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4
The American Political
Landscape
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. The study of the characteristics of populations is known as
__________.
a. demography
b. geography
c. political science
d. population studies
Topic: Introduction
Learning Objective: Introduction
Page Reference: 104
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
2. Someone who believes that the American way of life is
inherently superior to any other on earth is demonstrating
__________.
a. ethnocentrism
b. fascism
c. nationalism
d. patriotism
90
Topic: Introduction
Learning Objective: Introduction
Page Reference: 104
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
3. Politicians who want to raise taxes on the wealthy are often
accused of “class warfare.” What is implied in this accusation?
a. that revolution is imminent
b. that people should not perceive themselves in terms of social
class
c. that the upper and lower classes have nothing in common
d. that the middle class is the most politically moderate
Topic: Introduction
Learning Objective: Introduction
Page Reference: 104
Skill Level: Analyze It
Diiculty Level: Diicult
4. In a speech at the U.S. Air Force Academy, President Obama
stated, “Never bet against the United States . . . the United
States has been, and will always be, the one indispensable
nation in world afairs.” What belief is illustrated in this
quotation?
a. manifest destiny
b. American exceptionalism
c. ethnocentrism
d. American diplomacy
Topic: An Exceptional America
Learning Objective: LO 4.1: Understand the origins and
efects of American exceptionalism.
Page Reference: 104 – 105
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Diiculty Level: Diicult
5. Which region of the United States has the fastest rate of
population growth?
91
a. the Midwest
b. the Northeast
c. the South
d. the Sun Belt
Topic: Where We Live
Learning Objective: LO 4.3: Evaluate the importance of where
we live on American politics.
Page Reference: 107 – 108
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
6. The geography of the United States is best described as
__________.
a. exposed and historically unstable
b. fragmented and varied
c. large and fragmented
d. large and historically isolated
Topic: Geography and National Identity
Learning Objective: LO 4.2: Assess the role of geography in
building a national identity.
Page Reference: 105
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
7. The irst large wave of new immigrants to the United States
came between __________.
a. 1840 and 1860
b. 1864 and 1896
c. 1900 and 1924
d. 1950 and 1980
Topic: Who We Are
Learning Objective: LO 4.4: Analyze how such social and
demographic factors as race and ethnicity, religion, gender,
family structures, education, and age afect American politics.
Page Reference: 119
92
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
8. The highest poverty rates in the United States occur among
__________.
a. African Americans
b. Asian Americans and Paciic Islanders
c. Hispanic Americans
d. Native Americans and Alaskan Natives
Topic: Who We Are
Learning Objective: LO 4.4: Analyze how such social and
demographic factors as race and ethnicity, religion, gender,
family structures, education, and age afect American politics.
Page Reference: 110
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
9. The percentage of African American families that live below the
poverty line is __________.
a. nearly 10 percent
b. nearly 25 percent
c. more than 50 percent
d. approximately 70 percent
Topic: Who We Are
Learning Objective: LO 4.4: Analyze how such social and
demographic factors as race and ethnicity, religion, gender,
family structures, education, and age afect American politics.
Page Reference: 112
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
10. Virtually all African American voters cast their vote for which
presidential candidate?
a. Dwight D. Eisenhower
b. George W. Bush
c. Lyndon B. Johnson
d. Richard Nixon
93
Topic: Who We Are
Learning Objective: LO 4.4: Analyze how such social and
demographic factors as race and ethnicity, religion, gender,
family structures, education, and age afect American politics.
Page Reference: 112
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
11. Members of which Asian American subgroup are most likely to
register to vote as Democrats?
a. Chinese Americans
b. Japanese Americans
d. Korean Americans
d. Thai Americans
Topic: Who We Are
Learning Objective: LO 4.4: Analyze how such social and
demographic factors as race and ethnicity, religion, gender,
family structures, education, and age afect American politics.
Page Reference: 113
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
12. __________ make up the largest religious group in the United
States.
a. Evangelicals
c. Catholics
d. Unitarians
d. Protestants
Topic: Who We Are
Learning Objective: LO 4.4: Analyze how such social and
demographic factors as race and ethnicity, religion, gender,
family structures, education, and age afect American politics.
Page Reference: 115
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
94
13. John F. Kennedy was the irst __________ president of the United
States.
a. Catholic
b. Baptist
c. Evangelical
d. non-Christian
Topic: Who We Are
Learning Objective: LO 4.4: Analyze how such social and
demographic factors as race and ethnicity, religion, gender,
family structures, education, and age afect American politics.
Page Reference: 115
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Easy
14. Fundamentalist Christians are an important force for which
American political party?
a. Democrats
b. Independents
c. Libertarians
d. Republicans
Topic: Who We Are
Learning Objective: LO 4.4: Analyze how such social and
demographic factors as race and ethnicity, religion, gender,
family structures, education, and age afect American politics.
Page Reference: 115
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
15. Which state is part of the Bible Belt?
a. Ohio
b. Indiana
c. Kentucky
d. Nevada
95
Topic: Where We Live
Learning Objective: LO 4.3: Evaluate the importance of where
we live on American politics.
Page Reference: 108
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
16. In the 18th and 19th centuries, most people in the United States
worked primarily __________.
a. as craftspeople
b. in factories
c. on farms
d. in the transportation sector
Topic: How Much We Own
Learning Objective: LO 4.5: Describe the importance of
income, wealth, occupation, and social class in American
politics.
Page Reference: 122
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
17. The percentage of Americans engaged in agricultural
production today is about __________.
a. 1 percent
b. 4 percent
c. 19 percent
d. 23 percent
Topic: How Much We Own
Learning Objective: LO 4.5: Describe the importance of
income, wealth, occupation, and social class in American
politics.
Page Reference: 123
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
18. When social and economic diferences buttress one another,
making political conlict more intense and polarizing, social
scientists call them __________.
96
a. cross-cutting cleavages
b. polarizing cleavages
c. predisposing cleavages
d. reinforcing cleavages
Topic: Introduction
Learning Objective: Introduction
Page Reference: 104
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
19. Divisions within society that cut across demographic categories
to produce groups that are more heterogeneous are called
__________.
a. cross-cutting cleavages
b. cross-political dispositions
c. ideological impasses
d. reinforcing cleavages
Topic: Introduction
Learning Objective: Introduction
Page Reference: 104
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
20. In the 1830s, Alexis de Tocqueville concluded that the United
States had had no great wars because of its __________.
a. great technological advances
b. lack of powerful neighbors on its borders
c. long periods of stability
d. relative lack of social and political tensions
Topic: Geography and National Identity
Learning Objective: LO 4.2: Assess the role of geography in
building a national identity.
Page Reference: 105
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
97
Diiculty Level: Diicult
21. California stands out in U.S. politics today because __________.
a. it has more members of the U.S. House of Representatives
than the next 10 states combined
b. it has 155 presidential electoral votes, more than any other
state
c. nearly one in eight U.S. citizens lives in the state, making it
the most populous state in the Union
d. 20 states owe California more than a billion dollars each,
making it the largest lender to other states
Topic: Where We Live
Learning Objective: LO 4.3: Evaluate the importance of where
we live on American politics.
Page Reference: 109
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
22. In both political and economic terms, __________ is the most
powerful state in the Union.
a. California
b. Florida
c. New York
d. Texas
Topic: Where We Live
Learning Objective: LO 4.3: Evaluate the importance of where
we live on American politics.
Page Reference: 109
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
23. The two most urban states in the United States are __________.
a. California and New Jersey
b. Florida and California
c. Florida and New York
d. New York and New Jersey
98
Topic: Where We Live
Learning Objective: LO 4.3: Evaluate the importance of where
we live on American politics.
Page Reference: 109
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
24. Sectional distinctions in the United States refer to diferences
based on __________.
a. census and demographic statistics
b. education and wealth
c. geography and region
d. race and ethnicity
Topic: Where We Live
Learning Objective: LO 4.3: Evaluate the importance of where
we live on American politics.
Page Reference: 107
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
25. According to Daniel Bell, the organizing device for the
postindustrial era is __________.
a. computer skills
b. education
c. knowledge
d. technology
Topic: How Much We Own
Learning Objective: LO 4.5: Describe the importance of
income, wealth, occupation, and social class in American
politics.
Page Reference: 123
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
26. The most distinct section of the United States remains
__________.
