Question 1

Slavery ended in Brazil&#10;A) because of a slave rebellion against whites.&#10;B) only in the early twentieth century.&#10;C) after a civil war similar to that of the United States.&#10;D) peacefully,by royal decree.

Accepted Answer

Slavery ended in Brazil peacefully, by royal decree. In 1888, Princess Isabel, daughter of Emperor Pedro II, signed the "Golden Law" that abolished slavery in Brazil. There were no major slave rebellions or civil wars that led to the end of slavery in Brazil, unlike in other parts of the Americas.

Question 2

Brazil's political party system&#10;A) is a two-party system like that of the United States.&#10;B) is a three-party system similar to that of the United Kingdom.&#10;C) lacks any clearly defined political parties.&#10;D) is badly fragmented,with numerous undisciplined parties.

Accepted Answer

Brazil's political party system is badly fragmented, with numerous undisciplined parties. There are over 30 political parties in Brazil, making it difficult for any single party to gain a majority in Congress. Coalitions and alliances are common, and political parties are often based more on personalities than on specific ideologies or platforms.

Question 3

Compared with Spanish America,Brazil's relatively peaceful history can be attributed to&#10;A) a reasonably progressive monarchy.&#10;B) the absence of a military in Brazil.&#10;C) very low levels of inequality.&#10;D) Brazil's immense wealth.

Accepted Answer

Brazil had a relatively peaceful history compared to Spanish America because it had a reasonably progressive monarchy that worked towards maintaining stability and avoiding violent conflicts. The monarchy fostered a sense of national unity and pursued policies aimed at promoting social and economic development. Moreover, they were able to avoid the kinds of internal conflicts that plagued Spanish America, such as wars of independence and civil wars.

Question 4

The first working-class president of Brazil was&#10;A) Fernando Henrique Cardoso.&#10;B) Jo&#227;o Figueiredo.&#10;C) Luiz In&#225;cio Lula da Silva.&#10;D) Dilma Rousseff.

Accepted Answer

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, commonly known as Lula, was the first working-class president of Brazil. He served as the country's president from 2003 to 2010, and was known for his charismatic leadership style and his efforts to reduce poverty and inequality in Brazil.

Question 5

Brazil's independence&#10;A) was achieved after a bloody war.&#10;B) was achieved without bloodshed.&#10;C) occurred due to widespread dissatisfaction with Portugal.&#10;D) lasted only two decades before Portugal reasserted control.

Accepted Answer

Brazil's independence from Portugal was achieved without any bloodshed. In fact, it was a peaceful separation that was negotiated between the Portuguese royalty and the Brazilian elites. This is in contrast to many other Latin American countries that fought bloody wars for their independence.

Note: Choice C is also partially correct as dissatisfaction with Portugal was one of the factors that led to Brazilian independence, but it is not the best choice as it does not address whether the independence was achieved through bloodshed or peacefully. Choice A and D are incorrect as they are both false statements.

Question 6

Brazil's electoral system uses&#10;A) single-member districts with plurality.&#10;B) closed-list proportional representation.&#10;C) a mixed electoral system.&#10;D) open-list proportional representation.

Accepted Answer

Brazil's electoral system for legislative elections uses open-list proportional representation, where voters can vote for either a party or an individual candidate, and seats are allocated proportionally based on the total votes each party receives.

Question 7

The Estado N&#244;vo was&#10;A) Brazil's first democratic republic.&#10;B) a dictatorial regime led by Get&#250;lio Vargas.&#10;C) a breakaway coastal state.&#10;D) a Communist dictatorship.

Accepted Answer

The Estado Novo was a period of dictatorial rule in Brazil led by Getúlio Vargas from 1937 to 1945. It was characterized by a centralized and authoritarian government, suppression of opposition parties, and censorship of the media.

Question 8

Which of the following has resulted from the persistent lack of legislative majorities in Brazil?&#10;A) fewer uses of line-item vetoes&#10;B) more overrides of presidential vetoes&#10;C) presidential legislating by emergency decree&#10;D) reduced use of congressional hearings

Accepted Answer

The persistent lack of legislative majorities in Brazil has led to presidential legislating by emergency decree. This is a way for the president to bypass Congress and push through policies without their approval.

Answer: B 
 More overrides of presidential vetoes have become necessary due to the lack of legislative majorities in Brazil. This is because the president may use their veto power to block legislation from going into effect, but if there is enough opposition in Congress, they can override the veto and pass the legislation anyway.

Option A is not directly related to the lack of legislative majorities but is more to do with the power dynamic between the executive and legislative branches. Option D is not a direct consequence either, as congressional hearings may still be used as a tool regardless of whether there is a legislative majority or not.

Question 9

Brazil's military regime after 1964 was a(n)&#10;A) Communist regime.&#10;B) illiberal democracy.&#10;C) populist dictatorship.&#10;D) bureaucratic authoritarian regime.

Accepted Answer

Brazil's military regime after 1964 was a bureaucratic authoritarian regime, characterized by a highly centralized state and a technocratic approach to economic and social policy. The military government suppressed political opposition, limited civil liberties and press freedom, and favored state-led development models. It lasted until 1985, when civilian rule was restored.

Question 10

Brazil's monarchy ended&#10;A) after a bloody civil war deposed the monarch.&#10;B) when a referendum voted against the monarchy.&#10;C) when the king went into exile rather than face a coup d'&#233;tat.&#10;D) when the king died without an heir.

Accepted Answer

Brazil's monarchy ended when Emperor Pedro II was deposed in a military coup, leading to his exile and the establishment of a republic in 1889. There was no bloody civil war, referendum, or issue with succession that directly led to the end of the monarchy.

Question 11

Brazil's Second Republic was&#10;A) polarized between supporters and opponents of Get&#250;lio Vargas.&#10;B) buoyed by a very strong economy.&#10;C) a stable democracy that continues to the present.&#10;D) a dictatorship run by the military.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Brazil's Second Republic was&#10;A) polarized between supporters...

Question 12

Which of the following statements accurately describes Brazilian political culture?&#10;A) Just barely over half of Brazilians express satisfaction with democracy in their country.&#10;B) Most Brazilians view democracy as preferable to any other system of government.&#10;C) Most Brazilians identify strongly with an individual party and as a whole have grown very politically polarized in the last two decades.&#10;D) Brazilians have very low levels of confidence in political parties but are not ideologically polarized.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements accurately describes...

Question 13

What has been a major problem for Brazil's Federal Supreme Court since the return of democracy?&#10;A) a crushing caseload&#10;B) declining independence&#10;C) an inability to overturn legislation&#10;D) extreme partisanship

Accepted Answer

The answer of What has been a major problem for...

Question 14

In which of the following ways does the Brazilian Federal Senate's power differ from that of the Chamber of Deputies?&#10;A) The Senate plays a key role in executive policy making.&#10;B) The Senate has the power to approve top presidential appointments.&#10;C) The Senate can override presidential vetoes with a majority vote.&#10;D) The Senate can amend the constitution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In which of the following ways does...

Question 15

What has been the most controversial aspect of affirmative action in Brazil?&#10;A) racial quotas at public universities&#10;B) racial quotas in the state bureaucracy&#10;C) affirmative action in the diplomatic corps&#10;D) cash payments for indigenous workers who have lost jobs

Accepted Answer

The answer of What has been the most controversial aspect...

Question 16

The rapid settlement and development of Brazil's interior in the eighteenth century occurred due to&#10;A) overpopulation on the coast.&#10;B) a desire to enslave indigenous Brazilians.&#10;C) the depletion of the rain forest.&#10;D) the discovery of gold and diamonds.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The rapid settlement and development of Brazil's...

Question 17

Which of the following statements about the da Silva administration's foreign policy is accurate?&#10;A) Its strongly leftist policies angered U.S.administrations.&#10;B) It regularly defaulted on international debt commitments.&#10;C) It successfully prosecuted a case against the United States in the World Trade Organization.&#10;D) It supported the U.S.-backed plan for a Free Trade Area of the Americas.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements about the...

Question 18

Democratization in Brazil during the 1980s resulted from&#10;A) a gradual,controlled process.&#10;B) a popular uprising.&#10;C) the rapid collapse of the military.&#10;D) foreign intervention.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Democratization in Brazil during the 1980s resulted...

Question 19

How do both the Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement (PMDB) and the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) differ from the Democrats (DEM)?&#10;A) Both lack a regional focus.&#10;B) Both lack a strong ideological orientation.&#10;C) Both hold much smaller,weaker positions in the national legislature.&#10;D) Both are more committed to free-market principles.

Accepted Answer

The answer of How do both the Party of the...

Question 20

Latin American populists like Get&#250;lio Vargas&#10;A) mobilized urban workers.&#10;B) allied with agrarian elites.&#10;C) were supportive of Communists.&#10;D) weakened the central state.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Latin American populists like Get&#250;lio Vargas&#10;A) mobilized...

Question 21

How has the issue of race evolved in Brazilian political discourse? What has been the effect of affirmative action programs introduced in the 1990s?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How has the issue of race evolved...

Question 22

Describe the Brazilian political party system,and note some of its distinctive features.Why do many scholars blame the structure of the electoral system on Brazil's persistent government corruption?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the Brazilian political party system,and note...

Question 23

Describe the origins of Brazil's significant social and economic inequality.What was the role of the sugar trade in this development?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the origins of Brazil's significant social...

Question 24

The two Cardoso administrations sought to assert state control over the military by&#10;A) slashing the military budget.&#10;B) creating a single civilian Ministry of Defense.&#10;C) placing the selection of military commanders under the control of the legislature.&#10;D) establishing a Truth Commission.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The two Cardoso administrations sought to assert...

Question 25

Which of the following statements about government corruption in Brazil is accurate?&#10;A) President Rousseff's hard stance against corruption was undermined by numerous corruption allegations against members of her cabinet.&#10;B) President da Silva's administration has been the only one in recent decades to escape corruption allegations.&#10;C) The electoral system forces high accountability for individual legislators,which pushes corruption into the executive.&#10;D) President Rousseff was unsuccessfully impeached due to corruption charges.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements about government...

Question 26

Describe the three main problems of Brazil's economy-inflation,public debt,and unemployment.Has democratization had a positive effect on these problems?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the three main problems of Brazil's...

Question 27

Which of the following statements about Brazil's participation in the regional trade agreement MERCOSUR is true?&#10;A) The formation of MERCOSUR required member countries to raise tariffs on imports from other members.&#10;B) Brazil opposes the acceptance of new countries into MERCOSUR for fear of having its own exports undercut.&#10;C) Brazil withdrew from MERCOSUR after allegations of currency fixing were leveled at the da Silva administration.&#10;D) Disputes over currency valuation between Brazil and Argentina have been the chief dispute within MERCOSUR.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements about Brazil's...

Question 28

Describe the main features of bureaucratic authoritarianism under military rule in Brazil.What legacy of that rule still affects Brazil today?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the main features of bureaucratic authoritarianism...

Question 29

Which of the following statements regarding the Brazilian military is accurate?&#10;A) Da Silva's Truth Commission resulted in the first imprisonment of Brazil's military leaders since the end of their formal rule.&#10;B) President da Silva tested the military's loyalty by presiding over a broad decrease in military spending.&#10;C) The military successfully engineered a full amnesty for itself concerning human rights abuses during military rule.&#10;D) The military officers most closely connected to the military's authoritarian regime continue to hold top posts in the armed forces.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements regarding the...

Question 30

What has been the relationship between the Bolsa Familia and the governmental politics of Brazil?&#10;A) The Bolsa Familia has encouraged the growth of the &#34;catchall&#34; parties of the political center.&#10;B) Former president Rousseff benefited from major support among the poor in Brazil's north,which likely would not have happened without the Bolsa Familia.&#10;C) State finances have been drained to pay for the Bolsa Familia,which has reduced political support for the ruling Worker's Party.&#10;D) The success of the Bolsa Familia has allowed its backers to push through electoral reforms and reduce political party fragmentation in Brazil.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What has been the relationship between the...

Deck 12: Brazil