U.S. Government and Politics
Practice Questions
Course Introduction
U.S. Government and Politics is an introductory course that explores the foundations, structure, and functions of the American political system. The course covers the principles of the U.S. Constitution, federalism, the roles of the three branches of government, civil rights and liberties, political parties, interest groups, and the electoral process. Students will analyze how public policy is developed and implemented, examine the influence of media, and discuss key Supreme Court decisions that have shaped American society. Through discussions and case studies, students gain a deeper understanding of the political processes, institutions, and issues that impact contemporary American governance.
Recommended Textbook Government by the People 2011 National Edition 24th Edition by David B. Magleby
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Page 2
Chapter 1: Constitutional Democracy
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Sample Questions
Q1) The American Revolution began during the A)1750s.
B)1760s.
C)1770s.
D)1780s.
E)1700s.
Answer: C
Q2) The proceedings of the Constitutional Convention were kept secret so that A)delegates would be encouraged to speak freely.
B)it would be difficult for delegates to change their minds after debate and discussion. C)opponents of the convention would have easy arguments against decisions made at the convention.
D)foreign leaders didn't sabotage the convention.
E)All of the above
Answer: A
Q3) Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Page 3
Chapter 2: Constitutional Foundations
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Q1) The framers knew that future experiences would call for changes in the text of the Constitution and that eventually it would need to be formally amended.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) According to James Madison in The Federalist, No.47, " ...the accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands ...may justly be pronounced the very definition of ____________________."
A)tyranny
B)monarchy
C)democracy
D)federalism
E)check and balances
Answer: A
Q3) Great Britain does NOT have a written constitution.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Page 4
Chapter 3: American Federalism
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Sample Questions
Q1) In the past 15 years, the Supreme Court has signaled that federal courts should be more active in resolving federalism issues.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) In an effort to reduce rising national budget deficits, which type of federal grant program was eliminated?
A)Categorical grants.
B)Project grants.
C)Revenue sharing.
D)Block grants.
E)All of the above
Answer: C
Q3) Centralists believe that the power of the national government is best defined as A)all powers specifically delegated by the Constitution.
B)something dependent on whether or not we have a viable third party.
C)only denied when the Constitution clearly prohibits it from acting.
D)something dependent on whether or not we have two parties competing for power.
E)all power belonging to the states.
Answer: C
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Chapter 4: Political Culture and Ideology
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Sample Questions
Q1) Democrats are more likely to be ______________ than Republicans.
A)liberal.
B)moderate.
C)libertarians.
D)socialists.
E)conservative.
Q2) A nation's political culture is comprised of
A)widely shared beliefs toward government.
B)shared values of how citizens relate to government.
C)shared values of how citizens relate to one another.
D)widely shared behavior toward government.
E)All of the above
Q3) Most people in the United States support an economic system that is pure free market capitalism.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The New Right favors expansion of government control over drinking, drugs, abortion, prayer, and lifestyle.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 5: The US political Landscape
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Sample Questions
Q1) Sectional distinctions in the United States refer to differences based on
A)race and ethnicity.
B)census and demographic statistics.
C)gender and religion.
D)geography and region.
E)education and wealth.
Q2) The most rural areas of the United States are
A)the South and Midwest.
B)the Midwest and Northwest.
C)the Northwest and West.
D)the West and Northeast.
E)the Northeast and South.
Q3) Which Asian American subgroup is most likely to register as Democrats?
A)Korean Americans.
B)Thai Americans.
C)Indian Americans.
D)Japanese Americans.
E)Chinese Americans.
Q4) Evaluate the roles of population density and where people live in U.S.Does where people live impact their political outlook? Provide examples.
Page 7
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Chapter 7: Political Parties
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Sample Questions
Q1) The restriction of soft money led to a surge in individual contributions.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Reform in the Democratic Party included the institution of a system of
A)regional primaries.
B)super caucuses.
C)proportionality.
D)leadership by big city mayors.
E)winner-take-all primaries.
Q3) Party platforms
A)are short, concise statements of party purpose.
B)explain the ideology of the party in specific details.
C)are widely read by party members.
D)give reasons for supporting a particular candidate.
E)are vague, ponderous documents that generally give individuals few reasons for voting against the party.
Q4) Compared to other countries, the U.S.has more public funding of political parties and candidates.
A)True
B)False
Page 8
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Chapter 8: Public Opinion, Participation, and Voting
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Q1) Voter turnout is usually higher in midterm elections than in presidential elections.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs is called
A)learning.
B)education.
C)political socialization.
D)indoctrination.
E)behavioral programming.
Q3) Undecided voters are also often called ________ voters.
A)committed
B)partisan
C)clueless
D)swing
E)competitive
Q4) Protest is the most common form of political participation.
A)True
B)False
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Page 9
Chapter 9: Campaigns and Elections
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Sample Questions
Q1) In all of the midterm elections between 1942 and 1998, the party controlling the White House lost seats in the House of Representatives.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The main way of choosing delegates to the Democratic and Republican national conventions is presidential primaries.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Members of the House of Representatives are elected for ______ -year terms.
A)five
B)four
C)two
D)six
E)one
Q4) The caucus method of selecting a delegate depends largely on party organization.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 10: The Media and US politics
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Sample Questions
Q1) According to Table 10-2 of your book which president had the most solo conferences?
A)Calvin Coolidge
B)Ronald Reagan
C)Franklin D.Roosevelt
D)George W.Bush
E)Richard Nixon
Q2) What newspaper broke the Watergate scandal?
A)The Wall Street Journal
B)The New York Times
C)The Boston Globe
D)The Washington Post
E)USA Today
Q3) Campaign consultants help campaigns with all of the following EXCEPT
A)professional advice and service.
B)image making.
C)opinion polling.
D)selection of a candidate.
E)advertising strategies.
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Page 11
Chapter 11: Congress
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Sample Questions
Q1) The right to apportion representatives among the states according to the population is the authority of the
A)Constitution.
B)Congress.
C)president.
D)state governments.
E)Supreme Court.
Q2) A ________ committee is a special joint committee with the task of settling differences between House and Senate versions of bills.
A)conference
B)task force
C)leadership
D)standing
E)rules
Q3) All of the following are true about the House of Representatives EXCEPT
A)legislators in the House serve two-year terms.
B)there are 435 members of the House.
C)policy specialists are common in the House.
D)each state has forty members of the House.
E)members must be at least twenty-five years old.
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Chapter 12: The Presidency
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Sample Questions
Q1) A formal agreement between the U.S.president and the leaders of other nations that does NOT require Senate approval is called a(n)
A)treaty.
B)executive privilege.
C)executive agreement.
D)recess appointment.
E)abuse of power.
Q2) The right to keep executive communications confidential, especially if they relate to national security, is known as executive privilege.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Encouraging aides to work together toward a common position is known as the ____________ approach to managing the White House staff.
A)collegial
B)adversarial
C)competitive
D)hierarchical
E)friendly
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Chapter 13: The Federal Bureaucracy
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Sample Questions
Q1) Since 1965 the number of full-time federal employees has
A)grown sharply.
B)remained relatively stable.
C)sharply declined.
D)increased 45%.
E)decreased 45%.
Q2) "Fire alarm" oversight involves the reporting of major problems with government by non-governmental individuals and institutions.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Congress gives federal agencies ____________________ to implement the law in the most effective and efficient way possible.
A)executive discretion
B)almost no discretion
C)administrative discretion
D)tightly constrained discretion
E)None of the above
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Chapter 14: The Judiciary
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Sample Questions
Q1) An opinion that agrees with the majority in a Supreme Court ruling but differs on the reasoning is called a concurring decision.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following are filed by outside groups to make arguments specific to their members and of interest to the justices?
A)Writs of certiorari
B)Writs of habeas corpus
C)Amicus curiae briefs
D)In forma pauperis
E)Writs of mandamus
Q3) Decisions of the Circuit Court of Appeals are frequently appealed to the Supreme Court.
A)True
B)False
Q4) In the adversarial system of justice, judges are expected to be active participants.
A)True
B)False
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Page 15
Chapter 15: Civil Liberties
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Sample Questions
Q1) According to the Constitution, ex post facto laws can be applied to civil laws.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The Fifth Amendment presents a complex area of the law that includes many possible exceptions to the warrant requirement.
A)True
B)False
Q3) After indictment, prosecutors and the defense attorney usually discuss the possibility of a dismissal.
A)True
B)False
Q4) ________ are the constitutionally protected freedoms of all persons against governmental restraint: the freedoms of conscience, religion, and expression.
A)Civil rights
B)Civil liberties
C)Due process rights
D)Bill of Rights
E)Free exercise rights
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Page 16
Chapter 16: Civil Rights
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which particular amendment's equal protection clause is only one of the legal bases for civil rights protections in the United States?
A)Sixteenth
B)Thirteenth
C)Nineteenth
D)Fifteenth
E)Fourteenth
Q2) One of the most controversial debates surrounding affirmative action is whether the program promotes or denies equality.
A)True
B)False
Q3) An owner may refuse to sell or rent to a person based on physical handicap.
A)True
B)False
Q4) When we speak of rights of all people to dignity and worth we are referring to civil liberties.
A)True
B)False
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Page 17
Chapter 17: Public Policy
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Sample Questions
Q1) To allow for affected parties to express concerns and suggest amendments about possible rules, the Administrative Procedure Act requires departments and agencies to post a
A)Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
B)Notice of Intended Consequences.
C)Cost-Benefit Analysis Statement.
D)Statement of Regulatory Impact.
E)Notice of Legislative History.
Q2) What provides a daily record of all new and proposed federal government rules?
A)Congressional Record
B)Federal Register
C)Congressional Daily
D)Daily Federal Roster
E)Rules of Federal Government
Q3) What is an organization composed of scholars who study public policy known as?
A)Lobbies
B)Think tanks
C)Zero-sum games
D)Issue networks
E)None of the above
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Chapter 18: Making Economic Policy
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Sample Questions
Q1) Eliminating quotas on imported grain and lifting regulations on imported cheese are policies more consistent with a free trade position.
A)True
B)False
Q2) _______________ refers to attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates.
A)Monetary policy
B)Bank policy
C)Fiscal policy
D)Inflation policy
E)Regulatory policy
Q3) Individual income taxes are due on what date each year?
A)December 31
B)October 1
C)July 4
D)December 25
E)April 15
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Page 19
Chapter 19: Making Social Policy
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Sample Questions
Q1) In 1983, Congress made a number of changes to Social Security to deal with the pending shortfall including
A)raising the retirement age at which one qualifies for Social Security benefits.
B)increasing Social Security taxes.
C)imposing the first ever tax on the Social Security payments to upper-income individuals.
D)imposing a one-time cut in the annual cost-of-living increase in benefits.
E)All of the above
Q2) Compared to other western democracies, the United States developed social services later in part because many people here
A)had a strong belief in the responsibility of the church to support poverty programs.
B)had a strong antipathy to socialist programs.
C)believed this was a land of rugged individualism.
D)failed to see the poverty around them.
E)None of the above
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Chapter 20: Making Foreign Defense Policy
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which war caused the most U.S.fatalities?
A)World War II
B)Civil War
C)Vietnam War
D)World War I
E)Iraq War
Q2) Soft power is
A)a reliance on economic and military strength to solve international problems.
B)the belief that nations must engage in international problem solving.
C)a theory of international relations that focuses on the hope that nations will act together to solve international problems and promote peace.
D)a policy of taking action before the United State is attacked rather than waiting for provocation.
E)a reliance on diplomacy and negotiation to solve international problems.
Q3) Economic sanctions are almost always effective.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 21: State and Local Politics
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Sample Questions
Q1) The theory that finds a variety of different people active in different policy areas is the theory of
A)elitism.
B)communism.
C)differentialism.
D)diversity.
E)pluralism.
Q2) Which of the following best describes the state and federal initiatives to assist inner-city residents and bring them into the economic mainstream?
A)Promising
B)Nonexistent (most have been discontinued)
C)Inadequate
D)A bright spot of success in an otherwise dismal economic picture
E)Hugely successful in some states, but dismal in others
Q3) Health care costs and the delivery of health care is one of the challenges currently facing state and local governments.
A)True
B)False
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22
Chapter 22: State Constitutions
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Sample Questions
Q1) California's Proposition 13 adopted in 1978
A)forbade the state government from collecting income tax.
B)limited the state government's right to raise property taxes.
C)amended the state constitution to abolish the use of constitutional initiative petitions.
D)was ruled to be unconstitutional by the U.S.Supreme Court in 1981.
E)was proposed by the state legislature.
Q2) About how many times has the average state constitution been amended?
A)3
B)1200
C)575
D)140
E)27
Q3) According to the text, a poll of Alabamans showed what percentage of them favored constitutional reform?
A)54%
B)61%
C)23%
D)85%
E)75%
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Page 23
Chapter 23: Parties and Elections in the States
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Sample Questions
Q1) Decisions about the conduct of elections have traditionally been most influenced by
A)the president.
B)the federal government.
C)the Supreme Court.
D)city councils.
E)state governments.
Q2) One of the goals of disclosure laws is to prevent corrupt relationships.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and develop party policy is a(n)
A)party platform.
B)party plurality.
C)party convention.
D)party caucus.
E)party gathering.
Q4) The Twenty-Sixth Amendment prohibited states from charging voters a poll tax.
A)True B)False
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Chapter 24: State Legislatures
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is one of the two rules by which lobbyists live?
A)Better to support the loser than the wrong winner
B)Misleading information is the best kind
C)Always create permanent allies
D)It's easier to kill a bill than to pass it
E)Today's opponent is tomorrow's opponent
Q2) Which of the following is true about interest groups in American states?
A)They have a significant and growing influence on state legislatures
B)They use bribery as their primary tool to influence legislators
C)Their influence is small and diminishing
D)They are illegal in most states
E)They do not ever get involved in elections
Q3) A procedure whereby a certain number of voters may, by petition, propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters is called a(n)
A)referendum.
B)grassroots campaign.
C)general election.
D)lobbying effort.
E)initiative.
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Page 25
Chapter 25: State Governors
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Sample Questions
Q1) In what states do governors have considerable formal constitutional authority to organize their administrations as they see fit?
A)One-party western states
B)Urban states with competitive party systems
C)Southern states
D)Rural states dominated by Democrats
E)None of the above
Q2) In most states, the governor's budget office sends requests out to various agencies from July through October so that the requests are returned to the budget office by the end of the calendar year.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Every state EXCEPT which two have four-year terms for their governors?
A)New Hampshire and Vermont
B)California and Oregon
C)Nebraska and Kansas
D)South Carolina and Georgia
E)Minnesota and Wisconsin
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Chapter 26: Judges and Justice in the States
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Q1) The practice of some state courts using the bill of rights in their state constitutions to provide more protection for some rights than is provided by the Supreme Court's interpretation of the Bill of Rights in the U.S.Constitution is called new judicial federalism.
A)True
B)False
Q2) How many state judges are minorities?
A)6
B)9
C)12
D)17
E)19
Q3) An arrangement whereby public officials are hired to provide legal assistance to people accused of crimes who are unable to hire their own attorneys is known as
A)an information affidavit.
B)an indictment.
C)the assigned counsel system.
D)pro bono.
E)the public defender system.
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Chapter 27: Local Governments and Metropolitics
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Q1) Fifty percent of Americans now live in
A)suburban communities.
B)metropolitan areas.
C)townships.
D)rural areas.
E)urban areas.
Q2) Today more than 3,100 cities, located in virtually every state, operate under a __________.In fact it has become the most popular form of local government in medium-sized cities of more than 10,000 citizens.
A)weak mayor-council form charter
B)mayor-council charter
C)strong mayor-council form charter
D)council-manager plan
E)None of the above
Q3) Councils of government (COGs)
A)give suburbs a veto over projects threatening their autonomy.
B)deal with controversial issues such as race and poverty.
C)were discouraged by the national government in the 1970s.
D)provide creative area-wide governance.
E)All of the above
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Chapter 28: Making State and Local Policy
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Q1) Workfare programs are designed to help welfare recipients pay for expenses that go along with work like transportation and clothing.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The most common method of ensuring orderly urban growth is _________.
A)taxation
B)zoning
C)outsourcing
D)licensing
E)development forecasting
Q3) According to the text, the number of families on welfare in the early 1990s was approximately
A)600,000.
B)800,000.
C)1.5 million.
D)5 million.
E)20 million.
Q4) Only when the automobile was developed was there an urge for paved roads.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 29: Staffing and Financing State and Local Governments
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Q1) According to the text, state employees account for what ratio of the nation's workforce?
A)Five out of one hundred
B)Three out of ten
C)One out of seven
D)One out of ten
E)Five out of twenty
Q2) In which of the following areas do state and local governments spend most of their funds?
A)Education
B)Health
C)Public Safety
D)Administration
E)Infrastructure
Q3) The most drastic personnel reforms have been pushed by liberal governors in states in which public employee unions are strong.
A)True
B)False
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