Contemporary American Politics
Review Questions
Course Introduction
Contemporary American Politics examines the dynamic and evolving landscape of political institutions, ideologies, and processes in the United States from the late twentieth century to the present. This course explores key topics such as political polarization, the rise of mass media, the impact of social movements, and the changing roles of political parties and interest groups. Students will analyze the effects of domestic policy decisions, the influence of money in politics, and evolving electoral strategies. Through case studies of recent elections, policy debates, and current events, the course encourages critical thinking about the challenges and opportunities facing modern American democracy.
Recommended Textbook
Keeping the Republic Power and Citizenship in American Politics THE ESSENTIALS 8th Edition by Christine
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Chapter 1: Politics: Who Gets What, and How?
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Q1) The role of citizens is limited to choosing among competing leaders in the ______ theory of democracy.
Answer: Elite
Q2) Which of the following countries is an advanced industrial democracy?
A) North Korea
B) Iran
C) the United States
D) Singapore
E) Cuba
Answer: C
Q3) The authors of the text argue that the two competing theories of citizenship can be reconciled through ______.
A) bargaining and compromise
B) more direct control of government by elites
C) deliberation
D) more direct democracy
E) less control of government by elites
Answer: C
Q4) The absence of government and laws is a characteristic of _______.
Answer: Anarchy
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Chapter 2: American Citizens and Political Culture
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Q1) Libertarians would oppose all of the following uses of government power EXCEPT this:
A) increasing social equality
B) managing the economy
C) reducing immoral behavior
D) increasing American involvement in spreading democracy around the world
E) protection of private property
Answer: E
Q2) The broad pattern of ideas,beliefs,and values about citizens and government held by a population is known as its ______.
A) political culture
B) ideology
C) political philosophy
D) constitution
E) political faith
Answer: A
Q3) The federal agency that now oversees the naturalization process is the U.S.______.
Answer: Citizenship and Immigration Services
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Chapter 3: Politics of the American Founding
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Sample Questions
Q1) Identify and discuss the three major compromises adopted at the Constitutional Convention.What issue did each compromise address? What were the concerns of each side? How was the compromise achieved? How well do you think each of the compromises has worked?
Answer: Students should discuss federalism,the Great Compromise,and the Three-Fifths Compromise.Federalism was a compromise between supporters of a strong national government and supporters of strong state governments.The Great Compromise was a compromise between the large states and the small states.The Three-Fifths Compromise was a compromise between supporters and opponents of slavery.Federalism divided sovereignty between the states and national government.The Great Compromise divided representation so that the large states were well represented in the House while the small states had equal representation in the Senate.The Three-Fifths Compromise provided slave states with more power in the House than they would have had with slaves not being counted for representation but with less power than if slaves were counted as whole persons.Students should note that federalism did not solve the problem of the status of the states,nor did the Three-Fifths Compromise end the conflict over slavery.Both required a civil war for resolution.
Q2) In Federalist No.10,James Madison warned against the dangers of ______.
Answer: Factions
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Chapter 4: Federalism and the USConstitution
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Q1) The supremacy clause of the Constitution states that if a state law and a federal law conflict,the ______ law will be followed.
Q2) The most important effect of changing the rules by which political decisions are made is that such changes ______.
A) can affect who is advantaged and who is disadvantaged B) confuse the public
C) make decisions inconsistent with each other D) always help the wealthy
E) always reduce justice in the system
Q3) Cooperative federalism is a theory that ______.
A) was an accurate depiction of American federalism during the eighteenth century
B) defines state and national powers as interdependent, requiring the cooperation of each other to get things done
C) defines state and federal governments as essentially separate from each other and carrying out their functions independently
D) reflects the formal distribution of powers by the Constitution
E) is modeled after a layer cake
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Chapter 5: Fundamental American Liberties
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following statements best describes the constitutional right to privacy?
A) The courts have ruled that a right to privacy applies only to cases of reproductive rights.
B) A right to privacy is not clearly spelled out in the Constitution, but many people argue the right is implied.
C) A right to privacy is spelled out explicitly in the Tenth Amendment.
D) The founders did not support a right to privacy, as evidenced by the Bill of Rights.
E) A right to privacy exists in the federal Constitution but not in most state constitutions.
Q2) One of Americans' most cherished liberties is the right to free speech and expression.Nowhere does the tension between security and freedom become more acute than in issues involving claims of sedition.Trace the evolution of the Court's position on suppression of speech deemed to be sedition.How have perceived threats to the nation influenced the creation of laws on sedition and the Court's response to those laws? What tests has the Court adopted,and how do the tests represent a changing view on the part of the Court's members regarding the balance between security and liberty?
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Chapter 6: The Struggle for Equal Rights
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Q1) Explain the difference between de jure and de facto discrimination,and give an example of each.
Q2) The significance of the Regents of the University of California v.Bakke case is that it _______.
A) declared busing unconstitutional
B) led to the integration of schools
C) solidified the use of quotas in college admissions
D) signaled the approval of affirmative action
E) upheld segregated educational facilities
Q3) The legal methods used to deny African Americans the right to vote,such as literacy tests and poll taxes,were overcome by _______.
A) passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Twenty-Fourth Amendment to the Constitution
B) an executive order issued by President Lyndon Johnson
C) changes in the political leadership of the southern states
D) passage of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution
E) Reconstruction
Q4) Explain the problems created by the diversity of Hispanic Americans.
Q5) Explain the significance of the Lawrence v.Texas decision.
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Chapter 7: Congress
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Q1) The Senate shares with ______ the power to approve members of the Supreme Court.
A) the populace
B) the House
C) the Fed
D) the president
Q2) Policy entrepreneurship is defined as the ______.
A) rare instances in which members of Congress change committees in midcareer
B) creation of coalitions that support pork barrel legislation
C) practice among legislators of becoming expert leaders in specific policy areas
D) legislative norm by which members of Congress swap votes
E) members of Congress who are puppets of their constituents and interest group donors
Q3) It is generally more difficult to win the nomination of your party but easier to win the general election when ______.
A) the seat is open
B) an incumbent of your party is running for reelection
C) an incumbent of the other party is running for reelection
D) a president of your party is very unpopular
E) a president of the opposition party is very popular
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Chapter 8: The Presidency
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Sample Questions
Q1) According to the text,effective heads of government are expected to do all of the following EXCEPT ______.
A) line up votes in the House and the Senate
B) work with their party to pass legislation
C) broker deals with Congress
D) act as a symbol for all Americans
E) convince the public that their policies are good
Q2) Explain the qualifications and conditions of office for the presidency.
Q3) Presidents' authority over foreign and defense policy comes from all of the following EXCEPT their power ______.
A) to declare war
B) as commander-in-chief of the armed forces
C) to negotiate treaties
D) to conclude executive agreements
E) to recognize ambassadors from other nations
Q4) Presidents can try to influence the judiciary by having the Speaker of the House argue cases before the court.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 9: The Bureaucracy
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Q1) President Obama's appointments to the bureaucracy differed from President George W.Bush's appointments in that ______.
A) President Bush's appointments were made with policy expertise in mind
B) the most important criterion in President Obama's appointments appears to have been ideology
C) President Obama's appointments were more likely to be made on the basis of policy expertise
D) President Bush's appointees were chosen to strengthen the agencies in carrying out their traditional functions
E) President Obama's appointees were chosen to diminish the traditional missions of the agencies
Q2) Agencies cultivate and serve powerful supporters because ______.
A) they need to be able to resist pressure from Congress and the president
B) they have no real interest in serving the public, only in gaining power
C) they are usually mandated by Congress to serve such interests
D) the leaders of agencies usually are chosen from among the ranks of such supporters
E) presidents usually wish them to cultivate such supporters
Q3) Compare and contrast spoils-based and merit-based bureaucratic systems.
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Chapter 10: The American Legal System and the Courts
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Sample Questions
Q1) A violation of civil law is called ______.
A) an infraction
B) a felony
C) a crime
D) a tort
E) a misdemeanor
Q2) Which of the following is NOT an influence on Supreme Court decision-making?
A) direct lobbying by interest group representatives
B) public opinion
C) the justices' view of the Constitution and how literally it should be taken
D) the executive branch
E) their relationships with each other
Q3) In an inquisitorial system,the attorneys play relatively minor roles.
A)True
B)False
Q4) A legal system in which trial procedures are designed to determine the truth through the intervention of an active judge is a parliamentary system.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Define the doctrines of judicial activism and judicial restraint.
Page 12
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Chapter 11: Public Opinion
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Q1) In recent years,ideology has become a more important factor in creating political divisions in American society.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Tolerance is a key democratic value because ______.
A) it makes people feel good
B) most people believe in it
C) we should love our neighbors
D) the founders were tolerant
E) it is a prerequisite for compromise
Q3) Public opinion not only should matter but also does matter in American politics because ______.
A) the public pays close attention to public policymaking
B) the public votes on the basis of well-informed policy views
C) the public is quick to react to all policy decisions that may not serve its interests
D) politicians and the media act as if it matters
E) the media is diligent in keeping the public well informed
Q4) Why should public opinion matter in a democracy,and why does public opinion matter?
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Chapter 12: Political Parties
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Q1) Which of the following is NOT true regarding issue positions of the major parties?
A) Democrats want "more services" over "cutting government spending."
B) Democrats are more likely than Republicans to advocate for gun control and reasonable regulation
C) Republicans are more likely than Democrats to oppose abortion.
D) Republicans are more likely than Democrats to believe that defense spending should be increased.
E) Democrats are more likely than Republicans to believe that government should let each person get ahead on his or her own rather than guaranteeing jobs and standards of living.
Q2) What are the four conditions of a responsible party?
Q3) Candidates for elective office in the United States are most often chosen in ______.
Q4) The party base are the members of a political party who consistently vote for that party's candidates.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Why can party organizations be described as fragmented?
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Chapter 13: Interest Groups
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Q1) Attack ads are indirect lobbying efforts,created for the sole purpose of manipulating or creating public sentiment.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The Eagle Forum is an interest group that ______.
A) fought hard against campaign finance reform
B) was on the forefront of the fight for reproductive rights for women
C) advocates a more traditional role for women in society
D) agitated and protested against the Vietnam War
E) favors gun control
Q3) At the time the health care bill was being debated in Congress,the insurance industry was in a tough position because ______.
A) if it stayed outside of the political process but was unable to stop health care reform, it risked being stuck with a policy it hated
B) any lobbying at all on the issue had been banned
C) too many of the industry's lobbyists were Democrats
D) none of the companies would be affected by the new law
E) none of the above
Q4) What is indirect lobbying,and what are some examples of it?
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Chapter 14: Voting, Campaigns, and Elections
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Q1) Why is party identification the single largest factor that determines how someone votes?
Q2) What features distinguish voters from nonvoters? Why don't some people vote,and what is being done to improve voter turnout?
Q3) What method has increased voter registration?
A) registration on the Internet
B) registration at one's place of employment
C) registration by fingerprint
D) registration by phone
E) motor Voter bills
Q4) Because of the Electoral College,presidential candidates generally spend most of their time and resources in ______.
A) competitive states, especially large ones
B) states where there are competitive local races so that they can raise money for their own general-election campaigns
C) coastal and border states because they are the so-called blue states
D) California, Texas, and New York because they are the biggest states
E) states where they have a comfortable lead in order to extend that lead
Q5) Most states use the ______ election today.
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Chapter 15: The Media
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Q1) ______ shows us that viewers do more than passively receive news and values presented by the media.
Q2) A reporter looking at the ways cell phone companies overcharge their customers would be performing which journalistic role?
A) interpretive/investigator
B) gatekeeper
C) disseminator
D) muckraker
E) mobilizer
Q3) Excessive press coverage of an embarrassing or scandalous subject is called ______.
A) spin
B) framing
C) a feeding frenzy
D) priming
E) narrowcasting
Q4) The way in which the media's emphasis on particular characteristics of people,events,or issues influences the public's perceptions of those people,events,or issues is called ______.
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Chapter 16: Social and Environmental Policy
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Q1) Government agencies have their largest role in policy ______.
A) agenda setting
B) adoption
C) implementation
D) formulation
E) evaluation
Q2) Few government policies generate as much controversy as social welfare programs.What are social welfare programs? Who are they designed to help? Why does so much divisiveness exist on these issues?
Q3) What is the Keystone Pipeline,and why it is controversial?
Q4) President Herbert Hoover's response to the Great Depression was to ______.
A) create limited programs to help the poor and unemployed
B) suggest charity and volunteerism as a solution but not government involvement
C) create Social Security
D) propose welfare assistance
E) develop jobs creation programs, such as the WPA and CCC
Q5) Why is fracking so controversial?
Q6) Social Security is a good example of the role _____ plays in the policy process.
Q7) _______ is often reluctant to act on climate change.
Q8) Name the five steps in the policymaking process.
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Chapter 17: Economic Policy
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Q1) What reforms have been proposed to change the current tax code? What are the pros and cons of each reform? Which reform do you think is best? Or do you believe that the tax code does not need to be changed? Why?
Q2) The cost of borrowing money calculated as a percentage of the amount borrowed is a(n)______ rate.
A) fiscal
B) inflationary
C) interest
D) deficit
E) loan
Q3) ______ is the imposition of trade barriers,especially tariffs,to make trading conditions favorable to domestic producers.
A) Restrictive trade
B) Protectionism
C) Free trade
D) Fair trade
E) Open trade
Q4) A tax that,even if at a fixed rate,takes a higher proportion of lower incomes is known as a ______ tax.
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Chapter 18: Foreign Policy
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Q1) ______ is an example of using economic sanctions as a foreign-policy tool.
A) Détente
B) Offering most favored nation status
C) An embargo
D) A U.N. resolution
E) Deterrence
Q2) Nuclear,chemical,and biological weapons are sometimes grouped together and called ______.
Q3) An economic system in which countries exchange goods without imposing excessive tariffs and taxes is known as ______.
A) free trade
B) international trade
C) capitalism
D) an international monetary system
E) democratic socialism
Q4) What economic instruments does the United States use in the area of foreign policy to try to punish or reward other states?
Q5) What are the three main types of foreign policy? Define them,and give an example of each.
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