Political Science 101
Exam Answer Key
Course Introduction
Political Science 101 offers an introduction to the key concepts, theories, and structures that shape political systems locally, nationally, and internationally. The course explores the foundations of government, political ideologies, policy-making processes, and the roles of institutions such as legislatures, executives, and judiciaries. Students will analyze the interaction between citizens and governments, the impact of political parties and interest groups, and current global political issues. Through case studies and comparative analysis, the course equips students with a deeper understanding of how politics influences societies and the daily lives of individuals.
Recommended Textbook Government By the People 2014 Elections and Updates Edition 25th Edition by David B.
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Magleby
Chapter 1: Constitutional Democracy
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Q1) What is a favorable condition for democracy?
A)a prosperous upper class
B)ideological separation of groups in society
C)instability in society
D)an educated citizenry
Answer: D
Q2) Which of the following is a central feature of capitalism?
A)private property
B)separation of powers
C)political equality
D)freedom from poverty
Answer: A
Q3) How is democracy defined?
A)all people must be involved in politics and policy making
B)government by the people
C)the fragmentation of powers
D)government by the few
Answer: B
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Chapter 2: Constitutional Foundations
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Q1) What is the purpose of Constitution Day?
A)to analyze the Constitution for possible future amendments
B)to encourage other countries to adopt written constitutions
C)to educate Americans about their rights and responsibilities under the Constitution
D)to celebrate America's Declaration of Independence from Great Britain
Answer: C
Q2) Recent political science research indicates that a divided system of government leads to which of the following when compared to other systems of government?
A)a stronger economy
B)more political corruption
C)more protests
D)better performance
Answer: D
Q3) Opposition to the __________ was led by Phyllis Schlafly,a prominent spokesperson for conservative causes.
Answer: Equal Rights Amendment
Q4) The __________ Amendment gave some former slaves the right to vote.
Answer: Fifteenth
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Chapter 3: American Federalism
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Q1) Which of the following is a power delegated to the states?
A)conduct elections
B)create post offices
C)coin money
D)regulate interstate commerce
Answer: A
Q2) Thomas Jefferson would be considered a decentralist.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) Dual or __________federalism is defined as a strict separation of powers between the national and state governments in which each layer has its own responsibilities and reigns supreme within its constitutional realm.
Answer: layer-cake
Q4) Federalism encourages the states to create local solutions to issues that are often debated at the national level.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Chapter 4: The American Political Landscape
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Q1) Which of the following is true of religion in the United States?
A)The United States has a tremendous variety of religious denominations.
B)Most Americans are not religious.
C)Religion in the United States is dominated by fundamentalists.
D)Religion in the United States is dominated by the Catholic Church.
Q2) The first large wave of new immigrants to the United States came between __________.
A)1840 and 1860
B)1864 and 1896
C)1900 and 1924
D)1950 and 1980
Q3) People often assume that others share their economic opportunities,social attitudes,sense of civic responsibility,and self-confidence.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Define race and ethnicity and provide examples of groups in your city or community that fit these definitions.
Q5) Define the gender gap and discuss how it has been a factor in electoral politics in the United States.
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Chapter 5: Interest Groups
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Q1) In The Federalist,No.10,Madison expressed concerns about what he called "factions." What are some examples of modern-day factions,and is it true that these factions pursue their self-interests at the expense of the broader public interest,as Madison assumed?
Q2) Which of the following is an example of the free rider problem?
A)an elected official accepting bribes from an interest group
B)an elected official relying on information from lobbyists
C)a union bargaining with management for higher wages in an open shop state
D)an environmental group disagreeing on what policy goals to pursue
Q3) According to the Supreme Court's 1976 ruling on independent expenditures,which of the following is unconstitutional?
A)any contribution of more than $100,000 made by any one individual
B)directing unlimited amounts of money to a particular race
C)disclosing personal expenditures to the Federal Election Commission without the individual's knowledge
D)limiting contributions that are truly independent of a party or candidate
Q4) Discuss the role of political action committees (PACs)in terms of their influence on elections and the extent to which they shape government policy.
Q5) Discuss the role of interest groups in elections.
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Chapter 6: Political Parties
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Q1) What has changed between the 1964 and 2008 elections?
A)Men were more likely Democratic in 1964 than in 2008.
B)Men were more likely Democratic in 2008 than in 1964.
C)Women were more likely Republican in 1964 than in 2008.
D)Women were more likely Republican in 2008 than in 1964.
Q2) Parties can now spend unlimited amounts for or against candidates as long as these expenditures are independent of the candidate or the party committee.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Two-party systems tend to produce governments that are __________.
A)stable and centrist
B)stable and conservative
C)centralized and ideologically driven
D)decentralized and unstable
Q4) Which of the following was a Progressive Era reform?
A)direct election of senators
B)party conventions
C)establishment of patronage
D)establishment of single-member districts
Q5) A __________ committee would be in charge of recruiting candidates for sheriff.
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Public Opinion, ideology, participation, and Voting
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Q1) What percentage of Americans currently view themselves as extremely conservative?
A)2 to 4 percent
B)4 to 8 percent
C)8 to 12 percent
D)12 to 16 percent
Q2) Which of the following is the most influential factor when voters develop the political attitudes they take into elections?
A)family
B)school
C)mass media
D)self-reflection
Q3) In a recent Pew Research Center Global Attitudes Survey,corruption was seen as a bigger problem for most people in India,Nigeria,Japan,and Mexico than in __________,which allows neither the free expression of public opinion nor free elections.
Q4) Voters who cast their ballots in the 2014 election did not vote for a president and therefore voted in a(n)_____________ election.
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Q5) When measuring public opinion,what is the value of asking open-ended questions?
Chapter 8: Campaigns and Elections
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Q1) When running for the House of Representatives,a candidate's main hurdle is gaining
A)ballot access
B)coalition support
C)visibility
D)support from his or her family
Q2) In a(n)__________ system,political parties secure legislative seats and power according to the number of votes they receive in the election.
Q3) The Supreme Court's 1976 __________ decision overturned several of FECA's provisions on grounds that they violated freedom of speech.
Q4) If you were a Democrat running for president,what rationale would you advance for skipping the Iowa caucuses and concentrating your time and money in New Hampshire?
Q5) If you belonged to an independent or minor party,you might favor a change to proportional representation.
A)True
B)False
Q6) What is the "invisible primary," and what do candidates do during this period?
Q7) How can the actions of poll workers affect a voter's experience in an election?
Page 10
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Chapter 9: The Media and Uspolitics
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Q1) Of the three branches of government,the executive branch depends least on the press.
A)True
B)False
Q2) __________ of types of media used in campaigns lessens the ability of any one medium to influence election outcomes.
Q3) What television network provides uninterrupted coverage of congressional deliberations and presidential nominating conventions?
A)CNN
B)C-SPAN
C)MSNBC
D)CBS
Q4) For many younger people,the era of the "big three" took place in the past.Describe the new norm of 24/7 news and explain why it exists.
Q5) What is investigatory journalism,and what is its role in political reporting?
Q6) What is media consolidation,and what role has it had in political reporting?
Q7) What forms of media make up news media,and what has recently changed for each of them?
Q8) The television networks ABC,NBC,and CBS are known as __________.
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Chapter 10: Congress
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Q1) Founder James Madison wrote,"to control the legislative authority,you must divide it." When it came to Congress,the Constitution did just that.Explain how the bicameral design of Congress works as a check on congressional power.Be sure to include terms of office,timing of elections,and age and residency requirements in your discussion.
Q2) "Markup" refers to pencil marks left on a bill after a committee or subcommittee finishes modifying or amending it.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Being a member of Congress has changed substantially in the last 200 years.For example,__________.
A)by 1850,House turnover every two years was nearly 90 percent
B)members of Congress,early on,averaged 10 years of service
C)members of Congress received no pay through the early 1800s
D)to be a member of Congress was once a part-time job
Q4) Public approval of Congress has varied significantly over the past two decades.Describe what was happening in the country when the level of approval of Congress was at its highest and lowest points.
Q5) Cloture is the only way to end a(n)__________.
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Chapter 11: The Presidency
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Q1) Presidents often use the __________ clause to argue that they control everything that happens in the executive branch after a bill becomes law.
A)commerce
B)vesting
C)necessary and proper
D)due process
Q2) You are an adviser to a president who was just elected to her first term in office.She has asked your advice about when to introduce major legislative proposals.Based on what you know about historical patterns of public approval for presidents,what would you suggest?
A)Wait at least six months before suggesting any major legislation.
B)Begin working to persuade Congress right after taking office.
C)Save the most important priorities for the beginning of the second term as president.
D)Save the most important priorities for the end of the first term as president.
Q3) The __________ is the president's loyal assistant who oversees the flow of information in and out of the White House.
Q4) Distinguish between the president's roles as commander in chief and diplomat in chief.
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Chapter 12: The Federal Bureaucracy and the Public Policy Process
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Q1) What is the issue-attention cycle? How has it affected public policy on global warming? Provide examples.
Q2) Independent regulatory commissions are not completely independent,as indicated by the fact that __________.
A)their decisions can be overturned by Congress
B)commissioners can be removed from office at any time
C)their decisions are subject to judicial review
D)the president has input into their decisions
Q3) When the Environmental Protection Agency sets standards for air pollution,it is fulfilling the __________ function of the federal bureaucracy.
Q4) Describe the steps involved in the public policy process.Which step in the process is most difficult and why? How might the process be terminated or reversed?
Q5) Under the Constitution,the __________ is responsible for faithfully executing the laws on behalf of the president,Congress,and the judiciary.
Q6) How does the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)influence rule-making by departments and agencies? When was the act passed?
Q7) How does the president exercise control over the federal bureaucracy?
Page 14
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Chapter 13: The Judiciary: the Balancing Branch
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Q1) Article III specifies the powers of the Supreme Court.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Only a(n)__________ court can review the decisions of a lower court.
A)trial
B)administrative
C)constitutional
D)appellate
Q3) Amicus curiae briefs are rarely filed in cases before the Supreme Court.
A)True
B)False
Q4) How are nominees to the federal district courts selected?
Q5) What role does judicial philosophy play in the nomination process?
Q6) As illustrated in the Roberts' Court decision in Citizens United v.Federal Election Commission,when a court strikes down legislation,__________.
A)it is usually supported in its decision to check the other branches
B)it risks drawing criticism and questions about its authority
C)it risks its decision being completely ignored by the other branches
D)it usually waits until it has complete unanimity in the decision
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Q7) If North Dakota sues South Dakota,the case will be heard by the __________.
Chapter 14: Civil Liberties
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Q1) Efforts to regulate content on the Internet have been __________.
A)generally opposed by Congress
B)upheld by the Supreme Court
C)enormously popular
D)generally unsuccessful
Q2) Explain limitations that the Supreme Court has placed on freedom of the press.
Q3) The Constitution protects against search of an individual's person,home,or vehicle without __________.
A)due process
B)permission
C)a warrant
D)compensation
Q4) The Supreme Court has held that any restrictions on access to abortion are unconstitutional.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Discuss why selective incorporation is consistent with larger themes in federalism.
Q6) One prong of the __________ test is that the law has a legitimate secular purpose.
Page 16
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Chapter 15: Civil Rights
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Q1) The case of Fisher v.Texas concerned which of the following?
A)the use of race as a factor in college admissions
B)sexual harassment in the workplace
C)same-sex marriage
D)accessibility of facilities to people with disabilities
Q2) What are majority-minority districts? What has the Supreme Court said about their constitutionality? Should states create more majority-minority districts? Why or why not?
Q3) Brown v.Board of Education overturned the __________ doctrine.
Q4) In striking down the Defense of Marriage Act,the Supreme Court ruled that __________.
A)the federal government is responsible for defining marriage
B)states are responsible for defining marriage
C)marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman
D)same-sex marriage is a fundamental right
Q5) Jim Crow laws required __________ of African Americans and whites.
Q6) How have the 1964 Civil Rights Act,the 1967 Age Discrimination Act,and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)reduced workplace discrimination? Discuss each act and how it has helped to achieve civil rights in the workplace.
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Chapter 16: Making Economic Policy
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Q1) U.S.monetary policy involves which of the following?
A)import and export policies
B)interest rates and the money supply
C)supply-side economics
D)the national debt and the budget deficit
Q2) If government wanted to prevent or break up monopolies,it might do which of the following?
A)reduce economic regulation
B)pass antitrust legislation
C)pass an economic stimulus package
D)reduce interest rates
Q3) The ___________ is responsible for overseeing the budget process on behalf of the president.
Q4) The size of the national debt is __________.
A)declining
B)rising
C)marginal
D)unchanged
Q5) The federal government regulated the formation of monopolies by enacting __________ legislation.
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Chapter 17: Making Social Policy
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Q1) Why are playgrounds important in communities? What areas can benefit from playgrounds?
Q2) What has been the effect of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)?
A)It has helped some people,but it has not been effective in helping unmarried working mothers.
B)It has primarily benefited those who earn $100,000 a year or more.
C)It has clearly reduced poverty rates among low-income workers.
D)It has not been as effective as anticipated.
Q3) The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)is charged with doing which of the following?
A)patrolling U.S.borders to prevent illegal immigration and entry of terrorists
B)monitoring the sale of destructive weapons and guns inside the United States
C)investigating international matters related to violations of federal criminal laws
D)gathering and reporting evidence in matters related to federal criminal laws
Q4) The goals of social policy are to help those who help themselves and to protect those who have worked hard and have earned what they have achieved.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 18: Making Foreign and Defense Policy
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Q1) What is the most serious common threat posed to the United States by both Iran and North Korea?
A)terrorism
B)trade wars
C)nuclear ambitions
D)communism
Q2) Like many federal agencies,the Foreign Service has faced what difficulty in recent years?
A)maintaining the secrecy of its intelligence gathering operations
B)gaining the trust of foreign governments
C)overcoming the lack of coordination within the intelligence community
D)recruiting officers with Arabic-language skills
Q3) What is the National Security Council? Describe its members and its primary function.When is the president most likely to convene a meeting of the National Security Council?
Q4) Given the size of its economy and increased globalization,U.S.foreign policy toward __________ is motivated primarily by trade policy.
Q5) __________ is a technique used to effect political change by instilling fear among the general public.
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