Deck 1: American Political Culture

Question 1

The "digital divide" refers to the fact that

A) email has become one of the primary ways that Americans follow politics in the last 20 years.
B) Democrats and Republicans rely on very different sources of information online.
C) news websites rarely provide links to other news websites.
D) some groups are excluded from online participation in society.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The power of the federal government began to expand after 1933 in response to

A) the Supreme Court's ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson.
B) World War II.
C) the stock market crash of 1929, the Great Depression, and the run on banks of 1933.
D) the stock market boom of 1929 and the economic expansion of the Roaring Twenties.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Citizenship refers to

A) the process of providing passive consent for government's activities.
B) the act of paying taxes to the government.
C) informed and active membership in a political community.
D) receiving benefits from government programs.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

As of 2016, which of the following statements about the public's knowledge of federal health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (or "Obamacare") is most accurate?

A) Nearly every American has paid enough attention to the issue to have an informed opinion.
B) Approximately three-quarters of Americans have paid enough attention to the issue to have an informed opinion.
C) Fewer than half of Americans have paid enough attention to the issue to have an informed opinion.
D) The percentage of Americans who have an informed opinion on the issue declined dramatically after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of continuing subsidies in 2015.

Question 5

African Americans and Latinos

A) express greater levels of trust in government than whites.
B) express the same level of trust in government as whites.
C) express lower levels of trust in government than whites.
D) almost always express "no opinion" when asked whether or not they trust the government.

Question 6

The belief that citizens can influence what government does is called ________.

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

Question 7

A decline in political efficacy would likely lead to

A) an increase in political participation and a renewed interest in political life.
B) a decline in political participation and a withdrawal from political life.
C) less dishonesty by elected representatives.
D) a stronger belief in the values of liberty and equality.

Question 8

It is important for Americans to have political knowledge so that they will

A) be able to determine who belongs and who does not belong
B) be better able to assess their own interests when making political choices.
C) be better able to judge the legitimacy of other nations.
D) feel a stronger sense of patriotism.

Question 9

Survey data demonstrates that Americans

A) are very interested in public affairs and have uniformly high levels of political knowledge.
B) are not very interested in public affairs and their political knowledge is low.
C) are knowledgeable about local political figures, but do not know much about national political figures.
D) know a lot about governmental processes, but do not know much about matters related to the U.S. Constitution.

Question 10

Government is best defined as the

A) institutions and procedures by which a territory and its people are ruled.
B) set of political principles and values that guide political life.
C) the means by which wealth is redistributed.
D) invisible hand that turns private interests into public goods.

Question 11

Which of the following is a service or a program that Americans expect the government to provide?

A) national security
B) primary education
C) a safe food supply
D) all of these are correct

Question 12

Overall, Americans' trust in their government has ________ since the 1960s.

A) remained stable
B) increased sharply
C) declined sharply
D) completely dissolved

Question 13

Today, the federal government is

A) nonexistent in the lives of most Americans.
B) a small institution that creates a small number of programs affecting relatively few Americans.
C) an enormous institution that creates a large number of programs affecting virtually all Americans.
D) an enormous institution that creates a small number of programs affecting relatively few Americans.

Question 14

Generally speaking, in order to be a good citizen in the United States, it is most critical to have ________.

A) a lot of corporate connections
B) significant resources, such as money
C) knowledge of the American political system
D) strongly held convictions

Question 15

Democracy functions best when ________.

A) less than a majority of citizens vote in every election
B) citizens are informed
C) all candidates for office are highly educated
D) all candidates for office are wealthy

Question 16

Since 1960, Americans' sense of political efficacy has

A) increased considerably.
B) decreased considerably.
C) remained relatively constant.
D) had no effect on the quality of American democracy.

Question 17

The federal government

A) is not allowed to directly employ any Americans.
B) employs a very small number of Americans.
C) is the nation's fifth-largest employer.
D) is the nation's largest employer.

Question 18

In order to increase political efficacy, it is necessary to

A) increase political knowledge.
B) decrease political knowledge.
C) reduce political participation.
D) eliminate trust in government.

Question 19

Which of the following is an accurate statement about the consequences of declining trust in government?

A) Distrust makes people less willing to pay the taxes necessary for public activities.
B) Distrust motivates people to participate in politics through voting, volunteering for political campaigns, and running for office.
C) Distrust makes it easier for the government to help people in times of crisis.
D) Distrust strengthens the government's ability to defend our national interests in the world economy.

Question 20

"Digital citizenship" is

A) the ability to participate in society online.
B) the constitutional right to vote in federal elections using the Internet.
C) a new government program designed to deliver daily legislative updates to citizens via email.
D) the federal government's recent initiative to allow immigrants to complete citizenship forms electronically.

Question 21

The ________ was the key group in Europe that pushed for limited government.

A) bourgeoisie
B) gendarmes
C) peasantry
D) Socialist Party

Question 22

Why did the aristocracy choose to expand popular participation in some nations?

A) They wanted to begin collecting tax revenue from common people, but could not do so without expanding popular participation because their national constitutions prohibited "taxation without representation."
B) They saw expanding political participation as the only way to end widespread strikes on the part of the working class.
C) They hoped that common people would bring new ideas about how to solve long-standing social and economic problems into the political system.
D) They saw common people as potential political allies against the bourgeoisie and believed that expanding participation could increase their support among the lower orders.

Question 23

Direct democracy is best defined as

A) the system of government run by one person.
B) a system that allows citizens to vote directly for laws and policies.
C) the competition between interest groups for governmental power.
D) a system that allows citizens to elect representatives who play a significant role in governmental decision making.

Question 24

The struggle of competing interest groups for governmental influence is called ________.

A) pluralism
B) direct democracy
C) oligarchy
D) grassroots mobilization

Question 25

An autocracy exists when

A) the government is controlled by a single individual.
B) the government is controlled by a small but powerful group of people.
C) the constitution of a government is followed strictly.
D) citizens play a significant part in government by electing key public officials.

Question 26

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

Question 27

A government that is not constrained by legal limits and also seeks to eliminate any challenges to its authority is known as a(n) ________ government.

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

Question 28

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

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

Question 29

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

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

Question 30

Defense against foreign aggression, maintenance of public order, and a stable currency are examples of

A) police powers.
B) pluralism.
C) constitutionalism.
D) public goods.

Question 31

Approximately ________ of the world's population currently lives in a constitutional democracy.

A) 95 percent
B) 78 percent
C) 62 percent
D) 43 percent

Question 32

A ________ is a service that people need but are usually unable to provide for themselves.

A) public good
B) cultural commodity
C) selective benefit
D) private good

Question 33

What is the principal difference between an autocracy and an oligarchy?

A) the number of people in charge
B) the level of wealth of the rulers
C) international diplomatic recognition
D) the strength of the military

Question 34

What is the main benefit of a constitutional government?

A) The government is limited by the rule of law.
B) The government will distribute social goods equally.
C) The government is stable.
D) The government will produce high levels of economic growth.

Question 35

A(n) ________ occurs when a small group of wealthy landowners and corporate leaders control the government.

A) monarchy
B) oligarchy
C) authoritarian regime
D) totalitarian state

Question 36

Prior to the eighteenth century,

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

Question 37

A government that is formally limited by laws and rules is called ________.

A) democratic
B) constitutional
C) oligarchic
D) totalitarian

Question 38

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 debate important constitutional decisions.

Question 39

What major legal and political changes led to the rise of constitutional government in the West?

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 average citizens to hold office
D) the growth in ethnic and religious diversity

Question 40

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

Question 41

The ________ is the most important concept in the theory of pluralism.

A) individual
B) nation
C) state
D) group

Question 42

The goal of politics is to

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

Question 43

________ described politics as "who gets what, when, and how."

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

Question 44

If a government led by a dictator was replaced with a government where a large number of citizens exercised influence over decision making, this change would best be characterized as a shift from a(n) ________.

A) autocracy to an oligarchy
B) democracy to an oligarchy
C) democracy to an autocracy
D) autocracy to a democracy

Question 45

The foreign-born population in the United States reached an all-time low of 5 percent in 1970 because

A) the Constitution was amended to eliminate naturalization and provide citizenship only to people born within the United States.
B) the federal government chose to deport nearly all foreign-born residents after World War II.
C) the struggling American economy made the United States an unattractive destination for most immigrants.
D) the National Origins quota system placed strong restrictions on the number of immigrants who could enter the United States.

Question 46

Which of the following statements about the changes in American society between 1900 and 2010 is true?

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

Question 47

Which of the following is an instrument of direct democracy?

A) the electoral college
B) litigation
C) ballot initiatives
D) social media

Question 48

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) outlawed all immigration from European countries.

Question 49

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

A) citizens in a state approving the use of medical marijuana through referendum
B) a citizen calling her representative to complain about potholes on local roads
C) a group of citizens coming together to debate the pros and cons of higher taxes
D) a citizen deciding to contribute money to his preferred presidential candidate

Question 50

While the United States is a ________ at the federal level, there are provisions for ________ at the state and local levels.

A) direct democracy; representative democracy
B) representative democracy; direct democracy
C) oligarchic government; direct democracy
D) oligarchic government; representative democracy

Question 51

Which of the following is an example of direct action politics in the United States?

A) the Occupy Wall Street protests
B) Oregon voters approving a measure to legalize recreational marijuana use in the 2014 election
C) Barack Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election
D) the Democratic takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives following the 2006 midterm elections

Question 52

At the time of the founding of the Republic, approximately ________ percent of non-Native American inhabitants of the 13 states were of European ancestry.

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

Question 53

Those instrumental in the founding of the American Republic

A) explicitly outlawed political protest in the Constitution because they believed elections were sufficient enough to protect political freedom.
B) provided protections for political protest in the Constitution because they believed direct democracy was a better form of government than representative democracy.
C) provided protections for political protest in the Constitution because they believed elections were not enough to protect political freedom.
D) provided protections for political protest in the Constitution because they believed it was the only way to guarantee political equality.

Question 54

While ________ percent of the population was of African descent at the time of the founding, only about ________ percent of this group was free from slavery.

A) 50; 10
B) 50; 1.5
C) 35; 10
D) 20; 1.5

Question 55

After the Civil War, Republicans attempted to

A) disenfranchise newly freed slaves in order to maintain Republican control over the defeated southern states.
B) enfranchise newly freed slaves in order to maintain Republican control over the defeated southern states.
C) disenfranchise all property-owning whites in order to maintain Republican control over the defeated southern states.
D) enfranchise women in order to maintain Republican control over the defeated southern states.

Question 56

Why are Americans sometimes fearful of pluralist politics?

A) They are fearful that organized groups will successfully advance public interests at the expense of special interests.
B) They are fearful that organized groups will successfully advance special interests at the expense of the greater public good.
C) They are fearful that organized groups represent a challenge to liberty.
D) They are fearful that organized groups will reduce the need for public goods.

Question 57

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

A) monarchies
B) universities
C) newspapers
D) parliaments

Question 58

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.

Question 59

Which of the following statements best describes direct democracy in the United States?

A) Every state and local government allows direct democracy, but initiatives are always limited to issues of taxation and economic regulation.
B) Every state and local government allows direct democracy and many hot-button issues are determined by initiatives.
C) Some state and local governments allow direct democracy and many hot-button issues are determined by initiatives.
D) Some state and local governments allow direct democracy, but initiatives are always limited to issues of taxation and economic regulation.

Question 60

Why did the Progressives support women's suffrage in the early twentieth century?

A) The Progressives were dominated by women.
B) The Progressives believed women would support their reform movement.
C) The Progressives needed to develop a voting bloc to check and limit upper-class northerners.
D) The Progressives needed to develop a voting bloc to check and limit lower-class southerners.

Question 61

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

Question 62

Political culture refers to the

A) way artists, musicians, filmmakers, and cultural critics use their messages to influence political decision making.
B) shared values, beliefs, and attitudes that serve to hold a nation and its people together.
C) system of organizing politically, which is defined historically in the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union.
D) formal rules that govern the interaction between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Question 63

About ________ percent of the American adult population identifies with the Protestant, Catholic, or Jewish faiths.

A) 15
B) 35
C) 55
D) 75

Question 64

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, Latino Americans, African Americans, Caucasian Americans, and Asian Americans.
C) Who census officials count and how they are categorized by race and ethnicity have changed significantly throughout American history.
D) The current census does not allow a person to identify him- or herself as a member of more than one racial group.

Question 65

There are approximately ________ people living in the United States without legal authorization and the majority of these people are from ________.

A) 2 million; Mexico and Central America
B) 6 million; Mexico and Central America
C) 12 million; Mexico and Central America
D) 12 million; Asia and Africa

Question 66

As of 2016, the Affordable Care Act requires that

A) all businesses, regardless of their size, provide health insurance coverage to their employees.
B) businesses with more than 10 employees provide health insurance coverage to their employees.
C) businesses with more than 50 employees provide health insurance coverage to their employees.
D) businesses with more than 100 employees provide health insurance coverage to their employees.

Question 67

During the last 50 years, the American population has

A) not experienced any regional shifts.
B) shifted as a result of people leaving the Northeast and Midwest and moving to the South and Southwest.
C) shifted as a result of people leaving the South and Southwest and moving to the Northeast and Midwest.
D) shifted as a result of people leaving urban areas and moving to rural areas.

Question 68

Throughout American history, the concept of liberty has been linked to the idea of ________.

A) privacy
B) limited government
C) unlimited government
D) economic equality

Question 69

The belief that political authority should rest with the people themselves is called ________.

A) political equality
B) pluralism
C) popular sovereignty
D) federalism

Question 70

The essential documents of the American founding are the ________ and the ________.

A) Declaration of Independence; Constitution
B) Declaration of Independence; Magna Carta
C) Constitution; Magna Carta
D) Constitution; Mayflower Compact

Question 71

The U.S. Constitution creates a system that underrepresents urban areas by

A) providing representation based on population in the U.S. House of Representatives.
B) providing each state with two U.S. senators regardless of population.
C) requiring federal officials to spend the same amount of money in rural and urban areas of the country.
D) requiring that federal officials impose higher taxes on people living in urban areas of the country.

Question 72

Immigrants from Asian countries were

A) allowed to enter the country in unlimited numbers by a 1924 Supreme Court decision.
B) not mentioned in any federal law prior to 1973.
C) strongly recruited to the United States by the federal government between 1882 and 1943.
D) largely prohibited from entering the United States prior to the 1940s.

Question 73

"One person, one vote" reflects the principle of ________.

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

Question 74

Which of the following best describes the history of income inequality in the United States?

A) The New Deal of the 1930s created massive income inequality that dramatically increased the share of annual national income going to the top 1 percent.
B) Income inequality has remained relatively constant throughout American history, with the top 1 percent accounting for approximately 10 percent of national income.
C) In 1976, the top 1 percent accounted for less than 10 percent of annual national income.
D) The top 1 percent has never accounted for at least 10 percent of annual national income.

Question 75

Congressional law and Supreme Court decisions have ruled that undocumented immigrants are

A) entitled to both education and emergency health care in the United States.
B) prohibited from accessing both education and emergency health care in the United States.
C) entitled to education but not emergency health care in the United States.
D) entitled to emergency health care but not education in the United States.

Question 76

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) Only free whites could become naturalized citizens.
C) Only freed African American slaves could become naturalized citizens.
D) Only Native Americans could become naturalized citizens.

Question 77

Which of the following statements is true?

A) Native Americans have always been recognized as citizens of the United States.
B) Native Americans became U.S. citizens in 1868.
C) Native Americans became U.S. citizens in 1924.
D) Native Americans have never become U.S. citizens under American constitutional law.

Question 78

Edward Snowden was a significant figure in 2013 because he

A) started a successful ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana use in Colorado.
B) was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Barack Obama.
C) led the Occupy Wall Street protests against income inequality.
D) leaked top secret documents from the National Security Administration (NSA) to the press.

Question 79

The separate but equal doctrine was created in ________.

A) Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
B) McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
C) Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS (1954)
D) Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Question 80

In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled that family businesses

A) could be exempted from the Affordable Care Act's requirement to cover contraception on the basis of religious objections.
B) could discriminate in their hiring practices on the basis of an applicant's religious affiliation.
C) would not have to provide any health insurance coverage to their employees.
D) could not opt out of providing contraceptive care under the Affordable Care Act, even if they raised religious objections.