DE US History

Chapter 1

American Government and Civic Engagement

What goods are available to all without direct payment?

Public goods

In which form of government does a small group of elite people hold political power? 

Oligarchy

What is the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy?

 In a representative democracy, citizens elect officials to govern on their behalf, while in a direct democracy, citizens rule directly and not through representatives.

What does government do for people?

The government protects and provides public protection and equality for all its citizens.

5. The elite theory of government maintains that _____.

Wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people. 

6. According to the pluralist theory of government, _____.  

Government policy is formed as a result of the competition between groups with different goals and interests.

7. Which of the following is a good example of a tradeoff? 

1. The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing then ti rent public lands for grazing purposes. 

2. The government pleases environmental activists by reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park but pleases ranchers by replacing their cattle in danger.

3. The government pleases oil companies by allowing them to drill on lands set aside for conservation but allows environmental activist groups to protest the drilling operations. 

4. Groups that represent a variety of conflicting interests are all allowed to protest outside Congress and the White House.

The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing then to rent public lands for grazing purposes. 

8. Supporting the actions of the Democratic Party simply because one identifies oneself as a meber of that party is an example of ____. 

Partisanship 

Chapter 2

The Constitution and it’s Origins

1. British colonists in North America in the late seventeenth century were greatly influenced by the political though of _____. 

John Locke

2. The agreement that citizens will consent to be governed so long as government protects their natural rights is called____. 

The social Contract

3. What key tenets of American political thought were influenced in the decision to declare independence from Britain? 

American political thought were natural rights and consent of the governed.

4. What actions by the British government convinced the colonists that they needed to declare their independence? 

Implementation of intolerable Acts

5. What important power did the national government lack under the Articles of Confederation?

It could not impose taxes

6. In what ways did Shays’ Rebellion reveal the weakness of the Articles of Confederation? 

It highlighted the lack of a strong executive branch to enforce laws.

7. According to the Great Compromise, how would representation in congress be apportioned?

Representation in the House of Representatives would be based on each state’s population, and every state would have two senators. 

8. How did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention resolve their disagreement regarding slavery? 

It was agreed that 60 percent of a state’s enslaved population would be counted for purposes of both representation and taxation. 

9. What does separation of powers mean? 

Separation of powers means the sharing of powers among three separate branches of government. 

10. Why were the Federalist Papers written? 

To encourage New York to ratify the Constitution 

11. What argument did Alexander Hamilton use to convenience people that it was not dangerous to place power in the hands of one man? 

1. One man could respond to  crises more quickly than a group of men like congress

2. It was easier to control the reactions of one man than the actions of a group

12. Why did so many people oppose ratification of the constitution, an how was their opposition partly overcome?

Opposition stemmed from the lack of the Bill of Rights through amendments.

13. How many states must ratify an amendment before it becomes law?

Three-Fourths

14. What is the Bill of Rights?

First ten amendments of the Constitution that protect individual freedoms 

15. What did the Fourteenth Amendment achieve? 

Provide equal protection under the law for all citizens.

Chapter 3

American Federalism

Which statement about federal and unitary systems is most accurate? 

1. In a federal system, power is concentrated in the states; in a unitary system, it is concentrated in the national government. 

2. In a federal system, the constitution allocates powers between states and the federal government; in a unitary system, powers are lodged in the national government.

3. Today, there are more countries with federal systems than with unitary systems. 

4. The United States and Japan have federal systems, while Great Britain and Canada have unitary systems.

In a federal system, the constitution allocates powers between states and the federal government; in a unitary system, powers are lodged in the national government.

Which statement is most accurate about the sources of revenue for local and state governments? 

1. Taxes generate well over one-half of the total revenue of local and state governments.

2. Property taxes generate the most tax revenue for both local and state governments. 

3. Between 30 and 40 percent of the revenue for local and state governments comes from grant money.

4. Local and state governments generate an equal amount of revenue from issuing licenses and certificates.

Taxes generate well over one half the total revenue of local and state governments.

What key constitutional provisions define the scope of authority of the federal and state governments? 

The Supremacy Clause in Article VI of the Constitution regulates relationships between the federal and state governments by declaring that the Constitution and federal law are the supreme law of the land. 

4. What are the main functions of federal and state governments?

In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court invoked which provisions of the Constitution?

1. Tenth Amendment and Spending Clause 

2. Commerce clause and supremacy clause 

3. Necessary and proper clause and supremacy clause.

4. Taxing power and Necessary and Proper Clause.

Necessary and proper clause and supremacy clause.

6. Which statement about New Federalism is not true? 

1. New federalism was launched by President Nixon and continued by President Reagan. 

2. New federalism is based on the idea that decentralization of responsibility enhances administrative efficiency.

3. United States v. lopez os a Supreme Court ruling that advanced the logic of new federalism. 

4. President Reagan was able to promote new federalism consistently throughout his administration.

President Reagan was able to promote new federalism consistently throughout his administration.

7. Which is not a merit of cooperative federalism? 

1. Federal cooperation helps mitigate the problem of collective action among states.

2. Federal assistance encourages state and local governments to generate positive externalities

3. Cooperative federalism respects the traditional jurisdictional boundaries between states and the federal government.

1. Cooperative federalism respects the traditional jurisdictional boundaries between states and the federal government.

8. What are the main differences between cooperative federalism and dual federalism? 

The main difference is that dual federalism is also commonly identified as layer cake federalism because it supports the notion that the rules created by national and regional governments can only be used within their individual jurisdictions. The powers exercised by the regional states as well as the central government, therefore, resemble the different layers of a cake as they cannot be exercised outside their mandated areas. Cooperative federalism, which is also identified as marble cake federalism, differs from this outlook as it supports the notion that central governments and regional states essentially engage in power- sharing. 

9. What were the implications of McCulloch v. Maryland for federalism?

The McCulloch decision established the doctrine of implied powers, meaning the federal government can create policy instruments deemed necessary and appropriate to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities. The case also affirmed the principle of national supremacy embodied in Article VI of the Constitution, namely, that the Constitution and legitimate federal laws trump state laws. 

10. Which statement about federal grants in recent decades is most accurate? 

1. The federal government allocates in recent decades is most accurate?

2. The amount of federal grant money going to states has steadily increased since the 1960s. 

3. The majority of federal grants are block grants.

4. Block grants tend to gain more flexibility over time.

Which statement about unfunded mandates is false? 

1. The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act has prevented Congress from using unfunded mandates. 

2. The Clean Air Act is a type of federal partial preemptive regulation.

3. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act establishes crosscutting requirements. 

4. New federalism promotes the use of unfunded mandates.

New federalism promotes the use of unfunded mandates. 

12. What does it mean to refer to the carrot of grants and the stick of mandates? 

13. Which statement about immigration federalism is false? 

1. The Arizona v. United States decision struck down all of Arizona’s most restrictive provisions on undocumented immigration. 

2. Since the 1990s, states have increasingly moved into the policy domain of immigration.

3. Federal immigration laws trump state laws. 

4. States’ involvement in immigration is partly due to their interest in preventing undocumented immigrants from accessing public services such as education and welfare benefits.

The Arizona v. United States decision struck down all of Arizona’s most restrictive provisions on undocumented immigration. 

14. Which statement about the evolution of same- sex marriage is false? 

1. The federal government became involved in this issue when it passed DOMA. 

2. In the 1990s and 2000s, the number of state restrictions on same-sex marriage increased. 

3. United States v. Windsor legalized same-sex marriage in the United States. 

4. More than half the states had legalized same- sex marriage by the time the Supreme Court made same- sex marriage legal nationwide in 2015.

15. Which statement about venue shopping is true? 

1. MADD steered the drinking age issue from the federal government down to the states. 

2. Anti-abortion advocates have steered the abortion issue from the states up to the federal government. 

3. Both MADD and anti-abortion proponents redirected their advocacy from the states to the federal government. 

4. None of the statements are correct.

None of the statements are correct

16. What does venue shopping mean? 

A strategy in which interest groups select the level and branch of government they calculate will be most receptive to their policy goals.

17. Which of the following is not a benefit of federalism? 

1. Federalism promotes political participation. 

2. Federalism encourages economic equality across the country.

Federalism encourages economic equality across the country. 

Describe the advantages of federalism 

Describe the disadvantages of federalism. 

 Some disadvantages of federalism are that it can trigger a race to the bottom, leading states to reduce workplace regulations and social benefits for employees; it can obstruct federal efforts to address national problems; and it can deepen economic and social disparities among states. 

Chapter 14

American Federalism

1.______ dictate the terms and conditions state governments would have to meet in order to qualify for financial assistance in a specific policy area. 

Categorical grants

2. The Tenth Amendment created a class of powers exclusive to state governments. These powers are referred to as ____.

Reserved Powers

3. Dillon’s Rule gives local governments the freedom and flexibility to make decisions for themselves. 

False Dillon’s Rule is a legal practice that holds state power and actions above those of local governments and declares state governments to be sovereign relative to local governments.

4. Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government was quite weak relative to the states. What changes were made to strengthen the role of the federal government under the U.S. Constitution?  

5. In a _____ politica culture, the goverment is seen as a mechanism for maintaining the existing social oder or states quo.

Traditionalistic

6. Under a ______ political culture, citizens will tend to be more tolerant of corruption from their political leaders and less likely to see politics as a noble in which all citizens should engage. 

Individualistic

7. ________ as the first state to institute all mail- in voting and automatic voter registration. 

Oregon

8. ________ are officeholders who represent the will of those who elected them ad act in constituents’ expressed interest. 

Delegates

9. In a _____  legislature, meebers tend to have low salaries, shorter sessions, and few staff members to assist them with their legislative functions. 

Citizen

10. A(an) ___veto allows the governor to cross out budget lines in the legislature- approved budget, while signing the remainder f the budget into law. 

Line-item

11. Which branch would you consider to be closest to the people? Why? 

The legislature ( the state house) represents fewer people per district. The service is part of the job of a state representative, and house members need to be frequently reelected; they will have to pay attention to the electorate. 

12. Under consecutive term limits, legislators can serve one term for the number of years allotted and are not permitted to ever compete for the office again. 

False

13. The most common term limit across the states that have imposed is _____ years. 

Eight

14. When term limits have been overturned, the most common method was ______. 

A decision by the state Supreme Court

15. Term limits have produced a statistically significant increase in the number of women serving in state legislatures. 

False

16. Currectly, ______ states have term limits in place. 

Fifteen

17. Under the mayor- council system, the _____. 

Legislative and executive responsibilities are separated 

18. Which of the following is not one of the three forms of county government? 

The mayor-council system

19. What are the primary responsibilities of municipal governments? 

The primary responsibilities of municipal governments are to provide clean water as well as sewage and garbage disposal. They also maintain city facilities, parks, streetlights, and stadiums. Lastly, they address zoning and economic development and provide law enforcement, public transportation, and fire protection.