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The doctrine of dual federalism receded into the background as the nation attempted to
deal with
a. growing international pressure.
b. the aftermath of World War I.
c. the aftermath of the Civil War.
d. the Great Depression.
e. rampant political corruption.
The Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage was founded by
a. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
b. Betty Friedan.
c. Gloria Steinem.
d. Hillary Clinton.
e. Alice Paul.
In his ruling on Gibbons v. Ogden, Marshall defined commerce as
a. any business dealings between legally incorporated organizations.
b. any business dealing requiring an operating license.
c. all business dealings having to do with the physical exchange of currency.
d. all business dealings, including navigation and the transport of people.
e. only the shipment of goods.
After American independence was recognized by Great Britain, General George
Washington
a. declared himself king.
b. failed to mollify the grumblings of his officers.
c. disbanded the Continental Army.
d. spent seven more years ejecting the British from the Old Northwest by force.
e. retired completely from public life, never to return.
A filibuster is
a. the use of unlimited debate as a delaying tactic to block a bill.
b. an attempt to persuade others to vote for a particular bill in return for a favor at a
later date.
c. used in the House to force a standing committee to release a bill.
d. a method used by the Speaker of the House to promote the majority party's
legislation.
e. a technique that is unique to the House.
Unlike in a democratic republic, in a representative democracy
a. there is no founding document.
b. there is universal suffrage.
c. all national policy decisions are made by the Senate.
d. the monarchy may be retained in a largely ceremonial role.
e. the people do not hold ultimate power over government.
Slander is
a. an attempt to do bodily harm.
b. the public uttering of a false statement that harms the good reputation of another.
c. printed material that cannot be proven true.
d. a law that prohibits the public from making negative statements about elected
officials.
e. a criminal offense.
Which of the following are the three levels of federal courts in the United States?
a. Appellate courts, the U.S. Supreme Court, and state supreme courts
b. State municipal courts, U.S. district courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court
c. U.S. district courts, intermediate U.S. courts of appeal, and the U.S. Supreme Court
d. Municipal courts, intermediate U.S. courts of appeal, and the U.S Supreme Court
e. Municipal courts, state courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court
One of the two formal methods of proposing an amendment to the Constitution is by
a. popular vote.
b. a two-thirds vote in each chamber of Congress.
c. approval of the legislatures in a majority of the states.
d. a majority vote in both chambers of Congress, provided the amendment is not vetoed
by the president.
e. a judicial submission.
Ratification of the Constitution was to occur when it was approved by
a. the thirteen state legislatures.
b. nine out of thirteen states.
c. the thirteen state legislatures and two-thirds of Congress.
d. popular vote in nine states.
e. popular vote in all thirteen states.
Which of the following was NOT a compromise made in the Constitution?
a. There was no ban on the importation of slaves before 1808.
b. Only a Supreme Court was mandated, and the establishment of lower courts was left
up to Congress.
c. Slavery was outlawed.
d. Representation in the House of Representatives was based on a state's population.
e. States were equally represented in the Senate.
Authoritarianism differs from totalitarianism in that
a. freedom of speech is allowed.
b. the leaders may be voted out of office.
c. it is considered a legitimate form of government.
d. only the government itself is fully controlled by the ruler.
e. all aspects of political, social, and economic life are controlled by the ruler.
All of the following about American political culture is true EXCEPT
a. it is a set of attitudes and ideas about the nation and government.
b. it consists of symbols such as the American flag, the Liberty Bell, and the Statue of
Liberty.
c. it supports the political system.
d. it is only shared by Americans of similar backgrounds.
e. shared beliefs exist about values such as liberty, equality, and property.
Which of the following groups comprise a majority of the population of Iraq?
a. Sunni Arabs
b. Kurds
c. Shiite Arabs
d. Turkoman
e. Baath
According to the clear and present danger test, expression could be restricted if
a. it does not deal with a political question.
b. it is found to be offensive to religious organizations.
c. and only if the United States is at war.
d. the speaker is not a citizen of the United States.
e. evidence exists that such expression would cause a dangerous condition that
Congress has the power to prevent.
In unitary government systems, ultimate authority resides at the ________ level.
a. state or provincial
b. local or municipal
c. regional
d. national or central
e. individual
State funding to private or parochial schools has raised issues involving the _______ of
the Constitution.
a. First Amendment.
b. Second Amendment.
c. Third Amendment.
d. Fourth Amendment.
e. Fifth Amendment.
The set of policies that direct the nature and activities of the U.S. armed forces is called
a. intelligence policy.
b. defense policy.
c. military-industrial policy.
d. foreign assistance policy.
e. diplomacy.
In the Regents of the University of California v. Bakke case, the Supreme Court held
that
a. affirmative action programs were allowable in business schools but not in law
schools.
b. race cannot be the only factor in an admissions decision.
c. affirmative action was ruled unconstitutional.
d. race cannot be considered as a factor in making admissions decisions.
e. quotas are legal.
Which of the following best describes the intelligence community?
a. The people in Washington who make policy
b. The armed services
c. The government agencies that gather information about the capabilities and intentions
of foreign governments
d. The people who report directly to the President
e. Regulatory agencies
The tests commonly administered as a precondition for voting were called
a. poll tests.
b. constitutional exams.
c. literacy tests.
d. primary tests.
e. registration tests.
During the Civil War crisis, the Supreme Court
a. was drastically reduced in its influence within the United States.
b. continued as the legitimate constitutional umpire.
c. gained additional power, along with the rest of the national government.
d. ruled that the initial plan of Congress to reconstruct the South was unconstitutional.
e. had supported the abolition of slavery in the years leading up to the war.
Why do interest groups play an important role in our judicial system?
a. They veto judicial nominations.
b. They fund federal judges' campaigns.
c. James Madison defined what they do in The Federalist, No. 10.
d. They bring to trial cases of discrimination, civil liberties cases, and more than
one-third of cases involving business matters.
e. They frequently are defendants in class-action suits.
As chief executive, the president is constitutionally bound to
a. enforce the acts of Congress, treaties signed by the United Staes, and judgments of
federal courts.
b. submit a balanced budget to Congress.
c. engage in preemptive military action.
d. oversee actions of state governments.
e. honor pronouncements of the United Nations.
One major provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was that it
a. outlawed discriminatory voter-registration tests.
b. permitted state governments to pass laws that allowed considerable discrimination
toward ethnic minorities.
c. created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
d. expanded the power of the Civil Rights Commission.
e. included a constitutional amendment changing the voting age.
According to the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade, which of the following
restrictions may the state place on abortions?
a. During the first trimester, the state can prevent some abortions for reasons relating to
the mother's health.
b. During the second trimester, the state can prevent all abortions.
c. During the third trimester, the state cannot regulate abortion except to require that it
be performed by a doctor.
d. During the third trimester, the state may regulate or outlaw abortions except when
necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother.
e. The states may place no restrictions on abortions.
The responsibility of the Federal Open Market Committee is to
a. seek a balanced trade policy.
b. negotiate with Congress in developing a budget.
c. decide how monetary policy should be carried out.
d. develop a rational trade policy through the United Nations Trade Information
Commission.
e. regulate the markets for stocks and bonds.
In terms of management, the cabinet departments are considered
a. line organizations.
b. lacking personnel.
c. the watchdogs for independent agencies.
d. part of the judicial branch.
e. accountable directly to Congress.
U.S. foreign-policy isolationism can be said to have ended completely when
a. The Great Depression began.
b. Japan attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor.
c. the United Nations was founded.
d. France and the United States signed a mutual alliance pact during the American
Revolution.
e. the Korean War started.
If the president refuses to sign a bill and Congress adjourns within ten working days
after the bill has been submitted to the president, it is called a
a. line-item veto.
b. pocket veto.
c. political statement.
d. signing statement.
e. legislative postponement.
Compare the membership of Congress and the "typical" American citizen.
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
Describe recent efforts aimed at reducing American dependence on foreign oil.
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
Explain the concept of executive privilege and how it has been used by the presidents.
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
Voter fraud has been considered by some to be a serious issue. What reforms are
needed, in your opinion, to set both qualifications for voting and deter or prevent
fraudulent voting?
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
Compare and contrast the categorical and block grants. How do federal mandates have
an impact on the states?
How can different types of federal grants be used to influence states' policies?
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
How does political socialization occur in the United States? Explain the various means
by which Americans obtain their political beliefs.
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
Examine the health-care reform legislation that was passed by Congress in 2010.
Explain the political process that led to its passage.
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
Why do we only have two major parties? Explain the factors that have perpetuated the
two-party system in the United States.
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
Describe the concept of an iron triangle, and analyze its impact on the Federal
Government.
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
Describe the two schools of thought concerning the importance of low voter turnout.
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
The Constitution's ratification process included arguments for and against ratification
by Federalists and Anti Federalists, respectively. Describe and evaluate the arguments
expressed by both of these groups.
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
How important is the relationship between the United States and Russia compared to
other countries today?
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
The process of amending the U.S. Constitution is an intentionally difficult one. Yet
those in each branch of government have found ways in which the Constitution can be
changed informally. Describe the methods, both formal and informal, of constitutional
change.
Answer:Students' answers may vary.
