Chapters 1-15: Government

(1) Which term is defined here?  "the right to exercise supreme power and authority over a region, a group, or oneself"

sovereignty

An independent country in which people share a common culture is called

a nation-state

Which of these is the best example of a public good?

a town library

Which of these is an essential feature of political activity?

It is purposeful.

When people call someone Machiavellian, they usually mean that person is

cunning and amoral.

Which of these individuals is most likely to exercise power without authority?

an armed robber

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks went to jail rather than give up her bus seat to a white passenger. Her action was an example of which of the following?

civil disobedience

Which of the following are considered the basic building blocks of government?

revenue collection and coercion

A ruler’s legitimacy depends mainly on which of these factors?

people's acceptance of the ruler's authority

Which of these is most likely to involve horse trading?

a business deal

(2) Which of the following is the oldest form of government still in use today?

monarchy

A New England town meeting is an example of

direct democracy.

Nazism is a form of fascism built on the idea of

racial superiority.

Socialism began as an attempt to correct which disadvantage of capitalism?

uneven distribution of wealth

Which of these is a common feature of market economies?

production of high-quality goods and services

In a command economy, who decides how much to produce?

government planners

Which of these factors most distinguishes dictators from monarchs?

how they acquire and retain power

In a parliamentary democracy, who chooses the prime minister?

the party with a legislative majority

Which kind of economy is most common in the world today?

mixed

Which kind of country is most likely to have a federal system of government?

large, with a diverse population

(3) Which of the following best defines the principle of popular sovereignty?

The ultimate source of governmental authority is the people.

The idea of representative government first developed in ancient

Rome.

Who is known as the Father of the Constitution and as the principal author of the Bill of Rights?

James Madison

Which of these historic documents first established the principle of the rule of law?

Magna Carta

Which complaint was the greatest barrier to ratifying the Constitution?

It did not include a bill of rights.

Consider the quotations below.                                     “Life, liberty, and property . . .”                                       —John Locke                                                                  “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness . . .”          —Declaration of Independence                                      Both quotations list what our nation's founders believed to be

natural rights.

Which of these issues at the Constitutional Convention was resolved by what is known as the Great Compromise?

the representation of the states in Congress

The Articles of Confederation reflected Americans’ fear of

a strong central government.

Which political philosopher favored separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches?

Baron de Montesquieu

Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense, was influenced by Rousseau’s argument that a government should be dissolved if it

acted contrary to the general will.

(4) Which of these terms refers to the principle that people accused of a crime must be granted certain legal rights?

due process

The Preamble to the Constitution lists which of the following?

purpose to be served by the Constitution

Why did the framers of the Constitution create three separate branches of government?

to keep any one group from gaining too much power

The first words of the Constitution indicate that power and authority in our system of government come from the

people

 Which of these is the defining characteristic of a federal system of government?

Power is divided between central and regional bodies.

Over time, constitutional amendments have extended which right to the groups listed below?                                     - African Americans                                                                  - Women                                                                                      - Residents of the District of Columbia                                     - 18-year-olds

right to vote in elections

The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution indicates how to resolve conflicts between

state and federal laws.

Which of these is the best example of constitutional checks and balances?

Treaties require Senate approval.

How did the decision in Marbury v. Madison (1803) strengthen the power of the Supreme Court?

It established the Court's right to declare an act of Congress unconstitutional.

The process of amending the Constitution involves both

the Congress and the states.

(5) Which of these plays the largest role in interpreting the Bill of Rights?

the Supreme Court

Which of these is a civil liberty protected by the Bill of Rights?

the right to religious freedom

Which of these unpopular forms of expression is protected by the First Amendment?

flag burning

The process of applying the Bill of Rights to the states through Supreme Court decisions is called

incorporation.

Which of these acts is protected under the First Amendment?

criticizing elected leaders

The Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth amendments protect

rights in the legal system.

Which of these rights has not been subject to incorporation?

the right to a jury trial in civil cases

The phrase “You have the right to remain silent” reflects the provision in the Bill of Rights regarding

self-incrimination.

The term prior restraint refers to which government action?

preventing publication of certain material

What decision did the Supreme Court make on the power of cities to regulate peaceful assembly in public places in Hague v. CIO?

Cities may set rules for the use of public places that apply equally to all.

(6) According to the U.S. Constitution, the national government must guarantee that every state government

has a republican structure.

Which of these officeholders is typically a county government official?

sheriff

Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan both advocated a policy known as devolution. What was this policy aimed at?

transferring power back to the states

Which of these descriptions best defines gerrymandering?

drawing legislative district boundaries to give one group an advantage

Which of these terms refers to legislation the national government requires state or local governments to implement largely at their own expense?

unfunded mandates

In which kind of court would a driver protesting a speeding ticket most likely appear?

municipal court

President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society programs began a new era of national-state relations in the 1960s. Political scientists describe this era as one of

regulated federalism.

Which of these units of government is most likely to regulate water systems, cemeteries, hospitals, sewers, fire protection services, and schools?  

a special-purpose district

Which of these is a common way to amend a state constitution?

The legislature proposes an amendment, and the voters approve it.

Which form of city government, combining democratic rule with professional expertise, is most common in the United States today

council-manager

(7) Which of these are considered the building blocks of civil society?

groups that people join voluntarily

Which part of the U.S. Constitution defines U.S. citizenship?

Fourteenth Amendment

An immigrant who wants to become a naturalized citizen must

know how to speak some English.

Which term is defined below?                                                 "A society's framework of shared values, beliefs, and attitudes."

political culture

Which of these areas are conservatives more likely than liberals to favor government intervention?

moral issues

Someone from another country who lives in the United States illegally is called

an undocumented immigrant.

Which political ideology favors the least government regulation of any kind?

libertarianism

The quotation below reflects the ideology of which of the groups listed?                                                        "We support a sustainable society which utilizes resources in such a way that future generations will benefit and not suffer from the practices of our generation."

Green Party

An individual with a green card is allowed to

work at a job.

Which of the following committed the United States to protecting the rights of all Americans regardless of race, sex, religion, or national origin?

Civil Rights Act of 1964

(9) These two groups have the strongest impact on political socialization in the United States.

mass media/family

The most accurate way to measure public opinion is by

election results.

If you asked the same question about an upcoming election to many people, you would be conducting a

straw poll.

Who would be considered an opinion maker?

cashier at Wal-Mart

conservative blogger

your best friend

None of the above

The earliest and one of the most significant agent in the political socialization process is the

family.

The process by which people form their political attitudes and values is called

political socialization.

Which of the following is the most important reason why a scientific poll is more accurate than a straw poll?

 the type of questions asked

The release of confidential information to the news media by an unnamed source is known as which of the following?

a leak

The primary purpose of staged events and photo opportunities is to

attract press coverage.

Public opinion is shaped by each of the following EXCEPT

close friends

(10) The emphasis on elections in the United States most reflects which constitutional principle?

popular sovereignty

In which kind of primary election would a registered independent be unable to vote?

closed

The most common way people become candidates for public office is through

self-announcement.

In which type of election is voter turnout likely to be the greatest?

presidential election

Which of the following groups benefited most from the Voting Rights Act of 1965?

African Americans

Televised debates and radio ads are examples of which of the following campaign approaches?

wholesale politics

What is the main criticism leveled against the Electoral College system for electing presidents?

It is undemocratic.

What is the main source of funding for election campaigns?

donations from individual citizens

What was one purpose of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, also known as the McCain-Feingold Act?

to limit the use of soft money in campaigns

Which of these is the most likely reason for a donor to contribute to two opposing campaigns?

to gain access to whichever candidate wins

(11) In order to be elected to the House of Representatives, a person must be how old?

25

In order to be elected to the Senate, a person must be how old?

30

How long must a person be a resident citizen to be in the House?

7 years

How long must a person be a resident citizen to be in the Senate?

9 years

The elected member must reside in the state he/she represents.

True

How many Representatives are in the House?

435

There are how many Senators?

100

Both the Senate and House meet in the Supreme Court building

False

When a bill is sent to the president, s/he can either sign or veto it.

True

Which of these is the best definition of constituents?

residents of an electoral district represented by an elected official