PSC101 Midterm Exam

We The People 15th Essentials Edition (Chapters 1-9) -- (Essay Q's) Choose 3 of 5. Essay should be covered completely in roughly 1-page, single spaced.

What form of the government does the United States use?

The US government is a representative democracy, or a republic, in which citizens elect government officials to vote on legislation on their behalf.

What are the major reasons why government is needed?

Government provides services that all citizens need but probably cannot provide adequately for themselves—such as:

• defense against foreign aggression

• maintenance of public order

• a stable currency

• enforcement of contractual obligations and property rights

• some measure of economic security 

Since 1965, which two racial groups are the most rapidly growing in the US?

Asians and Latinos

What is the economic system of the United States?

Mixed economy based on capitalism

(A mixed economy embraces the free market when it comes to capital use, but it also involves government intervention for the public good)

(True or False) Americans’ trust in their government dramatically declined since the 1960s.

True

What was the primary reason colonists rebelled against the British?

Taxation without representation, and British government undermined colonial merchants in the export of tea so East India Company had a monopoly on it causing the Boston Tea Party.

The colonists were highly taxed by Britain (Stamp Act of 1765 and Sugar Act of 1764) but still weren’t given representation for their needs in British government.

Who was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson

What document created the first government of the new United States of America?

Articles of Confederation (Nov. 1777)

What event so mortified (scared) the Founding Fathers that it led to a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation?

Shays’ Rebellion

(Daniel Shays, a former army captain, led a mob of debt-ridden farmers in an effort to prevent foreclosures on their land in MA)

What do we call the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution?

Bill of Rights

Which branch was given the most power in the U.S. Constitution?

Legislative branch

Who were the authors of the Federalist Papers?

Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison

Under the US Constitution, power is divided between a national and state governments. What is this system known as? 

Federalism

(Federalism: divides power between national government and state government. Checks and balances: Divides power between the 3 branches of national government to limit the other)

What clause in the US Constitution validates the notion of implied powers?

Necessary and Proper Clause, or Elastic Clause (Article 1, Section 8 of US Constitution)

(True or False) The United States government consists of two levels—federal and state.

False

(Three levels of US government: Federal, state, and local.)

What are the major reserved or policy powers of states?

• Voting rights and the election process

• Police power (power reserved to the state gov. to regulate the health,and morals of its citizens)

• Define private property

Since the 1970s, devolution changed how the federal government provides money to states. What types of grants are typically used in this system?

Block grants

(Block grant: federal grants-in-aid that allow states considerable discretion in how the funds are spent)

What key term is defined as protection from improper government action?

Civil Liberties

(Civil liberties: protections from the improper government action. Civil rights: protections of citizen equality by the government.)

(True or False) The United States has no official religion and cannot establish one.

True

(1st Amendment - Establishment Clause: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” meaning there’s a wall of separation between church and state)

(True or False) Citizens have the right to say anything they want, at any time.

False

(Fighting words, libel, and slander are punishable offenses)

Which amendment protects an individual’s right to own a gun?

2nd Amendment

Which court decision overturned Roe v. Wade and resulted in each states creating its own abortion policy?

Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

Which court decision argued there was an implied right to privacy in the US Constitution?

Griswold v. Connecticut

What are civil rights?

Guarantees of equal opportunity and protection through obligations imposed on government to protect individuals

Which court case established the “separate but equal” rule that led to strict segregation of the American South for decades?

Plessy v. Ferguson

Through his message of inclusion and nonviolence, who emerged as the leader of the civil rights movement?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

What are the major political issues facing women in America today?

• Gender discrimination

• Pay discrimination

• Sexual harassment

• Reproductive rights

Which court case guaranteed same-sex couples’ recognition and the right to marry in all states?

Obergefell v. Hodges

Which group was the last to receive suffrage?

18-20 year olds

(26th Amendment (1971). During WWII, the draft age was lowered to age 18 from 21, but 18-20 year olds still couldn’t vote until the Vietnam War in 1971. Famous slogan “old enough to fight, old enough to vote” was born during this time.)

Which political ideology generally supports the social and economic status quo, are suspicious of efforts to introduce new political formulas and favor small government?

Conservative

Which political ideology generally supports social reform, government intervention in the economy and expansion of social services?

Liberal

What are the processes through which underlying political beliefs and values are formed?

Political socialization

What should you examine when reading a public opinion poll?

• Was it random sampled/probability sampled?

• Were there 1000 people surveyed?

• Does it have a margin of error of 3.1%?

(True or False) American mass media are largely privately owned.

True

How does the media shape news and information?

• Agenda setting (:the designation of some issues, events, or people as important and others not)

• Framing (:the process of presenting info from a certain perspective in order to shape the audience’s understanding of it)

• Priming (:the process of giving some issues more attention than others (after agenda setting))

Which media source commands the largest audience of all news sources?

Television

Which media source is most commonly associated with misinformation?

Social Media

(True or False) The number of Americans who read the paper and/or listen to the radio for their news declined over the past few decades.

True

(True or False) Today more Americans identify as independent than Republican or Democrat.

True

(True or False) Incumbents have a 70% greater chance of winning reelection.

True

What are the differences between political parties and interest groups?

• Political parties: aim to control government by running candidates for office; focuses on multiple issues

• Interest groups: concentrate on a specific issue and work to sway policymakers from the outside (lobbying)

Name several political parties.

• Republicans

• Democrats

• Green Party

• Libertarians

Name several interest groups.

• National Rifle Association (NRA)

• Peta

• Labor groups (like Teamsters)

• Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)

• American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) (largest interest group in the US)

The fact that women support the Democratic Party in larger numbers is an example of what phenomena?

Gender gap

During which type of elections is voter turnout the highest?

General elections

(True or False) Nevada offers early voting for two weeks prior to each election.

True

Who directly elects the President of the United States?

Electors through the electoral college

(Essay Q) Explain three compromises reached at the U.S. Constitutional Convention.

1. The Great Compromise (or Connecticut Compromise)

2. Electoral College

3. Three-Fifths Compromise

(Essay Q) What rights/protections are given to those accused of crime (at least 3)? Where are these rights/protections found? Why were these rights included?

1. Rights to a fair and speedy trial (6th Amendment) - Prevents the government from keeping someone in jail a long time without trial and ensures a fair process in front of an impartial jury.

2. Protection against self-incrimination (5th Amendment) - Allows individuals to refuse to testify against themselves (“pleading the Fifth”, protecting them from being forced to confess.

3. Protection against cruel and unusual punishment (8th Amendment) - Limits the government’s power to give extreme or unfair punishments, ensuring humane treatment. 

(Essay Q) Explain the expansion of voting (suffrage) over time. Who was originally allowed to vote? Which group(s) was suffrage then extended to (at least 3), when did it happen and why were those rights given at said time?

1. Who was originally allowed to vote?

   1. Originally, only white male property owners could vote, excluding everyone else.

   2. Controlled mostly by the states, not the federal government.

2. What groups had suffrage extended to them? When? Why at that time?

   1. White men without property (From 1972-1856. Belief in greater equality among white men and the rise of the “common man” in politics.)

   2. African-American men (14th Amendment in 1868 was to give citizenship to former slaves after Civil War, but only 3/5ths worth until 15th Amendment in 1870.)

   3. Women (19th Amendment in 1920, primarily for white women at first. African-American women were given full right to vote in 1965 from the Voting Rights Act, which forbid discriminatory restrictions to voting.)

   4. Native Americans (Indian Citizenship Act (1919) recognized Natives as citizens for their contributions in WWI.)

   5. 18 year olds (26th Amendment (1971). In response to the unfairness of the Vietnam War draft since 18 year old males could be drafted but were still denied the ability to vote until they were 21.)

(Essay Q) What are the 3 key roles of media in American democracy? Explain how each affects the government.

1. Informs the public about current issues and events

   1. Helps citizens form opinions about policy issues and make decisions in elections, as well as provides a variety of perspectives and fact-checking sources to ensure unbiased coverage of current events.

2. Provides a forum for candidates, politicians, and the public to debate policies and issues

   1. Helps level the political knowledge playing field between political elites and “the people,” thus giving citizens a more powerful voice because otherwise the public would not know much about the actions of top political bodies (leaders, corporations, foreign govs.) and would have less opportunity to challenge them in the face of corruption.

3. Acts as a watchdog on the actions of politicians and government

   1. Helps the public know which government actions may affect them and about what policy issues are at stake in terms of changes in laws and regulations. As well as reveals which individuals and groups are exerting power, what their goals and strategies are, and what arguments they’re using. Also, exposes ties between financial interests and political leaders, or corruption or scandalous behavior on the part of elected officials.

(Essay Q) What are the demographic factors (at least 3) that make an individual more likely to participate? Why does each lead to greater participation?

1. Socioeconomic status (higher education, income, and profession)

   1. More high education = better understanding of political issues and the government

   2. More income = more resources to get involved politically

   3. People in professional careers feel that the government affects their work and community more so they have a stronger belief that their participation matters.

2. Older people

   1. More likely to own homes and pay property taxes, which makes them more aware of the importance of government, as well as more likely to have better socioeconomic status.

3. Race and Ethnicity

   1. Racial history of each race plays a part in their participation, as well as socioeconomic status.

4. Gender

   1. Gender issues such as the gender gap, and socioeconomic status

5. Religion

   1. Religious or community values or interests