U.S. Government and Politics
Test
Questions
Course Introduction
U.S. Government and Politics provides a comprehensive examination of the foundational principles, institutions, and processes that define the American political system. The course explores the Constitution, federalism, the roles of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, and the significance of civil liberties and rights. Students analyze the influence of political parties, interest groups, and the media on policy formation and public opinion. By studying landmark Supreme Court cases, contemporary events, and historical developments, learners gain a deeper understanding of how governmental decisions impact society and the ways citizens can participate in the democratic process.
Recommended Textbook
Essentials of American Government Roots and Reform 2011 10th Edition by Karen J. OConnor
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
21 Chapters
2954 Verified Questions
2954 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/1816 Page 2
Chapter 1: The Political Landscape
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
125 Verified Questions
125 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36094
Sample Questions
Q1) The Preamble to the Constitution begins
A)"We the People . . ."
B)"Four score and seven years ago . . ."
C)"When in the course of human events . . ."
D)"In order to form a more perfect Union . . ."
E)"These are the times that try men's souls . . ."
Answer: A
Q2) Delaware was established as a Catholic colony.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) According Isaiah Berlin,science and technology contributed significantly to the political environment of the twentieth century.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q4) Liberals often believe that the government should intervene in the economy.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 3
Chapter 2: The Constitution
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
141 Verified Questions
141 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36096
Sample Questions
Q1) Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams were among the leaders of the A)Sons of Liberty.
B)Stamp Act Congress.
C)Philadelphia Parliament.
D)Continental Congress.
E)Virginia House of Burgesses.
Answer: A
Q2) A type of government in which the national government is weaker than the sum of its parts is called a
A)confederation.
B)federal system.
C)unitary system.
D)democracy.
E)republic.
Answer: A
Q3) Congress has the authority to abolish the lower federal courts.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 4
Chapter 3: Federalism
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
137 Verified Questions
137 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36098
Sample Questions
Q1) In addition to granting certain powers to state and national governments,Article I of the Constitution also denies some powers to those governments.Which of the following powers are denied?
I.Passing bills of attainder.
II.Entering compacts with other states.
III.Passing ex post facto laws.
IV.Laying duties on exports.
A)I and II
B)I and IV
C)III and IV
D)I, III, and IV
E)II, III, and IV
Answer: D
Q2) The United States has a unitary system of government.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 5
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
132 Verified Questions
132 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36100
Sample
Questions
Q1) ________ are examples of religious practices ruled to violate the establishment clause by the U.S.Supreme Court.
I.Student-led prayers at high school football games
II.Nondenominational prayers at the beginning of the school day.
III.Nondenominational prayers at public school graduations.
IV.Providing books or computers for students in religious schools.
A)I only
B)I and II
C)II and III
D)I, II ,and III
E)I, II, III, and IV
Q2) In Great Britain,handguns are
A)illegal to own.
B)restricted in a manner similar to the limits imposed in Mexico.
C)subject to more lax laws than those that exist in the United States.
D)not regulated.
E)possible to own after a background check.
Q3) Suppose you are suspected of a crime.Discuss what rights you are entitled to as you are arrested,when evidence is collected against you,and when you go to trial.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 6
Chapter 5: Civil Rights
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
139 Verified Questions
139 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36102
Sample Questions
Q1) What role did Ruth Bader Ginsburg play in the development of equal protection for women under the constitution as a lawyer?
Q2) What is the Equal Rights Amendment?Why do you think it has never been ratified?
Q3) Abolitionists worked toward
A)ending slavery.
B)abolishing suffrage limits for women.
C)continuing the slave trade.
D)the emancipation of women.
E)eliminating discrimination for all Americans.
Q4) The National American Woman Suffrage Association based its claim for woman suffrage largely on the fact that mothers should be enfranchised.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Martin Luther King Jr.delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
A)True
B)False
Q6) What is the significance of the Niagara Movement?
Q7) What are the similarities and differences between Title VII and Title IX?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 7
Chapter 6: Congress
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
147 Verified Questions
147 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36104
Sample Questions
Q1) In the 112 Congress,there were ____ African Americans in the Senate.
A)zero
B)two
C)five
D)seven
E)ten
Q2) The main organizational vehicle in the House and Senate is
A)the two major political parties.
B)the committee chairs.
C)the two major political parties plus the Independents.
D)the strong party leaders.
E)the subcommittees.
Q3) Congressional party caucuses have similar organizational structures.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The official chair of the Senate is the president pro tempore.The most senior senator in the majority party generally holds this position.
A)True
B)False
Q5) How do colleagues and caucuses influence the decisions of members of Congress?
Page 8
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 7: The Presidency
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
125 Verified Questions
125 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36106
Sample Questions
Q1) Arnold Schwarzenegger cannot become president because he was born in Austria.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Why is public opinion important for presidents?
Q3) Which First Lady was called "Acting First Man," and why?
Q4) How do crises impact presidential power?
Q5) What is the role of the president in the budgetary process?Explain how this role has changed.
Q6) The Executive Office of the President includes
I.the National Security Council.
II.the Office of Management and Budget.
III.the Council of Economic Advisers.
IV.the Environmental Protection Agency
A)II and IV
B)I and II
C)I, II, and IV
D)I, III, and IV
E)I, II, and III
Q7) What are the six roles of the president?How has President Barack Obama fulfilled each of these roles?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 9
Chapter 8: The Executive Branch and Federal Bureaucracy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
125 Verified Questions
125 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36108
Sample Questions
Q1) The judiciary's control over the federal bureaucracy is indirect and less apparent than the president's and Congress's control.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Iron triangles
A)by design exacerbate inefficiencies of the bureaucratic system.
B)are not as powerful as they once were.
C)illustrate the competition that exists within different government agencies.
D)became illegal after the Federal Employees Political Activities Act of 1993 was passed.
E)are synonymous with issue networks.
Q3) Most bureaucrats have some leeway in their ability to make choices regarding the best way to implement congressional intentions.This is called
A)rule-making.
B)administrative discretion.
C)adjudication.
D)selective implementation.
E)the formal hearing procedure.
Q4) How does Congress control the bureaucracy?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 10
Chapter 9: The Judiciary
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
139 Verified Questions
139 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36109
Sample Questions
Q1) The number of judges of the various U.S.Court of Appeals
A)is thirty per circuit.
B)varies at the president's discretion.
C)varies from circuit to circuit.
D)is set after recommendations by the U.S. attorneys in each circuit.
E)is approximately sixty per circuit.
Q2) The U.S.solicitor general appears to orally argue every case decided by the Supreme Court.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Supreme Court clerks often write first drafts of opinions.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Compare and contrast original and appellate jurisdiction.
Q5) During conference,Supreme Court justices speak in order by A)age.
B)interest.
C)ideology.
D)choice.
E)seniority.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 11
Chapter 10: Public Opinion and the News Media
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
209 Verified Questions
209 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36110
Sample Questions
Q1) Compare and contrast muckraking and yellow journalism.
Q2) Polls show that women and men
A)hold identical views on 99 percent of issues.
B)hold different views on a variety of social issues.
C)hold identical views on social issues.
D)hold identical views on foreign policy issues.
E)hold different views on only one or two minor issues.
Q3) One of the reasons that radio news is making a resurgence is that it appeals to people with highly ideological points of view.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Why are electronic media subject to less government regulation than other forms of media?
Q5) What was the penny press,and why was it important?
Q6) The entire array of organizations through which information is collected and disseminated to the general public is known as mass media.
A)True
B)False
Q7) What is a press briefing,and how does it differ from a press conference?
Page 12
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 11: Political Parties and Interest Groups
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
217 Verified Questions
217 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36111
Sample Questions
Q1) Party conventions generally
A)serve only symbolic purposes.
B)are contentious due in part to the negotiation of the platform.
C)are brokered by political leaders.
D)have several unexpected occurrences.
E)are covered gavel-to-gavel by every media outlet.
Q2) Compare and contrast party realignment with secular realignment,providing examples of each.
Q3) Potential interest group members
A)often are elderly.
B)dislike collective goods.
C)are often uninterested in politics.
D)often are unlikely to join groups because of the free-rider problem.
E)understand that the smaller the group, the greater the free-rider problem.
Q4) Interest groups play a negligible role in American politics.
A)True
B)False
Q5) How do interest groups lobby the judicial branch?
Q6) What is disturbance theory? Give an example of this theory in practice.
Q7) What makes an interest group successful?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 13
Chapter 12: Campaigns, elections, and Voting
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
197 Verified Questions
197 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36112
Sample Questions
Q1) Suppose you are quite wealthy and contributed money to the campaign of one candidate in a primary election,then gave money to another campaign after that first candidate dropped out.You also contributed to a battery of political action committees and the state and national party committees.By the time the general elections come in November,what is the most that you could have contributed?
A)$30,400.
B)$50,000.
C)$115,500.
D)$500,000.
E)There is no overall limit.
Q2) Political spin is ineffective if it is not convincing enough to be reported by the mainstream media.
A)True
B)False
Q3) If you vote for a Republican for president because you are unsatisfied with President Barack Obama's agenda,you are voting retrospectively.
A)True
B)False
Q4) What are two reasons for low voter turnout?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 14
Chapter 13: Social and Economic Policy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
125 Verified Questions
125 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36113
Sample Questions
Q1) What is economic freedom as defined by Economic Freedom Network? How does the United States compare to other countries?
Q2) The deliberate use of the national government's taxing and spending policies to maintain economic stability is called fiscal policy.
A)True
B)False
Q3) ___________________ is one of the two policy areas in which the government spends most of its money.
A)Road repair
B)Purchasing military weaponry
C)Building new libraries
D)Sending aid to Haiti
E)Subsidizing the development of electric cars
Q4) How are supplemental nutrition benefits distributed to citizens?
A)Food delivery services
B)An electronic debit program
C)Paper coupons
D)Food banks
E)The government eliminated the program entirely.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 15
Chapter 14: Foreign and Defense Policy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
121 Verified Questions
121 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36114
Sample Questions
Q1) President Jimmy Carter actively pursued policies favoring
A)human rights.
B)free trade.
C)friendly relations with North Korea.
D)creating a missile defense shield.
E)weak defense.
Q2) What were the different options the Framers had for conducting U.S.foreign policy in the early republic?Why might they might have chosen each of these strategies?
Q3) Congress's role in foreign policy making includes which of the following?
A)Commanding the armed forces
B)Signing treaties
C)Appointing ambassadors
D)Appointing judges to international tribunals
E)Declaring war
Q4) In constructing international trade policy,countries generally adopt one of which three approaches?
Q5) Communism fell in Eastern Europe in 1979.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 16
Chapter 15: The Context for Texas Politics and Government
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
124 Verified Questions
124 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36095
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following best describes the Texas economy?
A)The Texas economy remains dependent on "the big three"-cotton, cattle, and petroleum.
B)The Texas economy is the third largest in the United States.
C)The Texas economy soared while the U.S. economy tanked in the most recent recession.
D)The Texas economy has raised the standard of living for nearly all Texans.
E)The Texas economy is mainly based on tourism, entertainment, and soybeans-the "new big three."
Q2) Which of the following best describes the political culture of Texas?
A)Government should act as a positive instrument with responsibility to enhance the well-being of its citizens.
B)Government should act solely to promote individual responsibility.
C)Government should act solely to maintain traditional social values.
D)Government should act both to significantly enhance the well-being of the poor and to maintain traditional social values.
E)Government should act to promote individual responsibility and to maintain traditional social values.
Q3) Compare and contrast two of the political ideologies most prominent in Texas.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 17
Chapter 16: The Texas Constitution
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
125 Verified Questions
125 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36097
Sample Questions
Q1) Over time,the Texas Constitution has typically grown longer,more detailed,and more confusing.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The 1869 constitutional convention
A)featured four separate voting blocs that pursued their own agendas.
B)had been under-funded from the start by a legislature that wanted them to fail.
C)ran out of money because the businesses and hotels doubled the prices for the delegates.
D)failed to enact any constitutional changes because of a nationwide fluctuation in currency values.
E)relied entirely on Confederate money which was worthless after the Civil War.
Q3) Which of the following is true of the Texas Constitution but not true of the U.S.Constitution?
A)Based on the principle of popular sovereignty
B)Based on the principle of limited government
C)Based on the social contract theory
D)Contains detailed policy provisions
E)Establishes a bicameral legislature
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 18
Chapter 17: Local Government and Politics in Texas
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
125 Verified Questions
125 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36099
Sample Questions
Q1) The Texas Local Government Code details the creation and operation of general law cities in Texas.
A)True
B)False
Q2) A public school sanctioned by a specific contractual agreement with the state that allows the program to operate outside the usual rules and regulations of the state and the Texas Education Agency is known as a/an
A)voucher school.
B)charter school.
C)special district school.
D)independent school district.
E)magnet school.
Q3) Unlike cities,counties do not have general ordinance-making authority.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Why did the Texas legislature create home-rule cities? How do home-rule cities operate differently than general-law cities? Is home-rule a useful power?
Q5) Under what conditions can a city annex adjacent territory?
Q6) What are bonds and why are they important for municipal financing?
19
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 18: The Texas Legislature
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
125 Verified Questions
125 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36101
Sample Questions
Q1) African Americans played an integral role in the political and legislative process in Texas during Reconstruction.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Texas requires redistricting every two years.
A)True
B)False
Q3) In 2008,what was the turnover rate for the Texas House?
A)15 percent
B)40 percent
C)59 percent
D)98 percent
E)100 percent
Q4) During the Constitutional Convention of 1845,there was an effort to strip the right to vote from whom?
A)Anglos
B)Hispanics
C)African Americans
D)Native Americans
E)Immigrants
Page 20
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 19: The Governor and Bureaucracy in Texas
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
127 Verified Questions
127 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36103
Sample Questions
Q1) While campaigning,________ promised that his/her administration would "look like Texas" to increase diversity in government.
A)Ann Richards
B)George W. Bush
C)Rick Perry
D)Mark White
E)Miriam Ferguson
Q2) Describe the length of the governor's term in office and the number of terms he or she can hold.
Q3) The executive function of state government is spread out among a number of elected officials other than the governor,which is why Texas is said to have a plural executive branch.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The Texas land commissioner is more significant than in other states because the state owns a great deal of land.
A)True
B)False
Q5) How do Texas governors use the media to influence public opinion?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 21
Chapter 20: The Texas Judiciary
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
125 Verified Questions
125 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36105
Sample Questions
Q1) District courts in Texas exercise
A)only criminal jurisdiction.
B)only civil jurisdiction.
C)only civil jurisdiction in cases involving less than $200.
D)only appellate jurisdiction.
E)both criminal and civil jurisdiction.
Q2) Only Texas and Oklahoma have two supreme courts.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following is NOT part of the sentencing phase of a capital murder trial?
A)Determining whether the defendant is likely to commit further violent crimes and is a threat to society
B)Deciding whether the defendant actually caused, intended to cause, or anticipated that a human life would be taken
C)Deciding on whether mitigating circumstances warrant a sentence of life imprisonment rather than death
D)Deciding on the guilt or innocence of the defendant
E)Listening to testimony about the defendant's prior convictions, if any
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
22
Chapter 21: Political Parties, interest Groups, elections, and Campaigns in Texas
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
124 Verified Questions
124 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/36107
Sample Questions
Q1) Compare Democratic party unity with Republican party unity.
Q2) Those who wish to participate in their precinct conventions can return to their polling place after the polls have closed on the date of the primary election to do so.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Business groups and trade associations are NOT generally interested in achieving which of the following?
A)Low taxes for business
B)Restricted union influence
C)Favorable regulatory climate
D)Establishing the right to collective bargaining
E)Maintaining a favorable climate for business in Texas
Q4) Measures undertaken by Republicans to require photo identification for voters in Texas was one of the most divisive partisan issues of the 2009 Texas legislative session.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Explain the nature and roots of intraparty conflict in the Republican Party.
Q6) Should Texas "front load" its primary?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 23