The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution Lists All of the Following Goals of Government Except

CHAPTER 4/5

Ans: D

The preamble to the U.S. Constitution lists all of the following goals of government except a. union. b. justice. c. liberty. d. democracy. e. tranquility.

Ans: C

The validity of public opinion polls may be affected by several factors, including a. poll overrepresentation of the views of a political elite. b. the fact that public opinion tends to be relatively stable over time. c. the wording of questions on a poll. d. poll overrepresentation of political culture factors such as liberty and civic duty. e. excessive polling in certain parts of the country.

Ans: C

According to Alexis de Tocqueville, one of the reasons a democratic republic took root in the United States was because of the a. high levels of taxation. b. insistence on economic equality for all. c. presence of fertile lands and rich resources. d. absence of foreign intervention. e. absence of a feudal aristocracy.

Ans: D

In our society, government officials should be accountable to the people. This principle is known as a. liberty. b. equality. c. civic duty. d. democracy. e. capitalism.

CHAPTER 1

Ans: C

______is the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the first person’s intentions a. influence b. legitimacy c. power d. authority e. leadership CHAPTER 2

Ans: E

Which of the following statements about the Articles of Confederation is/are correct? a. each state had one vote in congress b. there was no national judicial system c. to amend the articles, all thirteen states had to agree d. the national government didn’t have the right to tax states e. all of the above

Ans: B

The ______plan called for a strong national government a. New Jersey b. Virginia c. Connecticut d. Rhode Island e. federalist

Ans: C ______refers to a government in which a system of representation operates. a. federalism b. democratic centralism c. republic d. separation of powers e. pluralism

Ans: D

The proponents of the constitution were called the ______a. framers b. revisionalists c. antifederalists d. federalists e. patriots

Ans: D

The Bill of Rights refers to the first ______amendments to the constitution a. five b. six c. eight d. ten e. twelve

CHAPTER 3

Ans: C

The Supremacy Clause was first invoked in which Supreme Court case? a. Marbury v. Madison b. Roe v. Wade c. McCulloch v. Maryland d. Fletcher v. Peck e. Brown v. Board of Education Ans: B or A

Under the doctrine of dual federalism: a. Congress could regulate intrastate commerce b. Congress could regulate interstate commerce c. Congress could regulate intrastate commerce and interstate commerce d. States could regulate interstate commerce e. none of the above

Ans: D

Which type of grant is for one specific purpose? a. revenue sharing grant b. block grant c. conditional grant d. categorical grant e. none of the above

CHAPTER 6

Ans: B

Which amendment gave women the right to vote? a. fourteenth b. nineteenth c. twenty-first d. twelfth e. none of the above

CHAPTER 7

Ans: B

National party conventions were developed as a reform of a. the electoral college. b. party caucuses. c. primary elections. d. direct elections. e. recall elections.

Ans: C

The congressional caucus system of selecting a presidential candidate was replaced by a. state caucus nominations. b. direct popular nominations. c. the party convention. d. the open primary. e. the blanket primary. Ans: B

Procedures such as the initiative and the referendum arose as efforts to give a. Congress a way of controlling the president. b. citizens a direct say in making laws. c. courts a system for prosecuting election fraud. d. governors more power in relation to legislatures. e. party regulars a say in nominating candidates.

CHAPTER 8

Type: Conceptual Ans: C

10. Presidential races differ from congressional races in that the former generally a. are less competitive. b. relate more closely to what the candidate can do for constituents. c. produce a larger voter turnout. d. allow the incumbent more opportunity to deny responsibility for the "mess" in Washington. e. A and D.

Ans: B

The first goal of an individual planning to run for office is to a. hire a paid staff of advisers. b. get mentioned as a possible candidate. c. develop a strategy for the campaign. d. raise money from individuals and political action committees (PACs). e. replace party leaders with avid supporters.

Ans: B

The Constitution calls for reapportionment a. every five years. b. every ten years c. every twenty years d. every fifty years. e. every one hundred years.

Ans: D

Funding of congressional elections comes from a. public sources only. b. private sources only. c. party sources only. d. a combination of public, party, and private sources. e. the parties and public sources.

CHAPTER 9 Ans: C The growth of numerous public-interest lobbies in the 1960s was an example of interest groups forming as a result of a. government policy. b. the emergence of talented leadership. c. the enlargement of governmental responsibilities. d. broad economic developments. e. legislative capitulation. Ans: A

An organization that seeks to influence public policy is most accurately referred to as a(n) a. interest group. b. lobby. c. institutional interest. d. membership interest. e. referenced interest.

Ans: C

The U.S. tobacco industry is represented in Washington by a strong lobby that seeks to influence public policy regarding the use of tobacco. This lobby is most accurately referred to as a(n) a. membership interest. b. solidary group. c. institutional interest. d. public-interest lobby. e. referenced interest.

CHAPTER 10

Ans: A

An important factor in the development of less partisan newspapers in the nineteenth century was the growth of a. paid advertising, which reduced the need for party subsidies. b. political patronage, which contributed needed funds to editors. c. a large rural population, which balanced the urban bias of newspapers. d. government subsidies, which gave editors a strong financial base. e. Supreme Court rulings which involved charges of libel.

Ans: B

Changes in U.S. politics have occurred at the same time as changes in the organization and technology of the media. This seems to suggest that a. the nature of journalism dictates the nature of politics. b. politics will respond to changes in how communication is carried on. c. the technology of journalism responds to changes in politics. d. journalism is more important than politics in determining how the government will operate. e. the nature of politics dictates the nature of journalism.

Ans: D

News coverage by the Associated Press had to be nonpartisan because a. its funding came from the federal government. b. its reporters' standards were highly professional. c. government regulations required it. d. it served papers of various political hues. e. its managers held the parties in contempt. CHAPTER 18

Ans: A

The small, intensely motivated groups protected by the Bill of Rights are the sort we would normally expect to be protected by a. client politics. b. majoritarian politics. c. interest group politics. d. entrepreneurial politics. e. reciprocal politics.

Ans: C

Conflicts in civil liberties often arise because a. majoritarian politics is ineffective in resolving crises. b. the U.S. Constitution is vague on issues of individual rights. c. the Bill of Rights lists several competing rights. d. policy entrepreneurs rarely operate in the civil rights area. e. the Supreme Court has refused to play a leading role in the interpretation of the First Amendment.

Ans: A

The Espionage and Sedition Acts were largely stimulated by fears of a. Germans and radicals. b. radicals and blacks. c. blacks and communists. d. Japanese and Germans. e. socialists and steel workers.

CHAPTER 19

Ans: D

Which statement best summarizes the correct understanding of civil rights? a. laws cannot make distinctions among people. b. laws cannot discriminate. c. laws must treat everyone equally. d. laws can make distinctions, but not all distinctions are defensible. e. laws can discriminate as long as they do not make distinctions.

Ans: E

The Supreme Court has decided that any law classifying people on the basis of their race or ethnicity is a. illegal. b. to be referred to the courts of individual states. c. constitutional. d. unconstitutional. e. to be subjected to especially close scrutiny. Ans: B

The ______Amendment to the U.S. Constitution appeared to guarantee equal rights for blacks. a. First b. Fourteenth c. Twenty-first d. Twenty-fifth e. Twenty-sixth

CHAPTER 20

Ans: E

Which of the following presidencies was not characterized by White House dominance of foreign policy? a. Dwight Eisenhower b. John F. Kennedy c. Franklin D. Roosevelt d. Richard M. Nixon e. none of these

Ans: C

The constitutional power to appoint ambassadors and to negotiate treaties is vested in the a. State Department. b. Senate. c. president. d. Congress. e. the House.

Ans: A

In 1973 Congress adopted the ______, which required the president to consult with Congress before sending U.S. troops into action. a. War Powers Act b. Twenty-sixth Amendment c. Declaration and Intention Amendment d. Foreign Relations Limited Security Clause e. Boland-Fry Amendment

Ans: C

Foreign policy became the first item on the president's agenda at what period in U.S. history? a. during and after the Civil War b. during and after World War I c. during and after World War II d. during and after the Vietnam War e. during and after the Gulf War

CHAPTER 11 Ans: A The term bicameral used to describe the U.S. legislature means that the legislature a. has two chambers, or legislative bodies. b. is elected every two years. c. consists of both committees and a main body. d. is based on a system of checks and balances. e. is apportioned once every ten years. Ans: C

Under the original U.S. Constitution, members of the Senate, unlike members of the House, were selected by a. direct elections. b. the president. c. state legislatures. d. primary runoffs. e. regional coalitions.

Ans: D

The Framers sought to prevent legislative tyranny by a. requiring Congress to defer to the other branches of government. b. giving the executive the right to appoint both legislators and Supreme Court justices. c. severely limiting the powers of Congress. d. dividing power among the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. e. calling for the direct election of the Senate.

Ans: A

Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution confers on Congress all of the following powers except a. the power to veto bills. b. the power to collect taxes. c. the power to declare war. d. the power to establish courts. e. the power to regulate commerce.

Ans: B

For a filibuster to be practicable, it must be supported by a. a single senator. b. a number of senators smaller than a majority. c. a majority of senators. d. all senators. e. all senators the vice-president.

Ans: A

In terms of its percentage of women and nonwhite members since 1950, the Senate, compared with the House, has a. been slower to change. b. changed at about the same rate as the House. c. been faster to change. d. fewer women and nonwhites in powerful positions. e. not changed at all.

Ans: E

A marginal district is one in which a. voters frequently change party affiliation. b. the constituency is made up of largely minority groups. c. voters are not clear as to which candidate is the incumbent. d. gerrymandering has produced a loose affiliation of interest groups. e. the winner in an election gets less than 55 percent of the vote. CHAPTER 12

Ans: A

One of the fears expressed by the Founders about aspects of the Presidency was the fear of a president's a. claiming certain inherent powers by virtue of his position. b. using the militia to overpower state governments. c. using his position to shape public opinion. d. powers to appoint select Supreme Court justices without congressional approval. e. powers to pardon.

Ans: E

Alexander Hamilton stood at the Constitutional Convention and gave a five hour speech calling for a. a plural executive. b. an elected president. c. an official declaration that George Washington would be the first president. d. his own appointment as Chief Executive. e. an elective monarchy.

Ans: E

The Framers solved the problem of how to elect the president by a. forming a quasi-parliamentary system of government. b. providing for constitutional amendments. c. forming the House Election Committee. d. creating the Committee on Detail. e. creating the Electoral College.

Ans: B

Regarding terms of office, the pattern among most early presidents was to a. serve one term and then leave office. b. serve two terms and then leave office. c. be defeated in seeking a second term of office. d. serve three or more terms of office. e. leave office after being elected to a third term.

Ans: E

Presidents have been limited to two terms by the a. Fourteenth Amendment. b. Sixteenth Amendment. c. Nineteenth Amendment. d. Twenty-first Amendment. e. Twenty second Amendment.

Ans: C

Personality plays a more important role in explaining the presidency than it does in explaining Congress because a president is a. more likely to rely on hands-on politics and persuasiveness to enact policy. b. less constrained by the rules and roles that operate within government. c. more likely to be judged by his character in addition to his accomplishments. d. relatively immune from public opinion and polls. e. less constrained by the judiciary or current notions of constitutional principles. Ans: D

Presidents need to rely on their powers of persuasion because of their a. limited staffs and sketchy constitutional powers. b. opponents within the party. c. lack of ensured legislative majorities and opponents within the party. d. sketchy constitutional powers and lack of ensured legislative majorities. e. limited staffs.

CHAPTER 13

Ans: B

Restrictions on the powers of federal administrators tended to be set aside during times of a. economic emergency. b. war. c. prosperity. d. national expansion. e. social stability.

Ans: A

Most employees of the federal government are: a. on federal contracts. b. federal civil servants. c. postal workers. d. uniformed military. e. in lower level managerial positions.

Ans: D

The broad factors that best explain the behavior of bureaucratic officials include all of the following except a. how they are recruited. b. their personal attributes. c. the influence of outside forces on them. d. their party preferences. e. how they are rewarded.

CHAPTER 14

Ans: E

Periods of partisan realignment often have the effect on the courts of a. expanding them. b. contracting them. c. energizing them. d. intimidating them. e. diluting them.

Ans: C

One effective tool that Congress has at its disposal for controlling the federal courts is the power to a. impeach judges who back policies opposed by Congress. b. overturn Supreme Court rulings with which it disagrees. c. withdraw jurisdiction from the courts. d. strip federal courts of their enforcement authority. e. temporarily remove judges who are inordinately partisan in their rulings. Ans: E

Justices who believe the Supreme Court should change the direction of legislative policy are advocating a. social Darwinism. b. natural law. c. strict constructionism. d. judicial restraint. e. judicial activism.

Ans: B

Brown v. Board of Education is an example of a a. taxpayer suit. b. class-action suit. c. Section 1983 suit. d. reapportionment suit. e. client participatory suit.

Presidential approval ratings fluctuate over the course of each presidential administration.

 Identify two factors that decrease presidential approval ratings, and explain why each factor has that effect. o Bad Economy decreases approval ratings. People feel as if the government specifically the leader of the government, the president, is to blame for the economy when in truth he has very little control over the economy. The people want someone to blame and the president is in a position of power so they blame him. This is exemplified in 2008 when Bush's approval rating plummeted during the recession. o Taxes decreases approval ratings. People generally don't want to be taxed. They do not want the government to take their hard earned money. As well as this people generally feel the government spends money unwisely. Since the leader of the government is the president, the people take out their dissatisfaction of the government out on him.  Identify two factors that increase presidential approval ratings, and explain why each factor has that effect. o War time actually increase approval ratings since most of the time war is defensive and has a "rally around the flag" effect. People are very patriotic and support defending our country, if not they are look down upon for being against the government. o When the economy is doing well and when the unemployment is low, the President usually will enjoy good approval ratings as in general people are feeling good about their net worth and assume that it is all because of the policies of the White House.

The Supreme Court is commonly thought to be "above politics." However, one can argue that the appointment of Supreme Court justices is political.  Identify three characteristics of Supreme Court nominees and discuss how each characteristic has been politically relevant during the appointment process. o Political ideology affects Supreme Court nominees. Presidents typically choose candidates who share ideologies that are in line with their own this means of they are almost always the same party as the President. The President can look at the nominees previous court decisions to see how far ideology corresponds to the President's beliefs beyond just political party affiliation. Sometime hot button issues like abortion are looked at. o Race is another factor affecting Supreme Court nominees. In recent years to better represent the population of America nominee's are of ethnic diversity. o Age is another factor concerning Supreme Court nominees for the younger the Justice is the more lasting impact the president who appointed him will have. This is especially important for Chief Justices since they have a large influence over court decisions. This is seen with the recent selection of John Roberts as Chief Justice appointed by President Bush. Bush's legacy will live on while Roberts is in office which will be most likely the rest of his life.  Identify two methods that have been used by interest groups to influence the appointment process. Explain how each of these methods has been used to influence that process. o Direct mailing campaigns is one way in which intrest groups influence the Supreme Court nominee selection. Interest groups will send out letters, make phone calls or even buy advertising time to either support or defeat a nominee based on some of their policies like opinions on hot button issues. The public will then react and pressure the President in one way or another. o Another way in which interest groups influence Supreme Court nominee selection is through lobbying the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee or the President. Campaign contributions are a strong incentive that interest groups may provide or withhold for these two groups. The threat of withholding either voting or monetary support in retaliation for a poorly chosen Supreme Court nominee can be a powerful incentive.

The framers of the United States Constitution created a legislative system that is bicameral. However, it is not just bicameral; the framers also established two houses of distinctly different character and authority.

 Discuss two reasons why the framers created a bicameral legislature. o  Identify one power unique to the House of Representatives and explain why the framers gave the House that power. o  Identify one power unique to the Senate and explain why the framers gave the Senate that power. Congressional reapportionment and redistricting are conducted every ten years. When redistricting is conducted, politicians often engage in gerrymandering.

 Define congressional reapportionment and explain one reason why it is important to states. o This is when the population is re-counted and based on which the number of representatives in the house for the state are reallocated, This is important for the states because it could change the influence the state can have as it may change the number of representatives from that state.  Define congressional redistricting. o Re-drawing the borders of a district according to pollution based on the Census. Usually they are redrawn to favor one political party.  Explain two goals of politicians when they gerrymander during redistricting. o The first goal is to create a majority of people within the redrawn district to be of his or her party. They want to make safe districts for their party to be sure that they will win that district. o Another goal is to remove the opposing parties safe district thus giving the politician's party a greater chance of winning.  Describe two limits that the United States Supreme Court has placed on congressional redistricting. o Districts must be equally populated o Gerrymandering cannot be based solely on race o Lines must connect