WorksheetsC@SH Government Unit 1
Total questions: 86
Worksheet time: 1hrs 26mins
What is a way in which the United States differs from other democracies?
It has a presidential system rather than a parliamentary one.
There is only one layer of decision—making authority—at the national level.
It has a commitment to majority rule through elections.
It has a political system in which the head of the executive branch is selected by members of the legislature.
It has a political culture that affects the political system.
What is mentioned in the textbook as a primary component of American political culture?
capitalism
diversity
individualism
socialism
The government grants rights to the people.
True
False
What is known as an agreement among members of a society to form and recognize the authority of a centralized government that is empowered to make and enforce laws governing the members of that society?
a government
an incorporation
a social contract
a monopoly
The North Korean government is an extreme example of a representative democracy.
False
True
In the United States, how do most citizens enter into the social contract?
explicitly, by applying for a driver's license
explicitly, by applying for a passport
explicitly, by paying taxes
implicitly, by living in the United States
implicitly, by voting in national elections
If in a parliamentary system the head of government is voted into (or out of) office by the legislature, then we can assume that __________.
the head of government is dependent for his or her political survival on the legislature
the head of government will usually be chosen by the major interest groups that dominate the legislature
there is more of a separation of powers between the legislature and the executive than in other systems
the government can't theoretically fall if the legislature loses trust in it
What type of government is indicated when people vote for their leaders through elections?
direct democracy
autocracy
monarchy
representative democracy
What are public goods?
products or services that all citizens enjoy that cannot easily be provided by anyone other than government
durable social contracts
products or services that can be denied to those who do not pay
products or services that can be contracted out to private companies
Political culture can be thought of as a __________ through which to view American politics.
kaleidoscope
lens
magnifying glass
window
A citizen who casts a ballot for a Republican candidate for president and a Democratic candidate for Senate is displaying which of the following?
straight–party voting
disloyal voting
preferential voting
split–ticket voting
What is the meaning of plurality rule?
that all adult Americans (with a few exceptions) have the right to vote
that the people vote directly on laws
that each American's vote counts equally
that whoever or whatever gets the most votes wins
In which system would you expect the head of government to be more accountable to the citizens?
a parliamentary system
a presidential system
an autocracy
an oligarchy
Government can make citizens do things they otherwise might not want to do.
True
False
Generally speaking, is a capitalist economic system, such as the United States, conducive to the provision of public goods?
No, because the costs of providing public goods are much higher than the benefits of doing so.
No, because the demand for public goods is simply not there, and capitalist economies operate based on the laws of supply and demand.
Yes, because capitalist states also tend to be democratic, and in democracies people care about each other.
Yes, because the great demand for public goods will ensure that the market will supply them.
The process by which incumbent parties redraw district lines in order to maximize seats for the party is known as __________.
redistribution
gerrymandering
cheating
strategic redistribution
The term political culture primarily refers to __________.
commonly practiced norms of behavior
unifying symbols and traditions
public opinion
general values and beliefs regarding the political system
Which of the following statements about American political culture is true?
Despite its great diversity, America does not have a large number of competing political cultures.
The level of economic diversity in America has led to sharply competing sets of political values.
As minorities are slowly becoming majorities, political culture will inevitably change.
The political values of American-born citizens and immigrants tend to differ sharply.
The libertarian view on the role of government corresponds most closely with the __________ view.
socialist
individualist
communitarian
moralistic
One of the main divisions in terms of political culture in many European countries is between __________ and __________.
capitalists, communists
socialists, capitalists
Democrats, Republicans
communists, socialists
__________ is a criterion used for adhering to democratic principles in America.
natural rights
freedom of property
the will of the people
income equality
According to the textbook, the importance of freedom of religious expression in American political culture can be traced back to __________.
Colonial times
World War I
the War of Independence
the Civil Rights movement
Which of these is a fundamental right that is often restricted when it negatively impacts the rights of other individuals?
education
property
health care
speech
What does the textbook identify as the specific beliefs of the American creed?
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
individualism, democracy, liberty, property, and religion
individualism, democracy, and a free market
equality and freedom
Americans generally prefer that individuals have an equal chance for success rather than a guarantee of equal results.
True
False
The central value of the American creed is __________.
equality
individualism
justice
property
Americans generally support the idea of a small, efficient government, but they find it difficult to identify areas they would like to see cut. In a 2011 survey, what was the program that Americans were most reluctant to cut?
Medicare
combating crime
defense
veterans benefits
The belief that anyone should be able to choose his or her own path in life is an expression of which American political value?
democracy
tolerance
individualism
equality
What is the most likely explanation for why it is acceptable for politicians to appeal to the middle class but no other?
members of the middle class are more tolerant
the middle class is most respected by all Americans.
members of the middle class are more forgiving
most Americans consider themselves members of the middle class
Which of the following makes Americans American, according to the textbook?
a shared religion
a shared set of symbols and traditions
a shared ethnic heritage
a shared set of beliefs
Which of the following defends the idea that Americans have natural rights?
the Declaration of Independence
the will of the people
the consent of the governed
the Articles of Confederation
Property rights in America most correspond with which element of the political culture?
equality under the law
democracy
individualism
self-reliance
Which of the following statements is an example of current American political culture?
Everyone deserves to have the same.
All Americans deserve the same opportunities.
All children are entitled to good grades in school.
Everyone should pay taxes.
In a high-school setting, who is most likely to have the sovereign power?
the principal
parents
student government
the teacher
Imagine that 55 percent of Americans were opposed to the war in Iraq but the government decided to invade the country anyway. Does this violate the principle of consent?
No, it doesn't matter what the people think.
No, the American people gave their consent when they elected the government.
Yes, the government is required to listen to the public in making such an important decision.
Yes, the people have the final say over issues of war.
Based on their political culture, most Americans are likely to consider unemployment a problem of __________.
government failure
market failure
social injustice
personal responsibility
One consequence of the American creed is that __________ are often viewed with suspicion.
banks
competing ideas
extremely wealthy individuals
noncitizens
Compared to other industrialized democratic countries, the degree of religiosity among Americans is __________.
about the same
somewhat higher than the average
somewhat lower than the average
unusually high
Americans generally support the idea of a small, efficient government, but they find it difficult to identify areas they would like to see cut. In a 2011 survey, what was the program for which Americans were most supportive of cutting spending?
defense
anti-terrorism
college financial aid
assisting needy people around the world
What types of freedom are emphasized in the Bill of Rights?
presidential
individual
foreign
congressional
What fraction of the states are necessary to amend the Constitution?
3/4
1/2
3/5
2/3
Article I describes the powers of the president.
True
False
Which of the following specifies the procedure for amending the Constitution?
Article V
Article III
Article VI
Article IX
The New Jersey Plan proposed a powerful central government with three branches.
True
False
What was the greatest fear of the Anti–Federalists during the Constitutional Convention and subsequent debate?
that a weak judiciary would be unable to enforce the new Constitution
that a weak national government would undermine the survival of the United States
that a strong national government would infringe on the essential liberties of the people
that powerful state governments would never assent to the new Constitution
What is the primary responsibility of the judiciary branch with regard to laws passed by Congress?
negotiation
protest
electing the president
interpretation
Which statement most accurately describes one aspect of the supremacy clause of the Constitution?
Neither national nor state law can ever be changed.
State law must yield if it contradicts federal law.
National and state laws must be identical.
State law dictates national law.
Which clause provides that the Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land?
legal
due process
full faith and credit
supremacy
The colonists rebelled against the unilateral imposition by the British government of which of the following?
a military draft
taxes
religious laws
curfews
What is the name given to the law that would govern human beings before governments existed?
natural law
universal law
Constitutional law
original law
The Articles of Confederation required __________ consent from the states for ratification.
unanimous
two-thirds
three-fifths
majority
The Anti-Federalists strongly supported the Bill of Rights.
True
False
In which of the following systems is government by representatives of the people instead of directly by the people themselves?
democracy
republic
oligarchy
monarchy
According to Article I of the Constitution, what are three areas of responsibility entrusted to the national government?
write a mission statement, produce coinage, appoint the president
produce coinage, regulate commerce between states, establish bankruptcy laws
write a mission statement, produce coinage, manage state operations
appoint the president, regulate commerce between states, produce coinage
At the Constitutional Convention, the delegates agreed that slaves would be counted as __________ of a person for determining population for representation in the House of Representatives.
two-thirds
one-fourth
four-fifths
three-fifths
The New Jersey Plan was drafted to counter the large-state domination of the Virginia Plan.
True
False
Which of the following is a reason for the separation of powers?
to promote justice
to prevent tyranny by any one branch
to improve international relations
to create gridlock in government
What is the principle that each branch of the federal government has the means to thwart or influence actions by other branches of government?
checks and balances
balances and powers
checks and freedoms
freedom and power
Article IV of the Constitution requires Ohio to honor an adoption that took place in California.
True
False
What was the subject of the Great Compromise?
the legality of slavery
the number of states in the Union
the number of Supreme Court justices
the form of the legislative branch
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights.
True
False
Which of the following was a problem under the Articles of Confederation?
Congress imposed excessive taxes.
The government derived its power from the citizens themselves.
Congress lacked the ability to raise money to pay debts.
The national government was too strong compared to the states.
Generally, smaller states wanted to strengthen the Articles of Confederation, rather than replace them.
True
False
American political culture is sometimes referred to as which of the following?
the American creed
the American destiny
the American manifest
the American mission
In the United States, the social contract is the Constitution.
True
False
_, a word derived from ancient Greek, means "rule by the many."
Democracy
Oligarchy
Federalism
Social Contract
Why is the United States considered to have a federal system?
Each state has equal representation in the U.S. Senate.
It contains national and state governments.
It is a representative democracy.
Power is centralized within the federal government.
Because everyone can take advantage of so-called public goods without necessarily contributing to them, such goods tend to be which of the following?
cheap
overprovided
replaceable
underprovided
Which of the following refers to the orientation of citizens toward the political system and toward themselves as actors in it—the basic values, beliefs, attitudes, predispositions, and expectations that citizens bring to political life?
democracy
liberty
political party
political culture
Which of the following is an example of a Capitalist worldview?
the belief that the government should regulate redistributive programs to offset economic inequalities
the belief that political power should be shared with captains of industry
the belief that the government should regulate the economy
the belief that the greatest number of individuals thrive best when ownership of industry is privatized
When groups try to maintain their own unique culture in a multicultural society, this is often called __________.
cultural politics
segregation
identity politics
discrimination
The textbook gives an example of a poor high school student who is qualified for admission to a prestigious university but cannot afford to attend. This example illustrates the conflict between which two beliefs of the American creed?
property rights and equal treatment under the law
equality and property rights
individualism and equality
individualism and property rights
Which of the following generally ensures that the government follows the will of the people?
lobbying
elections
interest groups
opinion polls
When asked, most Americans place the blame for not succeeding in life on __________.
the individual
parenting
society
the government
Having sovereign power equates to being __________.
the most respected authority
the highest authority
the only authority
the best-liked authority
A political system in which the power exercised by public officials is always an extension of the public will is a system that is based on __________.
power sharing
direct democracy
consent of the governed
public approval
The United States is very comparable to other wealthy democracies in terms of its level of religiosity.
True
False
Most other industrialized democratic nations believe in limited government as much as Americans do.
True
False
One consequence of the American creed is a preference for the idea of __________ government.
regulatory
all-powerful
limited
active
Which of the following generally favored a strong national government and supported the proposed U.S. Constitution?
Anti-Federalists
Federalists
Constitutionalists
Tories
What is federalism?
a special election
the process of seceding from a nation
a system that distributes power across national and subnational governments
a political party
The Constitution was ratified in 1776.
True
False
Under the Articles of Confederation, who selected members of Congress?
president
secretary of state
public
state legislatures
What are the three branches of government recognized for their separation of powers and checks and balances?
congress, president, house of representatives
congress, judiciary, senate
legislative, executive, judiciary
congress, president, supreme court
Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government had broad power to levy taxes.
True
False
How many amendments have been made to the Constitution since its ratification?
21
10
27
25
