c. The Bible d. Divine Right
d. Divine Right
This explained that goverments were the result of expanding family structures. a. What to Expect When You're Expecting b. Force Theory c. The Communist Manifesto d. Evolutionary Theory
d. Evolutionary Theory
System of government in which the executive power is selected from the legislative power. a. Evolutionary Theory b. Presidential c. Republic d. Parliamentary
d. Parliamentary
Which of the following illustrates the concept of equality of opportunity? a. Senators consider testimony both for and against Supreme Court nominees. b. Government may not limit or control the beliefs of any individual. c. Citizens must obey the tax laws, but they may work to change them. d. Public schools may not exclude students because of their gender or race.
d. Public schools may not exclude students because of their gender or race.
This advocated the idea that man willingly accepted a government to protect his personal interests. a. Force Theory b. Dictatorship c. Presidential d. Social Contract
d. Social Contract