GOVT 1 Midterm Mult. Choice
Which of the following was NOT once a restriction placed on the right to vote? a) race b) gender c) property d) all of the above were restrictions.
D.
Who described politics as "who gets what, when, and how"?
Harold Lasswell.
What is the Three-fifths Compromise?
It determined that three out of every five slaves would be counted for purposes of representation and taxation.
Which of the following was not one of the writers of the Federalist Papers?
John Adams.
The separate but equal doctrine was introduced in what Supreme Court case?
Plessy v. Fergusen.
The Constitution's Preamble, beginning with the words "We the People" is an indication of what principle?
Popular sovereignty.
What constitutional clause affirms that national laws and treaties, made under the authority of the Constitution, are the supreme law of the land?
Supremacy clause.
Those seeking to restrain the powers of the national government look to what part of the Constitution?
Tenth Amendment.
When both state and national governments posses a certain authority, it is called
a concurrent power.
A service that a person needs but is usually unable to provide for him-or-herself individually is called
a public good.
The federal system can best be defined as
a system of government in which power is divided between a national government and lower levels of government.
Direct democracy is best defined as
a system that allows citizens to vote directly for laws and policies.
If the government was controlled by a small group of wealthy landowners and corporate leaders, this would be best described as
an oligarchy.
A government that accepts no legal limits on its power, but may accept the restraint of other social institutions, such as churches, is known as
authoritarian.
The ability of the president to veto a bill passed by the Congress is a good example of what principle of limited government?
checks and balances.
Which level of government is not mentioned at all in the constitution?
city government.
The Great Compromise led to the
creation of the bicameral congress.
Low voter turnout and political apathy endangers
democracy.
Survey data shows that the level of Americans' political knowledge is
distressingly low.
"Bicameralism" is a constitutional principle that means
division of Congress into two chambers.
The central historical conflict regarding liberty in the United States was the
enslavement of African Americans.
The three branches of the government created by the Constitution are
executive, legislative, and judicial.
The specific powers granted to the federal government in Article I, Section 8 are called the
expressed powers.
Since the 1960s, Americans' trust in their government generally has
fallen sharply.
The system of shared powers, divided between a central government and the states, is called
federalism.
What is the main purpose behind the privileges and immunities clause of Article IV?
it prevents a state from giving special favors to its own residents or discriminating against non-residents.
In American political culture, economic freedom means
laissez-faire capitalism.
The Bill of Rights was designed to protect
liberty.
The most common method of passing an amendment to the Constitution is
passage in both houses of Congress by a two-thirds vote, followed by a majority vote in three-fourths of the state legislatures.
The authority of the states to regulate the safety, health, and even morals of its citizens is called __________ power.
police.
The right of each citizen to vote is an example of
political equality.
The full faith and credit clause of the Constitution
requires the states to normally honor the public acts and legal decisions of one another.
"Political culture" refers to the
shared values, beliefs, and attitudes that serve to hold a nation and its people together.
Beyond voting, most forms of political participation take place at what level of government?
state and local.
Which level of government writes the majority of all criminal laws?
state government.
The first written constitution for the United States was called
the Articles of Confederation.
The decline of political party efficacy results from
the belief that citizens cannot effect what happens in government, the decline in active participation in public debates, and the decline in political knowledge.
Judicial review is the power of
the courts to decide on the constitutionality of actions taken by the other branches of government.
The principle of granting the federal government only those powers specifically listed in the Constitution is called
the doctrine of expressed powers.
The Bill of Rights is
the first ten amendments to the Constitutions.
Government can best be defined as
the institutions and procedures by which a piece of territory and its people are ruled.
Political rights are protection against
the tyranny of the majority.
The _________ clause of the Constitution requires that states normally recognize the laws, acts, and judicial decisions of other states.
Full Faith and Credit.
How many amendments are there to the U.S. Constitution?
Twenty-seven.
What is the term of a member of the House of Representatives?
Two years.
Which of the following statements is true? a) The United States has a greater gap in income between the poorest and the richest than any other developed nation. b) The gap between the rich and the poor can be explained by an American support of oligarchy. c) American politics is structured by centuries-long class antagonism. d) Income gaps between Americans are small, compared to those in other developed nations.
A.
Affirmative action is very controversial because
Americans argue about whether it promotes or restrains equality.
Disputes over affirmative action demonstrate that
Americans disagree over what is the public's legitimate role in ensuring the equality of opportunity.
According to the textbook, what is the main benefit of a constitutional government?
The government is limited by the rule of law.
What is the principle difference between an autocracy and an oligarchy?
The number of people in charge.