Contemporary American Politics
Exam Materials
Course Introduction
Contemporary American Politics explores the major issues, institutions, and dynamics shaping the political landscape of the United States in the 21st century. The course examines the functioning of the federal government, political parties, and interest groups, alongside the impact of social movements, media, and public opinion. Key policy debates, electoral trends, and the influence of polarization and partisanship are analyzed to provide a comprehensive understanding of current challenges and developments in American governance. Through case studies and engagement with current events, students will gain insights into the evolving nature of democracy and civic participation in the U.S. today.
Recommended Textbook
Government in America People Politics and Policy 2012 Election Edition 16th Edition by George C.
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
18 Chapters
1675 Verified Questions
1675 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/821 Page 2
Chapter 1: Introducing Government in America
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16283
Sample Questions
Q1) What best describes a linkage institution?
A) a channel through which people's concerns become part of the political agenda
B) a location to express a political opinion
C) the formation of a special interest group
D) an environment where one learns about the political process
Answer: A
Q2) Congress,the presidency,and the courts are all policymaking institutions.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) What is public policy?
A) all government decisions
B) the root causes of political culture
C) the public's policy preferences
D) only legislation enacted by Congress
Answer: A
Q4) Elections investigate social problems and inform people about them.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 3
Chapter 2: The Constitution
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
93 Verified Questions
93 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16284
Sample Questions
Q1) In what year was the Declaration of Independence signed?
A) 1776
B) 1787
C) 1789
D) 1805
Answer: A
Q2) Which of the following debated and drafted the Declaration of Independence?
A) the Common Sense Committee
B) the Continental Congress
C) the Committees of Correspondence
D) the Constitutional Convention
Answer: B
Q3) Which of the following is a branch of the U.S.government?
A) House of Representatives
B) Supreme Court
C) presidency
D) legislative
Answer: D
Q4) The Continental Congress adopted the __________ in 1777.
Answer: Articles of Confederation
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 4
Chapter 3: Federalism
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
100 Verified Questions
100 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16285
Sample Questions
Q1) In United States v.Lopez and United States v.Morrison,the Supreme Court __________ the scope of congressional power to regulate interstate commerce.
Answer: limited
Q2) Most disputes over policy are handled at the state and local levels.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) The Constitution gives the power to coin money to both the state and federal governments.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q4) Funds awarded by the National Science Foundation to university professors are an example of __________ grants.
Answer: project
Q5) In McCulloch v.Maryland,the Supreme Court interpreted the __________ clause as prohibiting Maryland from taxing the national bank.
Answer: supremacy
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 5
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties and Public Policy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
96 Verified Questions
96 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16286
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following statements best expresses the outcome of conflicts between civil liberties in the United States?
A) When individuals or groups attempt to express themselves and the government tries to constrain them, the individuals or groups will usually win.
B) Individuals and groups must be prepared to make sacrifices so that government can protect civil liberties.
C) Because civil liberties are essential to democracy, the majority's wishes must take the front seat in any debate involving civil liberties.
D) Individuals or groups are free to express themselves in any way they wish; the government cannot constrain or otherwise restrict them.
Q2) The Fourth Amendment protects citizens from which of the following?
A) double jeopardy
B) unreasonable search and seizure
C) self-incrimination
D) trials without a jury
Q3) Discuss the evolution of abortion rights.
Q4) __________ rights include the right to remain silent.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 5: Civil Rights and Public Policy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
97 Verified Questions
97 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16287
Sample Questions
Q1) In Plessy v.Ferguson,the Supreme Court overturned the separate-but-equal doctrine that the Court had established in Brown v.Board of Education.
A)True
B)False
Q2) In Korematsu v.United States,the Supreme Court upheld the use of __________ for Japanese Americans.
Q3) What did the Supreme Court determine was unconstitutional in Brown v.Board of Education?
A) school integration
B) school busing
C) school segregation
D) unequal school funding
Q4) What strategy did the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)successfully use to fight against school segregation?
A) boycotts
B) protests
C) litigation
D) marches and rallies
Q5) Jim Crow laws required __________ of African Americans and whites.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 7
Chapter 6: Public Opinion and Political Action
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
99 Verified Questions
99 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16288
Sample Questions
Q1) The most common means of political participation in a democracy is __________.
Q2) Assume that Howard and Javier used proper sampling techniques to draw two samples of Hispanic Floridians.Each sample will be interviewed about proposed immigration policy reform and its impact on Hispanics living in the state.The samples were selected identically,but one includes 1,000 respondents and the other consists of 2,000 respondents.Given the information presented in this scenario,which of the following statements is true?
A) Howard and Javier will likely underestimate the impact of immigration reform on Florida's Hispanic population, given the size of their samples.
B) Howard and Javier will likely overestimate the impact of immigration reform on Florida's Hispanic population, given the size of their samples.
C) Howard and Javier can correctly assume that the sampling error for both surveyed samples will be the same.
D) Howard and Javier can be more confident of the results of the 2,000-person sample.
Q3) Explain why some critics contend that public opinion polls weaken American democracy.
Q4) Explain the relationship between social class and political participation.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 8
Chapter 7: The Mass Media and the Political Agenda
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
96 Verified Questions
96 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16289
Sample Questions
Q1) Based on information in the Chapter,if you were a media consultant,what recommendations would you make to a candidate about how to get his or her message out through the mass media?
Q2) Iyengar and Kinder's research found that TV news __________.
A) can alter the priorities Americans attach to problems depending on which stories are covered
B) has minimal effects on the public opinion of viewers
C) discourages citizens from voting by focusing on the imperfections of the democratic system
D) selects stories that are especially important to business interests
Q3) Most people describe government and election news coverage as superficial,narrow,and limited.Explain what factors contribute to these tendencies in news coverage in the United States.Whom do government officials and candidates blame for the nature of news coverage? Whom do journalists blame?
Q4) Research suggests that most reporting is systematically biased in a liberal direction. A)True B)False
Q5) What are sound bites? How does their use influence the nature of the news?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 9
Chapter 8: Political Parties
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
83 Verified Questions
83 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16290
Sample Questions
Q1) Party organizations generally favor closed primaries.
A)True
B)False
Q2) What best explains the demise of party machines?
A) congressional reforms that prevented private party meetings in "smoke-filled rooms"
B) Keynesian economic reforms that increased individual wealth
C) judicial reforms that ended the "pay to play" system of assigning public defenders
D) progressive reforms that instituted a merit-based hiring system
Q3) The responsible party model implies that parties should __________.
A) adhere to the party platform
B) make the best decisions for the country despite what public opinion suggests
C) use more patronage
D) be more accountable to interest group demands
Q4) Who runs the national party organizations between conventions?
A) the parties in the electorate
B) the state party organizations
C) the party's congressional caucus
D) the party's national committee
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 10
Chapter 9: Campaigns and Voting Behavior
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
101 Verified Questions
101 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16291
Sample Questions
Q1) Under most circumstances,it is the __________,not the popular vote,that actually determines who becomes president of the United States.
Q2) How do age,education,race and ethnicity,gender,marital status,and being a government employee affect one's likelihood of voting? For three of these demographic characteristics,explain why it affects turnout.
Q3) An examination of the number of campaign visits by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination contests suggests that
A) geographically larger states receive the most attention from the candidates during the nomination campaign
B) states with more electoral votes receive more attention from the candidates during the nomination campaign
C) states with early caucuses and primaries receive a disproportionate amount of attention from candidates during the nomination campaign
D) Obama won the election because he visited more states than did Clinton
Q4) Eliminating the U.S.system of __________ and replacing it with a government-initiated system would probably increase voter turnout significantly.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 11
Chapter 10: Interest Groups
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
98 Verified Questions
98 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16292
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is an example of a single-issue interest group?
A) the 21st Century Virginia Coalition
B) the Chamber of Commerce
C) Common Cause
D) the National Beer Wholesalers Association
Q2) Which of the following industries spent the most money on lobbying between 2009 and 2013?
A) real estate
B) pharmaceuticals
C) hospitals
D) oil and gas
Q3) The National Rifle Association is an example of a trade association.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Why do interest groups typically offer selective benefits to their members?
A) to foster greater diversity among group members
B) to encourage only the most committed supporters to become involved
C) to discourage members from joining more than one interest group
D) to overcome the free-rider problem
Q5) Compare and contrast the theories of pluralism,elitism,and hyperpluralism.
Page 12
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 11: Congress
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
88 Verified Questions
88 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16293
Sample Questions
Q1) Members of the House are apportioned to states based on __________.They serve __________-year terms.
A) equal representation by state; four
B) equal representation by state; six
C) population; two
D) population; four
Q2) What strategies do politicians use in credit claiming? Which are most effective,and why?
Q3) Which incumbency advantage involves efforts to highlight an incumbent's service to individuals and to the district?
A) visibility
B) credit claiming
C) lobbying
D) position taking
Q4) In the 2011-2012 election cycle,how much money did the average winning House candidate spend?
A) $1.6 million
B) $23 million
C) $200 million
D) $1 billion
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 13
Chapter 12: The Presidency
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
88 Verified Questions
88 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16294
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is a judicial power given to the president?
A) determining the Supreme Court's docket
B) nominating federal judges
C) establishing the jurisdiction of the federal courts including the Supreme Court
D) determining the constitutionality of judicial acts
Q2) Which of the following is one way in which the White House staff differs from the president's cabinet?
A) The White House staff is more loyal to the president.
B) The cabinet is more loyal to the president than is the White House staff.
C) The cabinet works more closely with the president than does the White House staff.
D) The White House staff must perform their job duties in accordance with congressional legislation, while the cabinet has no such restraints.
Q3) How would you characterize President Obama's presidency? Has he been a successful or a disappointing president? Justify your answer with details from the text about the Obama presidency,with details about presidential powers and responsibilities more generally,and with comparisons to other presidents.
Q4) Describe the role of the First Lady.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 14
Chapter 13: The Budget: The Politics of Taxing and Spending
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
91 Verified Questions
91 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16295
Sample Questions
Q1) In 1921,Congress passed the Budget and Accounting Act to alleviate concerns about
A) retiring the debt from World War I
B) communist influence in the budget process
C) corporate funds going to political campaigns
D) the viability of the Social Security program
Q2) President Obama is the first president to ask for the debt ceiling to be increased. A)True B)False
Q3) Prior to 1943,corporate taxes yielded more revenue than individual income taxes. A)True B)False
Q4) Taxes that are __________ to the cost of living prevent taxpayers from being bumped into a higher tax bracket due solely to inflation.
Q5) Explain the difference between state and federal budgets for capital projects.Which do you think operates more efficiently?
Q6) Describe the military-industrial complex.How might its actions affect the budget and the size of government?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 15
Chapter 14: The Federal Bureaucracy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
93 Verified Questions
93 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16296
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is a primary goal of privatizing government functions?
A) to provide services that the private sector cannot
B) to strengthen government accountability
C) to improve the efficiency of public service delivery
D) to expand the size of the federal bureaucracy
Q2) The federal bureaucracy is part of the __________ branch of government.
Q3) In general,Americans approve of bureaucrats and the work that they do.
A)True
B)False
Q4) When the U.S.Department of Transportation stipulates how many hours truck drivers can be on the road per week,the department is employing a(n)__________ policy.
Q5) Under the Hatch Act as amended,federal employees are prohibited from
A) adjudicating legal disputes
B) exercising administrative discretion
C) running for partisan office
D) running voter registration drives
Q6) The __________ led to the creation of a merit-based civil service system.
Q7) How did the Hatch Act reinforce reforms initiated under the Pendleton Act? When were these acts passed? What event precipitated the Pendleton Act?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 16
Chapter 15: The Federal Courts
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
95 Verified Questions
95 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16297
Sample Questions
Q1) The Supreme Court regularly exercises its original jurisdiction.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Rotating three-judge panels typically decide cases in the federal courts of appeals.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Describe originalism as a judicial philosophy.
Q4) What type of standing to sue permits a small number of people to sue on behalf of all other people in similar circumstances?
A) criminal
B) statute
C) class action
D) justiciable
Q5) Senatorial courtesy is specified in the Constitution.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Explain the role of stare decisis in Brown v.Board of Education.
Q7) If North Dakota sues South Dakota,the case will be heard by the __________.
Q8) Describe the difference between civil and criminal law.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 17
Chapter 16: Economic and Social Welfare Policymaking
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
105 Verified Questions
105 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16298
Sample Questions
Q1) Monetary policy uses the money supply to affect growth in the U.S.economy.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following contributes to the unpopularity of welfare programs in the United States?
A) Americans are generally uncompassionate.
B) Americans tend to think that U.S. welfare programs are not generous enough.
C) Many Americans believe that access to welfare benefits contributes to the flood of immigrants.
D) Welfare programs tend to increase inflation and decrease exports.
Q3) If you subscribe to Keynesian economic policies,you are most concerned with __________.
A) exports
B) unemployment
C) inflation
D) money supply
Q4) Discuss the two major economic worries faced by members of Congress: unemployment and inflation.What options are available to address them?
Q5) Tax cuts are a key tool of the __________ economic approach.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 18
Chapter 17: Understanding Health Care, Environmental, and Energy Policy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
103 Verified Questions
103 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16299
Sample Questions
Q1) Why has nuclear power not been as prevalent as one might think given the potential that this energy source has to produce inexpensive electricity? What events have limited the expansion of nuclear power in the United States?
Q2) In which era did health insurance become linked to employment?
A) Progressive Era
B) World War I
C) New Deal
D) World War II
Q3) What is one reason that health care policy in the United States tends to favor the elderly?
A) American political culture places a heavy emphasis on respecting your elders.
B) The AARP is a powerful lobby.
C) A majority of Congress is elderly.
D) The elderly have greater financial resources to use to influence public policy.
Q4) An environmental impact statement is required under the provisions of the __________ Act when a government policy is potentially disruptive to the environment.
Q5) Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Medicaid program.
Q6) Why did Barack Obama want to pass a health care reform bill?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 19
Chapter 18: National Security Policymaking
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
99 Verified Questions
99 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16300
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following countries would have been most opposed to the policy of containment?
A) United Kingdom
B) France
C) Soviet Union
D) United States
Q2) Which of the following statements about terrorism is accurate?
A) Terrorism usually involves military personnel and military targets.
B) Terrorism is often designed to demoralize and frighten the general public.
C) Terrorism is usually financed by the government.
D) Only nongovernmental political actors engage in terrorism.
Q3) The president has many executive branch advisers to assist with making foreign and defense policies.To what extent is the president's foreign policy strength related to this large cadre of advisers? In what situations would the president be most likely to consult with each of the following: the vice president,the secretary of state,the secretary of defense,the Joint Chiefs of Staff,the National Security Council,the National Security Agency,and the director of national intelligence?
Q4) What is a tariff? Why has the world economy moved from high tariffs and protectionism to lower tariffs and nontariff barriers?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 20