government test questions (lowden)
What did some people fear might happen if a Bill of Rights was not added to the Constitution?
A too-powerful government might abuse its citizens.
Which is the largest agricultural group that favors the free market economy but also supports government programs to promote agriculture?
American Farm Bureau Federation
Which is one of the basic ideas of democracy?
Democracy should keep a balance between personal freedom and the law.
Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
Federal government was way too weak
What was an important argument against the proposed Constitution?
It did not guarantee basic rights.
What was the importance of the Magna Carta?
It limited the power of the English king.
Which of the following shows the correct order in which the landmark English documents were signed?
Magna Carta—Petition of Right—English Bill of Rights
What characteristic did most of the Framers of the Constitution have in common?
Most were well educated with a record of public service.
The earliest attempt to unify some of the colonies was the
New England Confederation.
In what way is the formal amendment process an example of federalism at work?
Proposal is at the national level; ratification is state-by-state.
The Virginia and New Jersey plans disagreed about
State representation in Congress.
Which is true of a parliamentary government as compared to a presidential government?
The executive and legislative branches have fewer conflicts.
The United States government has a federal system. What does this mean?
The national government and states share power.
Which of the following describes the social contract theory of how the state came to be?
The people gave power to the government for the well-being of all.
Which is a limit on the power of the legislative branch in a presidential government?
The president can reject a proposed law.
Why would it be difficult to settle a dispute between two states under the Articles of Confederation?
There was no national court system.
How are political parties and interest groups similar?
They both represent people who join together for a political purpose.
How have Web sites changed the way that interest groups do grass-roots lobbying?
They inform group members of important issues.
A potentially negative aspect of interest groups is that they might
They use tactics that could undermine the political system.
Why did the Framers leave some sections of the Constitution without detail, like an outline?
They wanted to keep the Constitution flexible, allowing for changing times.
What was the Framers' overall reaction to the Constitution?
They were dissatisfied with details but pleased with the broad principles.
What is the difference between an executive agreement and a treaty?
Treaties must be approved by the Senate.
When trying to influence the executive branch, on whom do lobbyists tend to focus?
White House aides
How is the Constitution organized?
a Preamble, 7 articles, and 27 amendments
When the people themselves create laws and policies, what type of government do they have?
a direct democracy
example of a public-interest group
a group lobbying to increase fuel efficiency standards in all vehicles
Which gives more power to a central (Federal) government than to a local, State or colonial government?
a unitary government
Which is a result of the American fondness for joining interest groups?
a wide variety of different interest groups
What did the Federalists agree to in order to gain support for the new Constitution?
adding the first 10 amendments to protect basic rights (the Bill of Rights)
Which is a pact made by the President directly with the head of a foreign country and without the approval of the Senate?
an executive agreement
Why did smaller states favor the New Jersey Plan over the Virginia Plan?
because it called for representation based on population
How are differences usually settled in a democracy?
by compromise
How has Congress clarified the meaning of the Constitution?
by passing laws to help explain it
How was the power of judicial review established?
by the Marbury v. Madison decision
Which is a way that governments are classified?
by those who participate
Which is a method by which an amendment to the Constitution can be ratified?
by three-fourths of the state legislatures
In what way can the executive branch check the power of the legislative branch?
by vetoing legislation
What is another term for free enterprise in the United States?
capitalism
Each branch of the federal government can limit the power of the other two branches. What is this system called?
checks and balances
Interest groups sometimes keep track of the work of public agencies and provide this information to legislators. This is an informal part of what feature of the political process?
checks and balances
Compromise is important in a democracy because
compromise ensures that minority arguments are considered.
Most of the first State constitutions
divided powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
The largest number of interest groups in the United States has been founded on the basis of
economic interest
What caused many people to believe that the Articles of Confederation must be revised?
economic problems
What is the main purpose of a political action committee (PAC)?
electioneering
The Magna Carta
established the idea that the monarchy's power in England was not absolute.
Which theory claims that the state came from primitive families with the heads of these families forming the government?
evolutionary theory
which theory says that the state began when primitive families joined together and claimed and territory ?
evolutionary theory
Through their actions, Presidents have expanded which type of power that is basically outlined in the Constitution?
executive
What do we call the type of government where power is divided between the federal and State governments?
federal government
One way lobbyists use the judicial branch to realize their goals is by
filing lawsuits.
In which theory of the origin of the state did individuals or a group seize power by force?
force theory
Which is a direct method of lobbying?
having dinner with a member of Congress
On which point did the Virginia and New Jersey plans disagree?
how the states should be represented in Congress
According to the Declaration of Independence, what circumstances justify abolishing, or ending, a government?
if the government fails to secure individual rights
What policies enacted under King George III upset the colonists?
imposing restrictive trading acts and new taxes
Many Americans are familiar with a form of the one-party system because
in many States one of the two major parties consistently wins most of the elections.
Which phrase in the Preamble of the Constitution means the government should provide peace and order in society?
insure domestic tranquility
I feared the influence of interest groups. Also, I wrote about them in my "Federalist Papers." Who am I?
james madison
Which leader is known as "The Father of the Constitution"?
james madison
"The law must be reasonable, fair and impartial." This is a definition of the concept of
justice
Which are the three basic powers of government?
legislative power, executive power, judicial power
What principle holds that no government is all-powerful and that a government may do only those things that the people have given it the power to do?
limited government
Which basic principle of government means that individuals have basic rights that government cannot take away?
limited government
Which concept of government includes the ideas that government is restricted in what it may do and that every individual has certain rights that government cannot take away?
limited government
Which unwritten custom did the 22nd Amendment establish as law?
limiting a President to two terms
Once the weaknesses of the Articles became clear, which group led the call for a stronger, more effective national government?
merchants, traders, and large property owners
Where was George Washington inaugurated as the first President of the United States?
new york city
Which is a duty of every American citizen rather than a responsibility?
obeying the law
Which party system exists in a nation ruled by a dictatorship?
one-party system
Which of the following is a duty of every American citizen?
paying taxes
What is a political party?
people with shared ideas who seek to control the government
Which of the following is not mentioned in the Constitution and yet has affected the meaning of the Constitution?
political parties
which is the process by which a society chooses its leaders ?
politics
Which basic principle of the Constitution means that government can govern only with the consent of the governed?
popular sovereignty
Which are the four characteristics of the state?
population, territory, sovereignty, government
What is the introduction to the Constitution called?
preamble
Economic interest groups that advocate for occupations that require extensive formal training and licensing are called
professional associations
Which is a method that can be used to add amendments to the Constitution?
proposal by Congress; ratification by state legislatures
Which is the same as government by popular consent or indirect democracy?
representative democracy
Which is an example of the President using executive power to expand the Constitution?
sending troops into combat on executive orders alone
Because the United States has a free enterprise system, the government is not likely to do which of the following?
set prices and wages
The Connecticut Compromise particularly satisfied
smaller, less populous States.
Why did all of the first state constitutions include the ideas of separation of powers and limited government?
so they could guard against the abuse of government power
Which, theory of government, has been most important in the development of government in the United States?
social contract theory
At the State and local levels, party structure is largely determined by
state law
What does federalism mean?
that power is divided among a national government and the states
What is the main idea of the Declaration of Independence?
that the colonies would no longer submit to British rule
What issue-oriented interest group fights in and out of court to protect individual rights?
the American Civil Liberties Union
Before George III came to the throne in England,
the American colonies were allowed a fairly wide amount of self-rule.
A major explanation for the large number of interest groups in the United States is
the American tradition of joining organizations.
What finally solved the conflict at the Constitutional Convention over representation in Congress?
the Connecticut Compromise
The fact that Democrats and Republicans take similar stands on many issues is a reflection of
the ideological consensus among the American people.
One reason membership in labor unions has declined in the United States is because
the industrial sector of the economy has declined over recent years.
What do the first three articles of the Constitution address?
the organization of the National Government
When the Constitution is amended, what does that action represent?
the people's sovereign will
Some people insist that the United States is a republic rather than a democracy because
the popular will is expressed by representatives, not directly by the people.
In a parliamentary government,
the prime minister belongs to both the executive and legislative branches.
Which of the following people could not attend the Constitutional Convention?
thomas jefferson
Which method of ratification was used for almost all the amendments to the Constitution?
three-fourths of state legislatures
How can the courts influence the meaning of the Constitution?
through judicial review
How did the courts get the power of judicial review?
through the Marbury v. Madison decision
Presidents sometimes send forces into combat without a formal declaration of war from Congress. Presidents do this under what constitutional authority?
through their power as commander in chief
What are the main reasons why the United States has a two-party system today?
to control government by winning elections
What is the main goal of propaganda?
to create a particular belief.
Which of the following is part of the role of the judicial branch?
to interpret and apply the Constitution
Why did all of the first State constitutions include the ideas of separation of powers and checks and balances?
to keep any one person or group of people from becoming too powerful
Why did Congress need money after the Revolutionary War?
to pay its war debts
Why would an interest group file an amicus curiae brief?
to present arguments in support of one side in a legal dispute
Which is a purpose of government according to the Constitution?
to provide peace and order
What is the main goal of propaganda?
to shape public opinion
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is an example of what type of organization?
trade association
The government under the Articles of Confederation had a
unicameral Congress and no executive branch.
In which system are all key powers given to the central government?
unitary government
Propagandists almost never
use logic to make their points.
A potentially negative aspect of interest groups is that they might
use tactics that could undermine the political system.
How can the executive branch check the power of the legislative branch?
veto legislation
Political scientists frequently classify governments according to
who participates in the governing process.
Which of the following best describes a dictatorship?
All power is in the hands of one person.
What is the subject of the first three articles of the Constitution?
Congress, the presidency, and federal courts
Which compromise combined parts of the New Jersey and Virginia plans to make the legislature like it is today?
Connecticut Compromise
Delegates met in Philadephia in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation. What did this meeting become?
Constitutional Convention
Some people think that delegates at ratifying conventions would do a better job of considering an amendment than state legislatures. Why do they think so?
Convention delegates would better represent the people's will.
Which is true of the economic system in the United States?
Government participates through enforcing laws and regulations.
What did most of the first state constitutions have in common?
Power was divided among three branches of government.
What are the main reasons why the United States has a two-party system today?
What are the main reasons why the United States has a two-party system today?