This quiz titled 'American Government 310L Test 1' assesses understanding of foundational concepts like checks and balances, separation of powers, and the impact of factions as outlined by key figures and documents in American governance. It is essential for students studying American government, providing insights into constitutional principles and their practical implications.
Protects basic rights of Americans.
Defines the two central duties of national government.
Establishes the limits of government power.
Acknowledges life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as fundamental human rights.
Rate this question:
Dividing power across state and national government; giving distinct duties to each branch of government
dividing power between state and national government; giving each branch some power over the others
Dividing the government into three branches; giving each branch some power over the others
Giving each branch some power over the others; dividing the government into three branches
Rate this question:
Separation of powers.
Checks and balances.
Federalism.
Factionalism
Rate this question:
People’s self-interest.
People’s opposition to powerful government.
A desire to improve the public good.
People’s altruistic tendencies.
Rate this question:
Mimic the structure of English government.
Promote altruism.
Counter the effects of powerful factions.
Prevent class-based politics.
Rate this question:
Competing political ideologies.
Citizens’ strong commitment to the free market and economic individualism.
A system of checks and balances.
The collective action problem.
Rate this question:
Citizens are incapable of organizing efficient methods of distribution.
Public goods are often underproduced in a free market.
Only the government has the power to limit negative externalities.
According to several states’ laws, public goods must be funded by tax dollars.
Rate this question:
Better; refusing
Worse; refusing
Better; agreeing
Worse; agreeing
Rate this question:
Politics is everywhere.
Politics is conflictual.
The political process matters.
The government is corrupt
Rate this question:
Government influences most aspects of daily life.
The political party in power has extensive control over the policies enacted.
People generally dislike political conflict.
Over 11 million people receive a paycheck from the federal government.
Rate this question:
Conflict could be avoided without political parties.
Government would be better off without conflict.
Conflict in politics is a good thing.
Conflict in politics is inevitable.
Rate this question:
Little; encounter
Significant; avoid
Little; avoid
Significant; encounter
Rate this question:
The media tries to create an artificially conflictual environment.
The easy issues get resolved and go away, the hard ones stay.
Members of Congress genuinely dislike each other.
The political parties disagree on everything.
Rate this question:
Compromise means abandoning principles.
Agreements never exist in the midst of controversies.
Congress never gets anything done.
Compromise and bargaining are essential to getting things done.
Rate this question:
Americans’ rejection of government intervention in the economy.
The Founders’ inability to predict how the American economy would develop.
Slavery and its aftermath.
The difficulty in revising laws established by the Constitution.
Rate this question:
Government regulation; economic individualism
The free market; economic individualism
The free market; economic mutualism
Government regulation; economic mutualism
Rate this question:
Any conflict that occurs on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, or political ideology.
The conflicts that exist as a result of the inherent differences among people living in the North and the South.
The conflict among factions that form during each presidential election.
The conflict between religious and secular Americans.
Rate this question:
Redistributive; few
Redistributive; more
Regressive; few
Regressive; more
Rate this question:
An increase in benefits for welfare recipients
Making abortion illegal
Reducing business regulation
Cutting the marginal tax rate
Rate this question:
Conservative
Moderate
Liberal
Apathetic
Rate this question:
It established a national supreme court.
Each a state had a single vote in Congress.
All thirteen states had to agree to pass legislation.
States shared authority to coin money with Congress.
Rate this question:
National popular election
Appointment by the Congress
Appointment by the judiciary
No executive leader was specified in the Articles of Confederation.
Rate this question:
The states were unable to raise taxes.
New York state troops threatened to occupy Massachusetts territory.
Trade between the states was inefficient.
South Carolina threatened to form an alliance with Spain.
Rate this question:
Republicanism
Democracy
State confederation
Oligarchy
Rate this question:
Guarantee the rights of the majority.
Control factions.
Prevent foreign invasion.
Provide public goods.
Rate this question:
There was more inequality in American than in Europe.
There was more inequality in Europe than in America.
Inequality in Europe and America was quite high.
Inequality in Europe and American was quite low.
Rate this question:
Political man is concerned with collective interests, rather than self-interest.
Providing many groups access to government prevents authoritarianism.
Providing many groups access to government promotes authoritarianism.
Restricting civil liberties is necessary to produce stability and security.
Rate this question:
Delaware and New York
New Jersey and New York
Pennsylvania and Rhode Island
New Jersey and Virginia
Rate this question:
Strong, independent executive
Chief executive chosen by the electorate
Chief executive chosen by the legislature
Weak legislative branch
Rate this question:
Each get three-fifths of a vote; each count as three-fifths of a person for taxation
Each count as three-fifths of a person for taxation; each count as three-fifths of a person for the census
Each get three-fifths of a vote; each count as three-fifths of a person for the census
Each receive three-fifths the amount of social services that nonslaves got; each get three-fifths of a vote
Rate this question:
Free trade versus domestic protectionism
Legislative power versus executive power
Majority rule versus minority rights
National power versus states’ rights
Rate this question:
The Antifederalist Papers
Common Sense
The Federalist Papers
The Pluralist Papers
Rate this question:
Pluralists
Federalists
Populists
Antifederalists
Rate this question:
Big states
Small states
Antifederalists
Federalists
Rate this question:
The presidency
The Congress
The courts
The bureaucracy
Rate this question:
The right to regulate commerce
The right to declare war
The right to establish a post office
The right to nominate judges
Rate this question:
Establishment clause
National supremacy clause
Congressional powers clause
Necessary and proper clause
Rate this question:
The courts
The bureaucracy
The presidency
The Congress
Rate this question:
Twice
Four times
Five times
Twelve times
Rate this question:
A politically unpopular action
Marital infidelity
Vetoing popular legislation
abuses of power
Rate this question:
Can; can
Cannot; can
Can; cannot
Cannot; cannot
Rate this question:
Does; does
Does not; does
Does; does not
Does not; does not
Rate this question:
McCullough v. Maryland
Marbury v. Madison
Barron v. Baltimore
Priestman v. United States
Rate this question:
Does; does
Does not; does
Does; does not
Does not; does not
Rate this question:
Ratified by state convention
Ratified by state legislature
Ratified by public referenda
Ratified by unanimous congressional approval
Rate this question:
The process of conducting national elections
The process of establishing political parties
The process of amending the Constitution
The process of selecting Supreme Court justices
Rate this question:
The Supreme Court’s ruling that Congress could create a bank
Congress’s levying a national tax to support the Marine Corps in the battle against the Barbary pirates
The president’s unilaterally setting national foreign policy
Congress’s removal of appointed officials from the president’s Cabinet
Rate this question:
Some parts are ignored.
The Constitution can be amended.
Central passages are ambiguous.
Explicit details allow only one interpretation of its meaning.
Rate this question:
Quiz Review Timeline (Updated): Mar 21, 2023 +
Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.
Wait!
Here's an interesting quiz for you.