Deck 1: Introduction: The Citizen and the Government

Question 1

Survey data shows that the level of Americans' political knowledge is:

A) uniformly high
B) low and spotty
C) high regarding local political figures but low regarding governmental processes
D) high concerning current events but low concerning history
E) high regarding governmental processes but low concerning national political figures

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Of the nearly 200 governments in the world,what is the estimate of the number of actual constitutional democracies?

A) 20
B) 75
C) 87
D) 110
E) 150

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The willingness to be restrained by the power of social institutions,but not political or legal institutions,is a hallmark of a(n)______ regime.

A) totalitarian
B) authoritarian
C) democratic
D) oligarchic
E) monarchic

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT an example of a totalitarian regime?

A) pre-World War II Italy
B) pre-World War II Japan
C) Nazi Germany
D) the Soviet Union under Stalin
E) the United Kingdom

Question 5

The first prerequisite to increasing political efficacy is:

A) increasing political knowledge
B) decreasing political knowledge
C) reducing political participation
D) reducing trust in government
E) reducing popular sovereignty

Question 6

In general,Americans' trust in their government has ______ since the 1960's.

A) remained stable
B) risen slightly
C) risen sharply
D) fallen slightly
E) fallen sharply

Question 7

After the September 11,2001,terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon,President George W.Bush oversaw the creation of the Department of:

A) Veterans Affairs
B) Homeland Security
C) Education
D) Health and Human Services
E) Treasury

Question 8

A government that is not constrained by legal limits and also seeks to eliminate those organized social groups that might challenge or limit their authority is known as:

A) oligarchic
B) authoritarian
C) totalitarian
D) democratic
E) republican

Question 9

The demand that there be no taxation without representation is a good example of what political reform of the eighteenth century?

A) the decline of popular influence on government
B) more popular influence on government
C) the decline in citizenship
D) the spread of autocracy
E) greater attention to the economic effects of politics

Question 10

Political apathy among Americans hurts which core political value the most?

A) democracy
B) freedom of religion
C) economic liberty
D) equality of opportunity
E) equality of outcome

Question 11

To the Ancient Greeks,citizenship meant:

A) voting
B) holding office
C) military service
D) paying taxes
E) participating in public affairs

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a reason for the declining levels of trust in the United States in recent years?

A) revelations about the faulty information that led up to the war in Iraq
B) the government's inability to get the economy moving following the recession of 2008
C) an increase in the knowledge of how government operates
D) the bitter congressional battle over raising the national debt limit in 2011
E) ongoing concern about the war in Iraq during the Bush administration

Question 13

Government can best be defined as:

A) the institutions and procedures by which a territory and its people are ruled
B) the set of political principles and values that guide political life
C) the legalized theft of others' property
D) the invisible hand that turns private interests into public goods
E) the shared set of values, beliefs, and attitudes that people have about politics

Question 14

The belief that you can influence how your government acts is called:

A) political efficacy
B) saliency
C) popular sovereignty
D) autocracy
E) oligarchy

Question 15

Today,the federal government is:

A) nonexistent in the lives of most Americans
B) a small institution that enacts a small number of programs touching on very few aspects of American life
C) an enormous institution that enacts a large number of programs touching on nearly every aspect of American life
D) an enormous institution that enacts a small number of programs touching on very few aspects of American life
E) an enormous institution that is legally banned from regulating economic activities

Question 16

How is a decline in political efficacy likely to matter for the health of American democracy?

A) It is likely to lead to an increase in political participation and a renewed interest in political life.
B) It is likely to lead to a decline in political participation and a withdrawal from political life.
C) It is likely to lead to less dishonesty by elected representatives.
D) It is likely to lead to more initiatives and ballot referenda.
E) It is likely to lead to a stronger belief in the values of liberty and equality.

Question 17

In order to be a good citizen,it is most critical to possess:

A) powerful friends
B) money
C) political knowledge
D) strongly held convictions
E) a college degree

Question 18

The existence of slavery in the United States is a good example of how:

A) American values are not always reflected in practice
B) Americans do not value liberty
C) European ideals have influenced American political culture
D) political needs are often placed above economic needs
E) liberty requires popular sovereignty

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement about the consequences of declining trust in government?

A) Distrust threatens the government's ability to attract good workers to the public sector.
B) Distrust makes people less willing to pay the taxes necessary for public activities.
C) Distrust motivates people to participate in politics through voting, volunteering for political campaigns, and running for office.
D) Distrust weakens the government's ability to help people in times of crisis.
E) Distrust weakens the government's ability to defend our national interest in the world economy.

Question 20

Before the eighteenth century:

A) governments were primarily democratic
B) totalitarian rule was common
C) governments rarely sought the support of their people
D) most governments were based on respect for the rule of law
E) autocracies were extremely rare

Question 21

Which of the following is an example of the process of direct democracy?

A) A group of citizens collecting signatures so that the public can vote on whether to enact a law guaranteeing minimum amounts of living space for pregnant pigs.
B) A citizen calling her representative to complain about potholes on local roads.
C) A citizen who was never active in politics choosing to run for Congress.
D) A group of citizens coming together to debate the pros and cons of higher taxes.
E) A citizen deciding to contribute money to his preferred presidential candidate.

Question 22

The bourgeoisie sought to change which of the following institutions into instruments of political participation?

A) monarchies
B) universities
C) independent judiciaries
D) newspapers
E) parliaments

Question 23

Which of the following statements about the United States Census is most accurate?

A) The census has always counted every person living within the boundaries of the United States regardless of race or ethnicity.
B) The census has always categorized people in one of five racial groups : Native Americans, Hispanics, blacks, Asians, and whites.
C) The census has never categorized people by race or ethnicity.
D) Who is counted by the census and how they are categorized by race and ethnicity has changed significantly throughout American history.
E) The current census does not allow people to identify themselves as a member of more than one racial group.

Question 24

Which of the following is an instrument of direct democracy?

A) the electoral college
B) litigation
C) initiatives
D) the House of Representatives
E) the Senate

Question 25

How does the United States Constitution create a system that underrepresents urban areas?

A) It provides representation based on population in the House of Representatives.
B) It provides each state with two senators regardless of population.
C) It provides for a system of direct democracy at the federal level.
D) It requires the federal government to spend the same amount of money in rural and urban areas of the country.
E) It requires that the federal government impose higher taxes on people living in urban areas of the country.

Question 26

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 idea of economic equality
E) the Articles of Confederation

Question 27

What are the three core values in 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
E) socialism, oligarchy, and liberty

Question 28

Which of the following statements about the changes in American society between 1900 and 2010 is NOT true?

A) There has been a decline in the percentage of Americans who identify themselves as Protestants.
B) The average age of Americans has fallen.
C) There has been an increase in the percentage of Americans who live in urban areas.
D) The percentage of whites has decreased.
E) There has been an increase in the percentage of Americans who identify as multiracial.

Question 29

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
E) alliances of various interest groups, policy experts, and elected representatives who unite in order to promote a governmental solution to a problem

Question 30

At the time of the Founding,approximately ______ percent of non-Native American inhabitants of the thirteen states were of European ancestry.

A) 25
B) 50
C) 65
D) 80
E) 98

Question 31

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
E) constitutionalism

Question 32

The key group in Europe that pushed for limited government was:

A) the bourgeoisie
B) the idiotes
C) the citizens
D) the poor
E) the peasantry

Question 33

According to the text,what were the essential documents of the American Founding?

A) the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
B) the Declaration of Independence and the Magna Carta
C) the Constitution and the Magna Carta
D) the Constitution and the Mayflower Compact
E) the Mayflower Compact and the Magna Carta

Question 34

Which of the following statements best describes naturalization laws in the United States prior to 1870?

A) All free people could become naturalized citizens after living in the country for at least five years.
B) All free people could become naturalized citizens after living in the country for at least ten years.
C) Only free whites could become naturalized citizens.
D) Only freed black slaves could become naturalized citizens.
E) Only Native Americans could become naturalized citizens.

Question 35

A representative democracy is a system of government that:

A) allows citizens to vote directly on laws and policies
B) allows citizens to make, veto, or judge statutes personally
C) gives citizens a regular opportunity to elect top government officials
D) gives citizens the ability to make important military decisions directly
E) legally requires government officials to vote for policies that a majority of their constituents prefer

Question 36

According to the text,what is the goal of politics?

A) to have a say in a government's leadership, organization, and policies
B) to get as much power as possible in order to serve one's own interests
C) to construct a perfect constitutional order
D) to construct a political system that is conducive to economic growth
E) to construct a political system that provides as many people as possible with the chance to participate

Question 37

Who described politics as "who gets what,when,and how"?

A) James Madison
B) Abraham Lincoln
C) Harold Lasswell
D) Franklin Roosevelt
E) John Locke

Question 38

The National Origins quota system:

A) allowed a large quota of new immigrants from northern European countries but only a small quota of new immigrants from eastern and southern European countries
B) allowed only a small quota of new immigrants from northern European countries but a large quota of immigrants from eastern and southern European countries
C) allowed the same quota of new immigrants from every country around the world
D) abolished the quota system for immigrants from certain countries
E) outlawed all immigration from European countries

Question 39

What major changes in Western government led to the establishment of constitutional government?

A) legal limits on government and the right of more people to vote
B) the right of revolution and the spread of socialism
C) debt relief for the poor and the right of citizens to hold office
D) the colonialism of the New World and the right of revolution
E) the growth in ethnic and religious diversity

Question 40

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
E) a system that allows citizens to elect representatives who play a significant role in governmental decision making

Question 41

The fact that the tax code in the United States is more advantageous to wealthy citizens than that of almost any other Western nation supports the claim that:

A) Americans strongly reject the ideal of popular sovereignty
B) Americans strongly endorse the ideal of equality of opportunity
C) Americans generally tolerate economic inequality
D) Americans vehemently oppose all forms of inequality
E) Americans believe in majority rule with minority rights

Question 42

The Bill of Rights is:

A) the first ten amendments to the Constitution
B) the first constitution the Founders wrote
C) the charter of freedom established by the English lords against the king
D) the Fourteenth Amendment
E) the first governing document of Plymouth Colony

Question 43

"One person,one vote" reflects the principle of:

A) political equality
B) equality of opportunity
C) majority rule
D) economic liberty
E) popular sovereignty

Question 44

Over the past several decades,the public's belief that elected officials care what people like them think has declined.

Question 45

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
E) federalism

Question 46

The most important thing for a citizen to possess is political knowledge.

Question 47

Which of the following statements best describes how Americans currently feel about laissez-faire capitalism?

A) Americans strongly support capitalism and economic liberty and reject all restrictions on economic freedom.
B) Americans strongly support capitalism and economic liberty but also endorse policies that are designed to guarantee economic equality among all citizens.
C) Americans strongly support capitalism and economic liberty but also endorse some restrictions on economic freedoms to protect the public.
D) Americans strongly oppose capitalism and economic liberty and endorse policies that are designed to guarantee economic equality among all citizens.
E) Americans strongly oppose capitalism and economic liberty and endorse some restrictions on economic freedoms to protect the public.

Question 48

The referendum is a form of direct democracy.

Question 49

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
E) political rights

Question 50

What is the most important check on majority rule in the United States?

A) popular sovereignty
B) pluralism
C) the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights
D) laissez-faire
E) "one person, one vote"

Question 51

In American political culture,economic freedom means:

A) low inflation
B) job security
C) capitalism
D) the absence of income taxes
E) a government-controlled stock market

Question 52

The principle of "one person,one vote" summarizes the idea of liberty.

Question 53

Constitutional democracies were often found throughout ancient Greece.

Question 54

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.
E) A belief in economic equality is the oldest and most strongly held American value.

Question 55

Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union are both examples of autocracies.

Question 56

The term "bourgeoisie" is associated with a person from the lowest social classes.

Question 57

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
E) laissez-faire capitalism

Question 58

The Bill of Rights was designed to protect:

A) equality
B) liberty
C) democracy
D) capitalism
E) socialism

Question 59

The term laissez-faire means:

A) fair trade
B) laziness is folly
C) hard work
D) leave alone
E) equal treatment

Question 60

Political rights are a protection against:

A) pluralism
B) the tyranny of the majority
C) the tyranny of the minority
D) the equality of result
E) socialism

Question 61

Many of the most critical dilemmas of American politics involve conflicts over the way commonly held values are put into practice.

Question 62

While most Americans share similar political values,how they interpret those values in practice often differs radically.Describe some of the conflicts that arise in politics when broadly defined values are implemented in governmental policies.What are some of the controversies that have arisen over the meaning of equality? Over the meaning of liberty?

Question 63

The United States has never accepted the principle of popular sovereignty.

Question 64

Write an essay describing some of the different types of government.How would you define and distinguish them? What are the specific characteristics of representative democracy?

Question 65

What does it mean to be a citizen? How have American ideals of citizenship been influenced by the ancient Greeks? Why is political knowledge so vital for citizenship,and what are the different types of political knowledge?

Question 66

Political analysts have identified a decline in the trust citizens put in their government.Why is trust such an important element in politics? In what ways is it helpful for levels of trust to be high? What are some of the causes of the decline in trust? How might trust be regained?