Unit1
Until the Constitution was ratified, the document that established and defined the government of the United States was the
Declaration of Independence
Bill of Rights
Mayflower Compact
Articles of Confederation
Treaty of Friendship and Unity
Articles of Confederation
Which statement correctly describes political socialization?
Political socialization motivates citizens to become active in politics.
Political socialization tends to produce citizens more inclined to accept socialistic programs as they get older.
Political socialization is a continuing process in which the adult years are the most important.
Political socialization is the term used to describe the growth of entitlement programs.
Political socialization is the process through which individuals develop their political values and beliefs.
Political socialization is the process through which individuals develop their political values and beliefs.
The main function of the president’s cabinet is
to put together the federal budget and submit it to Congress
to write federal regulations
to provide advice to the president
to provide leadership in the event the president is unable to
perform his duties
to provide information regarding proposed legislation by testi-
fying before Congress
3. to provide advice to the president
Which statement best describes American political culture?
The dominant political culture depends on which political party is in power.
Due to its ethnic diversity, there are different political cultures in the United States.
American political culture is a melting pot of different political ideals from around the world.
Liberals and conservatives in the United States have different political cultures.
The American political culture is comprised of beliefs—such as individual rights, majority rule, and limited government—that are shared by virtually all Americans.
The American political culture is comprised of beliefs—such as individual rights, majority rule, and limited government—that are shared by virtually all Americans.
Which one of the following groups is MOST likely to participate in
an election?
African Americans
people with college degrees
Hispanic voters
people under age 35
people in households with below-average income
people with college degrees
Which of the following is a clause of the Constitution that gives the federal government broad powers in many policy areas?
Interstate Commerce Clause
Tenth Amendment
Free-Exercise Clause
Establishment Clause
Fiscal Federalism Clause
Interstate Commerce Clause
The House of Representatives and the Senate are most similar to each other in
the checks they have on the power of the president
the way they select their presiding officer
the number of members they have
the power standing committees have in the legislative process
the power of the Rules Committee to set the rules for floor
debate
the checks they have on the power of the president
Which of the following actions of the president has no basis in the
Constitution?
issuing executive orders
serving as leader of his political party
stationing U.S. troops at bases abroad
negotiating free trade agreements with other countries
proposing legislation to Congress
issuing executive orders
The Supreme Court’s decision in Texas v. Johnson, which overturned
a state law against flag-burning, was based on
the First Amendment right to peacefully assemble to protest
The Free-Exercise Clause of the First Amendment
the First Amendment right of freedom of speech
the restrictions on search and seizure of the Fourth Amendment
the establishment clause of the First Amendment
the First Amendment right of freedom of speech
What is an open seat in a congressional election?
a seat in a congressional district that is evenly divided between Republican and Democratic voters, making it likely that either party could win
a seat in which redistricting has redefined the district’s bound- aries in a way to make it unfavorable to the reelection of the incumbent
a seat for which there is no incumbent running
a seat where the incumbent has been accused of a crime and is
unlikely to win reelection
a seat where the incumbent belongs to a different party than
the majority of his/her constituents
a seat for which there is no incumbent running
The Supreme Court’s power of judicial review was established by
the Bill of Rights
the Constitution
the Court’s decision in Griswold v. Connecticut
the Court’s decision in Marbury v. Madison
the Court’s decision in Gibbons v. Ogden
the Court’s decision in Marbury v. Madison
Which of the following give(s) a reason why the power of the federal government has grown relative to state governments?
I. the devolution of power
II. the conditional funding the federal government can provide to state governments
III. the growth of interstate commerce
IV. the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution
statement I only
statements II and IV only
statements III and IV only
statements II, III, and IV only
statements I, II, III, and IV
statements II, III, and IV only
Which of the statements below best describes reapportionment?
the redrawing of congressional districts by the House of Rep- resentatives based on a new census
the redrawing of congressional districts by state governments based on a new census
the reallocation of seats in the Senate and House of Represen- tatives based on a new census
the reallocation of seats in the House of Representatives to the states based on a new census
the reallocation of seats on committees in the House of Rep- resentatives and the Senate between the two parties based on the most recent election.
4. the reallocation of seats in the House of Representatives to the states based on a new census
Which of the following is an independent federal regulatory agency?
U.S. Postal Service (USPS)
FBI
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Department of Veterans Affairs
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Which of the following outcomes are NOT possible in the Electoral College system?
The Electoral College could choose a president who did not have the most electoral votes.
The House of Representatives could choose the president.
The Electoral College could choose a president who did not get
the most votes of the people.
The Electoral College could choose a president who did not
win the most states.
Some electors could vote for a third-party candidate for president.
The Electoral College could choose a president who did not have the most electoral votes.
Which of the following is a concurrent power in the American sys-
tem of federalism?
the power to make treaties with foreign governments
the power to levy taxes
the power to make monetary policy
the power to establish local governments (cities, counties,
school districts, etc.)
the power to regulate interstate commerce
the power to levy taxes
A filibuster occurs when
a majority of either the House of Representatives or the Senate support a bill but cannot get the two-thirds majority needed for cloture to end debate and vote
the Senate and House cannot agree on final language for legis- lation both houses have passed in different versions, and debate continues endlessly
the president announces he will veto a bill, but a group of sena- tors keep the bill alive by continuing to debate it
a senator or small group of senators want to draw public atten- tion to bill so it will gain support and pass
a majority the Senate supports a bill, but the majority is not large enough to produce the 60 votes needed to end debate on the bill in the Senate
a majority the Senate supports a bill, but the majority is not large enough to produce the 60 votes needed to end debate on the bill in the Senate
What role does Congress play in amending the Constitution?
Congress submits amendments to the states for their approval.
Congress approves or rejects amendments supported by two-
thirds of the states.
The Senate approves proposed amendments by a two-thirds
vote, but the House plays little role in the process.
Congress passes amendments by a two-thirds vote, sending
them to the president for his signature or veto.
Congress plays no formal role; the Constitution is amended by
the states.
1. Congress submits amendments to the states for their approval.
While the practice of separate schools for black and white students was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), segregation in restaurants, stores, hotels, and other public accommodations remained legal until
the Supreme Court’s decision in Loving v. Virginia (1967)
the ratification of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment (1964)
the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
state legislatures eventually changed the laws permitting
segregation
President Lyndon Johnson issued an executive order ending all
segregation by race
President Lyndon Johnson issued an executive order ending all
segregation by race
Which is a reason the power of the two major parties is in decline in the United States?
The number of people voting for third parties has risen sharply.
In most states, parties no longer select the candidates for the
general election.
Parties no longer have state and local organizations.
Parties no longer conduct get-out-the-vote drives.
Candidates now raise most of their campaign funds themselves
and do not heavily rely on funds from their party.
Candidates now raise most of their campaign funds themselves
and do not heavily rely on funds from their party.
Which of the following statements is NOT true of the Supreme
Court’s decision in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)?
It held that state governments could pass a law negating a federal law within their boundaries if they believed the federal law was unconstitutional.
It confirmed the supremacy of the federal government over state governments.
It determined that states could not levy taxes on federal gov- ernment operations.
It interpreted the “necessary and proper” powers clause of the Constitution to mean that the federal government has implied powers not specifically stated in the Constitution.
It upheld the constitutionality of the national bank established by the federal government.
It held that state governments could pass a law negating a federal law within their boundaries if they believed the federal law was unconstitutional.
Which of the following is NOT a check on the power of the president that the Constitution gives Congress?
Congress can pass a law the president has vetoed.
Congress can reject the president’s selections of people to fill
key positions in the Executive Office of the President.
Congress can reject a treaty the president has negotiated.
Congress can refuse to fund a program the president supports.
Congress can reject the president’s nominees for federal judges.
2. Congress can reject the president’s selections of people to fill
key positions in the Executive Office of the President.
What new interpretation of the Constitution did the Supreme Court
use in District of Columbia v. Heller?
The Second Amendment prohibits state and federal governments from requiring the registration of firearms.
Federal and state laws restricting some people, such as convicted felons from purchasing guns, violate the Second Amendment.
The wording of the Second Amendment means that the consti- tutional right to gun ownership applies only to people serving in a state militia.
The Second Amendment contains a constitutional right to gun ownership irrespective of service in a state militia.
The right of privacy implied in the Bill of Rights extends to carrying of guns in public places.
4. The Second Amendment contains a constitutional right to gun ownership irrespective of service in a state militia.
The decision of the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade was based on
the Free-Exercise Clause of the First Amendment
the right to privacy stated in the Bill of Rights
the right to privacy implied in the Bill of Rights
the right to privacy established in Lawrence v. Texas
the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment
3. the right to privacy implied in the Bill of Rights
The main reason why the popular vote and the electoral vote for
president may be very different is
the prevalence of horse-trading and corruption in American politics
the candidates focus their campaigns only on a few swing states
small states have more power in the Electoral College than
their population would merit
electors often switch votes to vote for the winning candidate to
gain political influence and advance their careers
the winner-take-all system most states use in selecting electors
the winner-take-all system most states use in selecting electors