Question 1

Currently in the United States there are roughly how many counties?
A)300
B)1,500
C)3,000
D)6,000

Accepted Answer

There are approximately 3,000 counties in the United States. This number can vary slightly due to changes in county boundaries and the creation or consolidation of counties, but 3,000 is a commonly cited figure.

Question 2

Dillon's rule means that
A)larger cities have less responsibility to its citizens than smaller cities.
B)each state must have an identical number of counties within its borders.
C)municipalities are not required to offer general services whatsoever.
D)a state legislature can make different rules about how various municipalities in a state might function.

Accepted Answer

Dillon's Rule is a legal principle that holds that municipalities only have the powers expressly granted to them by the state legislature, or those powers that are necessarily implied or essential to the accomplishment of these delegated powers. This means that a state legislature has the authority to direct and control the activities and functions of municipalities within its jurisdiction, including making different rules for different municipalities.

Question 3

In the nineteenth century,some cities had "clubs" that sought to control a city by organizing supporters in enough neighborhoods so as to win elections.Today,these "clubs" are sometimes called
A)pressure groups.
B)presidential caucuses.
C)political parties.
D)national conventions.

Accepted Answer

In the nineteenth century, these "clubs" that sought to control a city by organizing supporters to win elections evolved into what we now recognize as political parties. These entities organize at various levels, from local to national, to influence elections and policy decisions.

Question 4

Under which U.S.President did the political philosophy of greater political participation by ordinary citizens spread throughout the country?
A)Thomas Jefferson
B)Andrew Jackson
C)Abraham Lincoln
D)Teddy Roosevelt

Accepted Answer

Andrew Jackson's presidency is often associated with the spread of greater political participation by ordinary citizens, a movement sometimes referred to as Jacksonian Democracy. This period saw an expansion of suffrage to more white males and an emphasis on the common man's role in government.

Question 5

Mayors have varying degrees of executive power.Which of the following mayors has the least leeway in firing city employees?
A)Los Angeles
B)New York
C)St.Petersburg
D)Baltimore

Accepted Answer

In Los Angeles, the mayor has limited power to fire city employees due to the strong civil service protections and the city's commission-based governance structure.

Question 6

Racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to win seats via
A)district elections.
B)primaries.
C)at-large elections.
D)non-partisan elections.

Accepted Answer

Racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to win seats via district elections because these elections can be designed to include a majority of minority voters, enhancing their representation. At-large and non-partisan elections, in contrast, often dilute minority voting power. Primaries determine party candidates rather than affecting the likelihood of minority wins in general terms.

Question 7

Why were many people in Los Angeles outraged with the political institutions of their city when the Rodney King issue surfaced?
A)The mayor of Los Angeles would not fire the police chief.
B)The Los Angeles police chief physically abused an African American motorist but was acquitted of all charges.
C)The Los Angeles charter did not allow the relatively weak mayor to remove the police chief.
D)Rodney King was fired by the police chief for playing solitaire on his office computer without being issued any prior warnings.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why were many people in Los Angeles...

Question 8

What aspect of American society rapidly outpaced the bare minimal levels of basic public services in the nineteenth century?
A)Urbanization
B)Immigration
C)Nationalization
D)Naturalization

Accepted Answer

Urbanization in the nineteenth century led to rapid population growth in cities, which outpaced the development of basic public services such as sanitation, housing, and transportation.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT true regarding urban party machines?
A)The local party organizations gained and maintained control of cities by organizing neighborhoods to deliver votes for machine candidates.
B)Each party boss had to hold an elected office in order to control the machine.
C)Machines were "quasi­feudal" as they were very hierarchical.
D)Voters in neighborhoods remained loyal to the machine leaders as they provided them with favors or services.

Accepted Answer

Party bosses often controlled machines without holding an elected office themselves. They operated behind the scenes, influencing elected officials and controlling appointments and patronage.

Question 10

What did Thomas Jefferson promote as a way for Congress to raise money,and as a means to institutionalize his vision of a rural America?
A)Land Ordinance of 1785
B)Taxation Enactment of 1786
C)Naturalization Act of 1790
D)Residence Act of 1790

Accepted Answer

The Land Ordinance of 1785 was promoted by Thomas Jefferson as a way for Congress to raise money through the sale of land in the western territories. This ordinance also reflected his vision of America as a nation of independent, land-owning farmers, thereby promoting a rural, agrarian society.

Question 11

All of the following describe special districts EXCEPT
A)there are nearly 40,000 across the United States.
B)they are almost always a single-purpose government.
C)they sometimes cut across city or county lines.
D)they tend to have hotly contested candidate elections.

Accepted Answer

Special districts are typically focused on specific functions such as water supply, transportation, or education, and their elections tend to attract less public attention and are not usually hotly contested, unlike general-purpose local government elections.

Question 12

Which two states do not have counties?
A)Alaska and Louisiana
B)Florida and Georgia
C)Colorado and Connecticut
D)California and Nevada

Accepted Answer

Alaska and Louisiana do not have counties. Alaska is divided into boroughs and census areas, while Louisiana is divided into parishes.

Question 13

In a political machine,who provides information about the needs of residents and their voting habits to people higher up the political machine hierarchy?
A)The machine boss
B)Candidates running for office
C)The precinct captain
D)State legislators

Accepted Answer

The precinct captain is responsible for gathering information about the needs of residents and their voting habits, which is then passed up the hierarchy of the political machine. This role involves direct interaction with the community and serves as a crucial link between the electorate and the machine's leadership.

Question 14

Many machine politicians in several large cities came up through the ranks of firefighters,as did one of New York's greatest political operatives,
A)William "Boss" Tweed.
B)James Michael "Mayor of the Poor" Curley.
C)Michael "Hinky Dink" Kenna.
D)"Sunny Jim" McNichol.

Accepted Answer

William "Boss" Tweed is famously associated with New York City politics, having risen through the ranks to become one of its most notable political figures. He was a leader of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party political machine that played a significant role in New York City politics during the 19th century.

Question 15

What institution was born out of the nineteenth century environment of industrialization,urbanization,rapid immigration,and the absence of basic public services?
A)Party machines
B)Wards
C)Precincts
D)Direct democracy

Accepted Answer

Party machines emerged in the 19th century as a response to the challenges posed by industrialization, urbanization, rapid immigration, and the lack of basic public services. They were political entities that provided necessary services to the urban poor in exchange for political support.

Question 16

Between the 1820s and 1850s,many states
A)expanded the range of offices subject to popular election.
B)expanded the merit system for hiring public employees.
C)adopted their own Alien and Sedition laws.
D)eliminated candidate elections for county offices.

Accepted Answer

During this period, many states expanded democracy by increasing the number of offices that were subject to popular election, reflecting a broader movement towards more direct forms of democracy and away from appointments by state legislatures or other bodies.

Question 17

Which group was attracted to large American cities during much of the nineteenth century?
A)Slaves
B)Mexican immigrants
C)European immigrants
D)Indentured servants

Accepted Answer

During much of the nineteenth century, European immigrants were attracted to large American cities due to factors such as industrial jobs, economic opportunities, and the promise of a better life. This period saw significant numbers of Europeans moving to the United States.

Question 18

For urban party machines,what was one of the more lucrative perks that they could use to reward their supporters who helped the machine win elections?
A)Distributing chickens on holidays
B)Offering a place to stay at the local party office
C)Handing out Election Day walk-around money
D)Awarding public sector jobs

Accepted Answer

Awarding public sector jobs was one of the most lucrative perks urban party machines could use to reward their supporters. This practice, known as patronage, involved giving jobs in the public sector to those who helped the party win elections, ensuring loyalty and support for the party machine.

Question 19

Traditionally,counties are
A)simply large municipalities.
B)the primary administrative organ of the federal government.
C)administrative and recordkeeping jurisdictions for their states.
D)largely unregulated government units.

Accepted Answer

Counties traditionally serve as administrative and recordkeeping jurisdictions for their states, handling local affairs and services such as law enforcement, public records, and in some cases, local courts and public services.

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT true regarding urban machines and municipal districts?
A)It was easier for a machine to organize a city on ethnic loyalties when district representation on the city council was citywide.
B)District-based representation helped transfer ethnic-based neighborhood loyalties into political representation.
C)City councils with a large number of wards allowed distinct,homogeneous neighborhoods to form the basis of an individual district.
D)Urban machines were able to reach out to various ethnic groups concentrated in different parts of the city.

Accepted Answer

Urban machines thrived on organizing cities based on ethnic loyalties, but this was more effectively done through district-based representation rather than citywide. District-based systems allowed for the direct translation of ethnic and neighborhood loyalties into political power, making it easier for machines to mobilize support within specific communities.

Quiz 11: The Structure of Local Governments

Currently in the United States there are roughly how many counties?

Dillon's rule means that

In the nineteenth century,some cities had "clubs" that sought to control a city by organizing supporters in enough neighborhoods so as to win elections.Today,these "clubs" are sometimes called

Under which U.S.President did the political philosophy of greater political participation by ordinary citizens spread throughout the country?

Mayors have varying degrees of executive power.Which of the following mayors has the least leeway in firing city employees?

Racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to win seats via

Why were many people in Los Angeles outraged with the political institutions of their city when the Rodney King issue surfaced?

What aspect of American society rapidly outpaced the bare minimal levels of basic public services in the nineteenth century?

Which of the following is NOT true regarding urban party machines?

What did Thomas Jefferson promote as a way for Congress to raise money,and as a means to institutionalize his vision of a rural America?

All of the following describe special districts EXCEPT

Which two states do not have counties?

In a political machine,who provides information about the needs of residents and their voting habits to people higher up the political machine hierarchy?

Many machine politicians in several large cities came up through the ranks of firefighters,as did one of New York's greatest political operatives,

What institution was born out of the nineteenth century environment of industrialization,urbanization,rapid immigration,and the absence of basic public services?

Between the 1820s and 1850s,many states

Which group was attracted to large American cities during much of the nineteenth century?

For urban party machines,what was one of the more lucrative perks that they could use to reward their supporters who helped the machine win elections?

Traditionally,counties are

Which of the following is NOT true regarding urban machines and municipal districts?