American Government exam 1 questions and answers

Political scientist Harold Lasswell defined ____as the process of determining "who gets what, when, and how" in a society."

a) ideology

b) authority

c) government

d) politics

politics

2) Which form of government and its laws are most likely to be seen by citizens as legitimate?

a) one based upon oligarchy

b) one based upon democratic principles

c) authoritarian

d) one based upon law and order

one based upon democratic principles

3) According to the text, the paradox of democracy is the

a) conflict between justice and wealth.

b) conflict over the legitimate use of force.

c) conflict between majority rule and individual freedom.

d) conflict between limited and unlimited government.

conflict between majority rule and individual freedom

4) The statement, "government is always government by the few, whether in the name of the few, the one, or the many," expresses the basic idea of this theory of politics

a) Socialism.

b) Pluralism.

c) Elitism.

d) Democracy.

elitism

5) In this school of politics, _________ rely on competition among the country's many organizations, businesses, and interest groups to decide who gets what.

a) Socialism.

b) Elitism.

c) Republicanism.

d) Pluralism.

pluralism

6) A political culture is based upon a group's

a) voting results

b) social class

c) class consciousness

d) shared beliefs and values

shared beliefs and values

7) The ideal of equality of opportunity can best be described as?

a) the elimination of artificial barriers to success in life

b) the equal sharing of income and material rewards

c) the opportunity to keep what you earn

d) redistribution of money

the elimination of artificial barriers to success in life

8) Secular is a term that describes

a) right of majority rule

b) those who want to increase religious influence in a government

c) the equal sharing of income and material rewards

d) those who want to decrease/limit religious influence in government

those who want to decrease/limit religious influence in government

In 2010 this group became the largest USA minority group and will reshape politics for many years ahead.

a) Native American.

b) Arabic.

c) Black

d) Hispanic.

e) Asian

Hispanic

If a person holds a consistent and inflexible set of ideas that apply to all situations, this term best describes their views.

a) ideology

b) socialization

c) equality of results

d) subculture

e) diversity

ideology

11) This group believes that government involvement in economic and personal issues should be severely limited to non-existent?

a) liberalism

b) conservatism

c) libertarianism

d) pragmatism

libertarianism

The Founding Fathers met in secret in 1787 to?

a) create a weaker more limited central government than the Articles of Confederation

b) weaken the power of the national government

c) create a stronger federal government than in the Articles of Confederation

d) create a federal government less powerful than any state

create a stronger federal government than in the Articles of Confederation

The Constitution Convention created a new federal government capable of addressing the main weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation except?

a) taxing to raise revenue for operation of the national government

b) regulating voting, civil rights, and civil liberties in the states

c) regulating interstate commerce between the states

d) defending the nation from outside threats

regulating voting, civil rights, and civil liberties in the states

The ratification and early application of the Constitution shows?

a) people have been fighting over the meaning of the words in the US Constitution since it was written

b) the Founders agreed on the meaning of the words in the US Constitution

c) how most Americans revered the new US Constitution

d) The words in the US Constitution are easy to follow and apply

people have been fighting over the meaning of the words in the US Constitution since it was written

Which group is responsible for getting the US Bill of Rights added to the new US Constitution?

a) Federalists

b) Anti-federalists

c) Liberals

d) Whigs

Anti-federalists

In the Madison designed model of government, the powers of the national government were

a) Separated into two branches: executive and the legislature

b) separated into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial

c) copied the one legislative branch model of the Articles of Confederation

d) a copy of the British parliamentary system.

separated into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial

17) In drafting the Constitution, ____ was the solution to the debate over whether the national government or the states should have ultimate power and sovereignty.

a) checks and balances

b) limited government

c) federalism

d) separation of powers

federalism

One advantage of federalism in the United States is that state governments can

a) chose to follow federal laws or not

b) reject federal laws with which they disagree.

c) act as "laboratories of democracy" for public-policy experimentation.

d) protect habeas corpus

act as "laboratories of democracy" for public-policy experimentation.

19) According to the text, the while wording of the Constitution has remained the same, American federalism has seen?

a) power remain roughly divided between state, local, and federal governments

b) little change since the Founder's created the US federal system

c) the national government continually gaining more and more power over states' affairs

d) states and local governments continually limiting control over federal encroachment

the national government continually gaining more and more power over states' affairs

Funds from the national government given to state or local governments are referred to as?

a) initiatives

b) grants

c) mandates

d) referenda

grants

21) States' Rights fans would be most in favor of this type of federalism

a) Unitary

b) Dual

c) Competitive

d) Cooperative

dual

22) Political leaders face the dilemma of acting according to their "independent judgment" or based upon?

a) socialization

b) pluralism

c) established laws

d) public opinion

public opinion

The learning process through which most people acquire their political attitudes, opinions, beliefs, and knowledge is

a) political processing.

b) ideology.

c) political socialization.

d) cognitive theory.

political socialization

To be considered a legitimate or scientific poll of public opinion, a poll must?

a) first provide education about the topic discussed

b) ask questions in multiple choice form

c) allow for wrong answers

d) be based upon a random sample of people

be based upon a random sample of people

The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 nicknamed the "Motor Voter law" requires states to provide all eligible citizens with the opportunity to register to vote when

a) they turn 18

b) they must register to vote drive a car

c) they apply for or renew a driver's license/ thru the DMV.

d) they turn 16 and can legally drive

they apply for or renew a driver's license/ thru the DMV

In the fight by Americans to expand the right to vote, which barrier was the first to fall by 1840?

a) race

b) property ownership

c) education level

d) gender

property ownership

The paradox of non-voting- having the right but not exercising it- is mainly associated with

a) educational attainment

b) race

c) income level

d) political alienation

political alienation

28) The media is the "fourth branch" of government because they not only report on struggles for power in society and they also?

a) reflect the truths of these struggles

b) engage in heavy socialization of voters

c) participate in these struggles for power

d) mirror public opinion in these struggles

participate in these struggles for power

Today, televised political advertising consumes at least ____ of the total budget for a major political campaign

a) one-fifth

b) one-fourth

c) one-third

d) one-half

one-half

"The press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about." Bernard Cohen's classic statement on the media and public opinion best describes

a) narrowcasting.

b) public relations.

c) agenda setting.

d) hyperlocalism.

agenda setting.

The term for filtering out, ignoring, or avoiding ideas/information from media with which one disagrees is ?

a) shape shifting

b) malaise

c) information overload

d) selective perception

selective perception

The idea of "freedom of the press" found in the 1st amendment to the US Constitution is best summed up by this legal term

a) no prior restraint.

b) agenda setting.

c) narrowcasting.

d) habius corpus

no prior restraint

The term "original intent" means one believes what about a constitutional government?

a) the national government can not exercise any powers other than those expressly spelled out in the constitution

b) the constitution is a living document that allows government powers to change as the needs of the people change

c) the powers of the national government can only be granted by consent of the governed

d) national government power can only come from Congressional laws

the national government can not exercise any powers other than those expressly spelled out in the constitution

Uneducated voters and adults vs the wisdom of crowds making good decisions is termed?

a) Paradox of public opinion

b) Paradox of democracy

c) Paradox of Sovereignty

d) Paradox of Legitimacy

Paradox of public opinion

The US Supreme Court ruled in this 1937 case over the legality of Social Security that Congress to spend money to "promote the general Welfare" of Americans?

a) Marbury v Madison

b) Helvering v Davis

c) Near v Minnesota

d) Citizens United v Clinton

Helvering v Davis

Authoritarian and Totalitarian governments, as well as extremists, are all different from those following democratic principles in that they promote the use of this in the struggle over who get what?

a) compromise

b) salience

c) violence

d) ideology

violence

The key role or function a free press plays in a society is ?

a) narrowcasting

b) salience

c) watchdogs

d) education

watchdogs

When the press only reports only favorably/patriotically about the US military during wartime or a conflict involving US troops, this is termed

a) "on the team"

b) gerrymandering

c) salience

d) libel

"on the team"

I am the creator of the "Death Tax" campaign and one of the most powerful men in America when it comes to shaping public opinion on issues like climate change and government policy.

a) Lawrence Lessig

b) Frank Luntz

c) Grover Norquist

d) Edward Bernays

Frank Luntz

The key reason for the Constitution's longevity is?

a) detailed descriptions of how it should operate

b) clear cut enumerated powers for each branch

c) detailed commitment to rule of law

d) vagueness and flexibility of its language

vagueness and flexibility of its language

HL Menken's quote about politicians "menacing the people with an endless array of hobgoblins" is summed up by this term

a) regressive voting

b) retroactive voting

c) the politics of fear

d) narrowcasting

the politics of fear

The US Supreme Court used the Federal Bill of Rights to say "freedom of the press" applies in all the states in what case??

a) Clinton v Citizens United

b) Near v Minnesota

c) Marbury v Madison

d) Tomlin v Racer

Near v Minnesota

The loser of the 2002 Newark mayoral election shown in the film "Street Fight" was?

a) Sharpe James

b) Cory Booker

c) Bill Clinton

d) Frank Luntz

Cory Booker

This US Constitutional clause is the basis for most federal government powers/laws like the Louisiana Purchase, space exploration, pollution and food regulation, college loans, etc.

a) general Welfare clause

b) Necessary and Proper clause

c) Elastic clause

d) Emoluments clause

general Welfare clause

Public relations is the field of knowledge concerned with?

a) promoting accuracy in a free press

b) the Sullivan Rule

c) shaping public opinion

d) narrowcasting

shaping public opinion

Cointelpro is mainly associated with?

a) Original Intent

b) Public Opinion

c) Capitalism

d) Freedom or the press

Freedom or the press

47) Democrats tend to receive the majority of their votes from?

a) urban areas

b) the South

c) non-urban areas

d) Northern suburbs

e) none the above are true

urban areas

The key Republican base of support is found mainly in

a) urban areas

b) Southern and non-urban whites

c) Northern urban

d) Black, Hispanics, and non-protestant religions

Southern and non-urban whites

49) The ideology that grew in Europe in reaction to the noble's control over commoners, eventually spread to the American British colonies, and is the basis of USA's early political ideology

a) Pluralism

b) Classical Liberalism

c) Conservatism

d) Democracy

Classical Liberalism

The term "Living Document" means one believes what about the constitutional government?

a) the national government cannot exercise any powers other than those enumerated in the constitution

b) interpretation of the Constitution's text allows government powers to change as needs change

c) the powers of the national government can only be granted by consent of the governed

d) national government power can only come from the Founders original intent and words

interpretation of the Constitution's text allows government powers to change as needs change