Practice Questions for American Government | POLS 1101, Quizzes of Local Government Studies

Download Practice Questions for American Government | POLS 1101 and more Quizzes Local Government Studies in PDF only on Docsity! POLITICAL SCIENCE 1101 - AMERICAN GOVERNMENT University of West Georgia, Fall 2009 Dr. Gregory C. Dixon STUDY GUIDE PACKET This study guide is designed to help you prepare for your exams in this course. The packet is divided into two sections: a multiple choice practice question section and a short answer section. The multiple choice question section is a set of practice questions for each chapter, including an answer key and page references for the answers. The short answer section contains a list of short answer questions from which the questions on your exams will be drawn. POLS1101 Dr. Dixon Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________ ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 1 Practice Questions Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1. Since the 1960s, Americans’ trust in their government has generally a. remained stable. b. risen slightly. c. fallen slightly. d. fallen sharply. 2. Which of the following is not a consequence of the decline in trust toward the government? a. The government is unable to attract good workers to the public sector. b. People are less willing to pay the taxes necessary for public activities. c. Distrust weakens the government’s ability to help people in times of crisis. d. All of the above are consequences of a decline in trust. 3. Which of the following has been involved in major corporate misconduct in recent years? a. IBM b. Enron c. PETCO d. all of the above 4. The belief that you can influence how your government acts is called a. political efficacy. b. saliency. c. popular sovereignty. d. autocracy. 5. Which of the following is not a reason given to explain American citizens’ increased political apathy? a. citizens’ lack of understanding of politics b. the increasing belief that people cannot make a difference in politics c. an increase in the knowledge of how government operates d. the perception that government is out of touch with public opinion 6. Survey data shows that the level of Americans’ political knowledge is a. uniformly high. b. low and spotty. c. high regarding history but low regarding governmental processes. d. high concerning current events but low concerning history. 7. What aspect of citizenship was most important for the ancient Greeks? a. voting b. holding office c. military service d. talking and debating Name: ________________________ ID: A 4 22. The demand that there be no taxation without representation is a good example of what political reform of the eighteenth century? a. more popular influence on government b. the decline in citizenship c. the spread of autocracy d. greater attention to the economic effects of politics 23. The key group in Europe that pushed for limited government was a. the bourgeoisie. b. the idiotes. c. the citizens. d. the poor. 24. John Locke and John Stuart Mill are important philosophers for which of the following ideologies? a. popular participation b. liberty and political rights c. tradition and religion in government d. revolutionary action 25. Why did the Progressives support women’s suffrage in the early twentieth century? a. The Progressives were a group dominated by women. b. The Progressives wanted to make the United States as democratic as possible. c. The Progressives believed women would support their reform movement. d. The Progressives needed to develop a voting bloc to check and limit upper-middle-class northerners. 26. Who described politics as “who gets what, when, and how”? a. James Madison b. Abraham Lincoln c. Harold Lasswell d. Franklin Roosevelt 27. Direct democracy is best defined as a. a state of continual revolution. b. the system that allows people to vote by telephone or over the Internet. c. a system that allows citizens to vote directly for laws and policies. d. the competition between interest groups for governmental power. 28. Having some share or say in the composition of a government’s leadership, how it is organized, or what its policies are going to be is called a. government. b. power. c. autocracy. d. federalism. Name: ________________________ ID: A 5 29. The struggle of competing interest groups for governmental influence is called a. pluralism. b. direct action politics. c. direct democracy. d. oligarchy. 30. Politics can be defined as a. conflicts over the character, membership, and policies of any organization to which people belong. b. the informal, private organizations through which a land and its people are ruled. c. a hierarchically structured organization that is designed to distribute labor among several different groups of people. d. a line-and-staff organization that is designed to facilitate control over complex social arrangements. 31. The __________ is the most important concept for the theory of pluralism. a. individual b. state c. group d. vote 32. Which of the following statements concerning political values in the United States is true? a. American values often conflict with each other in practice. b. Because of their diversity, Americans do not share a similar set of core political values. c. The origins of American political values are found in the 1960s. d. American politics relies on its value neutrality. 33. Political culture refers to a. the way that artists, musicians, filmmakers, and cultural critics use their message to influence political decision making. b. the factors that influence the way informal social organizations make decisions. c. the shared values, beliefs, and attitudes that serve to hold a nation and its people together. d. the system of organizing politically, which is defined in the Articles of Confederation. 34. Throughout American history, the concept of liberty has been linked to a. the idea of privacy. b. the idea of limited government. c. the idea of unlimited government. d. the Articles of Confederation. Name: ________________________ ID: A 6 35. According to the text, which of the following is not one of the core American political values? a. liberty b. equality c. democracy d. socialism 36. The Bill of Rights was designed to protect a. equality. b. liberty. c. democracy. d. all of the above. 37. What are the three core values of American politics? a. liberty, equality, and democracy b. democracy, patriotism, and the rule of law c. equality, oligarchy, and free enterprise d. anarchy, equality, and patriotism 38. The right of each citizen to vote is an example of a. equality of opportunity. b. equality of result. c. political equality. d. educational opportunity. 39. The term laissez-faire means a. fair trade. b. laziness is folly. c. hard work. d. leave alone. 40. The belief that political authority should rest with the people themselves is called a. equality of opportunity. b. political equality. c. pluralism. d. popular sovereignty. 41. The Constitution’s Preamble, beginning with the words “We the People . . .,” is an illustration of what principle? a. majority rule b. political equality c. popular sovereignty d. minority rights ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 1 Practice Questions Answer Section MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. ANS: D REF: p. 7 2. ANS: D REF: p. 8 3. ANS: B REF: p. 35, 657 4. ANS: A REF: p. 9 5. ANS: C REF: pp. 9–12 6. ANS: B REF: p. 10 7. ANS: D REF: p. 11 8. ANS: C REF: pp. 11–12 9. ANS: A REF: p. 11 10. ANS: D REF: pp. 11–12, 14 11. ANS: C REF: p. 13 12. ANS: A REF: p. 14 13. ANS: B REF: p. 14 14. ANS: B REF: p. 15 15. ANS: A REF: p. 14 16. ANS: A REF: p. 14 17. ANS: D REF: p. 15 18. ANS: B REF: p. 14 19. ANS: B REF: p. 15 20. ANS: C REF: p. 15 21. ANS: A REF: pp. 15 –16 22. ANS: A REF: p. 15 23. ANS: A REF: p. 15 24. ANS: B REF: p. 16 25. ANS: C REF: p. 16 26. ANS: C REF: p. 16 27. ANS: C REF: p. 17 28. ANS: B REF: p. 17 29. ANS: A REF: p. 17 30. ANS: A REF: p. 16 31. ANS: C REF: p. 17 32. ANS: A REF: p. 26 33. ANS: C REF: p. 26 34. ANS: B REF: p. 26 35. ANS: D REF: pp. 26–29 36. ANS: B REF: p. 26 37. ANS: A REF: pp. 26–29 38. ANS: C REF: p. 28 39. ANS: D REF: p. 27 40. ANS: D REF: p. 28 ID: A 2 41. ANS: C REF: p. 28 42. ANS: A REF: pp. 31–32 43. ANS: C REF: pp. 31–32 44. ANS: A REF: p. 32 45. ANS: A REF: p. 32 46. ANS: D REF: p. 33 47. ANS: D REF: pp. 33, 35 48. ANS: C REF: p. 29 49. ANS: C REF: p. 35 50. ANS: D REF: p. 36 POLS1101 Dr. Dixon Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________ ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 2 Practice Questions Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1. What was the primary goal of the Constitution’s framers? a. to create an effective government b. to develop political virtue among citizens c. to create a constitutional system that would last for centuries d. to create a document that made state constitutions unnecessary 2. Which sector of society did not have interests that directly sparked the American Revolution? a. New England merchants b. small farmers c. slaves d. Royalists loyal to Britain 3. What led the British to raise taxes on the American colonists during the 1760s? a. the French and Indian Wars b. the cost of the war against Napoleon in Europe c. the expenses incurred in colonizing South Africa d. the extensive roads and canals built by the British in North America 4. Colonial protesters of the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act rallied around what famous political slogan? a. “No taxation without representation.” b. “Give me liberty or give me death.” c. “Remember the Alamo.” d. “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” 5. The Stamp Act was a a. tax on commerce. b. prohibition on all unofficial mail. c. law permitting the Crown to open mail. d. prohibition on alcohol. 6. The events that led to the Revolutionary War were triggered by which of the following? a. The British raised revenue by increasing the tax rate of the colonies. b. The British had established suspicious alliances with Indian tribes during the French and Indian Wars. c. American separatists assassinated King George II. d. Protestant fundamentalists in New England were attempting to establish a theocracy. Name: ________________________ ID: A 4 21. At the Constitutional Convention, the plan to create a Congress where representation was distributed according to population was called the a. Virginia Plan. b. Adams Proposal. c. New Hampshire Suggestion. d. Washington Doctrine. 22. What did the New Jersey Plan propose for Congress? a. Representation would be equal for each state. b. Representation would be apportioned according to population. c. The powers of Congress would check those of state legislatures. d. Representatives to Congress would be appointed by the state legislatures. 23. The issue of representation, which threatened to wreck the entire Constitutional Convention, was resolved by the Great Compromise, also called the a. New Jersey Plan. b. Connecticut Compromise. c. Pennsylvania Compromise. d. Virginia Plan. 24. During the Philadelphia Convention, in order to win concessions from large states, representatives from smaller states like Delaware threatened to a. boycott goods from large states. b. ban travel across their borders. c. form alliances with foreign nations. d. go to war with the large states. 25. James Madison believed that in the Constitutional Convention the greatest conflict of interests was between a. large states and small states. b. northern states and southern states. c. the wealthy and the poor. d. Catholics and Protestants. 26. What is the Three-fifths Compromise? a. It determined that three out of every five slaves would be counted for purposes of representation and taxation. b. It determined the ratio between free states and slave states. c. It created a bicameral legislature. d. It declared that the states would pay three-fifths of the Revolutionary War debt and the federal government would pay the rest. Name: ________________________ ID: A 5 27. Which of the following was a ramification of the Three-fifths Compromise? a. It temporarily mended the conflict between northern merchants and southern planters. b. It allowed for a political agreement between the North and the South. c. It meant that the Constitution officially supported slavery. d. all of the above 28. The ability of the president to veto a bill passed by Congress is a good example of what principle of limited government? a. separation of powers b. federalism c. checks and balances d. civil liberties 29. The framers of the Constitution attempted to create a government that could do all of the following except a. promote commerce and protect private property. b. limit excessive democracy. c. restrict the power of the central government. d. lead to the eventual inclusion of nonwhites in political life. 30. The electoral college is a. an expression of direct democracy. b. designed to select the president. c. established in the Bill of Rights. d. all of the above. 31. The system of shared powers, divided between a central government and the states, is called a. the electoral college. b. federalism. c. statism. d. checks and balances. 32. Which of the following was designed by the framers to be an office directly elected by the people? a. congressional representative b. senator c. president d. all of the above 33. What is the term length of a member of the House of Representatives? a. one year b. two years c. four years d. six years Name: ________________________ ID: A 6 34. The three branches of government created by the Constitution are a. constitutional, elected, and appointed. b. executive, legislative, and judicial. c. federal, state, and local. d. military, courts, and bureaucracy. 35. Procedures outlining how to amend the Constitution are found in Article a. I. b. II. c. V. d. X. 36. Which of the following was not a way the framers tried to make the Senate a check against excessive democracy? a. Senators have longer terms than any other federal officials. b. The Senate has staggered terms of office. c. Senators were elected by the state legislatures. d. Senators are the only officials immune from impeachment. 37. Only one-third of the Senate is up for re-election during any single election year, because the framers believed that a. too many elections would be difficult for the states to run. b. the voters should not have to make too many decisions during any single election. c. this was the only way to protect the Senate against radical changes. d. the state legislatures would conspire with each other to elect a Senate dominated by a single party. 38. The framers of the Constitution intended to create a presidency capable of a. completely dominating Congress. b. withstanding excessive popular pressure by making it subject to indirect election through the electoral college. c. spending money with little interference from any other branch of government. d. regulating all forms of commerce. 39. The principle of giving each branch of government its own constituency is what Montesquieu calls a a. tyranny. b. democracy. c. mixed regime. d. republic. 40. To amend the Constitution requires a __________ vote by Congress, and approval by __________ of the states. a. majority; a majority b. two-thirds; three-fourths c. three-fourths; a majority d. majority; two-thirds ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 2 Practice Questions Answer Section MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. ANS: A REF: pp. 41–42 2. ANS: C REF: p. 43 3. ANS: A REF: p. 43 4. ANS: A REF: p. 43 5. ANS: A REF: p. 43 6. ANS: A REF: p. 43 7. ANS: B REF: p. 43 8. ANS: B REF: p. 45 9. ANS: B REF: p. 46 10. ANS: D REF: p. 45 11. ANS: A REF: p. 46 12. ANS: A REF: p. 46 13. ANS: D REF: p. 46 14. ANS: A REF: p. 46 15. ANS: D REF: pp. 46–47 16. ANS: B REF: p. 46 17. ANS: A REF: pp. 47–48 18. ANS: C REF: p. 50 19. ANS: C REF: p. 49 20. ANS: A REF: p. 49 21. ANS: A REF: p. 50 22. ANS: A REF: p. 50 23. ANS: B REF: p. 50 24. ANS: C REF: p. 50 25. ANS: B REF: p. 51 26. ANS: A REF: p. 52 27. ANS: D REF: pp. 52–53 28. ANS: C REF: p. 53 29. ANS: D REF: p. 53 30. ANS: B REF: p. 53 31. ANS: B REF: p. 59 32. ANS: A REF: p. 53 33. ANS: B REF: p. 53 34. ANS: B REF: pp. 53–56 35. ANS: C REF: p. 57 36. ANS: D REF: pp. 54–55 37. ANS: C REF: p. 55 38. ANS: B REF: p. 56 39. ANS: C REF: p. 58 40. ANS: B REF: p. 57 ID: A 2 41. ANS: D REF: p. 58 42. ANS: A REF: p. 59 43. ANS: A REF: p. 61 44. ANS: C REF: pp. 60–61 45. ANS: B REF: p. 61 46. ANS: D REF: p. 65 47. ANS: C REF: pp. 63–64 48. ANS: D REF: p. 67 49. ANS: A REF: pp. 66–67 50. ANS: C REF: p. 73 POLS1101 Dr. Dixon Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________ ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 3 Practice Questions Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1. In a federal system a majority of governmental responsibilities are a. the sole responsibility of the federal government. b. under the complete authority of state governments. c. shared by both state and federal authorities. d. provided by local government agencies. 2. Over the course of American history, the federal government has grown __________ compared to the states. a. stronger b. weaker c. more expensive d. in tandem 3. Which nation does not have a strong federal system? a. Canada b. the United States c. France d. Switzerland 4. The source of an implied power under the Constitution is the _________ clause. a. full faith and credit b. comity c. necessary and proper d. commerce 5. Which of the following is an example of the police powers of state government? a. the establishment and funding of a system of criminal law b. the regulation of health codes c. laws establishing curfews d. all of the above 6. What is the purpose of the Tenth Amendment? a. to offer each state constitution the same level of protection provided by the federal constitution b. to limit the powers of the central government by establishing reserved powers for states and individuals c. to grant citizens of each state access to the federal court system d. to establish the electoral college Name: ________________________ ID: A 4 20. How did the traditional system of dual federalism establish a “commercial republic”? a. The federal government passed laws forbidding any regulation of capitalism. b. The function of the federal government was to promote and assist commerce. c. Dual federalism established property-holding requirements for federal officeholders. d. The federal government was originally designed to regulate and control the marketplace. 21. How has the structure of federalism made way for the longevity of the U.S. government? a. It has allowed for many divisive policy decisions to be made by states, rather than the national government. b. It has kept the national government small and aloof throughout most of America’s history. c. It has allowed states to develop in numerous and different ways. d. all of the above 22. What was one effect of dual federalism during the early Republic? a. The national government was spared the task of making difficult policy decisions, such as the regulation of slavery, because the states did it themselves. b. The national government was unable to raise sufficient amounts of money through taxes and tariffs. c. The number of federal criminal laws expanded rapidly, while state criminal laws decreased. d. All of the above were effects of dual federalism. 23. Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) was important because it a. fully developed the concept of judicial review. b. fully developed the concept of dual citizenship. c. established the supremacy of the national government in all matters affecting interstate commerce. d. determined that the forced relocation of the Five Civilized Tribes to Oklahoma was unconstitutional. 24. During most of the nineteenth century, Congress used its powers to __________ commerce. a. regulate b. facilitate c. limit d. corrupt 25. In __________, the Supreme Court reinterpreted the commerce clause, changing it from a check on national power to a source of national power. a. 1915 b. 1937 c. 1973 d. 1981 Name: ________________________ ID: A 5 26. What was the “Southern Manifesto”? a. the declaration of secession by the Confederate states in 1860 b. the protest against the enforced passage of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868 c. the refusal by southern congressmen in 1956 to obey Supreme Court decisions outlawing racial segregation d. the statement preceding the migration of white southerners to the Republican Party in 1968 27. Why was the Supreme Court case United States v. Lopez important? a. It was the first time since the New Deal that the Supreme Court limited the power of Congress outlined under the commerce clause. b. It was the first time that the Court had used the Tenth Amendment to limit the power of Congress. c. The Court found that citizens could not bring racial discrimination suits against state governments. d. The Court found the line-item veto unconstitutional. 28. Which Supreme Court case has not limited federal power? a. United States v. Lopez b. Printz v. United States c. Gibbons v. Ogden d. All of the above have limited federal power. 29. Which statement best describes the Supreme Court’s trend in interpreting federalism since the mid-1990s? a. The Court has slowly granted the national government more power over the states. b. The Court has limited the power of the national government over the state governments. c. The Court has repeatedly declined to hear federalism cases, arguing that they are a political question. d. The Court has granted the states more access to sue the national government in federal courts. 30. __________ describes the strategy of delegating a policy program to a lower level of government. a. Home rule b. Redistribution c. Devolution d. Preemption 31. Which constitutional amendment has been used to restrict the scope of authority by the federal government over the states? a. First b. Fifth c. Tenth d. Fourteenth Name: ________________________ ID: A 6 32. Which event was most influential in the rise of a more active national government? a. the Civil War b. World War I c. the Great Depression d. the Cold War 33. During the Great Depression, a camp of unemployed individuals who had lost their homes was referred to as a. a Hooverville. b. a Roosevelt Town. c. a supply-side shanty. d. a capitalism camp. 34. When the national government appropriates money to the states but simultaneously demands the authority to dictate its distribution, this money is identified as a. a grant-in-aid. b. an unfunded mandate. c. interstate commerce. d. a devolution. 35. Which president presided over the New Deal? a. Herbert Hoover b. Franklin Roosevelt c. Dwight Eisenhower d. Woodrow Wilson 36. A federal grant for states to afford increasing health care facilities would be an example of a a. categorical grant. b. formula grant. c. block grant. d. Ulysses S. Grant. 37. A __________ grant requires state and local governments to submit proposals to the federal government and compete for funding. a. Pell b. formula c. project d. federal 38. When the national government funds a project that is actually implemented by the states, it is an example of a. dual federalism. b. national supremacy. c. cooperative federalism. d. home rule. ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 3 Practice Questions Answer Section MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. ANS: C REF: p. 83 2. ANS: A REF: p. 83 3. ANS: C REF: p. 83 4. ANS: C REF: p. 83 5. ANS: D REF: p. 84 6. ANS: B REF: p. 84 7. ANS: A REF: p. 84 8. ANS: D REF: p. 84 9. ANS: C REF: p. 84 10. ANS: B REF: pp. 84, 86 11. ANS: B REF: p. 84 12. ANS: D REF: p. 87 13. ANS: C REF: p. 87 14. ANS: A REF: p. 87 15. ANS: A REF: p. 88 16. ANS: D REF: p. 88 17. ANS: B REF: p. 87 18. ANS: B REF: p. 89 19. ANS: B REF: p. 90 20. ANS: B REF: p. 89 21. ANS: D REF: pp. 90–91 22. ANS: A REF: p. 90 23. ANS: C REF: p. 91 24. ANS: B REF: pp. 91–92 25. ANS: B REF: p. 92 26. ANS: C REF: p. 94 27. ANS: A REF: p. 95 28. ANS: C REF: pp. 91, 95 29. ANS: B REF: pp. 94–95 30. ANS: C REF: p. 94 31. ANS: C REF: pp. 92, 94 32. ANS: C REF: p. 96 33. ANS: A REF: p. 96 34. ANS: A REF: p. 97 35. ANS: B REF: p. 97 36. ANS: A REF: p. 97 37. ANS: C REF: pp. 97–98 38. ANS: C REF: p. 98 39. ANS: B REF: p. 98 40. ANS: A REF: p. 102 ID: A 2 41. ANS: C REF: p. 105 42. ANS: D REF: p. 105 43. ANS: B REF: p. 105 44. ANS: C REF: pp. 111, 113 45. ANS: A REF: p. 83 46. ANS: B REF: p. 84 47. ANS: C REF: p. 87 48. ANS: B REF: p. 90 49. ANS: C REF: p. 91 50. ANS: C REF: p. 97 POLS1101 Dr. Dixon Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________ ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 4 Practice Questions Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1. Which of the following is not a liberty protected by the Bill of Rights? a. the free exercise of religion b. freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures c. guarantee of the due process of law d. equal protection of the laws 2. The substantive constraints found in the Bill of Rights a. put limits on what government shall and shall not have the power to do. b. define how the government is supposed to act. c. define when the government is supposed to act. d. discuss why the government is or is not supposed to do something. 3. What was the main reason that Alexander Hamilton did not want a bill of rights? a. He wanted the government to have as much power as possible. b. He believed that too many individual liberties destroyed the trust between citizen and government. c. He believed it was unnecessary for a government that possessed only specifically delegated powers. d. He believed a bill of rights would make the Constitution too long and cumbersome. 4. The Bill of Rights was written because a. the Antifederalists demanded it as the price of ratification of the Constitution. b. the Federalists realized that no constitution would last for long without a bill of rights. c. the federal government in the early days of the republic was violating too many individual rights. d. George Washington advocated the measure very forcefully. 5. The Bill of Rights was ratified by the states in a. 1776. b. 1787. c. 1791. d. 1812. 6. The Bill of Rights a. is the first ten amendments to the Constitution. b. includes all of the civil liberties and civil rights found in the Constitution. c. is the first national Constitution of the United States. d. is the First Amendment to the Constitution. Name: ________________________ ID: A 4 19. Which of the following statements concerning the death penalty is false? a. The United States is the only Western democracy to use the death penalty as a criminal sanction. b. The United States legally executes more people than any other nation in the world. c. More than thirty-five states have legalized the death penalty. d. European nations have been reluctant to extradite fugitives back to the United States if there is a chance they will face the death penalty. 20. What were the Alien and Sedition Acts? a. laws passed in the 1790s that made it a crime to say or publish anything that would defame the government of the United States b. laws that made it a crime for foreign immigrants to belong to the Communist Party or other anti-American organizations c. a law passed by Congress denying civil liberties to all noncitizens d. laws passed during the Civil War denying Confederate sympathizers the right of free speech 21. What was the fate of the Alien and Sedition Acts during the 1790s? a. In their first free speech case, the Supreme Court declared that the acts violated the First Amendment. b. The Supreme Court upheld the acts as a permissible emergency power during war. c. The acts were allowed to expire without the Supreme Court ruling on them. d. President John Adams refused to prosecute individuals under the acts because he believed they violated the Constitution. 22. The first and most famous test for determining when the government could intervene to suppress political speech was called the a. speech plus test. b. clear and present danger test. c. strict scrutiny test. d. Lemon test. 23. Which of the following forms of speech are given the highest level of protection by the Supreme Court? a. libel b. fighting words c. political sedition d. all of the above 24. The rights to assembly and petition are guaranteed by the same amendment guaranteeing a. free speech. b. due process. c. privacy. d. none of the above. Name: ________________________ ID: A 5 25. In order for a public official to win a libel suit against a news medium, the official must prove a. the story was false. b. the story was malicious. c. the story was false and malicious. d. Libelous stories receive absolute protection if the story is about a public official. 26. Which of the following types of speech does not receive full First Amendment protection? a. slander b. fighting words c. obscenity d. all of the above 27. About what did Justice Potter Stewart confess, “I know it when I see it”? a. fighting words b. speech inciting violence c. pornography d. sedition 28. Which of the following statements regarding the law and the Internet is false? a. The Internet has made it more difficult for government to regulate obscene material. b. The Internet receives more freedom from regulation than either radio or television. c. The Court has struck down several attempts by Congress to regulate the Internet. d. While there have been a number of bills concerning Internet regulation, as of 2008 no federal laws have been passed. 29. The Court does not give full protection to fighting words because a. insults hurt people’s feelings. b. such words are not part of the essential exposition of ideas. c. fighting words are a form of sedition. d. they are a form of obscenity. 30. Which of the following best reflects the Supreme Court’s position on commercial speech, such as advertisements? a. Commercial speech receives no First Amendment protection. b. Advertisements receive limited First Amendment protection. c. Advertisements receive as much protection as anything else written in the newspaper. d. Commercial speech regulations depend on the commerce clause, not the Bill of Rights. 31. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution deals with a. the right to bear arms. b. the quartering of troops. c. due process. d. cruel and unusual punishment. Name: ________________________ ID: A 6 32. “Due process of law” in the United States is generally defined by the a. First, Second, Third, and Fourth amendments. b. Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth amendments. c. Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth amendments. d. Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth amendments. 33. The Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth amendments are largely about a. protections for those accused of committing a crime. b. the right to privacy and travel. c. the demand that citizens be treated equally. d. the limits of Congress regarding economic regulation. 34. In criminal cases, the burden of proof lies with the a. government prosecutor. b. accused. c. victim. d. judge. 35. The controversy over suspicionless drug tests at school and in the workplace pits the government’s war on drugs against the right a. against self-incrimination. b. against profiling. c. to take drugs. d. to privacy from unwarranted searches. 36. What is a grand jury? a. the name for the juries used in the federal courts b. a jury that determines whether there is enough evidence to justify a trial c. the jury that determines the sentence after guilt has been proven d. a jury that determines whether the rights of the accused have been violated 37. The requirement that persons under arrest be informed of their right to remain silent is known as the __________ rule. a. Mapp b. Gideon c. Miranda d. Palko 38. The right to legal counsel in a criminal proceeding is guaranteed by the a. Fourth Amendment. b. Fifth Amendment. c. Sixth Amendment. d. Seventh Amendment. ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 4 Practice Questions Answer Section MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. ANS: D REF: pp. 121–122 2. ANS: A REF: p. 119 3. ANS: C REF: p. 121 4. ANS: A REF: p. 121 5. ANS: C REF: p. 121 6. ANS: A REF: p. 121 7. ANS: D REF: p. 121 8. ANS: A REF: pp. 121–122 9. ANS: B REF: pp. 139–140 10. ANS: D REF: p. 122 11. ANS: B REF: p. 122 12. ANS: B REF: p. 123 13. ANS: B REF: p. 125 14. ANS: B REF: p. 126 15. ANS: D REF: p. 126 16. ANS: C REF: p. 127 17. ANS: B REF: pp. 127–128 18. ANS: C REF: p. 128 19. ANS: B REF: p. 148 20. ANS: A REF: p. 129 21. ANS: C REF: p. 129 22. ANS: B REF: p. 129 23. ANS: C REF: pp. 129–130 24. ANS: A REF: p. 130 25. ANS: C REF: p. 134 26. ANS: D REF: pp. 133–139 27. ANS: C REF: p. 135 28. ANS: D REF: p. 135 29. ANS: B REF: p. 136 30. ANS: B REF: pp. 137–138 31. ANS: A REF: pp. 138–139 32. ANS: C REF: p. 139 33. ANS: A REF: p. 139 34. ANS: A REF: p. 140 35. ANS: D REF: p. 141 36. ANS: B REF: p. 142 37. ANS: C REF: p. 143 38. ANS: C REF: p. 144 39. ANS: B REF: p. 144 40. ANS: A REF: p. 144 ID: A 2 41. ANS: A REF: p. 144 42. ANS: B REF: p. 146 43. ANS: C REF: p. 149 44. ANS: A REF: pp. 147, 149 45. ANS: B REF: p. 149 46. ANS: C REF: p. 122 47. ANS: B REF: p. 125 48. ANS: C REF: p. 126 49. ANS: C REF: p. 127 50. ANS: B REF: p. 129 POLS1101 Dr. Dixon Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________ ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 5 Practice Questions Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1. What is the key question behind civil rights protection? a. What limits are placed on the government’s power over individuals? b. What is the proper meaning of equality? c. What is the appropriate role of the federal government? d. How has the expansion of the bureaucracy affected democracy? 2. When did civil rights become part of the U.S. Constitution? a. Civil rights have always been part of the Constitution. b. Civil rights were included in the Bill of Rights. c. Civil rights were incorporated with the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. d. Civil rights were incorporated when Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 3. Most of the government’s positive actions associated with the civil rights issue in the United States stem from the application of a. the civil rights clause of Article VI of the U.S. Constitution. b. the commerce clause of Article I of the U.S. Constitution. c. the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. d. the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. 4. Which of the following cases helped lead to the Civil War? a. Marbury v. Madison b. Dred Scott v. Sandford c. Plessy v. Ferguson d. Brown v. Board of Education 5. What goal did members of the abolitionist movement pursue? a. the end of slavery b. the overthrow of the U.S. Constitution c. the removal of all tariffs on slave-produced goods d. the removal of all nonwhites from U.S. territory 6. Which statement about the Reconstruction era is false? a. African Americans held many political offices in the South. b. Many areas of the southern states were occupied by federal troops. c. The Constitution was amended three times. d. African American voters supported the Democratic Party. Name: ________________________ ID: A 4 20. Why did President Dwight Eisenhower deploy federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957? a. There were massive race riots as a result of the order to desegregate the schools. b. The governor of Arkansas requested that the state’s National Guard help resist desegregation. c. The Ku Klux Klan was making terrorist threats against state officials if the local school district tried to integrate. d. It was feared that communists had infiltrated the local government. 21. In __________, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. a. 1948 b. 1954 c. 1963 d. 1976 22. Ten years after Brown v. Board of Education, __________ percent of black children in the Deep South attended school with white children. a. 1 b. 20 c. 50 d. 67 23. The first federal civil rights law passed by Congress since 1875 came in what year? a. 1936 b. 1948 c. 1957 d. 1964 24. Which area was not covered by the Civil Rights Act of 1964? a. employment b. public accommodations c. school desegregation d. poll taxes 25. In the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Congress vastly expanded the role of the executive branch and the credibility of court orders by a. mandating that the southern states racially gerrymander their legislative districts to ensure that more African Americans were elected to Congress. b. creating the strict scrutiny test. c. creating a Department of Civil Rights. d. requiring that federal grants-in-aid to state and local governments for education be withheld from any school system practicing racial segregation. 26. One step taken toward the desegregation of public schools was a. busing children from poor urban school districts to wealthier suburban ones. b. the outlawing of all forms of de facto segregation. c. the opening of numerous private schools and academies. d. All of the above steps were taken. Name: ________________________ ID: A 5 27. In __________, the Supreme Court permitted busing children as a way of bringing about desegregation of schools. a. 1947 b. 1964 c. 1971 d. 1985 28. Which city was the setting for a major racial confrontation concerning school busing? a. Atlanta b. Boston c. Dallas d. Miami 29. Which of the following best describes the federal courts’ trend toward school desegregation since the 1990s? a. The courts increased the federal supervision of local school desegregation. b. The courts decreased the federal supervision of local school desegregation. c. Federal courts continued the active use of busing. d. Federal courts ordered the withdrawal of federal education funds from school districts that do not combat de facto desegregation. 30. Desegregating schools in the northern states proved to be very difficult because a. very few minorities lived in the North. b. segregation in the North was generally de facto, the product of both segregated housing and acts of private discrimination that were hard to prove. c. discrimination in the South was so visible and pervasive that little attention was given to other parts of the country. d. there was less hostility toward segregation in the North. 31. In a case of workplace discrimination, which government institution would most likely handle the complaint? a. the Supreme Court b. Congress c. the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission d. the Department of Commerce 32. What does the term redlining refer to? a. the practice of banks refusing to make loans to people living in certain neighborhoods b. the practice of drawing districts that are biased against minority groups c. denying someone the right to vote by drawing a red line across a citizen’s name in the voter registry d. the practice of denying someone rights by labeling him or her a communist Name: ________________________ ID: A 6 33. Which of the following civil rights bills has had the least effect in changing patterns of discrimination? a. Civil Rights Act of 1964 b. Voting Rights Act of 1965 c. Fair Housing Act of 1968 d. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 34. It was during the tenure of Chief Justice __________ that the Supreme Court established gender discrimination as a highly visible area of civil rights law. a. Taft b. Warren c. Burger d. Rehnquist 35. The attempt to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment was an important political struggle for a. African Americans. b. Native Americans. c. women. d. gays and lesbians. 36. Title IX of the 1972 Education Act has had its greatest effect on a. college recruiting. b. university athletic programs. c. school busing. d. religious freedom on campus. 37. Why did the Equal Rights Amendment fail to pass? a. It did not win approval by both houses of Congress. b. It was not ratified by the necessary thirty-eight states. c. The Supreme Court had declared the amendment unconstitutionally vague before it could be submitted to the states. d. It was vetoed by President Gerald Ford. 38. The Supreme Court case Franklin v. Gwinnett County Public Schools (1992) is important because it a. asserted that monetary damages could not be awarded for acts of gender discrimination in education. b. permitted public schools to experiment with gender segregation. c. required states to fund schools on Indian reservations at the same levels as all other public schools. d. narrowed the free speech rights that students enjoyed at school. 39. Under what conditions can a plaintiff successfully bring a sexual harassment charge? a. only if the plaintiff can prove both economic and psychological harm b. only if the plaintiff can prove either economic or psychological harm c. the plaintiff need prove neither economic nor psychological harm d. only quid pro quo forms of harassment may be brought into court ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 5 Practice Questions Answer Section MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. ANS: B REF: p. 157 2. ANS: C REF: p. 159 3. ANS: D REF: p. 159 4. ANS: B REF: p. 160 5. ANS: A REF: p. 160 6. ANS: D REF: p. 161 7. ANS: C REF: p. 162 8. ANS: C REF: p. 161 9. ANS: B REF: p. 163 10. ANS: A REF: p. 163 11. ANS: B REF: pp. 163–164 12. ANS: B REF: p. 164 13. ANS: C REF: p. 164 14. ANS: C REF: p. 165 15. ANS: C REF: p. 165 16. ANS: A REF: p. 165 17. ANS: A REF: p. 167 18. ANS: D REF: pp. 167–168 19. ANS: A REF: p. 168 20. ANS: B REF: p. 168 21. ANS: C REF: p. 169 22. ANS: A REF: p. 168 23. ANS: C REF: p. 169 24. ANS: D REF: p. 171 25. ANS: D REF: p. 172 26. ANS: A REF: p. 172 27. ANS: C REF: p. 172 28. ANS: B REF: p. 173 29. ANS: B REF: p. 173 30. ANS: B REF: p. 173 31. ANS: C REF: p. 174 32. ANS: A REF: p. 177 33. ANS: C REF: p. 177 34. ANS: C REF: p. 179 35. ANS: C REF: p. 178 36. ANS: B REF: p. 179 37. ANS: B REF: pp. 178–179 38. ANS: A REF: p. 179 39. ANS: C REF: p. 180 40. ANS: C REF: pp. 183–184 ID: A 2 41. ANS: A REF: pp. 184–185 42. ANS: B REF: p. 186 43. ANS: B REF: p. 185 44. ANS: C REF: p. 185 45. ANS: B REF: p. 186 46. ANS: B REF: p. 188 47. ANS: B REF: p. 189 48. ANS: C REF: p. 189 49. ANS: C REF: p. 191 50. ANS: A REF: p. 191 POLS1101 Dr. Dixon Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________ ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 6 Practice Questions Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1. What percentage of Americans disagreed with the statement “The First Amendment goes too far”? a. 35 percent b. 55 percent c. 70 percent d. 92 percent 2. The various attitudes that citizens possess toward political issues, events, and people are called a. public opinions. b. political values. c. public ideologies. d. political propaganda. 3. A political ideology is best defined as a. the specific preferences individuals contemplate while discussing an issue. b. the basic principles that shape particular attitudes. c. a cohesive set of beliefs that form a general philosophy about the government. d. the concrete interests that people try to defend through public policy. 4. Liberalism and conservatism are good examples of a. public opinions. b. political attitudes. c. political ideologies. d. political interests. 5. Which of the following terms describe America’s fundamental political values? a. liberal and conservative b. Republican and Democrat c. internationalist and isolationist d. liberty, equality, and democracy 6. The term public opinion is used to describe a. the president’s collected speeches and writings during his term in office. b. the analysis of events broadcasted by reporters during the evening news. c. people’s beliefs and attitudes toward different issues. d. the U.S Supreme Court’s decisions. Name: ________________________ ID: A 4 20. In a liberal ideology, which of the core American values is most important? a. liberty b. democracy c. equality d. justice 21. __________ is the core political value most highly prized by American conservatives. a. Democracy b. Liberty c. Equality d. Family 22. Conservatives are more likely than liberals to support a. the military. b. the status quo. c. the traditional family. d. all of the above. 23. One who supports abortion and opposes state involvement with religious institutions would be described as a(n) a. liberal. b. conservative. c. socialist. d. internationalist. 24. Studies of political opinion show that a. most people do not hold specific and clearly defined opinions on all political issues. b. people’s ideologies guide them toward formulating an opinion on almost all political issues. c. people understand their keen interests with or without political knowledge. d. most Americans are ardently concerned with how their government works. 25. Recent studies by political scientists have shown that a. Americans’ knowledge of politics is generally high. b. the average American exhibits little knowledge about political institutions, processes, or leaders. c. there is little connection between possessing political knowledge and being an effective citizen. d. it is often difficult for people seeking knowledge about the government to actually find such information. Name: ________________________ ID: A 5 26. While an individual’s underlying beliefs help shape his opinions on particular issues, two other important factors are a. one’s knowledge of political issues and the outside influences affecting that person’s views. b. the relative popularity of liberalism and conservatism, along with one’s ideological history. c. the state of the economy and whether the United States is at war. d. the wording of public opinion poll questions and the illusion of saliency. 27. Which of the following is not true? a. Knowledge of politics increases one’s sense of political efficacy. b. Knowledgeable citizens are better able to recognize their political interests and act consistently on behalf of them. c. People with higher education, income, and occupational status are more likely to be both familiar with and active in politics. d. Others cannot influences people’s ideas and beliefs. 28. The ability of citizens to influence their government through an awareness and interest in politics is called a. political saliency. b. core American values. c. political efficacy. d. the status quo effect. 29. The concept of a marketplace of ideas refers to a. important changes in copyright and patent laws that have restricted Americans’ access to free information. b. the competition between varying opinions and ideas that are aired in public forums. c. the use of opinion pollsters who market a politician’s speeches, ideas, and votes. d. the explosion of information brought on by the Internet and other advances in electronic communication. 30. Why does the marketplace of ideas often have a moderating effect on people’s opinions? a. Given constant exposure to other people’s ideas, it is almost impossible for one not to modify one’s own viewpoints. b. Moderate ideas usually have the best financial backing, and the greatest publicity. c. The most popular ideas are usually the most moderate ones. d. Those who shop in the marketplace of ideas typically start with moderate viewpoints. Name: ________________________ ID: A 6 31. The marketplace of ideas has led to a. a sharp decline in knowledge among those too poor to purchase their information. b. a common ground on which Americans can debate and influence each other’s opinions. c. a vulgar and often violent culture of argument, which may require government regulation to keep peace. d. the rise of large centralized multimedia corporations. 32. Which of the following, concerning the marketplace of ideas, is true? a. The English created the marketplace of ideas in the seventeenth century. b. Very few ideas emerge in the marketplace spontaneously. c. The marketplace of ideas involves political controversies, but not scientific or religious ones. d. Only since the 1960s has the First Amendment been interpreted as a protective force for the marketplace of ideas. 33. Which of the following shapes public opinion? a. the government b. private groups c. the news media d. all of the above 34. New ideas are generally presented to the American people as a. novel solutions to unfamiliar problems. b. the product of scientific research conducted by universities and think tanks. c. the logical outgrowth of fundamental beliefs. d. all of the above 35. Which of the following best characterizes the relationship between the Clinton White House and public opinion polls? a. Clinton relied heavily on public opinion polling to determine which positions to adopt. b. Positions taken by the Clinton White House were usually defined by the president’s competition with Congress. c. Clinton used public opinion data sparingly, preferring to take his cues from the use of elite media organizations. d. The Clinton White House depended on advice from both interest groups and the Democratic Party in order to build successful strategies. 36. Which of the following has not been part of the Bush administration’s effort to maintain support for its war on terror? a. presidential speeches b. press conferences c. donations to academic institutions d. press releases Name: ________________________ ID: A 9 49. What is an initiative? a. The set of questions asked in a public opinion survey. b. A procedure that allows for laws to be placed on a ballot and voted on by the electorate. c. The policy proposals that stem directly from one’s political ideologies. d. A bill submitted to Congress before it becomes a law. 50. An important reason for why public policy and public opinion may not coincide in the United States is that a. the American system of government includes arrangements, such as an appointed judiciary, which may produce policy decisions that run contrary to prevailing popular sentiment. b. the American system of government was not designed to account for public opinion. c. the American system of government was designed to account for the elite’s needs and demands. d. American society fears a “tyranny of the majority.” ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 6 Practice Questions Answer Section MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. ANS: C REF: p. 208 2. ANS: A REF: p. 207 3. ANS: C REF: p. 207 4. ANS: C REF: p. 207 5. ANS: D REF: p. 207 6. ANS: C REF: p. 207 7. ANS: B REF: p. 207 8. ANS: A REF: p. 208 9. ANS: C REF: p. 207 10. ANS: D REF: p. 209 11. ANS: D REF: p. 210 12. ANS: C REF: p. 211 13. ANS: A REF: p. 211 14. ANS: C REF: p. 211 15. ANS: A REF: p. 214 16. ANS: C REF: p. 215 17. ANS: C REF: pp. 215–216 18. ANS: A REF: p. 219 19. ANS: B REF: p. 220 20. ANS: C REF: p. 220 21. ANS: B REF: p. 220 22. ANS: D REF: pp. 219–220 23. ANS: A REF: p. 219 24. ANS: A REF: pp. 222, 224 25. ANS: B REF: p. 224 26. ANS: A REF: p. 224 27. ANS: D REF: pp. 225–226 28. ANS: C REF: p. 225 29. ANS: B REF: p. 226 30. ANS: A REF: p. 226 31. ANS: B REF: p. 226 32. ANS: B REF: p. 227 33. ANS: D REF: p. 227 34. ANS: C REF: p. 227 35. ANS: A REF: p. 227 36. ANS: C REF: p. 228 37. ANS: D REF: p. 229 38. ANS: B REF: pp. 233, 235 39. ANS: C REF: p. 231 40. ANS: B REF: p. 231 ID: A 2 41. ANS: B REF: p. 231 42. ANS: A REF: p. 231 43. ANS: D REF: p. 232 44. ANS: B REF: pp. 232–233 45. ANS: C REF: p. 233 46. ANS: C REF: p. 235 47. ANS: C REF: p. 237 48. ANS: C REF: pp. 241–242 49. ANS: B REF: p. 241 50. ANS: A REF: p. 241 Name: ________________________ ID: A 3 13. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 did all of the following except a. loosen federal restrictions of media ownership. b. allow broadcasters, telephone companies, and cable companies to compete with one another. c. make it illegal to make indecent sexual material accessible to minors on the Internet. d. All of the above were parts of the act. 14. Which governmental regulation provides candidates in the same political office equal opportunities to communicate their messages? a. the right of rebuttal rule b. the equal time rule c. the fairness doctrine d. the diversity in the media doctrine 15. The Supreme Court case Red Lion Broadcasting Company v. FCC upheld a. the fairness doctrine. b. the right of rebuttal. c. the equal time rule. d. all of the above. 16. If a television station sold commercial time to a Republican candidate for governor, but refused to sell time to the Democratic candidate for governor, this station would be violating the a. the Telecommunications Act of 1996. b. the fairness doctrine. c. the equal time rule. d. the right of rebuttal. 17. The fairness doctrine required that a. all network news reports be balanced and fair-minded or else they would be labeled as editorials. b. broadcasters who aired controversial issues provide time for opposing viewpoints. c. all regulated newspapers establish a section of the editorial page for letters from readers. d. all radio stations present at least five minutes of news an hour. 18. What percentage of daily newspapers are owned by large media conglomerates? a. 25 percent b. 40 percent c. 55 percent d. 75 percent 19. Which of the following is not a national newspaper? a. The Wall Street Journal b. The Christian Science Monitor c. Newsweek d. USA Today Name: ________________________ ID: A 4 20. Which of the following statements is not an argument regularly made in favor of limiting the market power of major media corporations? a. Regulation is needed to preserve the diversity of public opinion. b. The media’s quality improves when there is actual competition. c. Regulating the media market creates more job opportunities in the field of journalism. d. Media competitiveness is necessary for political competitiveness. 21. Nationalization of the news began a. at the founding of the United States and with the development of its political parties. b. in the first decades of the twentieth century with the development of news corporations and radios. c. in the 1980s with the innovation of cable television. d. in the 1990s with the advent of the Internet. 22. Why is the media important for promoting political equality? a. Working for the media is the least expensive approach to having an influence in politics. b. Without the media, information would be monopolized by a small number of political insiders. c. The media are willing to attack everyone, regardless of status or wealth. d. all of the above 23. The term “nationalization of the news” refers to a. the decline of local news reporting and public interest in local news. b. the fact that more Americans throughout the country are receiving the same news stories. c. the greater level of governmental control and regulation of the news media. d. all of the above. 24. The nationalization of news in the United States has had an important political consequence due to a. the federal government now being able to control what every American watches and listens to. b. Americans tending to view the world with a similar approach since they are exposed to the same concerns and perspectives. c. the states being better able to influence government decision making. d. Americans having a greater ability to influence government decision making. 25. The Pentagon Papers were released as a result of a. Nixon’s repudiation of the Johnson administration’s strategy in Vietnam. b. investigations led by Washington Post reporters in 1972. c. a leak by a minor Defense Department staffer. d. an accident in which some of the papers were left on a Washington, D.C. subway. Name: ________________________ ID: A 5 26. The press release was created a. during the administration of James Monroe in the 1810s. b. in the early twentieth century by a public relations firm working for a railroad. c. by Franklin Roosevelt in 1933. d. by P.T. Barnum, as a way of publicizing his circus. 27. Approximately __________ percent of news coverage in American newspapers is devoted to international events. a. 5 b. 20 c. 50 d. 75 28. Which of the following is not a significant factor in determining the particular interpretation of a news story? a. government regulation b. the news audience c. the sources of the news d. the journalists 29. In 1898, the newspaper stories of publisher William Randolph Hearst led to a. the development of the first set of governmental regulations on print media. b. a war between the United States and Spain. c. World War I. d. the development of the wire service. 30. Most newspaper reporters identify themselves as a. liberal to moderate. b. moderate to conservative. c. moderate. d. nonpolitical. 31. Reporters have the ability to significantly influence news stories since they a. have been trained to think critically and write well. b. generally demonstrate a great deal of discretion while interpreting the news, giving themselves the opportunity to interject personal views and ideals into their stories. c. have more access to newsmakers. d. are usually supported by a trained staff that outdoes the public’s ability to analyze events. 32. Which of the following is not a conservative news source? a. The Washington Times b. The American Spectator c. The Washington Post d. The Wall Street Journal Name: ________________________ ID: A 8 47. During the nineteenth century, newspapers were controlled by a. Wall Street. b. political parties. c. churches and other religious groups. d. state governments. 48. Which of the following statements about adversarial journalism is false? a. It has been accused of leading to increased political cynicism among American citizens. b. It became an established practice during World War II. c. It has permitted the media to gain more autonomy from the political figures they publicize. d. It has enhanced the media’s reputation as the “watchdog” of American politics. 49. A free media is necessary for a popular government for all the following reasons, except a. that voters need information to make informed choices at the polls. b. that without the media, citizens would have no knowledge of the government’s actions beyond what the government chooses to reveal. c. that the media highlight aspects of governmental policies and actions that would otherwise be known only to insiders with technical knowledge. d. all of the above. 50. Which of the following has made politicians more dependent on favorable media coverage? a. the decline in political party organizations b. the growing popularity of television c. divided government d. the declining rate of incumbency ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 7 Practice Questions Answer Section MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. ANS: B REF: p. 249 2. ANS: B REF: p. 249 3. ANS: B REF: p. 250 4. ANS: B REF: p. 249 5. ANS: C REF: p. 251 6. ANS: C REF: p. 251 7. ANS: A REF: p. 257 8. ANS: A REF: p. 254 9. ANS: B REF: p. 254 10. ANS: B REF: p. 252 11. ANS: A REF: p. 254 12. ANS: C REF: p. 254 13. ANS: D REF: pp. 254–255 14. ANS: B REF: p. 255 15. ANS: B REF: p. 255 16. ANS: C REF: p. 255 17. ANS: B REF: p. 255 18. ANS: D REF: pp. 255, 257 19. ANS: C REF: p. 257 20. ANS: C REF: p. 256 21. ANS: B REF: p. 258 22. ANS: B REF: pp. 257–258 23. ANS: B REF: p. 258 24. ANS: B REF: p. 258 25. ANS: C REF: p. 261 26. ANS: B REF: p. 263 27. ANS: B REF: p. 270 28. ANS: A REF: p. 259 29. ANS: B REF: pp. 259–260 30. ANS: A REF: p. 260 31. ANS: A REF: p. 260 32. ANS: C REF: p. 261 33. ANS: C REF: p. 261 34. ANS: B REF: p. 261 35. ANS: C REF: pp. 261–263 36. ANS: B REF: p. 261 37. ANS: D REF: p. 261 38. ANS: C REF: p. 249 39. ANS: A REF: p. 265 40. ANS: C REF: p. 267 ID: A 2 41. ANS: A REF: p. 267 42. ANS: D REF: p. 268 43. ANS: B REF: pp. 268–269 44. ANS: B REF: p. 268 45. ANS: B REF: p. 271 46. ANS: B REF: p. 272 47. ANS: B REF: p. 272 48. ANS: B REF: p. 274 49. ANS: D REF: p. 276 50. ANS: A REF: p. 277 Name: ________________________ ID: A 3 14. The Constitution was amended to allow women to vote during all public elections in a. 1870. b. 1885. c. 1920. d. 1948. 15. The Fifteenth Amendment, passed in 1870, mandated that a. states were forbidden to impose poll taxes. b. no state could prevent the right to vote on account of race. c. no state could deny the right to vote on account of gender. d. literacy tests were forbidden in federal elections. 16. What was the main cause for dropping the legal voting age to eighteen? a. Young American citizens effectively organized and protested for the right to vote. b. It had been one of the civil rights movement’s important goals. c. The Constitution mandated that the draft age be equivalent to the voting age. d. Government officials hoped it would lead to a decline in disruptive student protests. 17. Compared with Western Europe, the United States has a __________ turnout in elections. a. higher b. lower c. roughly equivalent d. non-comparable 18. The American political community is defined as a. those who voted in the last federal election. b. those who are eligible to vote and participate in American political life. c. everyone who lives in the United States. d. those Americans who hold elected office at all levels of government. 19. According to the text, the central challenge for establishing a democracy in Iraq has been a. securing Sunni participation in politics. b. protecting individual civil rights and liberties. c. convincing Iraqis to vote. d. securing Kurdish participation in national politics. 20. Which of the following was not a critical group that attempted to expand civil rights for African Americans? a. NAACP b. DAR c. SNCC d. SCLC Name: ________________________ ID: A 4 21. The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s used all of the following methods of participation except a. sit-ins and marches. b. litigation. c. lobbying and political pressure. d. the power bloc of southern African American voters. 22. What bloc of voters has recently been called the “sleeping giant”? a. African Americans b. Latinos c. Asian Americans d. middle-class whites 23. Forty percent of all Asian Americans live in a. California. b. New York. c. Florida. d. Texas. 24. Over the past decade, polls have revealed that Asian American voters are moving a. toward the Republican Party. b. toward the Democratic Party. c. away from all forms of partisan identity. d. toward third-party politics. 25. The political power of Asian Americans has recently been hindered because of the a. diversity of national backgrounds and cultures. b. political apathy among Asian American voters. c. disfranchisement of Asian American voters in the 1990s. d. lack of a sufficiently large population for bloc voting. 26. Which of the following best describes the goal of the EMILY’s List organization? a. to promote the expansion of pro-choice legislation b. to advocate a pro-life position c. to raise money for Democratic women candidates interested in running for office d. to litigate sex discrimination cases in court 27. Which statement is correct? a. Religion has played an important role in organizing political participation. b. Religious groups have played a relatively minor role in politically mobilizing Americans. c. Catholics and Protestants in the United States remain deeply divided politically. d. Political groups usually attempt to keep religious issues out of politics. Name: ________________________ ID: A 5 28. Churches and religious groups have been influential in all of the following except a. the Civil Rights movement. b. antiabortion protests. c. health care reforms. d. the mobilization of the Republican Party. 29. Evangelical Protestants are more likely to be associated with a. the Republican Party. b. the Democratic Party. c. the Moral Majority Party. d. no party; they are typically nonpartisan. 30. What was the Supreme Court case that ruled prayers in public schools were unconstitutional? a. Plessy v. Ferguson b. Engel v. Vitale c. Roe v. Wade d. Falwell v. Hustler 31. The power of the Christian Coalition in the 1990s was due to a. its ability to donate large sums of money to candidates. b. its success in mobilizing a large grassroots base. c. the number of its members who were elected to political office. d. all of the above. 32. Which of the following groups have had the highest levels of political participation? a. senior citizens b. Asian Americans c. the youth d. Latinos 33. The proportion of young people voting has __________ since 1971. a. increased slightly b. decreased c. remained stable d. sharply increased 34. Which of the following is not a key factor in indicating one’s level of participation? a. age b. income c. geographic region d. education 35. Which of the following characteristics does not constitute one’s socioeconomic status? a. level of income b. level of education c. prestige of occupation d. level of political participation Name: ________________________ ID: A 8 50. One problem arising from wealthy Americans choosing to abstain from participating in public institutions such as schools is that a. the United States no longer receives their tax dollars. b. the education level of the American electorate is declining. c. important groups of Americans no longer have a stake in the public sector. d. no other group can afford to use these public resources. ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 8 Practice Questions Answer Section MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. ANS: B REF: p. 302 2. ANS: C REF: p. 285 3. ANS: B REF: p. 285 4. ANS: A REF: p. 286 5. ANS: D REF: p. 286 6. ANS: A REF: p. 286 7. ANS: C REF: p. 286 8. ANS: B REF: p. 287 9. ANS: D REF: p. 287 10. ANS: A REF: p. 288 11. ANS: C REF: p. 290 12. ANS: C REF: p. 289 13. ANS: B REF: p. 288 14. ANS: C REF: p. 290 15. ANS: B REF: p. 289 16. ANS: D REF: p. 290 17. ANS: B REF: p. 290 18. ANS: B REF: p. 291 19. ANS: A REF: p. 292 20. ANS: B REF: p. 293 21. ANS: D REF: p. 293 22. ANS: B REF: p. 296 23. ANS: A REF: p. 297 24. ANS: B REF: p. 297 25. ANS: A REF: pp. 296–297 26. ANS: C REF: p. 299 27. ANS: A REF: pp. 299–301 28. ANS: C REF: pp. 299–301 29. ANS: A REF: pp. 300–301 30. ANS: B REF: p. 300 31. ANS: B REF: p. 301 32. ANS: A REF: p. 301 33. ANS: B REF: p. 287 34. ANS: C REF: p. 303 35. ANS: D REF: p. 303 36. ANS: A REF: p. 303 37. ANS: A REF: p. 303 38. ANS: A REF: p. 303 39. ANS: B REF: p. 303 40. ANS: C REF: p. 286 ID: A 2 41. ANS: A REF: p. 308 42. ANS: B REF: p. 309 43. ANS: B REF: p. 309 44. ANS: A REF: p. 309 45. ANS: C REF: p. 310 46. ANS: C REF: p. 296 47. ANS: A REF: p. 303 48. ANS: D REF: p. 314 49. ANS: D REF: p. 314 50. ANS: C REF: p. 315 Name: ________________________ ID: A 3 13. Which group was not a part of the New Deal coalition? a. Catholics b. farmers c. business leaders d. organized labor 14. Bill Clinton’s policy of __________ was based on his desire to position himself between conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats. a. compassionate conservatism b. triangulation c. internal mobilization d. electoral realignment 15. Who was the first presidential candidate of the Republican Party? a. Andrew Jackson b. John Fremont c. Abraham Lincoln d. Ulysses Grant 16. Which of the following was not a platform of the Republican Party before the Civil War? a. protective tariffs b. construction of a transcontinental railroad c. permitting slavery in Kansas and Nebraska d. homesteading 17. Which was a dominant party in the United States from the years after the Civil War until the 1930s? a. the Republicans b. the Democrats c. the Whigs d. the Progressives 18. Which event occurred in 1994? a. the Republican Party won control of both houses of Congress for the first time since the 1950s b. the Republican Party lost control of the Senate for the first time in twenty years c. Bill Clinton defeated Bob Dole and won his second term in office d. House Speaker Newt Gingrich resigned his seat after the Republican Party suffered severe losses 19. The Federalist Party disappeared forever as a result of a. Jefferson’s election in 1800. b. the War of 1812. c. the Louisiana Purchase. d. Alexander Hamilton being killed by Aaron Burr. Name: ________________________ ID: A 4 20. What issue led to the demise of the Whig Party? a. slavery b. economic regulations and tariffs c. the admission of California into the Union d. the death of Andrew Jackson 21. The Populist Party appeals to each of the following groups, except a. Western mining interests. b. Eastern bankers. c. small farmers. d. urban workers. 22. When a ruling political party is supplanted by a new dominant political force, it is called a(n) a. apathy. b. electoral realignment. c. divided government. d. triangulation. 23. Which of the following occurs when one party becomes dominant after replacing another party that has dominated national politics for a lengthy period of time? a. an electoral realignment b. a proportional representation c. a divided government d. external mobilization 24. Which of the following transpires when one party controls the presidency while another party controls one or both houses of Congress? a. an electoral realignment b. a divided government c. a seditious government d. internal mobilization 25. Which of the following was not the date of an electoral realignment? a. 1800 b. 1828 c. 1932 d. 1994 26. When Richard Nixon employed his “southern strategy” he a. used the FBI to help collect secrets and blackmail southern Democratic leaders. b. ignored the southern states in favor of voters in the Midwest and Northeast. c. appealed to disaffected white voters in the South. d. referred to the break-in at the Watergate apartments. Name: ________________________ ID: A 5 27. As a third-party candidate, Ross Perot captured approximately __________ percent of the popular vote in the 1992 presidential election. a. 5 b. 10 c. 20 d. 30 28. Third parties in the United States typically represent a. women’s interests. b. extremist religious groups. c. the political interests of America’s allies who attempt to influence the American decision-making process because U.S policies can affect their futures. d. social and economic interests that are disregarded by the two major parties for certain reasons. 29. Which of the following statements concerning third parties is false? a. Third parties are often short lived. b. Successful third parties often have their programs adopted by one of the two major parties. c. The earliest third parties in the United States arose as a result of the Great Depression. d. Third parties often have support limited by geographic region. 30. The third-party candidate who won the most electoral college votes in American history was a. Ross Perot. b. Ralph Nader. c. John Anderson. d. George Wallace. 31. Which system develops when the winner of an electoral race obtains more votes than any other candidate? a. the majority system b. the plurality system c. proportional representation d. the winner-take-all system 32. Third-party candidates are better off under what system of election? a. the majority system b. the plurality system c. proportional representation d. None of these systems is favorable to third parties. 33. Which of the following is not accomplished at a party’s national convention? a. nomination of the presidential and vice-presidential candidate b. determination of the party’s rules and bylaws c. development and ratification of the party’s platform d. nomination of Senate and House candidates Name: ________________________ ID: A 8 47. Between the Civil War and the 1960s, the __________ was a Democratic stronghold. a. Midwest b. West c. South d. Southwest 48. In contemporary American politics, solid support for the Republican Party comes from the a. South and Mountain West. b. South, Northeast, and Midwest. c. Northeast, Midwest, and West. d. Northeast, Midwest, and Southwest. 49. Which of the following is not an important principle of a responsible party government? a. Parties should allow candidates to run their own campaigns. b. Parties should develop a coherent set of campaign issues. c. Parties should mobilize voters. d. Parties should fulfill their campaign promises once in office. 50. One proposal your text authors suggest will make political parties stronger and more responsible is a. to make parties more responsible for the bulk of campaign financing. b. to make parties more ideological, like those in Western Europe. c. to revive the urban political machines of the last century. d. to move the United States toward proportional representation. ID: A 1 POLS1101 Fall 2009 - WTP Chapter 9 Practice Questions Answer Section MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. ANS: C REF: p. 320 2. ANS: C REF: p. 321 3. ANS: B REF: p. 335 4. ANS: B REF: pp. 332, 343 5. ANS: A REF: p. 322 6. ANS: A REF: p. 322 7. ANS: C REF: p. 322 8. ANS: B REF: p. 322 9. ANS: B REF: p. 322 10. ANS: C REF: p. 322 11. ANS: A REF: pp. 322–323 12. ANS: D REF: pp. 322–323 13. ANS: C REF: p. 324 14. ANS: B REF: p. 324 15. ANS: B REF: p. 324 16. ANS: C REF: p. 324 17. ANS: A REF: p. 325 18. ANS: A REF: p. 325 19. ANS: B REF: p. 326 20. ANS: A REF: pp. 327–328 21. ANS: B REF: p. 328 22. ANS: B REF: p. 330 23. ANS: A REF: p. 330 24. ANS: B REF: p. 331 25. ANS: D REF: pp. 330–331 26. ANS: C REF: p. 330 27. ANS: C REF: p. 333 28. ANS: D REF: p. 332 29. ANS: C REF: pp. 332–334 30. ANS: D REF: p. 334 31. ANS: B REF: p. 335 32. ANS: C REF: p. 335 33. ANS: D REF: pp. 335–336 34. ANS: B REF: p. 335 35. ANS: A REF: p. 337 36. ANS: C REF: p. 338 37. ANS: B REF: p. 338 38. ANS: B REF: p. 340 39. ANS: B REF: p. 340 40. ANS: B REF: p. 341 ID: A 2 41. ANS: C REF: p. 341 42. ANS: C REF: p. 330 43. ANS: D REF: p. 342 44. ANS: B REF: p. 343 45. ANS: D REF: p. 343 46. ANS: B REF: p. 343 47. ANS: C REF: p. 345 48. ANS: A REF: p. 345 49. ANS: A REF: p. 358 50. ANS: A REF: p. 358 Name: ________________________ ID: A 3 14. Smaller and weaker parties are most likely to have electoral success under which system of elections? a. proportional representation system b. majority system c. plurality system d. unitary system 15. A majority electoral system, which is used on a limited basis in the United States, requires that a candidate must win __________ to win an election. a. at least 25 percent of all votes cast b. at least 40 percent of all votes cast c. 50 percent plus one of all votes cast d. at least 60 percent of all votes cast, plus a percentage of absentee ballots 16. Plurality and majority systems tend to a. increase the number of political parties. b. decrease the number of political parties. c. evolve into single-party systems. d. devolve into anarchy. 17. The boundaries of legislative districts in the United States are to be redrawn every __________ years. a. two b. four c. six d. ten 18. When the Supreme Court announced the principle of “one person, one vote,” what did it mean? a. Voters may only vote once in an election. b. Within a state, electoral districts must have roughly equal populations. c. No one could be denied suffrage on the basis of race or gender. d. Voting was an individual right, not a group right. 19. The practice of __________ means that district boundaries have been purposefully drawn to unfairly advantage one group or party. a. proportional representation b. gerrymandering c. balloting d. incumbency 20. When legislatures draw district lines made up largely of underrepresented minority groups, the practice is called a. benign gerrymandering. b. group redistricting. c. split ticketing. d. affirmative action. Name: ________________________ ID: A 4 21. In what case did the Supreme Court say that purposefully drawing districts where the majority of voters were members of a single minority group, in order to ensure minority representation, was not constitutional? a. Reynolds v. Sims b. Bush v. Gore c. Shaw v. Reno d. Brown v. Board of Education 22. Before the 1890s, who was responsible for printing election ballots? a. the federal government b. state governments c. political parties d. the National League of Women Voters 23. What unusual act did the Texas legislature perform in 2002? a. It redistricted without waiting for a new census. b. It made gerrymandering illegal. c. It gave redistricting authority to a nonpartisan committee. d. It officially repudiated the principle of “one person, one vote.” 24. If you voted for a Republican for president and a Democrat for senator, you engaged in a. a referendum. b. an open primary. c. split-ticket voting. d. the coattail effect. 25. When American voters support only one party’s candidates, they are said to be voting a a. dual ticket. b. single ticket. c. straight ticket. d. split ticket. 26. The result that is produced when voters cast a ballot for the president and then automatically vote for the remainder of that party’s candidates is called the a. shirttail effect. b. coattail effect. c. pocket veto effect. d. logrolling effect. 27. Split-ticket voting a. increases political corruption at the polling booths. b. increases partisan divisions in government. c. decreases partisan conflict in government. d. increases the coattail effect during midterm elections. Name: ________________________ ID: A 5 28. Which event helped lead to a change in the way that the electoral college chose the president and vice president? a. the riots caused by the Alien and Sedition Act, in the 1790s b. the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr in 1803 c. the failure of Andrew Jackson to win the White House in 1824 d. the secession of southern states in 1860 29. A major factor in John Kennedy’s 1960 presidential victory over Richard Nixon was a. the fact that unlike Nixon, Kennedy hired a professional political consultant. b. that Kennedy had a much stronger performance than Nixon during televised debates. c. Nixon’s failure to develop infomercials. d. Kennedy’s aggressive use of push polls, especially in the Northeast. 30. Who is the incumbent? a. the current officeholder, running for re-election b. the candidate who raises the most money during the campaign c. the official candidate for a political party, running in the general elections d. the label for whoever is leading in the polls on the day of the election 31. Approximately how much money does it take for a candidate to have a reasonable chance of winning a seat in the House of Representatives? a. $50,000 b. $500,000 c. $5,000,000 d. $10,000,000 32. Campaign consultants do all of the following except a. conduct opinion polls. b. organize direct mailings. c. develop the issues on which the candidate will focus. d. All of the above are tasks of the campaign consultant. 33. When does public opinion polling take place during a campaign? a. at the very beginning b. only toward the end of the campaign c. throughout the entire campaign d. Polling is too expensive for any campaign except the presidential campaign. 34. Which of the following primary battles is the best example of an ideological clash, rather than a personality clash? a. Al Gore and Bill Bradley in 2000 b. George W. Bush and John McCain in 2000 c. Mike Huckabee and John McCain in 2008 d. All of the above involved ideological clashes.