The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution are
commonly referred to as
A.the middle amendments.
B.the Civil War amendments.
C.the Bill of Rights.
D.the Southern amendments.
E.the franchise.
The media is a powerful avenue for expression of public opinion. Which of the
following is NOT a method available to the media for expressing or gauging public
opinion?
A.online blogs
B.call-in radio and television shows
C.letters to the editor in newspapers
D.opinion polls conducted by the media organizations
E.examination of citizens’ spending and giving habits through public banking records
Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, the concept of labor unions as interest
groups continued to grow. What was the relationship between these groups and the
goals of the business owners?
A.Their differing goals, that of worker conditions versus maximizing profits, came into
frequent and stark contrast.
B.The two groups were commendable in their ability to work through differences.
C.Congress intervened to enforce a peace.
D.The differences usually led to violent confrontations between workers and the police,
who were sympathetic to the business owners.
E.The two groups ultimately had the same goal, which was the profitability of the
company.
The amendment process for the Constitution is described in
A.Article I.
B.Article II.
C.Article III.
D.Article IV.
E.Article V.
The first graphical Internet browser was MOSAIC, which soon went commercial and
became widely utilized in which year?
A.1955
B.1960
C.1983
D.1993
E.2004
Established by Congress to run the nation’s trains, Amtrak is an example of a/an
A.international regulatory council.
B.government corporation.
C.independent executive agency.
D.interagency council.
E.captured clientele agency.
Often there are many factors and institutions that have a particularly relevant impact on
one’s socialization to politics. These factors and institutions are known as
A.agents of political socialization.
B.factors of character development.
C.collective culturalization.
D.building blocks.
E.cultural foundations.
___________ began the era where people thought the government could and should be
used as a positive influence on society.
A.The Civil War
B.World War I
C.The Great Depression
D.World War II
E.The Civil Rights movement
Ideologically, American public opinion tends to show certain consistent trends.
Ideologically, most Americans
A.are either extreme left or extreme right in their leanings.
B.are prone to swing back and forth between liberal and conservative ideologies.
C.are prone to follow the lead of European nations such as France and Britain.
D.are moderate, or centrist, thus creating a scenario in which the two major parties are
leery of venturing away from the center.
E.are unsure of where they stand.
The U.S. has a ‘single member, plurality” system, often referred to as
A.direct representation.
B.proportional representation.
C.winner-take-all.
D.winner-take-most.
E.winner-take-some.
In most states the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state also wins all of the
electoral votes from the state. This procedure is called
A.the unit rule.
B.sealing the vote.
C.the electoral override.
D.constitutional apportionment.
E.electoral sweep.
The early 1900s also witnessed a progressive era that focused much attention on the
social ills of our society. During this time many constitutions were rewritten or
amended to include efforts to address such issues. Which of the following is NOT
included in such constitutional efforts in many of the states?
A.creation of public health services
B.free and compulsory public education
C.regulating business and limiting monopolies
D.increase in use of the death penalty
E.moderate controls on railroads
The Declaration of Independence lists examples of “inalienable rights” as
A.the right of all persons to vote.
B.life and due process.
C.freedom from the rule of kings.
D.life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
E.democracy and peace.
Which of the following is one of the restrictions created by enactment of the Hatch Act
of 1939?
A.Employees may not work for a private company while employed by the federal
government.
B.All federal employees must have a high school diploma.
C.Federal employees must be paid on an equal basis with the private sector.
D.Federal employees are not subject to the minimum wage.
E.Federal workers are prohibited from running for office or actively campaigning for a
political candidate.
Which theory says that public policy is a product of whatever the majority of citizens
prefer?
A.mass cooperation
B.pluralism
C.majoritarianism
D.democracy
E.conservatism
Internet users are more likely to be younger, middle and upper class, better educated,
and non-minorities. This phenomenon is referred to as the
A.digital divide.
B.generation gap.
C.racial disparity.
D.economic disproportionalism.
E.literacy gap.
What tools does the Federal Communications Commission have that it may employ for
violation of its rules?
A.The FCC may confiscate a media outlet and take over its operations.
B.The FCC may force a media company to forward all profits to the federal
government.
C.The FCC may revoke a broadcasting license or impose a fine for each violation.
D.The FCC has no power to employ sanctions against a media outlet.
E.The FCC issues only advisement, referring all violations to the FBI.
How are interest groups legally protected in the United States?
A.through labor laws
B.through strong public support because there is little desire among elected officials to
enforce laws that regulate them.
C.through the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right of
the people “to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of
grievances”
D.through most state governments, which do protect their rights, although the federal
government bans lobbying by special interest groups
E.through the U.S. Constitution, which creates and protects interest groups and vests
them with powers to lobby Congress
A technique of direct democracy, allowed in less than half of the states, which allows
voters to attempt to remove an elected official from office is referred to as a(n)
A.initiative.
B.referendum.
C.recall.
D.impeachment.
E.town meeting.
In opposition to the recommendations of the Virginia delegates during the
Constitutional Convention, the New Jersey Plan advocated a single-chamber legislature
with
A.equal representation among the states regardless of population.
B.slaves counting as three-fifths of a whole person.
C.the Supreme Court determining the number of representatives from each state.
D.no executive branch.
E.lifelong appointments for representatives.
The 1961 Supreme Court decision in Mapp v. Ohio created the exclusionary rule. What
impact does the exclusionary rule have on the American legal system?
A.The Bill of Rights does not apply to state criminal procedures, thus excluding state
and local police from Fourth Amendment restrictions.
B.Blatantly obvious evidence against a suspect excludes the police from having to
secure a warrant.
C.Any evidence obtained by police in violation of the Bill of Rights must be excluded
from admission in a court of law.
D.The police may never legally arrest anyone without a properly issued warrant in his
or her possession.
E.Individuals who enter the country illegally have no rights under the Constitution or
statutory criminal procedures.
As an agency under direction of the Congress, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
makes budget recommendations to Congress. What is the other primary purpose of the
CBO?
A.It recommends salaries for legislators.
B.It presents a completed budget to the president each year for his/her approval.
C.It conducts research such as program effectiveness studies at the direction of
Congress.
D.It serves as the treasury for the Congress.
E.It functions as a bank within the capitol building.
Voter turnout is almost always highest during what type of election?
A.presidential elections
B.elections for U.S. Senators
C.elections for governor and state representatives
D.county and other local elections
E.special elections such as votes on school bonds
Which of the following is NOT an example of a role taken throughout history by the
First Lady, who is the spouse of the president?
A.advocating for social issues such as illiteracy or health care
B.serving on national committees to develop policy recommendations to Congress
C.serving as host and White House manager of social affairs
D.serving as intermediary between the president and other government leaders when
the president is incapacitated
E.serving as an official member of the president’s Cabinet
Senatorial courtesy
A.requires a two-thirds majority vote to begin the process.
B.refers to the procedural process in the Senate to be polite to other senators.
C.refers to the right of a single senator to bar any judicial nomination.
D.prevents politics from influencing the selection process for federal judges.
E.is the deference a president gives to select senators when nominating district court
judges.
The rules, regulations, orders, and decisions issued by administrative agencies of
government such as the Federal Trade Commission and the Environmental Protection
Agency are collectively called
A.civil law.
B.common law.
C.case law.
D.constitutional law.
E.administrative law.
A primary election that is held to choose a party’s candidate and that allows those
registered with the party and independents to vote is called a/an
A.simple primary.
B.closed primary.
C.blanket primary.
D.open primary.
E.caucus.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, an eighteenth century French philosopher, posited
A.that American democracy would end in failure.
B.that in fact a social contract exists.
C.that capitalism was a failed policy.
D.that France would become a world superpower.
E.that democracy was antithetical to freedom.
Which of the following is NOT one of the programming entities created by the federally
funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)?
A.National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC)
B.Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
C.National Public Radio (NPR)
D.American Public Media (APM)
E.Public Radio International (PRI)
Regional, or sectional, differences have existed in the American political arena since
colonial times. These differences are evident in political party affiliations. Historically,
where did the strongest support for Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party
lie?
A.in the larger cities
B.in the more liberal northern states
C.across the nation, because Jefferson was unique in that he was not opposed by the
other major party
D.in the southern and mid-Atlantic states
E.west of the Mississippi River
Probably the most consistent influence on the development of values and beliefs,
including political values, is provided by
A.co-workers.
B.elementary schools.
C.parents.
D.religions.
E.party affiliations.
The assumed right of the military to use advance strikes to stop rogue states from
developing weapons of mass destruction is called
A.nation building.
B.the pre-emption doctrine.
C.the Monroe Doctrine.
D.the Powell Doctrine.
E.the counterpoint tactic.
A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and
constituent political subunits is called
A.a state system.
B.a federal system, or federated system.
C.a dual system.
D.a democracy.
E.a national system.
The term “gerrymandering” was coined because Governor Elbridge Gerry of
Massachusetts created a new congressional district that on the map appeared to his
opponents as resembling a
A.snake.
B.ink blot.
C.new state.
D.salamander.
E.crescent moon.
The following is an example of what kind of obsolete law? “No persons, firms or
corporations, who or which furnish meals to passengers at station restaurants or station
eating houses, in times limited by common carriers of said passengers, shall furnish said
meals to white and colored passengers in the same room, or at the same table, or at the
same counter.”
A.a civil rights law
B.an affirmative action law
C.a constitutional law
D.a Jim Crow law
E.a Black code
What is meant by congressional oversight? What oversight authority is given to the
House? To the Senate? Identify and discuss some of the unique oversight powers of the
Senate, especially in relation to the other two branches of government.
Answer:
Answers may vary.
The USA Patriot Act was enacted in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11,
2001. Some Americans view this legislation as legitimate and necessary, while others
view it as a violation of individual liberties. Describe some of the arguments in favor of
the Patriot Act and some in opposition.
Answer:
Answers may vary.
Through much of U.S. history, citizens of the District of Columbia were not allowed to
vote in presidential elections. When and how did this change? Is the District of
Columbia included in the Electoral College?
Answer:
Answers may vary.
How has the U.S. Supreme Court interpreted the First Amendment’s freedom of the
press and applied it to mass media? Give examples of some court cases.
Answer:
Answers may vary.
What is meant by the term “critical election”? Identify and discuss at least two critical
presidential elections in American history. Why were these elections designated as
critical?
Answer:
Answers may vary.
What impact did President Roosevelt’s New Deal policies have on the federal
bureaucracy during the Great Depression and into the 1940s? How did the policies of
the Roosevelt administration compare to those of the Reagan administration in the
1980s and the emergence of devolution?
Answer:
Answers may vary.
Using contemporary examples, discuss the current state of federalism in the United
States.
Answer:
Answers may vary.
Discuss the 2008 presidential general election campaigns. Why did the winner win and
the loser lose? What could the losing campaign have done to change the outcome?
Answer:
Answers may vary.
The U.S. Constitution gives extremely limited details or instructions on elections. As
such, states are responsible for administering elections and creating the mechanism and
laws to make them happen. Describe how the election process can differ from state to
state, such as differences in voter registration laws and ballot arrangement.
Answer:
Answers may vary.
Define the two economic system theories of capitalism and socialism. How do they
differ? Using these two theories, describe how the United States has tended to differ
with some European nations, such as Sweden, in the role of a central government as a
provider of social benefits.
Answer:
Answers may vary.
Describe the Jim Crow laws in the southern states in the early decades of the 1900s.
How and why did these laws materialize? What role did the U.S. Supreme Court play in
ending Jim Crow?
Answer:Answers may vary.
Describe the historical struggles and challenges in the United States toward a system of
universal suffrage. For example, what were some of the demographic groups that were
denied the franchise and when and how did they gain the franchise?
Answer:
Answers may vary.
Until the twentieth century, many Americans believed that the Bill of Rights in the U.S.
Constitution was applicable only to the federal government and not to the states.
Describe how the Supreme Court used the Fourteenth Amendment to advance and
apply the Bill of Rights more broadly and uniformly. What has been the impact of the
Court’s actions over the past 30 to 40 years in regard to civil liberties?
Answer:
Answers may vary.
What is a filibuster, why is it used, how does it work, and how does it end?
Answer:
Answers may vary.
Discuss the ongoing debate over the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms.
What is the stance of the Supreme Court on this issue and how does the Court position
itself to rule on matters of gun regulation? What is the Brady Law and what impact has
it had on gun control issues?
Answer:
Answers may vary.