Introduction to American Government Exam Materials
Course Introduction
Introduction to American Government provides students with a comprehensive overview of the foundations, structures, and functions of the United States government. The course explores the historical development of the Constitution, the principles of federalism, and the roles of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Students will examine key institutions, political parties, interest groups, and the electoral process, as well as civil rights and liberties. Emphasis is placed on understanding how government decisions affect citizens and how individuals can participate in the political process. This course fosters informed and engaged citizenship through analysis of current events and the American political system.
Recommended Textbook
The Enduring Democracy 3rd Edition by David A. Yalof
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16 Chapters
1193 Verified Questions
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Chapter 1: The More Things Changethe More They Stay the Same
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Sample Questions
Q1) According to the text, which of the following is NOT considered a possible reason for the decline in our political system?
A) The decline of the U.S. as an Economic Superpower
B) Partisan gridlock that holds up policies moving through it
C) Weak candidates for high office
D) The death of capitalism
E) The rights of certain racial and ethnic groups being slowly taken away
Answer: E
Q2) Which of the following methods of communication did NOT affect a U.S. presidential election?
A) Television
B) On-line social media
C) Radio
D) Rotary press
E) Movable type
Answer: E
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Chapter 2: The Founding and the Constitution
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Q1) Which of the following is a check by the legislative branch on the powers of the executive branch?
A) Congress may rule that a presidential action is unconstitutional.
B) The Supreme Court may veto presidential orders.
C) The Supreme Court recommends legislation to the judicial branch that is assured to pass constitutional muster.
D) The president may veto a law passed by the legislative branch.
E) The Senate must consent to all presidential appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Answer: E
Q2) The Declaratory Act
A) declared the king to be head of the Church of England.
B) declared the king and Parliament to have final authority over the colonies.
C) declared the king could not be a Roman Catholic.
D) Options A, B, and C are true.
E) None of the above is true.
Answer: B
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4
Chapter 3: Federalism
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Sample Questions
Q1) Powers explicitly delegated to the Congress under Article I of the U.S. Constitution are referred to as
A) enumerated powers.
B) reserved powers.
C) concurrent powers.
D) federal powers.
E) constituent powers.
Answer: A
Q2) The power to establish bankruptcy laws is an example of a(n)
A) enumerated power.
B) reserved power.
C) concurrent power.
D) dictated power.
E) revealed power.
Answer: C
Q3) What is meant by the term "New Federalism"? Discuss this era in comparison with earlier eras, especially regarding the roles of federal and state governments.
Answer: Answers may vary.
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties
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Q1) How has the Supreme Court interpreted the Second Amendment? Do you agree with their interpretation? Why or why not?
Q2) In a series of well-publicized Supreme Court rulings in 2005, Kentucky was required to remove the Ten Commandments posted in some of its county courtrooms. However, Texas was allowed to keep a monument on the state capital grounds that had the Ten Commandments listed. How did the Supreme Court rationalize the Kentucky circumstance as unconstitutional, but not the Texas case?
A) Texas was a sovereign nation prior to becoming a state and was allowed to retain some of its religious sovereignty.
B) Kentucky did not have the level of adequate legal representation during the proceedings as did Texas.
C) The Texas case used a newer, more modern interpretation of the Ten Commandments that was considered less controversial by the Supreme Court.
D) The Kentucky case involved religious displays inside of public courtrooms that are involuntarily visible to anyone, whereas the Texas case involved a monument with a historical context that is located on the grounds of the capitol building.
E) The Supreme Court showed its bias toward western states.
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Page 6
Chapter 5: Civil Rights, Equality and Social Movements
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which type of law, passed in southern states during Reconstruction, required a payment to the government before an individual could be allowed to vote? (These laws had the worst impact on poor citizens, of which African Americans were disproportionately represented.)
A) Literacy test
B) Poll tax
C) Property tax
D) Fine
E) Race tax
Q2) The standard requiring the government show that classification is "substantially related to an important state interest" is
A) compelling state interest.
B) intermediate scrutiny.
C) preponderance of the evidence.
D) balancing interests.
E) rational basis scrutiny.
Q3) Compare and contrast the methods of achieving civil rights: accommodation, agitation, litigation, legal boycott, and civil disobedience. Be sure to evaluate the effectiveness of each method using historic examples.
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Page 7
Chapter 6: Congress
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Sample Questions
Q1) The ultimate authority for enacting new laws lies with A) Congress.
B) the president.
C) the Supreme Court.
D) state governments.
E) state courts.
Q2) When the U.S. Senate enters into endless debate as a procedural tactic to block a vote on the Senate floor, other senators may call for a(n) __________ vote, which immediately ends debate and forces a vote on the issue.
A) filibuster
B) cloture
C) closed rule
D) open rule
E) censure
Q3) As an elected member of Congress prepares to vote on a proposed bill, he/she is influenced by a number of factors. List at least five modern factors and describe how they may affect the legislation process.
Q4) Explain the impeachment power given to Congress. Compare and contrast the respective roles of the House and Senate.
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Chapter 7: The Presidency
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Q1) Which of the following was NOT an exercise of power by Andrew Jackson?
A) Dismissing officeholders
B) Forcing out cabinet members who angered him
C) Vetoing the bill rechartering the second National Bank
D) Introducing the spoils system
E) Declaring European intervention in the affairs of the New World an unfriendly act
Q2) "Lend-lease" was a
A) program to provide federal jobs for the unemployed.
B) corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.
C) agreement trading destroyers for the right to build bases.
D) declaration permitting the United States to intervene in Latin America.
E) a policy establishing the ability of the United States to act as the "world's policeman."
Q3) 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.
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Chapter 8: The Federal Bureaucracy
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Q1) Policy implementation is
A) a set of rules that guide employees of an agency in carrying out a program or service.
B) a widely accessible federal government publication.
C) freedom in deciding how to implement a law.
D) Congress choosing not to deal with politically difficult issues.
E) the process of carrying out a law.
Q2) At the head of each cabinet department is a secretary. How does a secretary obtain his/her position?
A) Nominated by and answers directly to the Senate
B) Nominated by and is subordinate to the judicial branch
C) Nominated by Congress and ratified by three-fourths of the state governments
D) Appointed by the president but must be confirmed by the Senate
E) Appointed by the president at his/her discretion without oversight
Q3) Fully explain the processes for developing regulations and bureaucratic adjudication.
Q4) What is the role of the cabinet-level departments and why are they important to the president? How are the heads of these Cabinet-level departments chosen?
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Chapter 9: The Judiciary
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Sample Questions
Q1) The party that chooses to initiate formal legal proceedings is called the A) initiator.
B) defendant.
C) plaintiff.
D) barrister.
E) counsel.
Q2) How does criminal law differ from civil law with regard to charges and punishments?
A) Only criminal law allows for imprisonment as a punishment.
B) Criminal law does not allow for the use of fines as does civil law.
C) The two terms are interchangeable.
D) Civil law grants no authority for punishments.
E) An offender cannot be charged with both a criminal and a civil offense.
Q3) Fully explain the pre-trial and trial process in civil litigation and in the criminal justice system.
Q4) A hotly debated political topic in recent decades has involved judicial restraint versus judicial activism. Describe these two judicial ideologies. What are the differences between them? How does each ideology impact the social and political environment?
Q5) Compare and contrast appellate and original jurisdiction.
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Chapter 10: Public Opinion
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is meant by political socialization? What is meant by primacy tendency?
Describe how political socialization by family, friends and peers, schools, media, and religion impact the opinions and preferences of an individual.
Q2) Public opinion exists at three basic levels. List and describe these levels.
Q3) Public opinion exists at three basic levels. One of the highest levels of public opinion is seen in the beliefs of the American people. In this sense, how is the term "beliefs" defined?
A) Laws and statutes of the American government
B) Religious denominational understandings
C) Facts that derive from values that people take for granted about the world
D) Vague feelings that people perceive as applying to the world at large
E) Political orientations and preferences
Q4) Studies have shown that heavy users of the news media, compared to lighter users, are
A) far more critical of democracy.
B) more inclined to support overthrow of the government.
C) more politically informed.
D) less likely to hold long-term jobs.
E) more apt to run for political office.
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Chapter 11: Interest Groups
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Sample Questions
Q1) Noneconomic interest groups that focus on specific and sometimes very narrow perspectives and issues, such as abortion or capital punishment, are referred to as
A) public interest groups.
B) issue and ideological groups.
C) business groups.
D) opinion associations.
E) environmental advocacy groups.
Q2) Which of the following is NOT a method that interest groups use to lobby for their causes?
A) Litigating
B) Supporting candidates
C) Grassroots lobbying
D) Persuasive campaigning
E) Boycotting their own businesses
Q3) How do interest groups differ from political parties? How are they similar? Give some examples.
Q4) How do interest groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) use litigation and the courts to advance their goals?
Q5) How has the Internet changed how interest groups function?
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Chapter 12: The Media and American Politics
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Sample Questions
Q1) In 1967, Congress provided funding to create the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which is responsible for
A) redirecting some of the profitability of televised media to the U.S. Treasury.
B) creating noncommercial public television and radio programming.
C) creating an in-house news source designed to present the government's side of issues.
D) providing national entertainment and movies.
E) Internet-based programming and information dissemination.
Q2) Historically the news media have been effective as checks against governmental power and have been trusted by most Americans. Because of their protections by the First Amendment and their ability to check governmental powers, the media are often referred to as
A) the agitator.
B) the fourth branch of government.
C) the government's police.
D) the mediator of government.
E) the voice of the people.
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Chapter 13: Political Parties and Voting
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Q1) The Libertarian Party
A) endorses the notion that government should be small and limited, interfering as little as possible with the lives of citizens.
B) place a premium on individual liberties and personal responsibility.
C) bases the foundation of its political activities on religious principles of Christianity.
D) Both options A and B are true.
E) Both options B and C are true.
Q2) Prior to the Revolutionary War, many citizens of the American colonies aligned themselves with the Whig Party, an organization that continued well into the 1800s. What was the primary stance of the colonial Whigs?
A) Loyalty to the King of England
B) A new and independent American nation
C) World military dominance
D) Abolition of slavery
E) Control of the international shipping market by creation of a powerful navy
Q3) Discuss some reasons for low voter turnout in America. How do we compare on the global scale to o voter turnout of other countries?
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Page 15
Chapter 14: Campaigns and Elections
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Sample Questions
Q1) How many incumbents have lost their bids for another term?
A) 5
B) 7
C) 11
D) 15
E) 19
Q2) 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
Q3) March 6, 2012-"Super Tuesday"- was so named because
A) with that day's results, 26 states had held their contests.
B) with that day's results 28 contests (50 percent plus 1) had been held.
C) fifteen states all held their contests on that day.
D) nine states all held their contests that day.
E) it commemorated the fictional arrival of Kal-El on earth.
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Page 16
Chapter 15: American Domestic Policy
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Sample Questions
Q1) An economic slowdown characterized by higher unemployment, reduced productivity, or some other negative economic indicators is
A) inflation.
B) recession.
C) stigmatization.
D) economic morbidity.
E) stagnation.
Q2) How are housing starts, or new construction, used to gauge the national economy?
A) Construction of apartments instead of single family homes indicates less money available in the economy.
B) Declines in housing starts are often one of the first signs of an approaching economic downturn.
C) Building supplies are the most profitable industry in the nation.
D) Decreases in demand for single-dwelling homes usually indicate a higher demand for condominiums and other multi-unit construction.
E) Decreases in the average price of new homes indicate a strong economy.
Q3) Describe the impact of entitlements on the budgetary process.
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17
Chapter 16: American Foreign Policy
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Sample Questions
Q1) Discuss the impact of 9/11 and how it changed American foreign policy.
Q2) Which political ideology opposes American interventions in distant wars or involvement in permanent military alliances?
A) Isolationism
B) Pacifism
C) Expansionism
D) Conservatism
E) Containment
Q3) The presidential proclamation in 1823 that there would be no attempt to colonize North and South America by European powers and that such action would be cause for military action was called
A) the War Powers Resolution.
B) the Monroe Doctrine.
C) the Truman Doctrine.
D) the Treaty of Versailles.
E) manifest destiny.
Q4) What benefits come from increasing our relations with Russia? What progress and decline have we seen in recent years that affect this relationship?
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