Exam 1 (except 500)
Textbook
Lecture Notes
Atlas
Economist Articles
100

What is need to ratify a treaty?

A 2/3 majority vote in the Senate
100

Which group makes up the plurality of American voters?

Independents 

100

Besides being Revolutionary War heroes, what do George Mason, Richard Henry Lee, Sam Adams, and Patrick Henry all have in common?

They were anti-federalists 

100

Where does Russia have nuclear weapons based outside their country?

Belarus 

100

(Fraud and Opportunity): Which level of government is ultimately responsible for administering Medicaid?  

State governments 

200

What did the US do to the defense budget between 2011-2016?

They cut defense spending by hundreds of billions of dollars 

200

In a presidential election, what fraction of registered voters turn out to vote?

More than 4/5

200

Why was the midterm election of 2018 significant? 

It was the first midterm election in a century where more than half the voting age population voted

200

Which two countries are leading in Baltic Air Policing? 

Germany and Poland

200

(Fraud and Opportunity): Fraud costs the government nearly ___ percentage of annual federal spending?

8%

Between $233 billion and $521 billion a year

300

Which NATO allies risked the lives of their pilots to deploy fighter jets to strike chemical weapons facility targets in Syria? 

Britain and France 

300

In 2022, what fraction of Millennials and Gen Z expressed trust in the US government? 

Less than 1/5 

300

Which states do not give all their electoral votes to the presidential candidate that wins the majority of the popular vote? 

Bonus 50 points: How many electoral votes do these states have?

Maine and Nebraska 

9

300

Which country did Russia invade in August 2008? 

Georgia 

300

(Putin the Poker Player): In 2022, Russia controlled 19.6% of Ukraine territory. After more than 700,000 casualties, what fraction of Ukraine's territory does Russia control as of February 2025? 

Slightly less than 1/5 (19.2%) 

400

Brian Kemp wins 41% of the vote, Bill Clinton wins 38% of the vote, and Nikki Haley wins 35% of the vote. What did Kemp win?

A plurality 

400

Since 1968, how many third party candidates have won votes in the electoral college?

0

400

Why was the presidential election of 2016 significant?

Third party candidates received more than 6 million popular votes 

400

What has happened to Ukraine's army since 2022?

It has tripled in size 

400

(Putin the Poker Player): Before the war, Russia had more than 7,300 tanks in storage. Now, more than half of the reserve is gone. Of those than remain how many of them can be reconditioned quickly?

500 

500

What did Tocqueville think of the American democracy?

It was intellectual and highly civilized 

"I do not think so much intellectual activity exists even in the most enlightened and
populous districts of France." 

500

What percentage of Republicans say that they believe Trump actually won the 2020 presidential election?

71%

500

What is required to win a US Senate seat in Georgia?  

A majority of the popular vote 

500

Why was the Zapad Exercise of 2009 significant? 

First time in modern era that Russia simulated a nuclear attack against Poland (NATO ally)

500

(Present at the Destruction): On February 12th, what did Pete Hegseth tell American NATO allies? 

The United States was no longer the "primary guarantor" of European security