Unit: Foundations of American Democracy Quiz#1 Khan Academy Questions

Which of the following aspects of the US Constitution best illustrates the concept of elite democracy?

The original wording of the Constitution regarding the selection of US senators (Before the twentieth century, state legislatures selected their state's senators. The Framers believed that senators would be luminaries from their respective states, consistent with the model of elite democracy.)

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of limited government?

The president vetoing a bill from Congress (By creating checks and balances within the federal government, the Framers attempted to ensure a limited government that would not allow one branch to get too powerful.)

Which of the following aspects of the US Constitution best illustrates the concept of participatory democracy?

The process for choosing members of the House of Representatives (The Framers of the Constitution designed the House of Representatives to be the part of government most reflective of the people's will, as expressed through broad political participation.)

Elena Alvarez, a political scientist, decides to use this infographic to argue that the United States practices a particular model of democracy. Which of the following models would Elena most likely argue for, based on the infographic?

Elite democracy (The infographic shows that a small group of donors contributed a majority of funds in the 2010 midterm election. This could be used to support a claim that the United States practices an elite model of democracy, in which a small group of people have a major impact on policy decisions.)

After Congress proposes a bill to allow businesses to purchase land that was once a national park, several people form an environmental interest group. They reach out to several senators to get their support to block the bill. This is an example of which of the following models of democracy?

Pluralist democracy (This is an example of pluralist democracy as an influential group is able to push their stance on a certain issue and get senators to represent their interests.)

Anthony is concerned by his state government's efforts to decrease regulations on pesticides that could hurt the bee population. He decides to join the League of Conservation Voters to help them lobby against deregulating pesticides. This is an example of which of the following models of democracy?

Pluralist democracy (This is an example of pluralist democracy because Anthony is concerned with a particular issue and decides to get involved with a nongovernmental interest group to help influence policymaking decisions on the issue.)

After a House of Representatives member supports an unpopular tax despite protests from his constituents, he loses his bid for reelection. This is an example of which of the following democratic ideals?

Popular sovereignty (This is an example of popular sovereignty because the power of elected officials comes from the "consent of the governed." The Congressman's constituents voted to replace him because he did not act according to their will.)

"In revising the federal system we ought to inquire 1. into the properties, which such a government ought to possess, 2. the defects of the confederation, 3. the danger of our situation & 4. the remedy. "The Character of such a government ought to secure 1. against foreign invasion, 2. against dissensions between members of the Union, or seditions in particular States, 3. to procure to the several States various blessings, of which an isolated situation was incapable, 4. to be able to defend itself against encroachment, & 5. to be paramount to the state constitutions." -Edmund Randolph, as recorded in James Madison's journal, 1787 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with?

The United States would benefit from a stronger central government (Randolph points to the "defects of the confederation," referring to the weak Articles of Confederation.)

Social contract is best defined as which of the following?

The agreement between people and the government defining the rights and duties of each (Social contract is an agreement between the people and the government in which citizens consent to be governed as long as the government protects their natural rights.)

"In revising the federal system we ought to inquire 1. into the properties, which such a government ought to possess, 2. the defects of the confederation, 3. the danger of our situation & 4. the remedy. The Character of such a government ought to secure 1. against foreign invasion, 2. against dissensions between members of the Union, or seditions in particular States, 3. to procure to the several States various blessings, of which an isolated situation was incapable, 4. to be able to defend itself against encroachment, & 5. to be paramount to the state constitutions." -Edmund Randolph, as recorded in James Madison's journal, 1787 Which of the following was a consequence of the ideas described in the passage?

The development of a new national Constitution (Randolph and Madison gathered with other delegates from the states at the Constitutional Convention to create a new republican governmental system.)

"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, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government." -Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer:

A government is only just if citizens have a voice in it (Jefferson writes that governments derive just powers from the consent of the governed.)

Participatory democracy is best defined as which of the following?

Direct individual participation by citizens in political decisions that affect their daily lives (Participatory democracy, sometimes called direct democracy, emphasizes broad participation in politics and civil society.)

"All communities divide themselves into the few and the many. The first are the rich and the wellborn, the other the mass of the people. . . . The people are turbulent and changing; they seldom judge or determine right. Give therefore to the first class a distinct, permanent share in the government. They will check the unsteadiness of the second, and as they cannot receive any advantage by a change, they therefore will ever maintain good government." -Alexander Hamilton, "Speech in the Constitutional Convention on a Plan of Government," 1787 Which of the following models of democracy is the author advocating?

Elite democracy (Based on his statements above, Hamilton argues for an elite democracy, stating that the elites of society will "maintain good government.")

In June 2017, voters in Puerto Rico voted on a referendum to make Puerto Rico the 51st state of the United States. This is an example of which of the following models of democracy?

Participatory democracy (Because Puerto Ricans directly voted on whether they wanted Puerto Rico to become a state, this is an example of participatory democracy, or the broad participation of voters in political issues that affect their daily lives.)

An informal group advocating for a $15 minimum wage collects 590,000 signatures from registered voters in their state. In the next election, this initiative appears on the ballot for voters to decide whether it becomes a state constitutional amendment. This is an example of which of the following models of democracy?

Participatory democracy (This scenario is an example of participatory democracy, which emphasizes individual participation by citizens in the political system.)

"In a pure democracy the people are the sovereign, and their will is declared by themselves; for this purpose they must all come together to deliberate, and decide. This kind of government cannot be exercised, therefore, over a country of any considerable extent; it must be confined to a single city, or at least limited to such bounds as that the people can conveniently assemble, be able to debate, understand the subject submitted to them, and declare their opinion concerning it." -Brutus No. 1, 1787 Based on the text, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with? Choose 1 answer:

Participatory democracy does not work in large countries (Brutus argues that in a large country people cannot come together to debate and decide political issues.)

The National Rifle Association (NRA) testifies in front of Congress to advocate for several laws, including one that would protect gun manufacturers from lawsuits concerning violence committed with weapons they made. This is an example of which of the following models of democracy?

Pluralist democracy (A pluralist model of democracy is one in which no one group dominates politics and organized groups compete with each other to influence policy. In the example above, the NRA is influencing members of Congress to support a piece of legislation by testifying directly to them.)

"The influence of factious leaders may kindle a flame within their particular states, but will be unable to spread a general conflagration through the other states: a religious sect may degenerate into a political faction in a part of the confederacy; but the variety of sects dispersed over the entire face of it, must secure the national councils against any danger from that source: a rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property, or for any other improper or wicked project, will be less apt to pervade the whole body of the union." -Publius (James Madison), Federalist No. 10, 1787 Which of the following models of representative democracy is most consistent with the passage?

Pluralist democracy (Madison describes many groups competing for influence and balancing each other's extremes.)

"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, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government." -Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence Which of the following ideas does the author of the passage advocate?

Popular sovereignty (Jefferson writes that governments derive their powers from the "consent of the governed," or the will of the people as expressed through elections.)

A member of the Senate makes a statement to the press that she is unsure of how she is going to vote on a bill. After numerous calls from her constituents asking her to vote for the bill, she votes in support of the bill. This is an example of which of the following democratic ideals?

Republicanism (This is an example of republicanism as the Senator represented her constituents' interests by voting for the bill.)

Several oil companies donate to a pro-fracking interest group after hearing that the federal government plans to pass a law banning fracking in the United States . The interest group then appeals to members of Congress in attempt to get them to vote against the bill. Which of the following democratic ideals does this scenario best exemplify?

Republicanism (This is an example of republicanism: citizens attempting to influence policymaking decisions through elected representatives.)

"Thus every man, by agreeing with others to make one body politic under one government, puts himself under an obligation to everyone in that society to submit to the decisions of the majority, and to be bound by it. Otherwise—that is, if he were willing to submit himself only to the majority acts that he approved of—the original compact through which he and the others incorporated into society would be meaningless . . ." -John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 1690 Which of the following democratic ideals is described in the passage?

Social contract (Locke describes the idea of the social contract in the passage above as he explains that the people must agree among themselves what rules that they are willing to follow under their government.)

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of limited government?

The Supreme Court ruled that a law passed by Congress was unconstitutional (The Supreme Court's power of judicial review is an example of a check on legislative power. By creating checks and balances within the federal government, the Framers attempted to ensure a limited government that would not allow one branch to get too powerful.)

Republicanism is best defined as which of the following?

The system by which the interests of the people are represented through elected leaders (Republicanism, as understood by the framers of the Constitution, meant that people would elect leaders who would represent their interests.)