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Multiple-choice questions and answers on American government and politics, covering checks and balances, government roles, democracy, collective action, ideologies, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, federalism, civil liberties/rights, public opinion, parties, elections, and voting. It tests knowledge of key concepts in American political science, useful for students preparing for exams or reviewing core topics. It provides a concise overview of essential concepts, suitable for exam preparation or quick review. The question-and-answer format facilitates self-testing and knowledge reinforcement, aiding comprehension and retention of key political science principles. It serves as a valuable tool for students to assess their understanding.
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A system of checks and balances - ✔✔gives each branch of the national government some power over the others For James Madison, the notion that government is necessary depended strongly on: - ✔✔his belief that people are self-interested and could not be trusted to rule themselves America predominantly uses which form of democracy? - ✔✔representative When group interests conflict with an individual's interests, a(n) ________ occurs? - ✔✔collective action problem One of the most important public goods is: - ✔✔national defense Free riding tends to compromise: - ✔✔collective action A cohesive set of ideas and beliefs used for organizing the political world is a(n): - ✔✔ideology In November of 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the United States' first written constitution known as: - ✔✔Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union Which part of the national government was formed under the Articles of Confederation? - ✔✔special panels of judges to resolve disputes between states A faction is a group of ______that seek to control government power to ______ - ✔✔minority or majority interests; pursue their own interests The federalists generally: - ✔✔supported increasing the authority of the national government
For James Madison, the problem associated with a tyranny of the majority was that: - ✔✔large factions might capture control of the government and ignore the rights of those in the minority The Anti-Federalists: - ✔✔all of the above Despite significant agreement on the need for a ________ national government at the Constitutional Convention, there was serious division about ________. - ✔✔stronger; how much stronger the federal government should be Which of the following was NOT a source of significant conflict at the Constitutional Convention? - ✔✔whether to throw out or amend the Declaration of Independence Which of the following powers is NOT exclusive to the legislative branch? - ✔✔the ability to send troops into armed conflict The three principles that make up the primary framework of the Constitution are: - ✔✔federalism, separation of powers, and individual rights Which of the following statements would fall under the principle of coercive federalism? - ✔✔the national government uses mandates or regulations without giving states the money to execute and enforce the mandates or regulations (unfunded mandates) A form of government that divides sovereign power across at least two political units is called: - ✔✔federalism One advantage of decentralized power in a federal system is that it: - ✔✔is a natural check on the power of the federal government The _____ clause is vague but gives the national government a very broad grant of power to carry out its responsibilities - ✔✔necessary and proper
When it comes to the question of prior restraint on the press, the Supreme Court: - ✔✔has set a high bar for the government to meet if it wants to restrict the press Which of the following statements is NOT true about the right to privacy? - ✔✔is is explicitly guaranteed by the Constitution While _____ involves limits in government action, _____ involve protection from discrimination by either government or individuals - ✔✔civil liberties; civil rights At the end of Reconstruction, which of the following was NOT used to disenfranchise African-American voters in the South? - ✔✔age requirements Congress passed the 14th, 15th, and 16th Amendments primarily to: - ✔✔guarantee civil rights for the newly freed black slaves Which Supreme Court case validated the type of discrimination established by Jim Crow laws? - ✔✔Plessy v. Ferguson The term "affirmative action" refers to: - ✔✔offering racial minorities chances to catch up through legal means to compensate for discrimination Public opinion is best defined as - ✔✔what the public thinks about government and politics When we describe where someone falls on the conservative-moderate-liberal spectrum, we are referring to their: - ✔✔ideology What is a latent opinion? - ✔✔a view formed on the spot, as needed Which of the following is true about mass opinion surveys? - ✔✔They are a powerful tool for measuring public opinion but should be interpreted carefully
A _____ is a subsection of a population chosen to participate in a survey through a selection process in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being chosen. - ✔✔random sample A Pew Research Center survey of 1500 randomly selected people, with a sampling error of +/- 3%, showed that 52% of the respondents viewed the military effort in Afghanistan to be going well. Based on this result, what percentage of the population views the military effort in Afghanistan to be going well? - ✔✔anywhere from 49-55% Most people's political opinions and ideologies start forming: - ✔✔during interactions with their parents and families The contemporary political ideology that is generally defined by support for stronger government programs and more market regulations is most accurately defined as: - ✔✔liberal The contemporary political ideology that is generally defined by support for lower taxes, a free market, and a more-limited government is most accurately defined as: - ✔✔conservative Once the American and British invasion of Iraq began in March 2003, popular support for US military action rose my 24 points to 77% through what many commentators refer to as: - ✔✔a "rally around the flag" effect To be a part of the party in the electorate, one must: - ✔✔be a citizen who identifies with a political party the party in government comprises: - ✔✔those politicians who have been elected into office under a party label What factor contributed to the transition to our current party system? - ✔✔Democratic candidates and party leaders, particularly outside the South, came out agains the "separate but equal" system of racial discrimination Which of the following terms describes a situation in which the issues that divide the political parties change in a way that cuts across existing political coalitions? - ✔✔realignment
How are presidential primaries different from presidential caucuses? - ✔✔Primaries involve voting by ballot, whereas caucuses take place in a local meeting What factor contributed to the transition to our current party system? - ✔✔Democratic candidates and party leaders, particularly outside the South, came out against the "separate but equal" system of racial discrimination Individuals donating money directly to federal campaigns is known as ______, whereas money given to an outside group, which cannot be spent in coordination with a federal campaign is known as ______. - ✔✔hard money; soft money In America _____ run candidates for office, while _____ do not have an official position on the ballot - ✔✔political parties; interest groups Jaime votes for a Democrat for president but a Republican for Senate. This is an example of a(n): - ✔✔split ticket When an interest group contacts a public official and tries to influence public policy, it is engaged in: - ✔✔lobbying an interest group is best defined as an organization that: - ✔✔tries to influence public policy for a group of people with common interests By joining the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), you receive travel and insurance discounts. These discounts are an example of what? - ✔✔selective incentives Why did the Founders believe that the Senate would be more responsive to national interests than the House? - ✔✔Senators were indirectly elected and served longer terms Voting based on the trustee model can harm a Congress member's political career because: - ✔✔it can go against the views of constituents back home
The process of determining the boundaries of House districts every 10 years is known as - ✔✔redistricting The process of drawing legislative districts for political advantage is known as: - ✔✔gerrymandering The process by which bills are rewritten and amended in a committee us known as: - ✔✔markup What is a filibuster? - ✔✔a senator's attempt to kill a bill by continuing to speak in order to prevent a vote When a bill comes to the floor of the House under ________, it cannot be amended. - ✔✔closed rules Which of the following lists is correctly ordered? - ✔✔member introduces a bill; one chamber takes floor action; conference committee version is approved Which of the following is part of the president's job as head of the executive branch? - ✔✔implementing the law What is an executive order? - ✔✔a proclamation made by the president that changes government policy without congressional approval As commander in chief of the military, the president has the undisputed ability to: - ✔✔oversee the day- to-day operations of the military The purpose of the War Powers Resolution is to: - ✔✔encourage the president to seek congressional approval for large military action Although presidents can negotiate treaties, they require approval of ________ in order to take effect. - ✔✔2/3 majority in the Senate
Which of the following describes a situation in which legislators monitor a bureaucratic organization only after someone complains or a problem of implementation has ben brought to their attention? - ✔✔fire alarm oversight Elected officials are challenged in maintaining control over the bureaucracy due to: - ✔✔the officials' lack of expertise relative to the bureaucrats What was the principal effect of Marbury v. Madison (1803) on the Supreme Court? - ✔✔It gave the Court the ability to rule on whether laws violated the Constitution Which of the following correctly orders courts from lowest to highest? - ✔✔district courts, appeals courts, Supreme Court The person responsible for litigating on behalf of the federal government is the: - ✔✔solicitor general Which of the following would submit an amicus curiae brief? - ✔✔interest group The Rule of Four refers to the number of - ✔✔Supreme Court justices who must agree to grant a case certiorari in order for the case to be heard Although judges are bound to follow previous legal interpretations, their political views still matter because: - ✔✔there are often multiple legal justifications for any decision in a case The current national debt is - ✔✔21 trillion dollars What are the top three things that the government spends money on? - ✔✔Defense, Social Security, Healthcare What is the average cost for one year of healthcare for someone over 85 years old? - ✔✔35 thousand dollars
What is a deficit? - ✔✔the amount by which the government's spending exceeds its revenue in a given year (spending>revenue) What is an entitlement? - ✔✔any federal government program that provides benefits to Americans who meet requirements specified by law (ex- Social Security, veterans compensation, etc.) Medicare is... - ✔✔the federal health care plan that provides coverage for retired Americans for hospital care, medical care, and prescription drugs Medicaid is... - ✔✔entitlement program that provides healthcare for low-income Americans who otherwise could not afford healthcare Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - ✔✔value of a country's economic output taken as a whole and used to measure growth of the economy mandatory spending - ✔✔expenditures that are required by law discretionary spending - ✔✔expenditures that can be cut from the budget without changing the underlying law