United States Political Systems
Final Test Solutions
Course Introduction
This course provides an in-depth examination of the political systems of the United States, focusing on the structures, processes, and functions of the federal, state, and local governments. Students will explore the foundational principles of the U.S. Constitution, the roles of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, federalism, and the interactions among various levels of government. The course also covers political parties, elections, public opinion, interest groups, and policy-making processes, offering a comprehensive understanding of how power and governance operate within the American political framework.
Recommended Textbook
American Government Stories of a Nation 1st Edition Scott F. Abernathy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
18 Chapters
2010 Verified Questions
2010 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/1481
Page 2
Chapter 1: American Political Stories
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
129 Verified Questions
129 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29432
Sample Questions
Q1) On August 26, 1765, a "scene of riot, drunkenness, profaneness and robbery" ransacked the house of ______, then lieutenant governor of Massachusetts.
A)Thomas Hutchinson
B)William Franklin
C)Sir John Johnson
D)George Hewes
Answer: A
Q2) Thomas Paine challenged the legitimacy of the British monarchy and refuted arguments in favor of reconciling England and the Colonies by calling King George a
A)"royal brute"
B)"royal fool"
C) "royal usurper"
D)"royal imitator"
Answer: A
Q3) People who still possessed the ability to pay off their debts through their labor in order to ultimately achieve their freedom were referred to as ______.
Answer: indentured servants
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 3
Chapter 2: The Constitution of the United States
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
110 Verified Questions
110 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29433
Sample Questions
Q1) The Virginia Plan laid out a strong national government, while the New Jersey Plan called for a weak one.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) Whose research and studies into the death of republics was instrumental in the drafting of the United States Constitution?
Answer: James Madison
Q3) Because of concerns over land rights, the Articles of Confederation provided states with protections against other states ______ without prior approval of the confederal government.
A)imposing taxes
B)claiming territory
C)demanding reparations
D)exerting sovereignty
Answer: B
Q4) The ______ clause has enabled Congress to become involved in large areas of the American economy, even within states.
Answer: commerce
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
117 Verified Questions
117 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29434
Sample Questions
Q1) Dual federalism
A)evenly divided the people's sovereignty between the nation and the states
B)focused the people's sovereignty entirely on the states
C)placed the sovereignty of the people primarily on the national government
D)was designed to placate the demands of the federalists and antifederalists alike
Answer: A
Q2) Powers that are granted both to the states and the national government are called
A)implied powers.
B)concurrent powers.
C)expressed powers.
Answer: B
Q3) The Constitution fails to describe the powers of the levels of government below what level?
A)national
B)state
C)county
D)city
Answer: B
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
130 Verified Questions
130 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29435
Sample Questions
Q1) The 2015 case of ______ resulted in the overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act and the legalization of same-sex marriage across the country.
Q2) The Supreme Court's piecemeal application of the Bill of Rights to the states on a case-by-case basis is called ______.
Q3) In the Neutrality Test, which of the following conditions must be met as a condition of restricting religious expression in the course of legitimate state action?
A)must apply only to one faith
B)must not single out a specific faith over nonfaith
C)must require a wall of separation between faith and nonfaith
D)must apply only to nonfaith, disregarding any faith-based action
Q4) The Clear and Present Danger Test was likened to "yelling fire in a crowded theater."
A)True
B)False
Q5) According to Edward Snowden, the NSA collects personal data on practically every U.S.citizen.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 6
Chapter 5: Securing Civil Rights
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
130 Verified Questions
130 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29436
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following best describes the ultimate fate of the Equal Rights Amendment?
A)proposed and ratified
B)ratified but not enforced
C) proposed but not ratified
D) neither proposed nor ratified
Q2) In which Supreme Court case were slaves, former slaves, and their descendants deemed property and not citizens?
A)Scott v. Sandford
B)Plessey v. Ferguson
C)Missouri ex Gaines v. Canada
D)Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
Q3) The reaction of the nation to the Brown v.Board decision was
A)strong yet weakly divided.
B)strong and immediate but not uniform.
C)weak and uniformly immediate.
D)weak and heavily divided.
Q4) Judith Heumann was refused entry to elementary school because she was a "______."
Q5) Many early activists for women's rights were also active in the ______ movement.
Page 7
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 6: Political Participation
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
100 Verified Questions
100 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29437
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following best describes the primary cause of ballot roll-off?
A)incomplete knowledge of candidates
B)overwhelming partisan voter cues
C)failure to meet voter registration requirements
D)lack of partisan affiliation
Q2) Around what percentage of states require a photo identification in order to vote?
A)5
B)10
C)15
D)20
Q3) National political and congressional elections are, by tradition, held on
A)the fifteenth of November.
B)the second Monday following the first Tuesday in November.
C)the first Tuesday following the second Monday in November.
D)the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November.
Q4) What does data provided in the textbook tell us about voting behavior by ethnicity, age, and gender? Who is more apt to vote in each of these categories? Who is least likely to vote? Why?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 8
Chapter 7: Public Opinion
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
100 Verified Questions
100 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29438
Sample Questions
Q1) One group of political scientists has found evidence that genetically inherited characteristics play an important role in shaping political attitudes and ideologies.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Random-digit dialing carries which of the following possible errors?
A)sampling error
B)interviewer error
C)wording error
D)tabulation error
Q3) The component of individual opinion that is the common focus of political experts is A)direction.
B)intensity.
C)stability.
D)salience.
Q4) The term "______" refers to the fact that American women are more likely to identify with and vote for the Democratic Party than are men, who are more likely to vote for Republican Party candidates.
Q5) The primary source of political socialization is considered to be the ______.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 9
Chapter 8: The Media
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
110 Verified Questions
110 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29439
Sample Questions
Q1) The earliest printed news material in America was the A)gazette.
B)newspaper.
C)pamphlet.
D)almanac.
Q2) The military see the use of Internet and social media resources as a(n)
A)ongoing threat to national security.
B)personal safety threat to soldiers and family.
C)source of bias and untruth that distracts from mission readiness.
D)huge morale factor for both soldiers and their families.
Q3) The idea of net neutrality raises important issues such as
A)is granting open access to information an idea that is in line with a capitalist economic system?
B)how can American democracy balance the First Amendment against equal access to political information?
C)can unregulated access to information be guaranteed in an environment of competitive Internet providers?
D)will net neutrality be of greater advantage for Internet providers or Internet consumers?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 10
Chapter 9: Political Parties
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
110 Verified Questions
110 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29440
Sample Questions
Q1) A political party that operates over a limited period of time, in competition with two other major parties, is referred to as a
A)political action committee.
B)third party.
C)disruptive faction.
D)SuperPac.
Q2) Donald Trump made frequent use of what social media application while campaigning?
A)Facebook
B)Twitter
C)Instagram
D)Tumblr
Q3) What do you see as the future of third parties in the American political system?
Q4) By 1824, the Democratic-Republican Party was largely dissolved and had become known as the ______ Party.
A)Whig
B)Federalist
C)Tory
D)Bull Moose
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 11
Chapter 10: Campaigns and Elections Multiple Choice
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
105 Verified Questions
105 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29441
Sample Questions
Q1) What advantages do Congressional incumbents have in retaining their seats in Congress? Why?
Q2) Elections are the key way in which Americans keep their elected officials in line with the threat of voting ______ out of office and voting in ______.
A)challengers | incumbents
B)officials | constituents
C)incumbents | challengers
D)constituents | bureaucrats
Q3) Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio share a common Cuban heritage.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Theoretically, it is possible to become president by winning only ______ of the most populous states.
A)7
B)11
C)15
D)25
Q5) A form of voting that reflects on an incumbent's past performance in an election is called ______.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 12
Chapter 11: Interest Groups and Social Movements
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
105 Verified Questions
105 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29442
Sample Questions
Q1) Members of AARP receive a monthly magazine and a free gift when they join.This is an example of
A)collective benefits.
B)material rewards.
C)selective benefits.
D) social benefits.
Q2) The intentional breaking of a law for the purpose of calling attention to an injustice is best described as
A)civil disobedience.
B)social injustice.
C)protest.
D)direct lobbying.
Q3) How did members of the financial industry as well as members of government use the threat of serious economic consequences to advance their agenda? What did many ordinary citizens do in response?
Q4) The failure of Lehman Brothers illustrates the advantages and disadvantages of A)forming an interest group.
B)starting a social movement.
C)being a free rider.
D)joining a collective action.
Page 13
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 12: Congress
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
120 Verified Questions
120 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29443
Sample Questions
Q1) Only those candidates with the strongest personal desire to act in politics decide to face the long odds against success.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The process of ______ describes the assignment of a bill to more than one committee, especially if the bill is large and complex.
A)multiple referral
B)dual legislation
C)interactive consideration
D)collective agency
Q3) Most House rules are found in the Constitution.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Perhaps the most important factor paving the way for newcomers to run for Congress in 1992 was the
A)changing demographic landscape.
B)rising discord with incumbents.
C)record number of open seats.
D)intense constituent agenda.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 14
Chapter 13: The American Presidency
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
117 Verified Questions
117 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29444
Sample Questions
Q1) The detention of John Merryman was an important case in presidential power because of President Lincoln's assertion of the power to A)suspend habeas corpus.
B)indiscriminately punish Southern traitors.
C)write and enforce bills of attainder.
D)command the Union army.
Q2) The portion of the Constitution that describes the presidency is A)Article I.
B)Article II.
C)Article III.
D)Article IV.
Q3) The most important legislative power that the president is given by the Constitution is the A)filibuster. B)cloture.
C)veto. D)override.
Q4) Do the actions and contributions of individual presidents matter? What are the constraints on a president's ability to reshape or change the office they hold?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 15
Chapter 14: The Federal Bureaucracy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
135 Verified Questions
135 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29445
Sample Questions
Q1) As the head of the executive branch, the president is tasked to ensure that
A)bureaucratic agencies are properly included in the federal hierarchy and the executive chain of command.
B)the apparatus of the executive bureaucracy faithfully executes the laws of the nation.
C)agencies included in the federal bureaucracy can effectively compete with private organizations on an economic basis.
D)bureaucratic agencies do not duplicate government services and are as lean in size as possible.
Q2) One major question facing the Constitutional Congress was
A)who should be able to remove an executive?
B)how should executives be evaluated?
C)how should performance be monitored, rewarded, and/or punished
D)what term limits should be placed on executives?
Q3) According to Barnard, the job of the leader was to
A)effectively acquire and wield power over the labor force.
B)administer authority over clients and workers alike.
C)secure the cooperation of those within the organization.
D)delegate authority to specialized workers and supervisors.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 16
Chapter 15: The Federal Judiciary
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
110 Verified Questions
110 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29446
Sample Questions
Q1) The problem of countermajoritarianism occurs when
A)the Supreme Court exercises judicial control against the prevailing majority.
B)Congress passes a law that is then upheld by the Supreme Court.
C)the president is unable to get his/her nominee through the Senate confirmation process.
D)the people appeal to the courts through briefs and arguments but are not given standing.
Q2) Which of the following are more apt to witness direct presidential involvement in the nomination process?
A)legislative courts
B)bankruptcy courts
C)district courts
D)courts of appeal including the Supreme Court
Q3) The ability to hear a case from its origin and to establish the facts pertaining to it, including conducting a trial and rendering a verdict, is known as
A)original jurisdiction.
B)appellate jurisdiction.
C)intermediary jurisdiction.
D)ultimate jurisdiction.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 17
Chapter 16: The Politics of Promoting the General Welfare
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
97 Verified Questions
97 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29447
Sample Questions
Q1) Americans' political ______ play a key role in their attitudes toward the proper role of the federal government in providing benefits to specific groups of individuals.
Q2) The necessarily limited set of issues on which policy makers focus their attention is best defined as the
A)policy-making process.
B)policy-making cycle
C)policy agenda.
D)policy feedback loop.
Q3) The first step in the stages of policy making is
A)setting the political agenda.
B)policy formation and adoption.
C)problem definition.
D)budgeting and implementation.
Q4) The EPA is tasked to enforce
A)the Clean Air Act.
B)the Water Quality Act.
C)the Endangered Species Act.
D)all of these.
Q5) In 1965, the FHA was folded into the Department of ______.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 18
Chapter 17: Economic Policy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
95 Verified Questions
95 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29448
Sample Questions
Q1) In order to make college more affordable, President Obama believed
A)Congress should increase availability of grants.
B)banks should make private loans easier to get.
C)federal work-study programs should be expanded.
D)colleges and universities should rein in their costs.
Q2) According to the vice president of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, student loans will
A)lead to a well-qualified and highly skilled job market.
B)be a drag on the economy for the foreseeable future.
C)result in as many defaulted loans, as was seen in 2008.
D)force unemployment to fall below the "moderate" 2% level.
Q3) Under the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974, the president's proposed budget must be reviewed first by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)and next by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)before being submitted to Congress.
A)True
B)False
Q4) When the federal government takes in less money than it spends, it runs a ______.
Q5) By the end of 2015, the ______ continued to grow to nearly $19 trillion.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 19
Chapter 18: Foreign Policy
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
90 Verified Questions
90 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/29449
Sample Questions
Q1) In an essay published in 2014, Seymour Hersh, citing unnamed sources, used a CIA term called ______ to describe a presidential policy that was designed to funnel weapons and ammunition from Libya to the opposition in Syria, many of whom were affiliated with al Qaeda.
A)the "Rat Line"
B)"My Lai"
C)"undercover angel"
D)"covert distribution"
Q2) The use of violence as a means to achieve political ends is defined as A)mayhem.
B)domestic violence.
C)international violence.
D)terrorism.
Q3) On September 11, 2001, members of the terrorist organization ______ hijacked four American commercial aircraft, using them to attack the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York.
A)the Black Hand
B)ISIS
C)al Qaeda
D)FARC
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 20