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WorksheetsAPGOV Unit 1 Review
Total questions: 127
Worksheet time: 2hrs 50mins
What is the term for a government where citizens elect leaders for a limited time to make and execute laws?
Republicanism
Monarchy
Oligarchy
Theocracy
What is the primary focus of representative democracy?
Direct voting on all issues
Entrusting officials to make decisions
Rule by a single leader
Government by religious leaders
What is the key feature of a government system proposed by Baron de Montesquieu?
Centralized power
Separation of powers
Absolute monarchy
Direct democracy
Which type of democracy involves interest groups influencing policymaking?
Participatory
Pluralist
Elite
Direct
What issue did impoverished farmers in Massachusetts rebel against during Shay's Rebellion?
State taxes
Federal taxes
Military drafts
Land ownership
What is the process for amending the Constitution?
1/2 vote by Congress and 2/3 vote by state legislatures
2/3 vote by Congress and 3/4 vote by state legislatures
3/4 vote by Congress and 2/3 vote by state legislatures
Unanimous vote by Congress
What does ratification mean in the context of the Constitution?
Rejection of the Constitution
Formal approval of the Constitution
Temporary approval of the Constitution
Amendment of the Constitution
Which branch of government practices judicial review?
Legislative
Executive
Judicial
Administrative
Which of the following is most closely related to Federalism?
Relationship Between the States and Federal Government
Three Branches of Government
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
What does the Commerce Clause allow Congress to regulate?
International and interstate commerce
State laws
Judicial proceedings
Military actions
What does the National Environmental Policy Act (1970) require?
A tax on pollution
An "Impact Statement" from any government whose plan may be harmful to the environment
A ban on all industrial activities
A reduction in federal environmental oversight
What is one of the amendments to the National Environmental Policy Act?
Clean Water Act
Clean Air Act (auto transmissions)
Endangered Species Act
Renewable Energy Act
What can the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require states to do?
Follow required laws
Increase state taxes
Reduce federal oversight
Privatize environmental resources
What is the purpose of a political party's platform?
to tell Americans what to believe
to outline and make clear their views on important issues
to help candidates who don't understand the issues
to make it easy for opposing parties to adopt their views
What is the purpose of a political party's platform?
to tell Americans what to believe
to outline and make clear their views on important issues
to help candidates who don't understand the issues
to make it easy for opposing parties to adopt their views
What is a strategy an interest group might use to influence an election's outcome (results)?
pay candidates to quit running
conduct public opinion polls
run TV and newspaper ads
hire high-powered lobbyists to influence legislators
The Save the Turtles Political Action Committee (PAC) can only support one candidate. The chart below shows four candidates' positions on important issues. Which candidate would the PAC choose to support, based upon this information?
Don McDude
Bernie McSanders
Mitchie O'Connell
Hilaria McLinton
What do lobbyists try to do?
help Congress in writing legislation for the common good
ensure the federal budget balances
help the President to choose Supreme Court justices and Cabinet members
influence the decisions made by government officials
Which is NOT a way that the media affects government?
monitor elected officials to ensure responsible behavior
influence voters' criteria for evaluating candidates
encourage voters to share their beliefs and views
shape legislation (laws) by influencing Congressional voting
How do Political Action Committees (PACs) influence government?
advising the President
staffing Congressional offices
financially supporting causes and campaigns
sending written summaries of cases to the Supreme Court
What do the following groups have in common? M.A.D.D., A.A.R.P., W.W.F., N.R.A., P.E.T.A.?
They're all government agencies seeking to influence Congress.
They're all nonprofit groups seeking funding for their causes.
They're all political third parties seeking election of supportive candidates.
They're all interest groups seeking to draw attention to and lobby for their causes.
Why is the same event sometimes reported differently by different news networks?
Newspapers and networks hold certain political beliefs (biases) that are shown in their reporting.
Newspapers and networks don't get enough information to report events accurately.
Some newspapers and networks just want to trick the public into believing things that aren't true.
Political parties pay newspapers and news networks to make them look good, leading to false reporting.
What would be the most accurate source to find information about candidates' views during an election?
a private interest group's website
a record of the candidates' voting history on issues-related legislation
a TV commercial sponsored by a political party
a newspaper editorial
Carlos is 21 years old. He goes to college in the evenings, works at a nursing home for senior citizens during the day, and is happy to return to his rented apartment home at night. Based on the candidates' positions on the chart, which one is Carlos most likely to vote for?
Candidate A
Candidate B
Candidate C
Candidate D
"The impeachment of Trump doesn't matter to me because he's the Republican candidate, and I always vote Republican" would be an example of:
Retrospective voting
Prospective voting
Party-line voting
Rational choice
"I'm going to vote for Bernie Sanders in the primary because I think he has the best plan to help me with my student loan debt" would be an example of:
Retrospective voting
Prospective voting
Party-line voting
Rational choice
"Nancy Pelosi's leadership in the House has been awful, I will vote Republican because of it" would be an example of:
Retrospective voting
Prospective voting
Party-line voting
Rational choice
"I'm voting for Joe Biden because he gives me hope that we will be able to unify our country and begin to get things done across party lines" would be an example of:
Retrospective voting
Prospective voting
Party-line voting
Rational choice
Voting rights have __________ over time.
Increased
Decreased
Which amendment gave African American men the right to vote?
13th
14th
15th
17th
Which Amendment led to the direct election of Senators?
17th Amendment
18th Amendment
20th Amendment
23rd Amendment
Based on the original wording of the Constitution, who elected Senators?
the people in the State
the state legislature
the Electoral College
the governor of the State
Which Amendment gave women the right to vote?
23rd
18th
21st
19th
Which Amendment abolished poll taxes?
21st
22nd
23rd
24th
Which of the following was NOT banned by the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
Motor voter laws
Grandfather Clauses
Literacy Tests
Poll taxes
Which Amendment gave 18-20 year olds the right to vote?
23rd
26th
27th
25th
What did the Motor Voter Act do?
It requires you to renew your driver's license in order to vote.
It requires states to transport you to the polls on election day.
It requires states to let you register to vote when you apply for or renew your driver's license.
It requires you to have a state ID to vote.
What conclusion can be drawn from analyzing the chart?
The majority of Americans take get involved in the political process through donating money to a campaign.
Volunteering for a political campaign is the way that most baby boomers participate in politics.
Attendance at political rallies has increased in the last decade.
Casting a vote is the primary way that most Americans participate in government.
According to historical data, which age group has been known to have the highest voter turnout?
18-24
25-44
45+
Which of the following can be contributing factors to low voter turnout in the United States?
Lack of information, Experience, Residential Mobility and Income
Elections held on random days of the week
Taxes imposed by the king
All of the above
A preference, opinion or attitude that favors one way of thinking or feeling over another.
Third Parties
Bias
Society
Government
A Political Party that is not one of the two major parties in the country; a minor party
Two-Party System
Socialist Party
Political System
Third Party
A Political System consisting primarily of two major political parties, more or less equal in strength.
Two-Party System
Socialist Party
Political System
Third Party
A political party that believes that the federal government should take a more active role in people's lives, particularly those who are in need.
Republican Party
Democratic Party
Libertarian Party
Socialist Party
A political party that believes in individual freedom and believes the only purpose of government is to protect this freedom.
Republican Party
Democratic Party
Libertarian Party
Socialist Party
A political party that believes that the federal government should play a less active role in people's lives and that individuals can take care of themselves without government help.
Republican Party
Democratic Party
Libertarian Party
Socialist Party
A written statement of the goals of a political party.
Candidate
Government
Party Platform
Society
An organization that tries to get political power by electing members to public office so that their political ideas can become laws or policies
Political System
Government
Party Platform
Political Party
What is the primary goal of political parties?
to create a national platform
to get their candidates elected
to collect campaign contributions
to attract members who agree on issues
Which of these is the most common form of individual involvement with a political party?
attending a party rally or meeting
making a financial contribution to the party
registering to vote as a member of the party
working on the campaign of a party candidate
The American tendency toward ________ encourages the two major parties to build broad coalitions.
big government
idealism
radicalism
moderation
an organized effort to influence the policy process by persuading public officials to favor or oppose action on a specific issue
Interest group
lobbying
platform
Political action committee
All of the people entitled to vote in a given election
pluralism
Primary election
electorate
Political party
an organization that seeks to achieve power by electing its members to public office
political action committees
political parties
pluralism
lobbying
any organized group whose members share a common goal and try to promote their interests by influencing government policymaking and decision making
Interest group
platform
Political action committee
lobbying
a political party’s statement of principles and objectives
Interest group
caucus
platform
ideology
an electoral system that awards offices to the highest vote-getters without ensuring representation for voters in the minority; under this system, a slim majority of voters can control 100 percent of elected offices
caucus
electorate
proportional representation
winner-take-all system
an organization that raises and distributes funds to candidates running for office
Political party
Interest group
platform
political action committees (PACs)
a political system in which two parties dominate the electoral process and control the government
public agenda
political action committees
two-party system
pluralism
an election in which voters determine their party’s nominee for an elective office
primary election
open primary
midterm election
general election
a public official seeking reelection to the position he or she currently occupies
party base
self-announcement
incumbent
swing voter
an election in which voters choose among candidates from different parties to fill an elective office
caucus
primary election
general election
winner-take-all system
Example = Democrats & Republicans
Example = NRA or MADD
Think $$$
Purpose of the US Congress
To interpret the laws for the nation
To enforce the laws for the nation
To write the laws for the nation
To elect the president
How many members in H.O.R.
50
100
250
435
How many members in Senate?
50
100
200
435
Which of the following powers is shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate?
Holding trials of impeachment
Establishing federal courts
Approving treaties
Holding confirmation hearings
Approving major presidential appointments
Which of the following enumerated powers would permit Congress to stimulate the economy by hiring unemployed citizens?
The power to create immigration policies
The power to regulate interstate commerce
The power to pass a federal budget
The power of legislative oversight
The United States Constitution says that Congress has the power to coin money.
This is an example of
an enumerated power
an implied power
an inherent power
a reserved power
a concurrent power
The term “bicameralism” refers to the
establishment of two legislative chambers that have different structures and rules
members of the House of Representatives having two-year terms
president having veto power over both chambers of Congress
members of the House and Senate having to appease their mutual constituencies
checks that Congress has over the federal bureaucracy
Which of the following clauses serves as the constitutional basis for the federal Real ID Act of 2005, a law that established uniform standards for state-issued identification cards and provided regulation of a state function?
The due process clause
The establishment clause
The necessary and proper clause
The commerce clause
Which of the following types of committee deals with broad areas of public policy and can be found in both houses of Congress?
Rules
Select
Joint
Standing
Conference
Which of the following statements about the Senate is true?
Each state is represented in the Senate according to its population.
The Senate, unlike the House, has a Rules Committee.
Individual senators can exercise substantial influence over the legislative process.
The Senate has a strict time limit on debates.
The Senate is more responsible than the House for initiating appropriations legislation.
Which of the following statements about rules of procedure in the House and Senate is correct?
Debate by a determined minority in either chamber cannot be halted.
The rules in each chamber are determined by the majority whip.
The rules are specified in Article I of the Constitution.
The rules can be changed by the President during a national emergency.
The House operates more by formal rules, while the Senate operates more on informal understandings.
Which of the following statements about motions for cloture is true?
They force a bill out of committee so that the full House can vote on it.
They are applied to bills that failed in the previous session of Congress.
They are applied only to appropriation bills.
They are used by senators to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.
They occur whenever a bill is reported out of committee.
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a member of Congress supporting pork-barrel legislation?
A senator from a coal-producing state voting against a job-training program for coal miners
A member of the House voting for urban renewal in exchange for increased funding for roads
A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state
A member of the House Armed Services Committee marking up a bill that will increase funding for military bases
Requirements of H.O.R.
Must be at least 25 years old
Must be at least 35 years old
Live in the state the represent
Be a citizen for at least 7 years
Be a natural born citizen
Match the following
Political Party in control of the district is highly likely to remain in control
Safe Seat
Conducted every 10 years to determine population of districts.
Census
Min Age for H.O.R
25
Min Age for Senate
30
Min Age for President
35
Gerrymandering is manipulating electoral district boundaries for political advantage - usually favoring one party over another.
True
False
The Necessary and Proper Clause, also known as the Elastic Clause, is a section of the U.S. Constitution that allows Congress to make laws that are necessary for carrying out its other powers.
True
False
legislation passed by Congress that changed Medicaid rules including mandating states to cover certain groups and services, and allowing states to apply for waivers to provide care in home and community-based settings.
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985
(OBRA 1985)
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986
(OBRA 1986)
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 2000
(OBRA 2000)
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 2020
(OBRA 2020)
Enumerated powers given to Congress in the Constitution include all of the following EXCEPT
Override Supreme Court opinions
Declare War
Collect Taxes
Regulate Interstate Commerce
What enumerated power has been used more than any other to expand the authority of Congress?
Override Supreme Court Opinions
Declare War
Collect Taxes
Regulate Interstate Commerce
What is true of all REVENUE bills in Congress?
Pass without the consent of the president
Must originate in the Senate finance committee
Must be introduced by the majority party
Must be introduced in the House
This type of committee reconciles differences between House and Senate bills before they are sent to the president for signing
Joint Committee
Conference Committee
Select Committee
Committee of the Whole
Members of Congress have a number of responsibilities. When they propose bills they are fulfilling their duty to
Congressional Oversight
Constiuent Services
Make Laws
Reapportion Districts
"Power of the Purse" moniker is given to
President
Supreme Court Justices
House Majority Leader
Congress
Reapportionment is dertermine through
Constitution
Executive Order
U.S. Census
Lawmaking Process
A bill can be introduce by which method?
Conference Committee
Senate
House
Both Chambers
In broader terms, the U.S. Congress has all of the following responsibilities EXCEPT
Make laws
Constituent service
Power of the sword
Conduct oversight investigations
Which of the following statements about gerrymandering is true?
It has been banned by United States Supreme Court decisions beginning with Baker v.Carr.
It was used traditionally to maintain urban control of the House of Representatives.
It can be used by a political party to draw boundary lines to control as many districts as possible.
It guarantees greater constituency control over elected representatives.
It ensures liberal control of the House of Representatives.
Expenditures by the legislature (funding) that are required by law
Government spending
discretionary spending
mandatory spending
deficit spending
An example of a discretionary item in the federal budget is
interest on the public debt
spending on national parks
Social Security payments
veterans' pensions
The House Rules Committee is an important part of the legislative process because it
determines the terms and conditions of debate when a bill goes to the House floor
determines ethics rules for members' conduct
determines whether a bill should be referred to a policy committee for consideration
negotiates compromises on bills with the Senate Rules Committee
Congressional leadership: __________________ help keep their members loyal to the party’s legislation agenda by rounding up votes (garnering support for) for their party's proposed legislation.
whips
committee chairs
caucuses
sergeant at arms
What is the term for the process by which Congress checks the actions of the executive branch?
Veto
Impeachment
Oversight
Filibuster
What is the primary role of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)?
To provide economic forecasts
To draft legislation
To provide non-partisan analysis of budgetary and economic issues
To enforce budgetary laws
A filibuster in the Senate is ended by a
Who has the biggest advantage in the legislative process?
Senate
How many days does the president have to make a decision on a proposed bill that has passed both Houses of Congress?
Members of Congress have many different duties and responsibilities. When Rep. Summer takes time during her days in Congress to investigate the president’s use of an executive order, she is performing this duty
Partisan leader
What enumerated power has been used more than any other to expand the authority of Congress?
Declare war
Collect taxes
Impeachment
Enumerated powers given to Congress in the Constitution include all of the following EXCEPT
overriding Supreme Court opinions
regulating interstate commerce
What clause gives Congress the authority to pass laws deemed necessary and proper for carrying out its duties?
Supremacy Clause
Commerce Clause
Necessary and Proper Clause
Due Process Clause
What is the purpose of the census taken every ten years?
Count the total population
Redraw the electoral districts
Provide revenue to the federal budget
Evaluate state governments
What act is an example of legislation that demonstrates the power of the legislative branch to shape public policy and manage the nation's finances?
OBRA 1985
War Powers Act
No Child Left Behind Act
Affordable Care Act
What is the primary responsibility of the Senate?
Represent the states based on population
Represent the population of the nation
Represent the states equally
Represent international interests
What power does Congress have that helps manage the nation's finances and reduce the deficit?
Power to declare war
Power to interpret the Constitution
Power to pass a budget
Power to negotiate treaties
Which term refers to the manipulation of electoral district boundaries for political advantage?
Budget reconciliation
Gerrymandering
Incumbent election rates
Necessary and Proper Clause
How often are elections held for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives?
Every year
Every two years
Every four years
Every six years
How often are one-third of the Senate's members up for re-election?
Every Year
Every (2) Years
Every (4) Years
Every (6) Years
