Introduction to American Government Test Questions
Course Introduction
Introduction to American Government provides students with a comprehensive overview of the structures, functions, and processes of the United States government. The course explores the historical foundations of American democracy, the Constitution, federalism, and the roles of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Students will examine the interplay between local, state, and federal governments, as well as the impact of political parties, interest groups, and the media. Key topics also include civil liberties, civil rights, and public policy. Through critical analysis and discussion, students gain a deeper understanding of how governmental decisions shape society and influence the lives of citizens.
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MindTapR in Action American Government 1st Edition by Cengage
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Chapter 1: The Constitution
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Q1) The Virginia Resolves established colonial objection to the
A) British East India Company.
B) British mandate to house British soldiers in colonists' homes.
C) idea of "taxation without representation."
D) French and Indian Wars.
Answer: C
Q2) The Federalist Papers were written by
A) James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Robert Yates.
B) James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and John Jay.
C) James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.
D) James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and Robert Yates.
Answer: C
Q3) Which of the following is<b ><u>not</u></b> an enumerated power of Congress?
A) The right to levy taxes
B) The right to appoint ambassadors
C) The right to raise an army
D) The right to establish post offices
Answer: B
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Chapter 2: Federalism
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Q1) When did the United States operate under a confederal system?
A) Under the rule of King George
B) Under the Articles of Confederation
C) Under the Constitution
D) Since the Revolutionary War
Answer: B
Q2) What distinguishes a unitary system of government?
A) In a unitary system, power rests with the local and regional governments.
B) In a unitary system, power rests entirely with the national government.
C) In a unitary system, power rests entirely with the people.
D) In a unitary system, power is divided in the same manner as in a federal system.
Answer: B
Q3) McCullough v. Maryland introduced the idea of expanding the powers of Congress to include powers
A) the states chose to give up.
B) that were explicitly listed in the Constitution.
C) the people voted to give Congress.
D) not explicitly listed in the Constitution.
Answer: D
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Chapter 3: Civil Liberties
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Q1) How many amendments were ratified and adopted as the Bill of Rights?
A) Eight
B) Ten
C) Twelve
D) Fourteen Answer: B
Q2) In 1976, what Supreme Court decision held that the death penalty was <b><u>not </b></u>inherently cruel and unusual punishment?
A) Gregg v. Georgia
B) Furman v. Georgia
C) Barker v. Wingo
D) Gideon v. Wainwright
Answer: A
Q3) Supreme Court rulings have supported a free press because citizens are dependent on the press for reporting that
A) mirrors legislative decisions.
B) keeps the government accountable.
C) supports the government.
D) helps maintain domestic security.
Answer: B
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Chapter 4: Civil Rights
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Q1) Which case resulted in the decision that public school systems cannot seek to achieve or maintain integration through measures that take account of a student's race?
A) Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
B) Grutter v. Bollinger
C) Fisher v. Texas
D) Parents Involved in Community Schools (PIICS) v. Seattle School District #1, et al
Q2) After the findings of the President's Commission on Civil Rights were released, President Truman proposed all of the following to Congress <b><u>except</u></b>
A) the desegregation of interstate travel.
B) a federal law to protect against lynching.
C) desegregation of schools.
D) the elimination of the poll tax.
Q3) Which of the following is an example of a civil liberty?
A) Equal protection of the laws
B) Equal access to education
C) Freedom of speech
D) Protection from unlawful discrimination
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Chapter 5: Congress
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Q1) The Constitution addresses
A) four leadership positions within Congress: the Speaker of the House, the president of the Senate, the majority leader of the Senate, and the minority leader of the Senate.
B) six leadership positions within Congress: the Speaker of the House, the president of the Senate, the majority leader of the House and Senate, and the minority leader of the House and Senate.
C) two leadership positions within Congress: the Speaker of the House and the president of the Senate.
D) two leadership positions within Congress: the Speaker of the House and the president pro tempore of the Senate.
Q2) At what stage of the process can a bill be edited or amended?
A) During its proposal and sponsorship
B) After it has been presented to the House or Senate
C) At any stage of the process in committee
D) Once proposed, the bill cannot be edited or amended.
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Chapter 6: Presidency and Foreign Policy
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Q1) Who officially determines who gets elected president on election day?
A) The House of Representatives
B) The popular vote and the Electoral College
C) The popular vote
D) The Electoral College
Q2) The diplomatic stance that America engaged in during the earliest years of the country began to change under President
A) James Monroe.
B) Ulysses S. Grant.
C) Woodrow Wilson.
D) Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Q3) The end of the Cold War began in _______ when the Berlin Wall came down.
A) 1988
B) 1989
C) 1990
D) 1991
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Chapter 7: Bureaucracy
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Q1) What was the purpose of the Sunshine Act of 1977?
A) To assign expiration dates to legislation or policy
B) To simplify the language used in government policy
C) To provide greater public transparency to government proceedings
D) To allow Congress to review and change policy prior to its renewal
Q2) The United States Post Office is an example of
A) an independent regulatory agency.
B) a cabinet department.
C) an independent executive agency.
D) a government corporation.
Q3) The Government Accountability Office has the responsibility for
A) performing accounting audits and serving as an overall watchdog on behalf of Congress.
B) the federal budget.
C) the substantive areas of law related to certain agencies.
D) "scoring" proposed legislation to determine its impact on the overall federal budget.
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Chapter 8: Judiciary
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Q1) Which of the following has jurisdiction over lawsuits against the federal government?
A) The Court of International Trade
B) Any federal court
C) The Supreme Court
D) The U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Q2) Which of the following would <b><u>not</b></u> be a federal case?
A) A constitutional law case
B) A case involving a federal treaty
C) An admiralty case
D) A violent murder case
Q3) Which court or court system is specifically mentioned in the Constitution?
A) The lower federal courts
B) The Supreme Court
C) The state court system
D) The military court system
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Chapter 9: Public Opinion
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Q1) Except for the 2012 election results, the Gallup organization has correctly predicted all presidential elections since
A) 1936.
B) 1948.
C) 1952.
D) 1962.
Q2) When researchers study public opinion from a particular year, they are using
A) opinion polling.
B) focus groups.
C) archival content analysis.
D) survey research.
Q3) Which of the following presents the greatest challenge to modern opinion research?
A) Population mobility
B) Increased diversity
C) Availability of the Internet
D) A shift in telephone ownership and usage
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Chapter 10: Interest Groups
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Q1) Direct lobbying is most effective when conducted
A) prior to legislation being introduced.
B) early in the process when legislation is in committee.
C) when legislation goes to the floor for a vote.
D) when legislation is ready to go to the president.
Q2) Which amendment allows for the formation of interest groups?
A) The Fourth Amendment
B) The Third Amendment
C) The Second Amendment
D) The First Amendment
Q3) Which of the following was <b><u>not </b></u>a cause of the "advocacy explosion"?
A) Decreasing startup costs for new interest groups
B) Increased affluence and education since World War II
C) Response to the turmoil of the 1960s that exposed areas of great conflict
D) Increased influence of the news media
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Chapter 11: Media
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Q1) What criticism, along with the advent of cable, caused the FCC to repeal the Fairness Doctrine?
A) In a multi-view world, it was no longer needed.
B) It impinged upon broadcasters' First Amendment rights.
C) It ultimately lessened the diversity of viewpoints.
D) It violated broadcasters' Second Amendment rights.
Q2) Which of the following is the best example of the media's function as a forum?
A) A television advertisement by a candidate
B) The social media commentary on presidential debates
C) A press release issued by a senator
D) The coverage of the president's speech on local television
Q3) Since the 1970s, the relationship between the media and politicians has generally become more
A) informal.
B) supportive.
C) adversarial.
D) distant.
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Chapter 12: Political Parties
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Q1) Which of the following most closely shows typical party-in-government activity?
A) People state that they are Democrat or Republican.
B) Voters provide a central political reference that easily provides information.
C) The leader of the majority party traditionally serves as Speaker of the House.
D) Parties support candidates and electoral work through significant infrastructure.
Q2) Party registration is a means of
A) working for a political party.
B) identifying with a political party.
C) voting for members of a political party.
D) discussing issues with a political party official.
Q3) When James Madison wrote about the "mischiefs of faction" in Federalist No. 10, he was referring to problems with A) monarchial cases.
B) founding fathers.
C) divided powers.
D) political parties.
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Chapter 13: Participation
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Q1) Which is an example of conventional political participation?
A) The Occupy movement
B) Petitioning
C) The Boston Tea Party
D) Boycotts
Q2) Which was the first state or territory to grant voting rights to women?
A) Colorado
B) Wyoming Territory
C) Idaho
D) Utah Territory
Q3) How many electoral votes are required to win the presidency in the United States?
A) 50
B) 145
C) 270
D) 330
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Chapter 14: Campaigns and Elections
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Q1) Which of the following is commonly referred to as a swing state?
A) Florida
B) Illinois
C) Louisiana
D) Arizona
Q2) When news organizations combine their resources to collect and share the news, this is called
A) journalistic cooperation.
B) media framing.
C) a broadcast cache.
D) a press pool.
Q3) A person of which age would be categorized as a member of the silent generation?
A) Twenty years old
B) Forty years old
C) Sixty years old
D) Eighty years old
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Chapter 15: Domestic Policy
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Q1) Medicare was enacted under the leadership of
A) John F. Kennedy.
B) Ronald Reagan.
C) Lyndon Johnson.
D) Gerald Ford.
Q2) How many people were covered by Medicare in 2011?
A) 22.5 million
B) 37.2 million
C) 48.7 million
D) 54.6 million
Q3) Which of the following is<b><u> not</u></b> a requirement for Medicare coverage?
A) The individual must fit within specific age parameters.
B) The individual must be below the poverty level.
C) The individual must be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.
D) The individual must be eligible for Social Security benefits.
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