American Government Exam Review
Course Introduction
American Government offers a comprehensive survey of the principles, structures, and functions of the United States government. The course examines the Constitution, federalism, and the roles of Congress, the Presidency, and the Supreme Court, alongside the processes of elections, political parties, and public policy formation. Students explore the foundations of American democracy, civil liberties, and civil rights, gaining an understanding of how government institutions interact with society and shape the nations political landscape. Through analysis and discussion, learners develop critical thinking skills and an informed perspective on the challenges and responsibilities of citizenship in the United States.
Recommended Textbook
Politics in America 2014 Elections and Updates Edition 10th Edition by Thomas R. Dye
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18 Chapters
1885 Verified Questions
1885 Flashcards
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Page 2
Chapter 1: Politics: Who Gets What,When and How 1
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105 Verified Questions
105 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) According to John Locke,what was the source of individual liberty?
A)divine law
B)natural law
C)rebellion
D)the government
Answer: B
Q2) According to Freedom House,about what proportion of countries are free?
A)one-quarter
B)one-third
C)one-half
D)three-quarters
Answer: C
Q3) A government that is itself restrained by law is called __________.
A)a limited government
B)totalitarianism
C)a direct democracy
D)authoritarianism
Answer: A
Q4) __________ is deciding who gets what,when,and how.
Answer: Politics
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Chapter 2: Political Culture: Ideas in Conflict
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105 Verified Questions
105 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Currently,Marxism concentrates on __________.
A)advocacy of violent overthrow of the government
B)attacks on socialism
C)a critique of capitalism
D)the proletariat uprising.
Answer: C
Q2) Aliens are described as being foreigners who are __________.
A)preparing to become citizens
B)in the country illegally
C)not citizens
D)non-English speaking
Answer: C
Q3) The awareness of one's class position and the feeling of political solidarity with others in the same class in opposition to other classes is called __________.
Answer: class consciousness
Q4) The divide between religion and politics has been static since 1787.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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Chapter 3: The Constitution: Limiting Governmental Power
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which delegate believed in universal male suffrage?
A)John Adams
B)Benjamin Franklin
C)John Jay
D)Thomas Jefferson
Answer: B
Q2) The Constitution was ratified in 1776.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) Judicial review gives __________.
A)Congress the power to review the financial affairs of the federal courts
B)the Supreme Court the power to declare an act of Congress unconstitutional
C)the executive authority the power to review the judiciary for impropriety
D)Congress the ability to overturn judicial rulings
Answer: B
Q4) James Madison was the author of many of the essays known as the __________,which were written in support of the Constitution.
Answer: Federalist Papers
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Chapter 4: Federalism: Dividing Governmental Power
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Sample Questions
Q1) The merging of policy responsibilities in cooperative federalism was sometimes compared to a__________.
A)layer cake
B)marble cake
C)pineapple upside down cake
D)cupcake
Q2) Which of the following best exemplifies the intentions of the "devolution revolution"?
A)New Deal legislation
B)No Child Left Behind Act
C)Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
D)Violence Against Women Act
Q3) State initiatives most often reflect __________.
A)the interests of a small minority of academics
B)partisan views of the major political parties
C)popular attitudes of the voters
D)positions taken by leading businesspeople
Q4) In the United States,the __________ defines duties,obligations,and powers of both the national and state governments.
Q5) Describe the evolution of federalism over the course of American history.
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Chapter 5: Opinion and Participation: Thinking and Acting in Politics
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105 Verified Questions
105 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Analyze the positions that Hispanics generally take with respect to social versus economic issues.In your answer,explain how the U.S.Census Bureau defines the term Hispanic.
Q2) If a public opinion poll finds that voters in New Jersey only slightly favor new gun-control legislation that is currently being debated in the state legislature,it can be correctly assumed that the issue was not salient to any individual voter whose opinion was sampled.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Public opinion has the least impact on the decisions of members of Congress regarding which of the following policy or legislative issues?
A)a bill that would trigger tax increases on middle-class homeowners in the following year
B)a bill that would provide an exception to the annual privacy notice requirement in the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
C)a proposal to cut unemployment insurance for American families
D)a proposal aimed at improving educational choice and competition
Q4) Trace the expansion of the right to vote.
Q5) Voter turnout is always higher in years with a(n)__________ election.
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Chapter 6: Mass Media: Setting the Political Agenda
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is the focus of political candidates early in their competition for office?
A)media events
B)speeches
C)press releases
D)paid advertising
Q2) A growing public backlash against televised incivility has led to a decrease in "drama" between pundits on political television programs.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A local television station allowed a Republican candidate ten minutes of free air time to express her views.By law,the station was then required to allow the Democratic and Libertarian candidates ten minutes of free air time to express their views as well.This is an application of __________.
A)the Sullivan rule
B)polarization of the media
C)the equal-time rule
D)a feeding frenzy
Q4) False writings that are intended to damage an individual are examples of
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Chapter 7: Political Parties: Organizing Politics
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105 Verified Questions
105 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Support for the general idea of a third party has never been matched by voter support for specific third-party candidates.
A)True
B)False
Q2) What must precede a major-party realignment?
A)a caucus
B)censure
C)a critical election
D)an economic crisis
Q3) The New Deal Democratic coalition emerged in part when __________.
A)African Americans ended their historic ties with the Republican Party
B)business owners became attracted to the Democratic Party
C)white ethnic groups aligned themselves with the Republican Party
D)women became disenchanted with the positions of the Democratic Party
Q4) Give an overview of the key phases of political party development in the United States.How did the Framers envision electoral participation in government? How has this been realized? Be certain to demonstrate where realignments have occurred and the reasons why.Evaluate in detail what dealignment entails,and assess whether it has occurred.
Q5) Assess whether dealignment in the American party system has actually occurred.
Page 9
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Chapter 8: Campaigns and Elections: Deciding Who
Governs
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105 Verified Questions
105 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Retrospective voting is casting votes on the basis of the performance of incumbents,either reelecting them or throwing them out of office.
A)True
B)False
Q2) __________ voting is based on which party or candidate offers the best promises for the future.
Q3) Elected officials can contact and mobilize voters much more easily because of what communication benefit,which allows for self-promotion?
A)franking privilege
B)challengers
C)voter targeting
D)congressional constituency
Q4) When voters support professional office holders,they are also supporting __________.
A)democracy
B)proficiency
C)careerism
D)expertise
Page 10
Q5) What kinds of campaign finance receive little or no scrutiny?
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Chapter 9: Interest Groups: Getting Their Share and More
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Sample Questions
Q1) __________ groups are organizations that seek to influence public policy.
Q2) The first women's organizations in the United States were formed __________.
A)just after the Revolutionary War
B)in the pre-Civil War years
C)at the end of the 19th century
D)during the Great Depression years
Q3) The most viable commodity a lobby firm can offer its clients is a __________.
A)retired federal judge
B)former member of Congress
C)CEO of a major corporation
D)well-known celebrity or spokesperson
Q4) Most members of Congress view lobbyists as unnecessary nuisances.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Which of the following is an example of a faction,as conceptualized by Madison in Federalist No.10?
A)the media
B)an interest group
C)the legislature
D)the executive branch
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Chapter 10: Congress: Politics on Capitol Hill
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104 Verified Questions
104 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) A lesser punishment in the Congress than expulsion is official __________.
Q2) The __________ is the counterpart to the majority leader in the House opposition party.
A)the majority whip
B)the minority leader
C)the minority whip
D)the president pro tempore
Q3) One example of the Framers' intent to insulate the Senate from the tyranny of the majority was to __________.
A)give members lifetime appointments
B)give the Senate authority to overturn a presidential veto without House ratification
C)give the Senate authority to overturn a Supreme Court decision
D)have members appointed by their respective state legislatures
Q4) Though individual senators are perceived as more powerful than their House counterparts,the chairperson of the Senate,that is,the __________,is decidedly less powerful than the Speaker of the House.
Q5) Cloture is the only way to end a(n)__________.
Q6) Evaluate the successes and failures of the two parties in Congress.
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Chapter 11: The President: White House Politics
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104 Verified Questions
104 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Why is being the leader of their party rarely a source of presidential strength?
A)Leadership of parties is concentrated in the hands of national party committees.
B)Parties often have difficulty commanding the loyalty of members.
C)Presidents are required to remain neutral with respect to intraparty disputes.
D)Presidents have no role in shaping the leadership and staff of national party committees.
Q2) Which institutional resource is closest to the president?
A)Executive Office of the President
B)White House staff
C)the Cabinet
D)the vice president
Q3) Which of the following includes the president's closest aides and advisers?
A)White House staff
B)the armed forces
C)the Cabinet
D)Executive Office of the President
Q4) According to the Twenty-Fifth Amendment,if a vacancy occurs in the office of the vice president,the __________ nominates a new vice president.
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Chapter 12: The Bureaucracy: Bureaucratic Politics
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Sample Questions
Q1) One consequence of ambiguity in the laws passed by Congress is that government agencies exercise __________ in the implementation of those laws.
Q2) Which of the following is an example of Max Weber's merit principle?
A)citizens evaluating political candidates based on personal characteristics
B)citizens evaluating political candidates based on candidates' work experience
C)agencies hiring people based on their performance on entrance exams
D)agency officials evaluating a policy proposal based on its merits
Q3) Which of the following was a consequence of the spoils,or patronage,system?
A)The federal bureaucracy was staffed with people who lacked expertise.
B)There was low turnover in the federal bureaucracy between presidential administrations.
C)Only wealthy people could get jobs in the federal bureaucracy.
D)There was less government corruption.
Q4) When would Congress be most likely to allow a federal agency significant discretion in rule-making?
A)following a congressional election
B)following a presidential election
C)following the passage of a law dealing with specialist issues
D)following the passage of a law supported by both political parties
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Chapter 13: Courts Judicial Politics
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105 Verified Questions
105 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) A(n)__________ brief is submitted by someone who is not a party to the case.
A)amicus curiae
B)appellate
C)habeas corpus
D)outsider
Q2) In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court first claim the right of judicial review?
A)Chishom v.Georgia
B)Brown v.Board of Education
C)United States v.Nixon
D)Marbury v.Madison
Q3) A court that hears and weighs evidence in order to reach the first decision in a civil or criminal case is a court of __________ jurisdiction.
A)appellate
B)constitutional
C)trial
D)original
Q4) Only the Supreme Court can review the decisions of state courts.
A)True
B)False
Page 15
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Chapter 14: Politics and Personal Liberty
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Sample Questions
Q1) How did Miranda v.Arizona change the way law enforcement treated criminal defendants?
Q2) Although not specifically discussed in the Constitution,birth control has been interpreted as an extension of the right to which of the following?
A)press
B)assembly
C)religion
D)privacy
Q3) The doctrine of prior restraint prevents the government from prohibiting speech or publication __________.
A)that is obscene
B)after the fact
C)that is illegal
D)before the fact
Q4) Burning the American flag is not constitutionally protected symbolic speech.
A)True
B)False
Q5) How has the Supreme Court incorporated the Bill of Rights into the Fourteenth Amendment?
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Chapter 15: Politics and Civil Rights
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Sample Questions
Q1) Even though the Hispanic population is fairly small,they earned their civil rights earlier and more completely than did African Americans.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The Supreme Court decisions in Regents of the University of California v.Bakke
A)legalized using affirmative action to achieve racial diversity
B)struck down the use of numerical quotas in affirmative action programs
C)ruled that the university was required to match the racial diversity of the students with the racial diversity of the staff
D)clearly defined what sorts of programs would be acceptable to achieve diversity
Q3) What does the Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 prohibit?
A)unfair practices in setting interest rates
B)sex discrimination in bank hiring decisions
C)credit denial for a poor or nonexistent credit rating
D)sex discrimination in credit transactions
Q4) Jim Crow laws required __________ of African Americans and whites.
Q5) The focus of the __________ was to establish women's right to vote.
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Chapter 16: Politics and the Economy
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following helps explain the difficulty in solving the long-term debt problem in the United States?
A)The decline in the strength of American political parties in recent years has made compromise in this area highly unlikely.
B)The decline in social spending has reduced the level of economic growth in the United States.
C)The Democratic Party has been captured by special interest groups that benefit from high levels of debt.
D)The rise of extreme partisanship in recent years has made compromise in this area highly unlikely.
Q2) The best way to influence the money supply is through fiscal policy.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following transactions would be counted in calculating the GDP?
A)a pension payment
B)a payment to Social Security
C)the purchase of a new car
D)the purchase of steel by the Ford Motor Company
Q4) The __________ is the federal government's largest source of revenue.
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Chapter 17: Politics and Social Welfare
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which program is primarily designed to keep the elderly out of poverty?
A)Food Stamps
B)Social Security
C)Medicaid
D)Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Q2) Under Obamacare,the requirement that every American purchase health insurance or face a tax penalty is known as what?
A)Medicare
B)Medicaid
C)SCHIP
D)individual mandate
Q3) The poverty line is based on what is perceived to be a decent standard of living.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Most Americans believe that the main cause of poverty is a shortage of jobs.
A)True
B)False
Q5) ___________ is a social welfare program for the elderly that all qualifying individuals receive at a certain age.
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Chapter 18: Politics and National Security
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Sample Questions
Q1) The war in Iraq began under __________ and ended under __________.
A)Bill Clinton; George H.W.Bush
B)Bill Clinton; George W.Bush
C)George H.W.Bush; George W.Bush
D)George W.Bush; Barack Obama
Q2) Referring to Figure 18.2,the START agreements are an important step toward reaching President Barack Obama's goal of reducing __________ by 87 percent from Cold War levels.
A)biological weapons
B)suicide bombers
C)nuclear arms
D)psychological weapons
Q3) What role did Afghanistan play in the September 11,2001,terrorist attacks?
A)Most of the terrorists were from Afghanistan.
B)Osama bin Laden trained some of the terrorists in Afghanistan.
C)The al-Qaeda-led government of Afghanistan funded Osama bin Laden.
D)The 9/11 terrorists hijacked airplanes originating from Afghanistan.
Q4) __________ has the constitutional power to declare war.
Q5) U.S.foreign policy toward North Korea is largely driven by its __________ ambition.
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