Choose Correct Option About American Government Flashcards

1) What document begins with "We the People..." A) the Mayflower Compact B) the Bill of Rights C) the Declaration of Independence D) the Articles of Confederation E) the Constitution E 2) Thomas Jefferson called the United States the world's "best hope." Which of the following presidents is correctly paired with his assessment of the United States? A) Bill Clinton called it "the last refuge of mankind." B) Franklin D. Roosevelt said it was "first in war and first in peace." C) John F. Kennedy said "we can beat Castro at any time." D) Abraham Lincoln called it "the last, best hope on earth." E) George W. Bush claimed that the war in Iraq "would be easy to win." D 3) Thomas Jefferson called the United States the world's A) "festering sore of democracy." B) "biggest experiment in self deprecation." C) "innovation leader." D) "best hope." E) "worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried." D 4) The Greek word meaning "to pilot a ship" is the root of what English word? A) politics B) capitalism C) democracy D) colonialism E) government E 5) Which of the following is a path to citizenship? A) obtaining a green card B) excommunication C) nullification D) naturalization E) living in a nation D 6) In a democracy, citizens are expected to A) feign ignorance. B) run for office. C) obey the laws. D) vote for the incumbent political party. E) live off the land. C 7) Democratic citizens are obligated to A) participate in "town hall" meetings. B) do nothing; the freedoms of citizenship come with no strings attached. C) vote for the Democratic Party. D) pass a citizenship test. E) obey the laws and pay taxes. E 8) The Framers enumerated several key functions that a government should be able to perform, including A) Promote relative economic equality. B) Establish justice through a system of laws. C) Provide for equal pay for equal work. D) Ensure domestic hostility. E) Promote religion. B 9) Which of the following is a function of government, as laid out in the Preamble to the Constitution? A) to hinder economic development B) to provide for the common defense C) to secure the blessings of slavery D) to protect environmental quality E) to ensure international tranquility B 10) Policy decisions are made through a process known as A) multiculturalism. B) implementation. C) democracy. D) politics. E) command and control. D 11) How does the Constitution help "establish justice"? A) The privacy clause protects citizens from excessive government interference in personal matters. B) The Bill of Rights entitles accused citizens to be informed of the charges against them. C) The Constitution permits women to vote, but forbids slaves from voting. D) The Constitution promotes the general welfare. E) The Constitution prohibits Congress from creating any court except for the Supreme Court. B 12) The process of how policy decisions get made is known as A) government. B) voting. C) civic virtue. D) deliberation. E) politics. E 13) The federal government was attempting to ensure domestic tranquility when it created A) the Department of Homeland Security. B) the separation of church and state. C) the Department of State. D) Congress. E) the Department of the Treasury. A 14) ________ consumes the largest chunk of the federal budget. A) Mandatory spending B) Pork C) Discretionary military spending D) Interest on the debt E) Discretionary nonmilitary spending A 15) The creation of the Department of Homeland Security is an example of the national government attempting to A) secure the blessings of liberty. B) ensure domestic tranquility. C) promote the general welfare. D) provide a capitalist marketplace. E) establish justice. B 16) The largest allocation in the federal budget goes to A) earmarks. B) discretionary military spending. C) foreign aid. D) discretionary nonmilitary spending. E) mandatory spending. E 17) In which of the following areas has the European Union achieved the greatest integration? A) economic integration B) political integration C) language integration D) cultural integration E) military integration A 18) The type of government with the rule of one in the interest of all is called a A) monarchy. B) tyrannical despotism. C) oligarchy. D) democracy. E) totalitarian state. A 19) The Mayflower Compact was A) a social contract. B) the first colony established by European immigrants. C) an example of the divine right of kings. D) a treaty the Pilgrims made with the Indians. E) the list of complaints against the Church of England that led to the expulsion of the Pilgrims. A 20) According to Aristotle's classifications of government, rule by a few whose interests are served by the public is a/an A) oligarchy. B) democracy. C) dictatorship. D) monarchy. E) aristocracy. E 21) Saudi Arabia is an example of a/an A) monarchic system of government. B) oligarchic system of government C) aristocratic system of government D) democratic system of government. E) totalitarian system of government. A 22) A monarchy is an example of A) rule by one on behalf of the public. B) rule by the few on behalf of themselves. C) rule by the many on behalf of the public. D) rule by the few on behalf of the public. E) rule by the many on behalf of themselves. A 23) Which of the following is an example of a social contract? A) the Declaration of Independence. B) the Mayflower Compact. C) a law passed by Congress. D) a Supreme Court decision. E) an executive order. B 24) Enlightenment thinkers argued that A) reason, science, and religious tolerance hindered popular sovereignty. B) Isaac Newton was a heretic for spreading "malicious, nefarious, and dangerous lies." C) monarchies are the most civilized forms of government. D) government is best that governs the least. E) God did not grant kings authority to govern. E 25) Who believed that government should have the consent of the people? A) Thomas Hobbes B) John Locke C) the Pilgrims D) All of the above E) None of the above D 26) John Locke's ideas heavily influenced the language used in the A) Emancipation Proclamation. B) Declaration of Independence. C) Communist Manifesto. D) Constitution. E) Bill of Attainder. B 27) Who believed that government should have the consent of the people? A) Saddam Hussein B) King Henry VIII C) John Locke D) All of the above E) None of the above C 28) Which of the following is a portion of the Declaration of Independence that is most directly taken from John Locke's writings? A) "...solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." B) "Our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." C) "...life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." D) "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union…" E) All of the above. C 29) According to John Locke, one of the main responsibilities of government is to A) promote Christianity. B) protect private property. C) fleece the working class to benefit the merchants. D) promote human rights. E) end poverty, hunger, and deprivation. B 30) According to social contract theory, A) voting is superfluous to democracy. B) people are free and equal by natural right. C) government gains it authority from the divine right of kings. D) citizens are mere cogs in a celestial machine designed by God. E) All of the above. B 31) According to social contract theory, A) people are born unequal. B) government gains it authority from the consent of the governed. C) citizens are endowed by their Creator with certain alienable rights. D) capitalism ensures equity and prosperity. E) every citizen has a soul that government needs to nurture. B 32) Locke and Hobbes proposed A) a social contract theory of government. B) to eliminate all taxes and consider the government as a charity. C) a system of indentured servitude. D) a bicameral legislature. E) a socialist system of government. A 33) According to social contract theory, a social contract is an agreement between A) the people and their government. B) two or more factions. C) one or more state governments and the federal government. D) two or more citizens. E) two or more governments. A 34) Which of the following best describes Hobbes' image of society without government? A) tranquil B) enduring C) dire D) friendly E) peaceful C 35) In a direct democracy, A) elected representatives made decisions on behalf of the public. B) the people elect representatives who are responsible for policymaking. C) all members of the polity meet to discuss policy and make decisions. D) the public can give input, but the decisions are made by elected officials. E) the economic elite are the decision makers. C 36) Why would the ancient Greeks disapprove of the U.S. Congress? A) because they disliked direct democracy B) because they preferred indirect democracy C) because they preferred to have elected representatives make decisions D) because they preferred theocratic institutions E) because the U.S. Congress is a representative democracy E 37) How does indirect democracy work? A) Economic elites make decisions for the country as a whole. B) Representatives of the people are chosen by ballot. C) Citizens for on policy referenda. D) The people initiate legislation. E) Social elites make decisions for the country as a whole. B 38) Direct democracy is distinguished by which of the following? I. citizens make policy decisions II. majority rule III. representative government IV. plutocratic government A) I. B) I and III C) I and II. D) II, III, and IV E) II and III. C 39) In a direct democracy, who determines public policies? A) the people B) representatives C) oligarchs D) social and economic elites E) officeholders A 40) Who determines public policies in an indirect democracy? A) the bureaucracy B) social and religious elites C) representatives D) the people E) oligarchs C 41) The term republic is sometimes used interchangeably with which of the following terms? A) Oligarchy B) Representative democracy C) Aristocracy D) Constitutional monarch E) Socialist democracy B 42) Locke argued that a major responsibility of governments is to protect A) human dignity. B) elected officials. C) economic equality. D) private property. E) the people from themselves. D 43) The belief that all people are free and equal by natural right and that government gains it authority from the consent of the governed are cornerstones of A) the social contract theory. B) political culture. C) an oligarchy. D) evangelicalism. E) a monarchy. A 44) A social contract theory of government was proposed by A) Plato and Luther. B) Plato and Aristotle. C) Locke and Hobbes. D) Newton and the separatists. E) Aquinas and Luther. C 45) A direct democracy is a system A) in which the masses have certain rights, but decisions are made by a council. B) in which representatives meet to discuss policy and make decisions. C) in which an elite makes decisions for the society. D) that is the main form of government in most states. E) in which all members of the polity meet to discuss policy and make decisions. E 46) The ancient Greeks would not approve of the U.S. Congress because A) they believed that all citizens should help craft government decisions. B) they disliked direct democracy. C) they preferred indirect democracy. D) they preferred representative democracy E) they preferred a theocracy. A 47) John Locke believed that the role of government is largely to protect ________. These ideas were later incorporated into the Declaration of Independence. A) social justice, social enigma, and social jurisprudence B) Fraternity, liberty, and citizenship C) Life, liberty, and property D) Life, property, and the godliness E) quality of opportunity, equality of outcome, and equality of results C 48) A system of government in which representatives of the people are chosen by ballot is called A) constitutional democracy. B) hegemonic democracy. C) direct democracy. D) tutelary democracy. E) indirect democracy. E 49) The New England town hall meeting is an example of which style of government? A) Representative democracy B) Direct democracy C) Monarchy D) Indirect democracy E) Theocracy B 50) Indirect democracy is based on A) the system of government used in ancient Greece. B) consensus. C) representation. D) "mob rule." E) unanimity. C 51) Which of the following terms have the most similar meanings? A) political ideology, political culture, and political equality B) natural law, personal liberty, and civil rights C) civil society, social contract theory, and social capital D) republic, representative democracy, and indirect democracy E) aristocracy, monarch, and theocracy B 52) American political culture encompasses A) Civil society. B) Personal liberty. C) Political equality. D) Popular sovereignty. E) All of the above. E 53) Which of the following is part of American political culture? A) popular mechanics B) divine sovereignty C) economic equality D) personal liberty E) All of the above. D 54) Popular sovereignty is the belief that A) direct democracy is superior to indirect democracy. B) authority in society ultimately rests with the people. C) indirect democracy is superior to direct democracy. D) natural rights can be sacrificed for political rights. E) citizens are ill prepared to participate in government. A 55) Which of the following is most likely to happen in a civil society? A) Life is nasty, brutish, and short. B) Charities look out for the poor and disadvantaged. C) Democracy festers. D) Citizens discuss policies. E) Neighbors look after each other. D 56) Which of the following arguments is most likely to be made by someone who believes in popular sovereignty? A) Low voter turnout indicates that citizens are generally content with their government. B) New states seeking admission to the union should be able to decide whether or not to allow slavery. C) The president needs broad executive privilege so that he or she can defend the Constitution and ensure that the laws are faithfully executed. D) States must be required to allow gay marriages since the Constitution requires that everyone be treated equally under the law. E) Only the Supreme Court can determine the constitutionality of the law. B 57) The United States has recently attempted to export democracy to A) Texas. B) Canada. C) France. D) Ireland. E) Iraq. E 58) The United States places a high value on A) aristocracy. B) relaxation. C) collectivism. D) individualism. E) economic equality. D 59) American political culture includes I) personal liberty. II) economic equality. III) majority rule. IV) civil society. A) I only B) I, III, and IV C) I and II D) II, III, and IV E) I, II, and III B 60) What is probably the single most important characteristic of American democracy? A) innocent until proven guilty B) economic equality C) separation of church and state D) the right to bear arms E) personal liberty E 61) Popular sovereignty has its roots in A) ecumenicalism. B) natural law. C) monarchism. D) Mormonism. E) elitism. B 62) A civil society A) is ruled by a leviathan. B) is harmful to democracy. C) encourages citizens to engage in policy debates. D) is "nasty, brutish, and short." E) hinders a frank exchange of ideas. B 63) A doctrine that society should be governed by certain ethical principles that are part of nature and can be understood by reason is called A) natural law. B) Newton's law. C) contract law. D) constitutional law. E) ethical law. A 64) Prior to the Civil War, those who argued that citizens of new states seeking admission to the union should be able to decide whether or not their states would allow slavery within their borders relied on which of the following concepts? A) Natural law B) Popular consent C) Minority rights D) Civil society E) Popular sovereignty E 65) The United States tried to influence Iraqi society so that citizens would be allowed to organize and express their views publicly as they engage in an open debate about public policy. This is consistent with which of the following aspects of American culture? A) Political equality B) Popular sovereignty C) Majority rule D) Popular consent E) Civil society E 66) In which of the following countries is individualism most highly regarded? A) China B) France C) Canada D) United States E) Sweden D 67) The United States is assisting Afghanistan in creating a/an A) Marxist government. B) plutocracy. C) oligarchy. D) civil society. E) nepotistic governing structure. D 68) Americans are most likely to believe that A) government should avoid moderate policies. B) presidents should have strong religious beliefs. C) Social Security should be eliminated. D) politicians can be trusted. E) illegal immigration benefits the American economy. B 69) Americans prefer presidents who are A) divorced. B) blue collar workers. C) religious. D) immigrants. E) elitists. C 70) Religious beliefs often influence attitudes about which of the following issues? A) Abortion B) Stem cell research C) Same-sex marriage D) Religious faith may play a part in all of these issues E) Adoption of children D 71) Which of the following statements about how Americans classify themselves ideologically is accurate? A) Americans are more likely to consider themselves liberal than moderate. B) Americans are more likely to consider themselves moderate than liberal. C) Americans are about equally likely to consider themselves liberal as conservative. D) Americans are more likely to consider themselves liberal than conservative. E) Americans are about equally likely to consider themselves moderate as liberal. B 72) An individual's coherent set of values and beliefs about the purpose and scope of government is called A) individualism. B) attitude. C) cheroot. D) political ideology. E) political culture. D 73) One who favors governmental regulation of the economy to protect the environment and the rights of workers, who stresses the need for social services to aid the poor, and who seeks to promote the values of equality through governmental action is a A) liberal. B) mercantilist. C) conservative. D) natural lawyer. E) libertarian. A 74) Which of the following would be the most help for a citizen who is evaluating a political event? A) her pop culture B) her folkways and norms C) her presidential feeling thermometer D) her political ideology E) her political culture D 75) Which of the following policies are conservatives least likely to favor? A) abortion restrictions B) a ban on gay marriage C) foreign policy D) increasing the size of the military E) regulating the economy E 76) Who most strongly believes that government should promote equality and provide social services? A) moderates B) liberals C) populists D) conservatives E) libertarians B 77) Social conservatives often are also members of A) groups seeking to keep government out of American's private lives. B) the Religious Right. C) pro-choice groups. D) the Blue Dog Democrats. E) groups seeking to enhance marriage by allowing domestic partnerships. B 78) Liberals are most likely to favor spending for A) tax cuts. B) abstinence only programs. C) faith-based initiatives. D) social welfare programs. E) law enforcement. D 79) What is a political ideology? A) a coherent set of beliefs about the purpose and scope of government B) public opinion about political candidates C) the unstated principles upon which this country was founded D) the basis for making all political decisions E) the set of issue positions that a political party seeks to enact A 80) Liberals are most likely to favor A) tax cuts. B) increased spending for law enforcement. C) faith-based initiatives. D) programs to promote equality. E) restrictions on abortion. D 81) Which of the following conclusions about the 2004 presidential election can be drawn from Figure 1.3? A) More people voted for George W. Bush than for John Kerry. B) George W. Bush won in more counties than did John Kerry. C) No one in Utah voted for John Kerry. D) John Kerry won in more counties than did George W. Bush. E) More people voted for John Kerry than for George W. Bush. B 82) Which of the following conclusions about the 2004 presidential election can be drawn from Figure 1.3? A) More people in California voted from George W. Bush than for John Kerry. B) More people voted for George W. Bush than for John Kerry. C) John Kerry won in more counties than did George W. Bush. D) No Oklahoma county had a majority of people who voted for John Kerry. E) More people voted for John Kerry than for George W. Bush. D 83) Of the groups listed below, recent immigrants to the United States are most likely to be A) unemployed Europeans. B) Cubans. C) Irish Catholics. D) Africans. E) French. B 84) Older Americans are most likely to vote against A) increased funding for Social Security. B) increased funding for Medicare. C) tax cuts for the elderly. D) their self interest. E) increased funding for playgrounds. E 85) An increasing number of American households consist of A) whites. B) large families. C) young couples with children. D) just one person. E) traditional families where the father is the breadwinner and the mother is the homemaker. D 86) The largest ethnic group in the United States is A) Pacific Islanders. B) Asians. C) Hispanics. D) white, non-Hispanics. E) African Americans. D 87) Because people in this country are living longer than ever before, which one of the following issues do you think this burgeoning population of voters might be most interested in? A) tax cuts for parents of young children B) college loan programs C) increased funding for parks and recreation D) Social Security E) public school quality D 88) The current population of the United States is about A) 30 billion people. B) 30 million people. C) 3 billion people. D) 3 million people. E) 300 million people. E 89) The Constitution initially mandated that each member of the House of Representatives should represent ________ citizens. A) 60,000 B) 100,000 C) 130,000 D) 30,000 E) 300,000 D 90) When did the number of new immigrants to the United States peak, reaching almost 9 million people? A) 1900-1910 B) 1970-1980 C) 1960-1970 D) 2000-2008 E) 1990-2000 A 91) In general, the U.S. population is I) quite young. II) getting older. III) becoming less diverse. IV) less affected by immigration than in earlier years. A) II and III B) I C) I and II D) I and IV E) II E 92) Which of the following arguments is most consistent with the Huntington Theory of Hispanization? A) A shared language and civic education bind citizens together. B) In the past, certain waves of immigrants were incorrectly thought to be a threat to American culture. C) You don't have to speak a common language to share a common political culture. D) Hispanic Americans earn a higher income than do Anglo Americans. E) Anglo-Protestants do not have a monopoly on American political culture. A 93) Older Americans are most likely to vote against A) increased funding for schools. B) increased funding for Medicare. C) tax cuts for the elderly. D) their self interest. E) increased funding for Social Security. A 94) Which of the following accurately describes a demographic trend in the United States? A) The number of children growing up in two-parent households is increasing. B) The number of immigrants coming to America is larger than it has ever been in the past. C) The American population is becoming younger. D) The size of the typical American family is shrinking. E) The proportion of white, non-Hispanic Americans has been increasing. D 95) Which group of Americans had a more unfavorable assessment of the government's reaction to Hurricane Katrina? A) Union members B) Whites C) Business owners D) Independents E) Blacks E 96) The American Dream often includes which of the following: A) Dual citizenship B) A better life than one's children C) Personal wealth D) Increasing recidivism E) All of the above C 97) The proliferation of government programs affecting almost every aspect of American life was initiated under which president? A) Bill Clinton B) Franklin D. Roosevelt C) John F. Kennedy D) Dwight D. Eisenhower E) Ronald Reagan B 98) Which of the following best summarizes America's image around the globe? A) The U.S. image abroad has deteriorated since 9/11. B) The U.S. image has improved since 9/11. C) The U.S. is respected abroad. D) Since 9/11, the image of the U.S. in the eyes of the Europe has increased, while the American image in the eyes of the Middle East has decreased. E) For the last twenty year, the U.S. image has remained very low. A 99) The authors of the textbook argue that A) minority rights should trump majority rights. B) government is best that governs the least. C) democracy is a seriously flawed system. D) the Constitution is outdated and needs to be revised. E) it is important to appreciate the good that government does. E 99) The authors of the textbook argue that A) minority rights should trump majority rights. B) government is best that governs the least. C) democracy is a seriously flawed system. D) the Constitution is outdated and needs to be revised. E) it is important to appreciate the good that government does. E 101) In the wake of the 9/11 terrorists attacks, Americans are more willing to accept A) totalitarianism. B) terrorism. C) a lower standard of living. D) reduced civil liberties. E) social upheaval. D