Deck 5: The US political Landscape

Question 1

Cuban Americans tend to vote for

A)Republicans.
B)other Cuban Americans.
C)Independents.
D)Castro.
E)Democrats.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Republicans have made major inroads into the old "solid Midwest" of pre-1964 Democratic control.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Which statement is accurate?

A)Population growth in the South is driven by young people and in the West by those aged 65 ?and over.
B)Population growth in the West is driven by young people and in the South by those aged 65 ?and over.
C)Population growth in the South and West is driven by those aged 65 and over.
D)Population growth in the South and West is driven by young people.
E)There is no population growth in the South or West.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The idea that the United States should be a continent-spanning nation was called

A)expansion destiny.
B)colonial destiny.
C)manifest destiny.
D)national destiny.
E)exceptional destiny.

Question 5

Southern states usually have given their votes for president to

A)Republicans.
B)Democrats.
C)Independents.
D)Greens.
E)Libertarians.

Question 6

In the 1890s the immigrant population was

A)greater than now as a percentage of the overall population.
B)negligible, there were very few immigrants at the time.
C)less than now as a percentage of the overall population.
D)mostly from Africa.
E)35.6 million in number.

Question 7

The process by which parents and others teach children about the values, beliefs, and attitudes of a political culture is called

A)political socialization.
B)political indoctrination.
C)demographic socialization.
D)patriotic transfer.
E)cultural socialization.

Question 8

Reinforcing cleavages tend to make political conflict more intense.

Question 9

Today, unequal distribution of wealth and income in the United States results in

A)the formation of an aristocracy.
B)laws of primogeniture.
C)estate redistribution laws.
D)political divisions and conflicts.
E)similar ideologies across the entire income spectrum.

Question 10

A profile of African American life in the United States would include all of the following EXCEPT

A)the African American population is somewhat older than the white American population.
B)African Americans tend to have lower levels of education than white Americans.
C)the African American population is concentrated in economically hard-pressed central cities.
D)African Americans have a higher unemployment rate than white Americans.
E)the African American population has lower net worth than the white American population.

Question 11

People often assume that others share their economic opportunities, social attitudes, sense of civic responsibility, and self confidence.

Question 12

The United States is NOT a land of abundant natural resources.

Question 13

People in the same demographic categories tend to vote alike despite individual differences in socioeconomic standing; they share certain

A)political socialization that can predict political behavior.
B)cross-cutting cleavages that can predict political behavior.
C)reinforcing cleavages that can predict political behavior.
D)political predispositions that can predict political behavior.
E)group identities that can predict political behavior.

Question 14

A social division based on national origin, religion, language, and a sense of attachment to one's group forms a(n)

A)racial group.
B)national group.
C)ethnic group.
D)cultural group.
E)socioeconomic group.

Question 15

The most urban areas of the United States are

A)the South and Midwest.
B)the Midwest and Northwest.
C)the Northwest and West.
D)the West and Northeast.
E)The Northeast and South.

Question 16

The most distinct section of the United States is the industrial Northeast, including Boston, New York City, and most of New England.

Question 17

Someone who believes that the American way of life is inherently better and superior in every way to any other on earth is demonstrating

A)fascism.
B)patriotism.
C)nationalism.
D)ethnocentrism.
E)socialism.

Question 18

In both political and economic terms, ______________ is the most powerful state in the nation.

A)California
B)Texas
C)New York
D)Florida
E)Ohio

Question 19

The study of population characteristics in terms age, education, religion, and occupation is called

A)census studies.
B)demography.
C)human geography.
D)nativism.
E)cultural studies.

Question 20

Which region of the United States has the fastest rate of population growth?

A)The Sun Belt.
B)The West.
C)The South.
D)The Midwest.
E)The Northeast.

Question 21

This is the notion held by nineteenth-century Americans that the United States was destined to rule the continent.

A)Continental destiny
B)Pacific destiny
C)Manifest destiny
D)Atlantic destiny
E)Westward bound

Question 22

In the 1830s Alexis de Tocqueville concluded that the United States had had no great wars because of its

A)great technological advances.
B)relative lack of social and political tensions.
C)long periods of stability.
D)lack of powerful neighbors on its borders.
E)reluctance to become involved in foreign wars.

Question 23

Evangelical Protestants have the highest percentage of voter turnout.

Question 24

A parent teaches his or her children that America is built on freedom, that it is up to individuals to create their own success in life, and that religion and politics should never mix.Such a parent is engaging in

A)political socialization.
B)cultural stereotyping.
C)democratic indoctrination.
D)destiny shaping.
E)All of the above

Question 25

Women were NOT allowed to vote anywhere in the United States until 1920.

Question 26

Race is a social division based on national origin, religion, and language.

Question 27

The tendency of race and economic status to contribute to the same set of political values is an example of ____________________ cleavages.

A)cross-cutting
B)reinforcing
C)diametric
D)polimetric
E)None of the above

Question 28

Divisions within society that reinforce one another, making groups more homogeneous, are called

A)political predispositions.
B)demography.
C)reinforcing cleavages.
D)political socialization.
E)None of the above

Question 29

Which serves as the United States' barrier to foreign meddling?

A)Our economy
B)Atlantic Ocean
C)Canada
D)All of the above
E)None of the above

Question 30

The view that the United States is unique among nations and morally superior is called

A)American Militarism.
B)American Destiny.
C)American Exceptionalism.
D)American Fascism.
E)American Dominion.

Question 31

When social and economic differences reinforce each other, making political conflict more intense and polarizing in society, social scientists call them

A)reinforcing cleavages.
B)additive cleavages.
C)polarizing cleavages.
D)cross-cutting cleavages.
E)predisposing cleavages.

Question 32

A characteristic of individuals that predicts their political behavior is called

A)political predisposition.
B)political socialization.
C)reinforcing cleavages.
D)ethnocentrism.
E)demography.

Question 33

The study of the characteristics of populations is called

A)geography.
B)population studies.
C)political science.
D)demography.
E)social studies.

Question 34

All of the following have contributed to the development of a sense of American exceptionalism EXCEPT

A)isolation.
B)relative prosperity.
C)a sense of destiny.
D)demographic homogeneity.
E)Both A and B

Question 35

Divisions within society that cut across demographic categories to produce groups that are more heterogeneous are called

A)cross-cutting cleavages.
B)reinforcing cleavages.
C)manifest destinies.
D)cross-political dispositions.
E)None of the above

Question 36

If the rich and the poor of all religions sometimes vote on the basis of their religion but sometimes vote on the basis of their wealth, it is an illustration of

A)reinforcing cleavages.
B)additive cleavages.
C)polarizing cleavages.
D)cross-cutting cleavages.
E)predisposing cleavages.

Question 37

Selective perception based on background attitudes and biases is called

A)ethnocentrism.
B)experience.
C)wisdom .
D)selfishness.
E)natural rights.

Question 38

When social and economic differences coincide, making political conflict more intense and polarizing society, social scientists call them ___________ cleavages.

A)reinforcing
B)additive
C)polarizing
D)cross-cutting
E)predisposing

Question 39

Education is one of the most important variable prediction political participation.

Question 40

Sun Belt states have experienced greater economic growth than most other areas in the United States.

Question 41

The population of African Americans living in suburbs is about what percent today?

A)60%
B)50%
C)40%
D)30%
E)10%

Question 42

The most distinct geographical region in the United States is the

A)Midwest.
B)South.
C)Southwest.
D)West.
E)Northeast.

Question 43

All of the below are considered Sun Belt states EXCEPT

A)New Mexico.
B)South Carolina.
C)Nevada.
D)Utah.
E)California.

Question 44

Sectional distinctions in the United States refer to differences based on

A)race and ethnicity.
B)census and demographic statistics.
C)gender and religion.
D)geography and region.
E)education and wealth.

Question 45

More than half of all white Americans live in

A)rural areas.
B)suburban areas.
C)exurb areas.
D)urban areas.
E)central city areas.

Question 46

The Native American population will remain steady between now and 2050 at about what percentage of the overall population of the United States?

A)9%
B)7%
C)5%
D)3%
E)1%.

Question 47

Hispanics of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent tend to support

A)decreased spending on education.
B)making English the national language.
C)a liberal domestic agenda.
D)a conservative domestic agenda.
E)decreased spending on drug control.

Question 48

Which Asian American subgroup is most likely to register as Democrats?

A)Korean Americans.
B)Thai Americans.
C)Indian Americans.
D)Japanese Americans.
E)Chinese Americans.

Question 49

According to U.S.Bureau of the Census projections, the non-Hispanic white American population will decline to about what fraction of the population by the year 2050?

A)One-quarter
B)One-third
C)One-half
D)Two-thirds
E)Three-quarters

Question 50

The highest poverty rates occur among

A)Non-Hispanic white Americans.
B)Hispanic Americans.
C)African Americans.
D)Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
E)Native Americans, Inuits, and Aleuts.

Question 51

Hispanic political power has been diminished by

A)redistricting after the 2000 census.
B)lawsuits to eliminate gerrymandering.
C)political parties aggressively cultivating Hispanic candidates.
D)a highly dispersed population density.
E)bilingual education's impact on voting patterns.

Question 52

The most urban state is

A)California.
B)New York.
C)Florida.
D)New Jersey.
E)Massachusetts.

Question 53

Hispanic political importance is somewhat blunted because

A)they tend to vote with absentee ballots.
B)they are a united voting bloc.
C)they tend to vote as a group.
D)they are not a united voting bloc.
E)they are too old to vote.

Question 54

Prior to the current immigration trend, the largest wave of new immigrants came to the United States in the years between

A)1840 and 1860.
B)1864 and 1896.
C)1900 and 1924.
D)1950 and 1984.
E)1980 and 1994.

Question 55

All of the below are true about the South EXCEPT

A)the South is becoming less distinct from the rest of the United States.
B)the Civil War made the Democratic party the party favored in the South.
C)traditional religious and moral conservatism of the South has become unimportant in politics.
D)the civil rights revolution of the 1960s eliminated legal barriers that prevented African Americans from voting.
E)the South falls below the rest of the country in per capita income and education.

Question 56

California stands out in U.S.politics today because

A)nearly one in eight U.S.citizens lives in the state.
B)its members of the House of Representatives exceed the number of representatives of the next largest 10 states combined.
C)it has 155 presidential electoral votes.
D)it recalled Governors Davis and Frazier, replacing them with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
E)20 states owe California in excess of one billion dollars each, making it the largest lender to the states.

Question 57

All of the following are true EXCEPT

A)58% of African Americans go on to college.
B)the median income for African Americans is about $40,000.
C)the African American population is much younger than the white population.
D)50% of African Americans are below the poverty line.
E)40% of African American households earn more than $50,000 annually.

Question 58

The most rural areas of the United States are

A)the South and Midwest.
B)the Midwest and Northwest.
C)the Northwest and West.
D)the West and Northeast.
E)the Northeast and South.

Question 59

The percentage of African American families that live below poverty level is

A)89%.
B)76%.
C)44%.
D)30%.
E)22%.

Question 60

Race can be defined as a group of human beings with distinctive physical characteristics determined by genetic inheritance, but some scholars define it as

A)more demographically determined than physically determined.
B)strictly physical with no genetic components.
C)less genetically determined than ethnically determined.
D)strictly genetic with no physical implications.
E)more culturally determined than genetically determined.

Question 61

Aside from race, the most important factor in explaining views on issues, partisanship, and ideology is

A)ethnicity.
B)income.
C)religion.
D)citizenship.
E)gender.

Question 62

All of the following statements are true about gender inequality EXCEPT

A)As age increases the earnings gap decreases.
B)Among college graduates ages 25 to 34, women earn an average of 75 cents for every dollar earned by men.
C)As a whole, women earn on average about 77 cents for every dollar earned by men.
D)An increasing number of women are the sole economic support of their families.
E)About three times as many men as women earn over $75,000 a year.

Question 63

This is the term for the persistent difference between men and women in voting preferences and in attitudes on important issues.

A)Gender gap
B)Political socialization
C)Comparable worth
D)Divided preference
E)Comparison elector

Question 64

Before 1900 most people in the United States worked primarily as

A)farmers.
B)railroaders.
C)factory workers.
D)craftspeople.
E)ship fitters.

Question 65

Women gained the right to vote in the entire United States in

A)1848.
B)1910.
C)1942.
D)1918.
E)1920.

Question 66

The framers of the Constitution did NOT sanction a national church because

A)they could not agree upon a denomination so they left it to the states.
B)they wished for the people to be allowed to vote for a national church.
C)they believed that religious liberty flourishes when there is no official faith.
D)they were not of faith themselves.
E)they were deists.

Question 67

Women first gained the right to vote in

A)southern states.
B)northeastern states.
C)midwestern states.
D)western states.
E)southwestern states.

Question 68

The movement for expanded rights for lesbians and gays traces its roots to which major U.S.city?

A)Boston
B)San Francisco
C)Chicago
D)New York
E)Miami

Question 69

Massachusetts and Vermont allow

A)private employers to grant health care for same-sex domestic partners.
B)antidiscrimination statutes regarding housing and employment.
C)restrictions based on sexual orientation.
D)same-sex marriages.
E)"don't ask, don't tell" policies in the state militia.

Question 70

The demographic change that has increased the proportion of the population over age 65 is called

A)the graying of America.
B)the baby boomers.
C)the American gray lobby.
D)the generational effect.
E)lifecycle effects.

Question 71

Today, immigrants represent approximately what percentage of the U.S.population?

A)4-5%
B)7-8%
C)11-12%
D)14-15%
E)19-20%

Question 72

Socioeconomic status is a division of the population based on

A)wealth, ethnicity, and religion.
B)occupation, race, and class.
C)education, bourgeoisie, and race.
D)income, occupation, and education.
E)class, wealth, and education.

Question 73

According to Daniel Bell, the organizing device for the postindustrial era is

A)education.
B)knowledge.
C)income.
D)computer skills.
E)technology.

Question 74

The percentage of Americans engaged in agricultural production is about

A)1%.
B)5%.
C)10%.
D)25%.
E)30%.

Question 75

Compared to other countries, class divisions in the United States are

A)reinforced by competitive individualism.
B)defined by degree of hostility to organized labor.
C)less defined and less important to politics.
D)defined by degree of acceptance of organized labor.
E)stronger in union states and weaker in right-to-work states.

Question 76

Older Americans are a strong political force because

A)they vote more often than other age groups.
B)they have more discretionary time.
C)they have a clear focus on issues.
D)they form effective organizations.
E)All of the above

Question 77

Fundamentalist Christians are an important force for which party?

A)Republicans
B)Democrats
C)Independents
D)Greens
E)Libertarians

Question 78

Well-educated people are more likely to

A)favor democratic ideals.
B)participate politically.
C)have confidence in dealing with government.
D)be aware of the issues.
E)All of the above

Question 79

Which statement is true regarding lifecycle effects?

A)The most elderly are most conservative.
B)The middle aged are most liberal.
C)The young are most concerned with government services.
D)The most elderly are most liberal.
E)The young are the least mobile.

Question 80

The religious group with the highest voter turnout in recent elections has been

A)Catholics.
B)Baptists.
C)Jews.
D)Mormons.
E)Muslims.