American National Government Practice Questions
Course Introduction
This course provides an in-depth exploration of the structure, principles, and operations of the United States national government. Students will examine the Constitution, federalism, and the roles and functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The course also covers civil liberties and rights, political parties, interest groups, the electoral process, and public policy making. Through analysis of historical and contemporary issues, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how American government works and its impact on society and citizens.
Recommended Textbook
The Enduring Democracy 3rd Edition by David A. Yalof
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16 Chapters
1193 Verified Questions
1193 Flashcards
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Page 2
Chapter 1: The More Things Changethe More They Stay the Same
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69 Verified Questions
69 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The Twenty-fourth Amendment extended the right to vote by
A) giving women the right to vote.
B) giving residents of the District of Columbia electoral votes in presidential elections.
C) preventing states from levying a poll tax.
D) lowering the voting age to eighteen.
E) None of the above is true.
Answer: C
Q2) Which of the following election battles did NOT precede a general U. S. presidential election?
A) Romney-Gingrich-Santorum-Paul
B) Goldwater-Rockefeller-Romney
C) Adams-Jefferson
D) Options A, B, and C are true.
E) None of the above is true.
Answer: C
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Chapter 2: The Founding and the Constitution
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78 Verified Questions
78 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) In the years immediately preceding the American Revolution and the creation of our Constitution, the king and the Parliament of England
A) had never considered the possibility of revolutionary fervor in the colonies.
B) feared that the colonies would attempt to overthrow their governments and had the resources and the capability to do so.
C) feared that other European powers would attempt to encroach on their American holdings far more than they feared any form of colonial uprising.
D) entered into agreements with other European powers to share the resources of their colonial holdings in exchange for shared protection.
E) actually sought to sell the colonies.
Answer: C
Q2) Including the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution has __________ Amendments.
A) twelve
B) one
C) ten
D) twenty-seven
E) fifty-three
Answer: D
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Page 4
Chapter 3: Federalism
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Germany has a strong central government but the country is also made up of 16 Bundesländer, the plural term for the regions that are very similar to American states. Each Bundesländ has its own strong local government that shares power with the central government. This government system is an example of A) federalism.
B) democracy.
C) humanitarianism.
D) secularism.
E) unity.
Answer: A
Q2) To maintain the doctrine of federalism, it
A) must be ordered by a court with proper jurisdiction.
B) must be voted into existence by the people.
C) cannot coexist within a democracy.
D) generally requires the existence of a central government tier and a subnational tier, with each tier assigned its own significant powers.
E) must coexist within a monarchy.
Answer: D
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties
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75 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The section of the U.S. Constitution commonly referred to as the Bill of Rights consists of
A) the powers of the president to curtail individual rights.
B) the amendments to the Constitution, added in 1791 following ratification, that guarantee individual rights.
C) Article III, which sets up the judicial branch.
D) voluntary measures to ensure domestic tranquility.
E) police powers that are designed to control citizen uprisings.
Q2) How has the Supreme Court interpreted the Second Amendment? Do you agree with their interpretation? Why or why not?
Q3) Criminal laws that are retroactively applied to those who engaged in activities when they were not yet illegal are called
A) backdoor laws.
B) fascist laws.
C) civil subpoenas.
D) bill of attainder.
E) ex post facto laws.
Q4) Explain the concept of Holmes's "marketplace of ideas." Compare and contrast this view with the civil action of libel.
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Chapter 5: Civil Rights, Equality and Social Movements
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76 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) A social condition in which members of different groups possess substantially the same rights to participate actively in the political system is referred to as
A) political equality.
B) social equality.
C) economic equality.
D) civil equality.
E) civil rights.
Q2) "White flight" to the suburbs is an example of A) forced discrimination.
B) civil disobedience.
C) de facto discrimination.
D) de jure discrimination.
E) racial discrimination.
Q3) The Nineteenth Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted A) women the right to vote.
B) African American men the right to vote for the first time.
C) the right to equal education regardless of race or gender.
D) the right to affirmative action in employment procedures.
E) eighteen-year-olds the right to vote.
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Page 7
Chapter 6: Congress
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73 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The first Congress in North America was
A) the House of Burgesses.
B) the Albany Congress.
C) the Charleston Congress.
D) the First Continental Congress.
E) the Second Continental Congress.
Q2) How is membership from each state in the U.S. Senate determined?
A) By the population of the individual state
B) By equal representation from each state
C) By the results of the U.S. Census every 10 years
D) By the courts
E) By each session of the Senate as members determine the method to be used
Q3) What is the minimum age for becoming a U.S. Senator?
A) No age limit
B) 18 years old
C) 25 years old
D) 30 years old
E) 40 years old
Q4) What is a filibuster? Why is it used? How does it work, and how does it end?
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Chapter 7: The Presidency
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72 Verified Questions
72 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The power to "receive ambassadors" includes
A) the power to deny official recognition to foreign governments.
B) the power to meet with visiting heads of state.
C) the power to host official state dinners.
D) the power to make treaties.
E) the power to grant reprieves and pardons.
Q2) As commander-in-chief, the role of the president in the twentieth century has evolved dramatically. Describe how presidents of the twentieth century have used this constitutional role to project their power in a global arena.
Q3) In 1941, the deadly attack on ____ influenced America to enter into WWII.
A) New York
B) Pearl Harbor
C) Washington D.C.
D) Paris
E) London
Q4) Discuss the evolution of executive powers since World War II.
Q5) Describe the implied powers and responsibilities of the President.
Q6) What are the differences between an executive order and a law?
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Chapter 8: The Federal Bureaucracy
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) How do Congress, the president, and the judicial branch make bureaucracies accountable?
Q2) The federal bureaucracy is made up of a variety of agencies. The 15 major administrative organizations within the bureaucracy that report directly to the president are called
A) mini-bureaucracies.
B) state governments.
C) judicial branches.
D) cabinet departments.
E) administrative units.
Q3) Sociologist Max Weber, an early student of bureaucratic organizations, identified several common characteristics of effective bureaucracies. Which of the following would NOT be on Weber's list?
A) Hierarchical arrangement with a clear chain of command from top to bottom
B) A focus on the professionalism of all employees
C) Hiring and promotional decisions that are normally influenced by local politicians
D) Organization based on a division of labor, expertise, and specialization
E) A common set of rules and regulations for carrying out organizational functions
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Chapter 9: The Judiciary
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72 Verified Questions
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Sample Questions
Q1) A type of trial in which parties present evidence only to a judge is
A) a settlement conference.
B) a civil trial.
C) judge-made law.
D) an inquisitorial trial.
E) a bench trial.
Q2) Which of the following are NOT violations of the "case or controversy" requirement?
A) Lawsuits in which it is too late to provide any effective remedy
B) Lawsuits seeking injunction to prevent immediate irreparable harm
C) Lawsuits in which the actual conflict is still sometime in the future
D) Lawsuits in which the parties have colluded to contrive a result
E) Lawsuits in which jurisdiction has not been properly invoked
Q3) Litigants who receive an adverse judgment in federal appeals court and wish to be heard in the U.S. Supreme Court may petition for a
A) writ of habeas corpus.
B) writ of mandamus.
C) writ of certiorari.
D) subpoena.
E) warrant.
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Page 11
Chapter 10: Public Opinion
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73 Verified Questions
73 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Probably the most consistent influence on the development of values and beliefs, including political values, is provided by
A) co-workers.
B) elementary schools.
C) parents.
D) religions.
E) party affiliations.
Q2) Also known as a call-in poll, a(n) __________ is generally advertised on TV or radio shows and gives an 800 or 900 number for the audience to call in and express their opinions.
A) intercept poll
B) self-selector listener opinion poll
C) login poll
D) computerized response audience poll
E) random-digit dialing
Q3) More Americans are getting political information from the Internet and from television shows like the Daily Show than ever before. At the same time, Americans' knowledge of politics is fairly low. Evaluate whether these two trends are related.
Q4) Define public opinion and discuss early efforts to measure it.
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Chapter 11: Interest Groups
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72 Verified Questions
72 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) During periods of rapid growth in federal spending, such as the New Deal of the 1930s and the Great Society of the 1960s, what has been the corresponding response of interest groups?
A) As funding and services increased, there was far less need for advocacy; thus the number of interest groups decreased.
B) The number of organized and active interest groups increased significantly in order to advocate for or oppose the government's views.
C) Interest groups began to merge their organizations into the federal government's bureaucracy.
D) Interest groups disbanded because, in effect, they had been successful in advocating for the creation of the new funding programs.
E) There was little discernible difference in the organization or number of interest groups.
Q2) How do interest groups differ from political parties? How are they similar? Give some examples.
Q3) What guarantees does the First Amendment provide to interest groups?
Q4) How has the Internet changed how interest groups function?
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Page 13
Chapter 12: The Media and American Politics
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Sample Questions
Q1) How did President Kennedy change the way in which the executive branch used television?
A) Kennedy ran advertisements that advocated for his programs.
B) Kennedy used television to address Congress.
C) Kennedy gave the first televised State of the Union address.
D) Kennedy was the first to use live television during a press conference, which increased his approval ratings.
E) Kennedy used television to address his foreign opponents.
Q2) Internet users are more likely to be younger, middle and upper class. This phenomenon is referred to as the
A) digital divide.
B) generation gap.
C) racial disparity.
D) economic disproportionalism.
E) literacy gap.
Q3) Discuss the impact of ownership of the media organizations on media coverage. Does private ownership affect the operation of media outlets? If so, how? How is the Internet a possible alternative to privately-owned media outlets?
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14
Chapter 13: Political Parties and Voting
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Sample Questions
Q1) Ideologically, American public opinion tends to show certain consistent trends. Ideologically, most Americans
A) are either extreme left or extreme right in their leanings.
B) are prone to swing back and forth between liberal and conservative ideologies.
C) are prone to follow the lead of European nations such as France and Britain.
D) are moderate, or centrist, thus creating a scenario in which the two major parties are leery of venturing away from the center.
E) are unsure of where they stand.
Q2) The percentage of partisan votes taken in the House and Senate is measured by the A) Daily Yelp.
B) Online Onslaught.
C) Congressional Quarterly.
D) Mortality and Morbidity Report.
E) Congressional Record.
Q3) What are the voting methods currently in place? How will the Internet one day transform the way we vote?
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15
Chapter 14: Campaigns and Elections
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following would NOT be a consideration for a presidential candidate in choosing his or her vice presidential running mate?
A) Geographical and regional balance
B) Ideological balance
C) Balance of party affiliation between the two candidates
D) Character and personal demeanor
E) Balance of experience
Q2) Describe the various methods for funding a presidential campaign. How does the federal government regulate such campaign funding?
Q3) All states have a minimum of three electoral votes. The state with the most electoral votes in the electoral college is
A) Texas.
B) New York.
C) Florida.
D) Vermont.
E) California.
Q4) Identify and describe the five determinants of vote choice. Which do you feel is the most powerful for American voters and why?
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Page 16
Chapter 15: American Domestic Policy
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74 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is a tax-favored plan that provides a large incentive for mutual fund owners?
A) IRA
B) Roth IRA
C) Social Security
D) 401(k) plan
E) Keogh plan
Q2) Medicare is a Federal program that provides health insurance for the
A) elderly.
B) poor.
C) working class.
D) bureaucrats.
E) farmers and ranchers.
Q3) Which of the following is NOT a purpose of the federal budget?
A) It creates a comprehensive plan laying out what the government will spend for various programs.
B) It sets limits on the profitability of key industries and service companies.
C) It sets priorities for the government.
D) It details how the government expects to raise money.
E) It manages and implements the fiscal policy.
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Chapter 16: American Foreign Policy
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75 Verified Questions
75 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) In the first two decades of the twentieth century, European imperialism increased and the United States took action to protect its interests. As a result, which of the following nations was NOT one of those in which the United States intervened with military action or threat of action during these two decades?
A) Haiti
B) Iran
C) Nicaragua
D) Venezuela
E) Dominican Republic
Q2) Which of the following statements about the "Vietnam syndrome" is incorrect?
A) The Vietnam Syndrome was cured shortly after the end of the Vietnam War.
B) The Vietnam Syndrome produced pacifism on the part of American leaders.
C) The Vietnam Syndrome promoted a fear among politicians of prosecuting another war in which public support was flimsy.
D) The Vietnam Syndrome promoted a fear among politicians of unclear military objectives.
E) The Vietnam Syndrome promoted a fear among politicians of another war in which the exit strategy was ill defined.
Q3) Discuss the impact of 9/11 and how it changed American foreign policy.
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Page 18