American National Government Final Exam
Course Introduction
American National Government provides an in-depth examination of the institutions, processes, and principles that define the United States federal government. This course explores the foundation of the American political system, including the Constitution, federalism, civil liberties, and civil rights. It also analyzes the roles and functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, as well as the influence of political parties, interest groups, media, and public opinion on policy-making. Through case studies and contemporary issues, students gain a comprehensive understanding of how the United States government operates and the challenges it faces in a rapidly changing society.
Recommended Textbook
American Government Institutions and Policies 14th Edition by James Q. Wilson
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Chapter 1: The Study of American Government
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Q1) At the time of the Constitutional Convention, the view that a democratic government was desirable was
A) already waning.
B) close to unanimous.
C) beyond debate.
D) held by the elite only.
E) far from unanimous.
Answer: E
Q2) Pork-barrel legislation is an example of this type of politics.
A) Interest group politics
B) Majoritarian politics
C) Client politics
D) Entrepreneurial politics
E) None of the above is True.
Answer: C
Q3) Most young Americans regularly read newspapers.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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Page 3
Chapter 2: The Constitution
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Q1) The "state of nature" refers to
A) society without government.
B) government without society.
C) formation of government along the lines of natural law.
D) the clash between government and society.
E) the very highest form of government.
Answer: A
Q2) The U.S. Constitution was ratified by
A) the Congress elected under the Articles of Confederation.
B) state legislatures.
C) special state conventions elected by the people.
D) unanimous acclaim by all thirteen states.
E) popular vote in state elections.
Answer: C
Q3) The Articles of Confederation created a strong central government.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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Chapter 3: Federalism
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Q1) Under their police powers, states can enact and enforce all of the following except
A) criminal codes.
B) laws requiring children to attend school.
C) restrictions on the availability of pornographic materials.
D) standards for DUI convictions.
E) the regulation of interstate commerce.
Answer: E
Q2) Which of the following has a federal form of government?
A) Russia
B) Nigeria
C) Malayasia
D) Mexico
E) All of the above is True.
Answer: E
Q3) Thomas Jefferson generally thought the powers of the federal government should be narrowly consTrued and strictly limited.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Page 5
Chapter 4: American Political Culture
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Q1) Alan Abramowitz suggests that the culture war might be more real than imagined because people are increasingly choosing their party affiliation on the basis of A) issues.
B) income.
C) competition.
D) social background characteristics.
E) advertising.
Q2) Today, popular confidence in political institutions remains higher in America than in many places abroad.
A)True
B)False
Q3) According to Table 4.1 in the text, __________ percent of Americans are proud to be an American, compared to only _________ percent of Germans who are proud to be Germans.
A) 71; 21
B) 60; 35
C) 66; 21
D) 71; 45
E) 45; 38
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Page 6
Chapter 5: Civil Liberties
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Q1) Federal courts have ruled that Indian tribes using the drug peyote in religious ceremonies are exempt from any state laws that ban such use.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The Supreme Court demanded that the evidence obtained in Mapp v. Ohio be excluded because the police
A) had not obtained a search warrant.
B) questioned Mapp in an impolite manner.
C) used unnecessary force.
D) refused to let Mapp contact her lawyer.
E) spied on Mapp with binoculars.
Q3) Benjamin Gitlow's case was significant because it resulted in the Supreme Court's declaring that
A) all sedition laws were unconstitutional.
B) freedom of speech and freedom of the press were "fundamental."
C) all federal sedition laws were unconstitutional.
D) antiwar protesters could only distribute leaflets.
E) protesters could no longer peacefully assemble.
Q4) Discuss five key provisions of the USA Patriot Act.
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Chapter 6: Civil Rights
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Q1) The Supreme Court's deep division over affirmative action is evident in its opinions. Give five general standards that seem to be emerging from its decisions?
Q2) The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act granted amnesty and citizenship to illegal aliens who
A) received college diplomas.
B) remained employed for more than one year.
C) voted in all state and local elections.
D) resided continuously in this country since January 1, 1982.
E) worked in a job vital to the nation.
Q3) One factor helping to break the deadlock that developed in the civil rights movement during the early 1960s was the
A) Democratic landslide of 1964.
B) Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.
C) centralization of power in the House and Senate.
D) civil unrest that shook several northern cities.
E) election of Republican presidents.
Q4) Identify, define, and explain the three standards that the Supreme Court uses in discrimination cases.
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Chapter 7: Public Opinion
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Q1) Based on public opinion research, the American public is highly knowledgeable about government.
A)True
B)False
Q2) What role did the Framers think public opinion should play in government?
Q3) Most studies on Latino voting show that people from Mexico vote heavily __________, and Latinos from Cuba mostly vote __________.
A) Republican; Democrat
B) Independent; Republican
C) Democrat; Republican
D) Independent; Independent
E) Democrat; Democrat
Q4) The proportion of citizens who claim to be independents has declined in recent years.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Explain why the use of self-identification in surveys on political ideology is somewhat questionable.
Q6) Discuss how social class affects public opinions in America.
Page 9
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Chapter 8: Political Participation
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Questions
Q1) Identify the most important changes in elections and, where relevant, indicate associated constitutional amendments.
Q2) With respect to impact of motor voter laws, the evidence suggests
A) the number of registrants has not increased but voter turnout has increased slightly.
B) the number of registrants has increased somewhat but voter turnout has not increased significantly.
C) vote turnout and registration has increased significantly.
D) vote turnout and registration has not increased significantly.
E) None of the above is True.
Q3) "Floaters" were good for political parties and democracy.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The nation with the highest voter turnout as percentage of voting-age population is A) Belgium
B) Italy
C) United States
D) Sweden
E) New Zealand
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Chapter 9: Political Parties
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Q1) Of the following statements, which one best describes voters relationship with political parties.
A) Voters are more attached to political parties today than they were a hundred years ago.
B) Voters favor strong political parties more than they do individual candidates.
C) Voters are less attached to political parties today than they were a hundred years ago.
D) Voters are extremely knowledgeable about the platforms of the major parties.
E) Voters have increased their loyalty to their political party in recent years.
Q2) What are the four types of minor parties identified by the authors?
Q3) The text argues that the central problem of the parties today is how to
A) appeal to moderate voters despite the parties' ideological orientation.
B) win the trust of an increasingly mistrustful electorate.
C) keep up the appearance of diversity despite the parties' homogeneous makeup.
D) attract the attention of an increasingly apathetic electorate.
E) mobilize voters with a declining sense of internal political efficacy.
Q4) Ticket splitting was almost unheard of in the nineteenth century.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 10: Elections and Campaigns
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Q1) Members of the House and Senate can remove fellow members by a __________ vote.
A) plurality
B) majority
C) two-thirds
D) three-fourths
E) unanimous
Q2) In 2012, this Republican candidate for the Senate decided to "go digital" by extensively using Facebook and other social media in his campaign.
A) Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz
B) Chris Christie
C) John McCain
D) Marco Rubio
E) Howard Dean
Q3) Which of the following does the text suggest is a critical factor in presidential elections?
A) The vice-presidential nominee
B) Political reporting
C) The religion of the candidates
D) The candidates' positions on abortion
E) None of the above is True.
Page 12
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Chapter 11: Interest Groups
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Q1) Which is NOT an example of an interest group?
A) Chamber of Commerce
B) National Association of Manufacturers
C) American Medical Association
D) Green Party
E) Urban League
Q2) Ratings that are generated by interest groups are sometimes problematic because
A) they are statistically complex.
B) they are provided in very lengthy reports.
C) of arbitrary assessments or bias in measures.
D) no one takes credit for their calculations.
E) All of the above are True.
Q3) Ralph Nader became famous after testifying in favor of a bill regarding
A) Social Security.
B) air pollution.
C) workers' compensation.
D) automobile safety.
E) gun control.
Q4) What are earmarks? How are they related to interest group politics.
Q5) Discuss interest groups in America, Great Britain, and Germany.
Page 13
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Chapter 12: The Media
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Q1) What explanations does William G. Mayer provide for why conservative radio talk shows are so common?
Q2) The text suggests that the abandonment of the fairness doctrine gave rise to controversial talk-radio hosts.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The Carter-Reagan debate in 1980 was sponsored by the League of Women Voters (LWV) because
A) the LWV had an exclusive license for that purpose.
B) the LWV threatened to sue the networks.
C) both candidates wanted an impartial forum.
D) the fairness doctrine did not apply.
E) that arrangement allowed circumvention of the equal access rule.
Q4) Discuss how the degree of competition in the media has changed.
Q5) When it comes to politics, Old Media is not being threatened by New Media.
A)True
B)False
Q6) What are the four ways that reporters and public officials communicate?
Q7) Discuss how news stories differ in the opportunity for bias.
Q8) Explain why some newspapers are said to have "national influence."
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Chapter 13: Congress
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Q1) It can be said that most Americans trust the Supreme Court, respect the presidency (whether or not you like the president), and dislike Congress.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The explanation for congressional voting behavior that assumes members vote to please their constituents is referred to as __________.
A) representational
B) conventional
C) organizational
D) attitudinal
E) relational
Q3) A discharge petition is used by the House to
A) make revisions and additions to a bill before it is voted on.
B) get a bill that is stalled in committee onto the floor.
C) amend a bill that has already passed one house but not the other.
D) override a presidential veto.
E) amend a bill in a manner that will make it quite unpopular.
Q4) Identify and define the four types of congressional committees.
Q5) Identify the six distinct stages in the history of the House of Representatives.
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Chapter 14: The Presidency
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Q1) The most important power of presidents is the power of persuasion because of their A) limited staffs.
B) opponents within the party.
C) lack of ensured legislative majorities and opponents within the party.
D) vague constitutional powers and lack of ensured legislative majorities.
E) imited staffs .
Q2) Lyndon Johnson enjoyed considerable success in Congress until A) the Vietnam War sapped his strength.
B) he decided to run for reelection.
C) numerous scandals erupted in the tax department.
D) reporters were banned from White House gatherings.
E) his appointment of Abe Fortas to the Supreme Court.
Q3) A president's popularity has no effect on how much of his program is passed by Congress.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Identify the "three audiences" that Richard Neustadt describes in his book Presidential Power.
Q5) The text asks: "Does gridlock matter?" Summarize the discussion on this topic.
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Chapter 15: The Bureaucracy
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Q1) Perhaps the most significant constraint on bureaucratic power is the necessity to follow procedures set down in laws.
A)True
B)False
Q2) What are three aspects of our constitutional system and political traditions that give bureaucracy a distinctive feature?
Q3) In most Western European nations, the government owns and operates large parts of the economy.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was the first federal bureaucratic agency that exercised broad regulatory authority over the economy.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Government-by-proxy is used to describe a government that is cutting key services.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Define bureaucracy and give examples of types of bureaucracies.
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Chapter 16: The Judiciary
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Q1) Which is correct about the Senate confirming federal judges?
A) Until recently, most judges were confirmed.
B) Only liberal judges have been confirmed in recent years.
C) Activist judges are more likely to be confirmed than constructionists.
D) The president holds little respect for the opinions of Senators.
E) Senators actually nominate judges.
Q2) Congress was very supportive of Franklin Roosevelt's court-packing plan.
A)True
B)False
Q3) "Stare decisis" is usually translated as
A) let the decision stand.
B) standing against the decision.
C) friend of the court.
D) no probable jurisdiction.
E) stern defense.
Q4) Define judicial review and note how many federal laws have been declared unconstitutional.
Q5) A remedy is a judicial order enforcing a right or redressing a wrong.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 17: Domestic Policy
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Q1) The text suggests that laws protecting endangered species are examples of __________ politics.
A) majoritarian
B) client
C) interest-group
D) entrepreneurial
E) None of the above is True.
Q2) Antitrust laws are examples of majoritarian politics.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following statements best describes popular support for the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, including its call for environmental impact statements?
A) It remains strong.
B) It was strong initially but has weakened considerably.
C) It was weak initially but has grown stronger.
D) It was weak initially and has grown weaker.
E) It was weak initially and has remained so.
Q4) Explain why agricultural pesticides are considered client politics.
Q5) Identify and discuss the four types of politics based on benefits and cost.
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Chapter 18: Economic Policy
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Q1) Discuss the procedures for Congress in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
Q2) One study found __________ separate government bureaus were engaged in making economic policy.
A) fewer than five
B) fewer than ten
C) approximately thirty
D) close to seventy-five
E) more than one hundred
Q3) As a group, low-income people tend to be most concerned with __________.
A) inflation
B) education
C) economic drift
D) health
E) employment
Q4) Lower income earners tend to vote Democratic.
A)True
B)False
Q5) The economic approach known as planning has never been popular in America.
A)True
B)False
Page 20
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Chapter 19: Foreign and Military Policy
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Q1) Because defense contractors must bid competitively for contracts and because the military must have its annual budget approved by Congress, there is a tendency to
A) delay the acquisition of costly new hardware.
B) overestimate costs and acquire new hardware as quickly as possible.
C) pad the contracts with various nonessential items.
D) underestimate the probable costs.
E) All of the above are True.
Q2) Political polarization among the American public is/was a notable feature of A) the Korean War.
B) the Vietnam War.
C) the war in Iraq.
D) World War II.
E) the Mexican War.
Q3) When client politics is involved in foreign policy, Congress plays a much larger role.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Explain what the "rally 'round the flag" effect involves and cite some recent examples and exceptions.
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Chapter 20: American Democracy, Then and Now
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Q1) George W. Bush described his political philosophy as
A) hope and change.
B) time for change.
C) compassionate conservatism.
D) efficiency in assistance.
E) smart government.
Q2) By 2009, the federal government had become the majority stockholder in what was once the world's largest __________ company.
A) Steel
B) Railroad
C) Automotive
D) Telephone
E) Internet
Q3) Describe some of the primary features of the New System of American politics.
Q4) What are some differences we would expect if the Founding Fathers had created a more parliamentary regime, as in Great Britain?
Q5) What are the essential differences between the Old and New Systems of politics in the United States?
Q6) What are four consequences of the enlarged scope of governmental action?
Page 22
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