AP Gov midterm

Brutus was an example of an Anti-Federalist because he A believed a centralized government posed a major threat to individual rights B argued that a national military force was needed to deal with insurrections C argued that the laws passed by the national government were supreme over state laws D believed that compromise between the branches of government would ensure a limited government

A

Which of the following best describes an exit poll? A A poll that asks voters at randomly selected voting places whom they voted for so that election results can be predicted more quickly B A poll conducted by having a computer randomly select phone numbers from around the country C An opinion poll that is used to intentionally sway people's opinions by using false or misleading information in the conversation D A poll that randomly samples a population to capture public opinion at a given time

A

In the last half of the twentieth century, voter turnout in federal elections has declined. During the same period, voter turnout has been higher in presidential elections that in midterm elections. (a) Identify two factors that have contributed to the overall decline in turnout federal elections and explain how each factor has contributed to the overall decline. (b) Identify and explain two reasons why voter turnout has been higher in presidential elections than in midterm elections.

A) less party mobilization, a larger electorate, a more mobile population, de-alignment, cynicism, apathy, and the loss of a sense of efficacy. B) greater information available about presidential candidates and issues, greater media interest in presidential elections, greater spending on presidential elections, and the perception of the greater importance of presidential elections

The data in the graph best illustrate which of the following common criticisms of the electoral college? A Small states have fewer electoral votes than large states and therefore have no impact on presidential elections. B Individuals in small-population states have a greater impact on the electoral college than individuals in large-population states. C Candidates from states with a large number of electoral votes have a major advantage in the electoral college. D Smaller states have more electoral votes than larger states, which distorts the popular vote.

B

Which of the following best explains how political parties are likely to respond to the data in the chart? A Political parties are likely to continue to stand by their traditional positions and not bother to appeal to groups that have not previously been included in their base. B Political parties will adapt their positions and find ways to appeal to voters from growing demographic groups. C Political parties will adapt by switching from candidate-centered campaigns to campaigns that strategically mobilize voters across the country with a consistent message. D Political parties will advocate for proportional representational systems so that groups with larger populations are able to win seats and be represented more fairly in government.

B

Which of the following characteristics best explains the data on the map? A The exclusive powers granted to the states in the Constitution allow them to determine health-care policy. B Federalism creates differences between states on the implementation of health-care policy. C The Tenth Amendment instructs Congress to make laws but guarantees the rights of states to implement federal policies, such as health-care policy. D The incorporation of the Fourteenth Amendment has allowed the federal government to guarantee health care to all citizens, but some citizens may opt out.

B

A person loses his job and refuses to accept any government assistance to get back on his feet, instead relying on savings and seeking a new job immediately. Which of the following core values would this person most relate to? A Rule of law B Free enterprise C Individualism D Equality of opportunity

C

Which of the following policies would the states most likely prefer according to the political cartoon? A Federal mandates B Regulatory preemption C Block grants D Categorical grants

C

In 2002, Congress passed the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act in an effort to regulate campaign finance by limiting the ability of corporations and unions to spend their general treasury funds on election communications. In 2010, the Supreme Court invalidated this provision of the act. Which of the following statements accurately describes the majority decision of the case? A The First Amendment allows corporations and unions to make independent expenditures regarding candidates for office. B The Fourth Amendment protects political action committees from excessive searches by protecting their identities during election campaigns. C The First Amendment allows candidates to spend as much as they want on their own campaigns. D The Fourth Amendment grants professional consultants and other campaign staff immunity from disclosing donor information.

A

Which of the following is commonly identified as a failure of the Articles of Confederation? A The national government lacked an effective power to raise revenue. B The executive branch was granted too much power over the legislature. C The federal government had too much control over interstate commerce. D The judicial branch was elected and did not consistently adhere to rule of law.

A

Which of the following makes a correct comparison between political parties and interest groups in the United States? A Political PartiesInterest GroupsPolitical parties recruit and run candidates in elections.Interest groups seek to influence public policy. B Political PartiesInterest GroupsPolitical parties have small constituencies and thus try to win elections by energizing their base to vote for them.Interest groups alert and educate voters regarding pending legislation. C Political PartiesInterest GroupsPolitical parties have organizations that donate money to candidates for public office.Interest groups are barred by law from donating money to political campaigns. D Political PartiesInterest GroupsPolitical parties achieve the bulk of the changes they seek through the use of the courts.Interest groups build relationships with congressional committees and the bureaucracy to form iron triangles.

A

While interest groups and political parties each play a significant role in the United States political system, they differ in their fundamental goals. (a) Identify the fundamental goal of interest groups in the political process. (b) Identify the fundamental goal of major political parties in the political process. (c) Describe two different ways by which interest groups support the fundamental goal of political parties in the political process. (d) For one of the forms of support you described in (c), explain two different ways in which that form of support helps interest groups to achieve their fundamental goal in the political process.

A) The response must identify a fundamental goal of interest groups in the political process. Acceptable responses may include: Influence public policy. Influence Congress/government. Change laws. Responses can list tactics as long as they specifically connect them to the fundamental goal of influencing public policy. No point is earned if the response lists a series of goals, even if one goal is "influence policy" (unless it is specifically listed as the fundamental goal). B) The response must identify a fundamental goal of political parties in the political process. Acceptable responses may include: Elect people to office. Gain control of government. (Responses can earn a point for saying"influence policy" as long as they connect it to winning control of government/electing people to office.) C) One point is earned for each of two descriptions. The response must describe activities that support the electoral goals of parties; for example, the response "lobbying" does not earn a point. Monetary contributions/political action committee (PAC) donations. (If these two are clearly differentiated, then the response earns both points.) Organization/mobilization of people. Media campaigns. Information. Independent committees/527s. Independent expenditures. Endorsement/recruitment of candidates. D) One point is earned for each of two explanations. Acceptable explanations may include: Access/influence policymakers. Have like-minded people/policy advocates in office. Legislation that helps interest groups.

Which of the following explains how The Federalist 10 relates to the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) ? A Both regarded factions as destructive to liberty. B In both, a limited approach to government regulation was argued for. C In The Federalist 10, the author opted for stricter regulation of factions, whereas in Citizens United, petitioners argued that regulation was a violation of liberties. D The Federalist 10 supports free speech, whereas the Citizens United decision opposes free speech.

B

Which of the following ideals of democracy is reflected in the procedure for apportionment in the House of Representatives? A The federal government represents states equally. B Government is based on the consent of the governed. C Leaders in Congress are among the most well-informed in society. D Political power is distributed between the national government and state governments.

B

Which of the following scenarios is most closely related to the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) ? A A member of Congress establishes a political action committee to gain influence within the chamber. B A labor union spends millions of dollars to independently run negative advertisements about a presidential candidate shortly before the election. C A state senator receives a large cash donation from a corporate executive in exchange for specific political favors. D A lobbyist writes the language of a bill that is later introduced into both chambers of Congress.

B

Which of the following is a likely effect of the trend depicted in the bar graph on voting and elections? A There will be fewer restrictions placed on voting. B Voter turnout is likely to increase among non-Whites. C The Democratic Party will win more elections, based on current voting trends. D There will be more retrospective voting among young voters.

C

Which of the following is the best explanation for the trend in voting behavior after the 2000 election? A Many states lowered their voting age after 2000, which led to an increase in Democratic Party voters. B Most younger voters who were Democrats in the 1980s became more conservative as they grew older and ended up supporting Republicans after 2000. C The events that shaped the generation turning 18 after the year 2000 tended to create more liberal-minded voters who supported Democrats. D Most younger voters after 2000 adopted political positions that were opposed to their parents' point of view.

C

Which of the following is the correct pairing of powers found in the Articles of Confederation and powers found in the Constitution? A Articles of ConfederationUnited States ConstitutionProtection of individual libertiesNo protection of specific individual rights B Articles of ConfederationUnited States ConstitutionPowerful executive branchFederal government supreme over states C Articles of ConfederationUnited States ConstitutionUnicameral legislatureBicameral legislature D Articles of ConfederationUnited States ConstitutionAmendment requires unanimity of all statesAmendment requires the president's approval

C

Which of the following is the most accurate interpretation of the political cartoon? A State governments have used the Tenth Amendment to override the federal government's mandates. B State governments are unwilling to share their budgetary surpluses with other states. C State governments prefer federal funding but do not want federal oversight over how the money is spent. D The fiscal irresponsibility of state governments has led to increased federal regulation on their budgetary priorities.

C

"[A] pure democracy... can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction. . . . [S]uch democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. . . . The two great points of difference between a democracy and a republic are: first, the delegation of the government, in the latter, to a small number of citizens elected by the rest; secondly, the greater number of citizens, and greater sphere of country, over which the latter may be extended. . . . [I]t may well happen that the public voice, pronounced by the representatives of the people, will be more consonant to the public good than if pronounced by the people themselves, convened for the purpose. On the other hand, the effect may be inverted. Men of factious tempers, of local prejudices, or of sinister designs, may, by intrigue, by corruption, or by other means, first obtain the suffrages, and then betray the interests, of the people." James Madison, The Federalist 10 Which of the following best describes Madison's primary concern about representative government? A Those who seek to represent the people may be tempted to act in their own interests instead. B A truly representative government will quickly become too large to function effectively. C Local government is ineffective because there are not enough competitive factions. D Long term lengths may lead to political representatives who are disengaged from their constituents.

A

Based on the data in the chart, which of the following best explains a likely impact of third-party votes in the 2016 election? A The third-party vote in the three states depicted in the chart helped Donald Trump acquire enough electoral votes to win the election. B The third parties were able to gain seats in Congress because of the large number of votes they received in the three states depicted in the chart. C The third-party vote counts in the three states depicted in the chart forced the election to a tie, forcing the House of Representatives to cast the deciding vote. D The third-party vote counts forced the three states depicted in the chart into runoff elections to decide who would be the winner of each state.

A

Given the information in the graph, in which of the following states would an individual's vote likely have more influence? A Wyoming B West Virginia C Alabama D California

A

In the United States political system, there are several linkage institutions that can connect citizens to government. Elections constitute one such institution. Because of low voter turnout, elections represent an imperfect method of linking citizens to their government. Even when there is low voter turnout, however, other linkage institutions can connect citizens to government. (a) Describe how each of the following is related to the likelihood of voting. Age Education (b) Identify one current government electoral requirement that decreases voter turnout. Explain how it decreases voter turnout. (c) Identify one linkage institution other than elections and explain two ways it connects citizens to government.

A) Age- Older people are more likely to vote. Turnout is lowest for young people. The likelihood of voting declines in the oldest populations. Education- People with more education are more likely to vote. People with less education are less likely to vote. B) Requirement- Citizenship, Age, Disfranchisement of certain groups (felons, the mentally incompetent), Residency, Registration, Limited opportunities to vote (midweek, limited hours, single day), Need to show identification, Generally have to vote in person, Closed primaries, Process of obtaining absentee, ballots Explanation- The requirement makes a person ineligible to vote. The requirement puts up obstacles or makes it harder to vote. C) Example- Media Interest groups (PACs) Political parties Explanation of example- * media- convey views of people to government/ convey info of gov to ppl - interviews/ reporting news on gov/ provide outlet for citizens * Interest groups- convey policies to group of ppl/ raise and spend money for interest groups - lobbying/ media campaigns/ campaign activities * Parties- gather info on voters/ provide info on the candidates/ connect voters to officials - mailings/ voter mobilization/ endorse party platforms/ fund candidates/ campaigns

Nominees for the presidency of the two major parties are chosen by delegates at national conventions. How these delegates are chosen varies across states and between the political parties. a. Define each of the following methods used by states to choose delegates to party conventions. Open primary Caucus b. Republican Party rules permit winner-take-all primaries. Describe one consequence of this rule for the Republican nomination process. c. The Democratic Party has used superdelegates in the presidential nominating process since 1984. Explain why the use of superdelegates increases the influence of party leaders in the Democratic nomination process. d. Explain why a candidate's strategy to win the nomination is often different from the strategy developed to win the general election.

A) (Primary): a primary election in which any voter can cast a ballot in any party's primary. (Caucus): a meeting or gathering of members of a political party where members deliberate and choose from the list of those seeking the presidential nomination B) Consequence for- Shortens the timeframe for candidates wrapping up the nomination. Affects strategic decisions (e.g., allocation of funds, time). Advantages those with more prominence or better name recognition early in the process. C) how superdelegates increase the power of party leaders, which can include the following: Party leaders are now assured a role in the nomination process, regardless of which candidate they support. Party leaders can cast the deciding vote in close nomination contests. Superdelegates are pledged and therefore can change their minds on candidates as the process unfolds. D) Why strategies can differ between primary and general.- The electorate in the primary election is different from the electorate in the general election. A candidate's opponents in the primary are fellow partisans, whereas opponents in the general election are from other parties. There are differences in financing, media coverage and current events leading up to the general election.

Parents have the greatest stake in the outcome of their child's education. Accordingly, they should also have the power to make sure their child is getting the right education. As Deven Carlson points out, there is little constituency in America for the top-down reforms that have been tried time and again. In order for any reform to truly work, it must attract and maintain the support of the people. I have seen such support for parental empowerment. The more parents exercise it, the more they like it. This growing support is why states are responding to that demand one by one. . . . Equal access to a quality education should be a right for every American and every parent should have the right to choose how their child is educated. Government exists to protect those rights, not usurp them. So let's face it: the opponents of [school choice] could repeal every voucher law, close every charter school, and defund every choice program across the country. But school choice still wouldn't go away. There would still be school choice . . . for the affluent and the powerful. Let's empower the forgotten parents to decide where their children go to school. Let's show some humility and trust all parents to know their kids' needs better than we do. Betsy DeVos, Secretary of Education, January 16, 2018 Which of the following is a necessary step for the government to take to protect school choice, based on the article? A The federal government should require all students to pass standardized tests before moving to the next grade level. B The federal government should increase funding for technology training for teachers. C The federal government should provide funding to families to pursue schooling options other than the public school system. D The federal government should implement mandatory background checks for teachers.

C

The America First Action is a super PAC led by former administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon. Which of the following best explains how the organization can operate to influence elections, according to the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010) ? A The super PAC can be led by a former government official but cannot accept contributions from former officials. B The super PAC can spend unlimited funds and coordinate its campaign with candidate campaigns but must abide by "Stand by Your Ad" provisions. C The super PAC can spend unlimited money on issue-advocacy advertisements that are not coordinated with the campaign. D The super PAC can spend unlimited money on campaign expenditures but is subject to maximum contribution limits from donors.

C

Throughout most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, most African Americans were prevented from voting in many Southern states despite the Fifteenth Amendment, which extended the right to vote to African American males. Southern states were able to take this action because A the Fifteenth Amendment did not apply to all states B Congress passed legislation that restricted the application of the Fifteenth Amendment to placate Southerners C the framers allowed the individual states to create voting processes and voter qualifications D the Supreme Court had declared the Fifteenth Amendment unconstitutional

C

Two interest groups are competing for influence in Congress. One group represents banking institutions, while the other advocates for consumer protections. A critic of the influence of interest groups would make which of the following claims? A The interest groups will nominate a slate of candidates for office to compete against each other in the next election in order to determine which interests prevail. B The consumer protection group will appeal only to Republican leaders, while the banking interests will appeal only to Democratic leaders. C The banking interest group likely has greater financial resources and access to policy makers than the consumer protection group. D The consumer protection group is prohibited by federal regulations from direct lobbying.

C

Which of the following best describes how the generations view themselves in regards to the idealistic trait? A Millennial respondents are the least likely to consider themselves idealistic. B Each group is less likely to identify as idealistic as they get older. C Baby-Boomer respondents are more likely to consider themselves idealistic than Generation X respondents. D Silent Generation respondents are the most likely to consider themselves idealistic.

C

A chief executive officer (CEO) of a corporation believes that the Republican candidate for president will enact policies that are more beneficial to her business. The CEO donated the maximum amount allowed by law directly to the candidate's campaign fund. To increase the candidate's chances for election, the CEO also directed her corporation to donate funds to an independent political action committee to create ads criticizing the opposing candidate. According to the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), which provision of the Constitution protects her actions? A Reserved powers in the Tenth Amendment B Due process clause in the Fifth Amendment C Freedom of association in the First Amendment D Freedom of speech in the First Amendment

D

Critics of the winner-take-all aspect of the electoral college are most likely to make which of the following arguments? A The winner-take-all system of the electoral college undermines the rights of states. B A state's presidential election results rarely mirror a state's congressional election results. C The winner-take-all system of the electoral college drives presidential candidates to focus on winning states that are considered to be part of their core supporters. D The winner-take-all system of the electoral college encourages presidential candidates to focus their time and effort disproportionately on battleground states with larger populations.

D

Which of the following is an example of how separation of powers creates friction between the executive and legislative branches in the policy-making process? A The electoral college vote ends with no candidate receiving a majority of the votes, and the House of Representatives is delegated the task of selecting the next president. B The Senate votes to impeach a sitting president for high crimes and misdemeanors. C The secretary of state is dispatched along with a delegation of senators to negotiate a treaty with a foreign government. D The president threatens to issue an executive order for stricter gun control if Congress continues to refuse to take action.

D

Which of the following portrays an accurate example of horse race media coverage? A After a lengthy investigation, a newspaper publishes an article about a candidate receiving thousands of dollars in illegal campaign funds. B A cable news show intentionally smears a candidate by running an exaggerated story about indiscretions in a candidate's personal life. C A candidate announces her intention to run for president of the United States on Twitter rather than through a television appearance. D News media outlets report the results of public opinion polls that show the relative popularity of presidential candidates.

D

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the concept of concurrent powers? A The president negotiates a treaty regarding climate change with foreign governments, but for the treaty to take effect, it requires approval by the Senate. B As commander-in-chief of the military, the president orders troops to a foreign nation to address a potential threat to national security. C A Senate committee holds a hearing to discuss potential misuse of funds by the Department of Veterans Affairs. D The federal government provides about 25% of the total funding for highways and transit in the United States, while the other 75% of the funding comes from states.

D