Question 1

Describe the causes of the 2008 financial crisis and its resulting damage on the U.S.economy.What steps did the U.S.government take-or not take-to alleviate the downturn?

Accepted Answer

A good answer will note the rapidly growing housing market (resulting in a housing bubble)coupled with decades of financial deregulation of the economy leading to cheap loans being available to home buyers.The government stepped in-after high mortgage default rates and plummeting property values caused investors to flee-to bail out banks,shore up key businesses,calm troubled markets,and seek to jump-start the economy.

Question 2

Which of the following parts of the U.S.government are directly elected?

Accepted Answer

A) House of Representatives,president 
B) Senate,House of Representatives,federal judges 
C) Senate,president 
D) Senate,House of Representatives 
A) House of Representatives,president 
B) Senate,House of Representatives,federal judges 
C) Senate,president 
D) Senate,House of Representatives D

Question 3

Which electoral system is used for the House of Representatives?

Accepted Answer

A) proportional representation 
B) multimember district proportional representation 
C) single-member district majority 
D) single-member district plurality 
A) proportional representation 
B) multimember district proportional representation 
C) single-member district majority 
D) single-member district plurality D

Question 4

The Progressive era was the

Accepted Answer

A) period from 1945 to 1965 when civil rights were expanded. 
B) period from 1865 to 1885 when African Americans gained their rights after the end of slavery. 
C) period from 1903 to 1920 when state power was increased to restrict large businesses and to establish a national income tax. 
D) period from 1781 to 1787 when the Constitution was drafted to replace the Articles of Confederation. 
A) period from 1945 to 1965 when civil rights were expanded. 
B) period from 1865 to 1885 when African Americans gained their rights after the end of slavery. 
C) period from 1903 to 1920 when state power was increased to restrict large businesses and to establish a national income tax. 
D) period from 1781 to 1787 when the Constitution was drafted to replace the Articles of Confederation.

Question 5

Which of the following statements about the relationship between the judiciary and the other two branches of government in the United States is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) The legislature exercises a check on federal judiciary power through its power of appointment of federal judges. 
B) The Senate wields a check on the power of the Supreme Court through the right of approval of Supreme Court nominees. 
C) The president exercises a check on the Supreme Court with veto power over the Court's decisions. 
D) The Supreme Court can overturn presidential vetoes. 
A) The legislature exercises a check on federal judiciary power through its power of appointment of federal judges. 
B) The Senate wields a check on the power of the Supreme Court through the right of approval of Supreme Court nominees. 
C) The president exercises a check on the Supreme Court with veto power over the Court's decisions. 
D) The Supreme Court can overturn presidential vetoes.

Question 6

What is the state of America's participatory civil society? How does it relate to the level of populist sentiment in the United States?

Accepted Answer

A good answer will note that high levels

Question 7

Why is there such hostility toward a strong central state in the United States? What advantages and disadvantages have resulted from this prevalent attitude of anti-statism?

Accepted Answer

A good answer will note that anti-statis

Question 8

The financial crisis in the United States in 2008 was largely triggered by

Accepted Answer

A) excessive military spending. 
B) a sharp decline in the housing market. 
C) the collapse in technology stocks. 
D) the trade deficit with China. 
A) excessive military spending. 
B) a sharp decline in the housing market. 
C) the collapse in technology stocks. 
D) the trade deficit with China.

Question 9

Populism can be defined as the idea that

Accepted Answer

A) U.S.leaders should stay very popular with the voters. 
B) all members of government should be directly elected. 
C) the people are not informed enough to make political decisions directly. 
D) the sovereign will of the people should replace the views of the elites and professional experts. 
A) U.S.leaders should stay very popular with the voters. 
B) all members of government should be directly elected. 
C) the people are not informed enough to make political decisions directly. 
D) the sovereign will of the people should replace the views of the elites and professional experts.

Question 10

What are key examples of the increasing levels of political polarization in U.S.politics? Does the current trend indicate a dysfunctional democracy? What are possible solutions to increased polarization?

Accepted Answer

A good answer will note the steady rise

Question 11

The rise of political action committees (PACs)is often cited as an example of the

Accepted Answer

A) role of organized interests in fundraising and influencing elected officials. 
B) difficulty in influencing national government policy. 
C) growing strength of political parties in the United States. 
D) ability of average citizens to get involved in politics. 
A) role of organized interests in fundraising and influencing elected officials. 
B) difficulty in influencing national government policy. 
C) growing strength of political parties in the United States. 
D) ability of average citizens to get involved in politics.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about the Electoral College is accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) Only twice in U.S.history has the requirement of winning a plurality of the Electoral College vote in a presidential election not been met. 
B) The Electoral College system was designed to prevent any single party from dominating the presidency for long periods of time. 
C) The structure of Electoral College voting and results can sometimes require the intervention of the House of Representatives. 
D) The election of Donald Trump in 2016 was only the second time in U.S.history that a president was elected without winning the popular vote. 
A) Only twice in U.S.history has the requirement of winning a plurality of the Electoral College vote in a presidential election not been met. 
B) The Electoral College system was designed to prevent any single party from dominating the presidency for long periods of time. 
C) The structure of Electoral College voting and results can sometimes require the intervention of the House of Representatives. 
D) The election of Donald Trump in 2016 was only the second time in U.S.history that a president was elected without winning the popular vote.

Question 13

In which of the following ways does a 527 organization differ from a political action committee?

Accepted Answer

A) A 527 organization must remain strictly nonpartisan in its funded issue advocacy. 
B) A 527 organization serves as a vehicle for corporations and trade unions to support individual candidates. 
C) There are no limits on what it can spend,as long as a 527 organization directly supports a candidate or party. 
D) A 527 organization is more tightly regulated by federal campaign finance law,but it is also allowed to make higher donations to political campaigns. 
A) A 527 organization must remain strictly nonpartisan in its funded issue advocacy. 
B) A 527 organization serves as a vehicle for corporations and trade unions to support individual candidates. 
C) There are no limits on what it can spend,as long as a 527 organization directly supports a candidate or party. 
D) A 527 organization is more tightly regulated by federal campaign finance law,but it is also allowed to make higher donations to political campaigns.

Question 14

Which of the following was a major result of the Civil War in the United States?

Accepted Answer

A) greater concentration of power in the federal government 
B) greater delegation of power to the states 
C) elimination of a standing army until World War I 
D) end of all discrimination against African Americans 
A) greater concentration of power in the federal government 
B) greater delegation of power to the states 
C) elimination of a standing army until World War I 
D) end of all discrimination against African Americans

Question 15

Separation of powers refers to the

Accepted Answer

A) division of power to prevent any branch from dominating the state. 
B) basic individual freedoms laid out in the Bill of Rights. 
C) delegation of powers to states in the Tenth Amendment. 
D) separation between church and state. 
A) division of power to prevent any branch from dominating the state. 
B) basic individual freedoms laid out in the Bill of Rights. 
C) delegation of powers to states in the Tenth Amendment. 
D) separation between church and state.

Question 16

Which of the following descriptions best characterizes poverty and inequality in the United States compared to other advanced democracies?

Accepted Answer

A) high levels of equality and little poverty 
B) high levels of equality and a high degree of poverty 
C) high levels of inequality with little poverty 
D) high levels of inequality and a high degree of poverty 
A) high levels of equality and little poverty 
B) high levels of equality and a high degree of poverty 
C) high levels of inequality with little poverty 
D) high levels of inequality and a high degree of poverty

Question 17

One major source of contention between the colonies and the British was the issue of

Accepted Answer

A) slavery. 
B) taxes. 
C) control over the navigable rivers. 
D) religious freedom. 
A) slavery. 
B) taxes. 
C) control over the navigable rivers. 
D) religious freedom.

Question 18

What branch of the government did the framers of the Constitution intend to be the dominant one?

Accepted Answer

A) executive 
B) judiciary 
C) legislature 
D) none;separation of powers were intended to make them equal 
A) executive 
B) judiciary 
C) legislature 
D) none;separation of powers were intended to make them equal

Question 19

Which of the following statements most accurately characterizes political polarization in the United States today?

Accepted Answer

A) Recent decades have brought serious and increasingly high levels of polarization among U.S.political elites. 
B) Political polarization is mainly found among the masses,but political elites are not polarized. 
C) There is no polarization in the United States,despite perceptions to the contrary. 
D) Polarization has decreased significantly since the election of Donald Trump in 2016. 
A) Recent decades have brought serious and increasingly high levels of polarization among U.S.political elites. 
B) Political polarization is mainly found among the masses,but political elites are not polarized. 
C) There is no polarization in the United States,despite perceptions to the contrary. 
D) Polarization has decreased significantly since the election of Donald Trump in 2016.

Question 20

The U.S.president serves as head of

Accepted Answer

A) state and government. 
B) government and the judiciary. 
C) state and chair of the Electoral College. 
D) the party and leader of the Senate. 
A) state and government. 
B) government and the judiciary. 
C) state and chair of the Electoral College. 
D) the party and leader of the Senate.

Exam 9: United States

Describe the causes of the 2008 financial crisis and its resulting damage on the U.S.economy.What steps did the U.S.government take-or not take-to alleviate the downturn?

Which of the following parts of the U.S.government are directly elected?

Which electoral system is used for the House of Representatives?

The Progressive era was the

Which of the following statements about the relationship between the judiciary and the other two branches of government in the United States is accurate?

What is the state of America's participatory civil society? How does it relate to the level of populist sentiment in the United States?

Why is there such hostility toward a strong central state in the United States? What advantages and disadvantages have resulted from this prevalent attitude of anti-statism?

The financial crisis in the United States in 2008 was largely triggered by

Populism can be defined as the idea that

What are key examples of the increasing levels of political polarization in U.S.politics? Does the current trend indicate a dysfunctional democracy? What are possible solutions to increased polarization?

The rise of political action committees (PACs)is often cited as an example of the

Which of the following statements about the Electoral College is accurate?

In which of the following ways does a 527 organization differ from a political action committee?

Which of the following was a major result of the Civil War in the United States?

Separation of powers refers to the

Which of the following descriptions best characterizes poverty and inequality in the United States compared to other advanced democracies?

One major source of contention between the colonies and the British was the issue of

What branch of the government did the framers of the Constitution intend to be the dominant one?

Which of the following statements most accurately characterizes political polarization in the United States today?

The U.S.president serves as head of

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