Question 1

An autocracy exists when

Accepted Answer

A)  the government is controlled by a single individual. 
B)  the government is controlled by a small but powerful group of people. 
C)  the constitution of a government is followed strictly. 
D)  the government is controlled by one dominant religious group. 
E)  citizens play a significant part in government by electing key public officials. 
A)  the government is controlled by a single individual. 
B)  the government is controlled by a small but powerful group of people. 
C)  the constitution of a government is followed strictly. 
D)  the government is controlled by one dominant religious group. 
E)  citizens play a significant part in government by electing key public officials.

Question 2

How is a decline in political efficacy likely to matter for the health of the American democracy?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is likely to lead to an increase in political participation and a renewed interest in political life. 
B)  It is likely to lead to a decline in political participation and a withdrawal from political life. 
C)  It is likely to lead to less dishonesty by elected representatives. 
D)  It is likely to lower the total national debt. 
E)  It is likely to lead to a stronger belief in the values of liberty and equality. 
A)  It is likely to lead to an increase in political participation and a renewed interest in political life. 
B)  It is likely to lead to a decline in political participation and a withdrawal from political life. 
C)  It is likely to lead to less dishonesty by elected representatives. 
D)  It is likely to lower the total national debt. 
E)  It is likely to lead to a stronger belief in the values of liberty and equality.

Question 3

Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS, reveal two different visions of the political value of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  liberty 
B)  democracy 
C)  equality 
D)  fairness 
E)  popular sovereignty 
A)  liberty 
B)  democracy 
C)  equality 
D)  fairness 
E)  popular sovereignty

Question 4

It is important for Americans to have political knowledge so that they will

Accepted Answer

A)  be able to determine who is conservative or libertarian. 
B)  not suffer from political efficacy. 
C)  be better able to understand various policy proposals and their implications on society. 
D)  be better able to judge the legitimacy of other nations. 
E)  feel a stronger sense of patriotism. 
A)  be able to determine who is conservative or libertarian. 
B)  not suffer from political efficacy. 
C)  be better able to understand various policy proposals and their implications on society. 
D)  be better able to judge the legitimacy of other nations. 
E)  feel a stronger sense of patriotism.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of the process of direct democracy?

Accepted Answer

A)  citizens in a state approving the use of medical marijuana 
B)  a citizen calling her representative to complain about potholes on local roads 
C)  a citizen who was never active in politics choosing to run for Congress 
D)  a group of citizens coming together to debate the pros and cons of higher taxes 
E)  a citizen deciding to contribute money to his preferred presidential candidate 
A)  citizens in a state approving the use of medical marijuana 
B)  a citizen calling her representative to complain about potholes on local roads 
C)  a citizen who was never active in politics choosing to run for Congress 
D)  a group of citizens coming together to debate the pros and cons of higher taxes 
E)  a citizen deciding to contribute money to his preferred presidential candidate

Question 6

Survey data demonstrates that the level of Americans' political knowledge is ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  uniformly high; Americans are very interested and knowledgeable about public affairs 
B)  low and spotty 
C)  high regarding local political figures but low regarding national political figures 
D)  high concerning current events but low concerning history 
E)  high regarding governmental processes but low concerning matters related to the U.S. Constitution 
A)  uniformly high; Americans are very interested and knowledgeable about public affairs 
B)  low and spotty 
C)  high regarding local political figures but low regarding national political figures 
D)  high concerning current events but low concerning history 
E)  high regarding governmental processes but low concerning matters related to the U.S. Constitution

Question 7

Describe some of the different types of governments in the world today. How would you define and distinguish between them? What are the specific characteristics of a representative democracy?

Accepted Answer

There are several different types of gov

Question 8

The right of each citizen to vote is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  equality of opportunity 
B)  equality of result 
C)  political equality 
D)  educational opportunity 
E)  laissez-faire capitalism 
A)  equality of opportunity 
B)  equality of result 
C)  political equality 
D)  educational opportunity 
E)  laissez-faire capitalism

Question 9

A government that is NOT constrained by legal limits and also seeks to eliminate those organized social groups that might challenge or limit its authority is known as a(n) ________ government.

Accepted Answer

A)  oligarchic 
B)  authoritarian 
C)  totalitarian 
D)  democratic 
E)  republican 
A)  oligarchic 
B)  authoritarian 
C)  totalitarian 
D)  democratic 
E)  republican

Question 10

What is the most important check on majority rule in the United States?

Accepted Answer

A)  popular sovereignty 
B)  pluralism 
C)  the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights 
D)  laissez-faire capitalism 
E)  "one person, one vote" 
A)  popular sovereignty 
B)  pluralism 
C)  the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights 
D)  laissez-faire capitalism 
E)  "one person, one vote"

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT an example of a public good?

Accepted Answer

A)  the military 
B)  the local police force 
C)  a job 
D)  fire protection 
E)  clean water 
A)  the military 
B)  the local police force 
C)  a job 
D)  fire protection 
E)  clean water

Question 12

Those instrumental in the founding of the American republic

Accepted Answer

A)  explicitly outlawed political protest in the Constitution because they believed elections were sufficient enough to protect political freedom. 
B)  explicitly outlawed political protest in the Constitution because they believed in pluralism. 
C)  provided protections for political protest in the Constitution because they believed direct democracy was a better form of government than representative democracy. 
D)  provided protections for political protest in the Constitution because they believed elections were not enough to protect political freedom. 
E)  provided protections for political protest in the Constitution because they believed it was the only way to guarantee political equality. 
A)  explicitly outlawed political protest in the Constitution because they believed elections were sufficient enough to protect political freedom. 
B)  explicitly outlawed political protest in the Constitution because they believed in pluralism. 
C)  provided protections for political protest in the Constitution because they believed direct democracy was a better form of government than representative democracy. 
D)  provided protections for political protest in the Constitution because they believed elections were not enough to protect political freedom. 
E)  provided protections for political protest in the Constitution because they believed it was the only way to guarantee political equality.

Question 13

The belief that citizens can influence what government does is called ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  political efficacy 
B)  political saliency 
C)  popular sovereignty 
D)  autocracy 
E)  oligarchy 
A)  political efficacy 
B)  political saliency 
C)  popular sovereignty 
D)  autocracy 
E)  oligarchy

Question 14

Politics can be defined as

Accepted Answer

A)  conflicts over the character, membership, and policies of any organization to which people belong. 
B)  the informal, private organizations through which a land and its people are ruled. 
C)  a hierarchically structured organization that is designed to distribute labor among several different groups of people. 
D)  a line-and-staff organization that is designed to facilitate control over complex social arrangements. 
E)  alliances of various interest groups, policy experts, and elected representatives who unite in order to promote a governmental solution to a problem. 
A)  conflicts over the character, membership, and policies of any organization to which people belong. 
B)  the informal, private organizations through which a land and its people are ruled. 
C)  a hierarchically structured organization that is designed to distribute labor among several different groups of people. 
D)  a line-and-staff organization that is designed to facilitate control over complex social arrangements. 
E)  alliances of various interest groups, policy experts, and elected representatives who unite in order to promote a governmental solution to a problem.

Question 15

The bourgeoisie sought to change which of the following institutions into instruments of political participation?

Accepted Answer

A)  monarchies 
B)  universities 
C)  independent judiciaries 
D)  newspapers 
E)  parliaments 
A)  monarchies 
B)  universities 
C)  independent judiciaries 
D)  newspapers 
E)  parliaments

Question 16

Which of the following statements about the role of money in American politics is NOT accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Money often determines who runs for office. 
B)  Money can exert a significant influence on who wins and who loses elections. 
C)  Money can affect what politicians do once they are in office. 
D)  Money has become more important due to the decline of locally based political parties. 
E)  Money was not important in politics until the 1960s. 
A)  Money often determines who runs for office. 
B)  Money can exert a significant influence on who wins and who loses elections. 
C)  Money can affect what politicians do once they are in office. 
D)  Money has become more important due to the decline of locally based political parties. 
E)  Money was not important in politics until the 1960s.

Question 17

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Americans express mixed views about government. 
B)  Americans have always given all people political equality. 
C)  Americans are highly engaged in public affairs. 
D)  both b and c 
E)  none of the above 
A)  Americans express mixed views about government. 
B)  Americans have always given all people political equality. 
C)  Americans are highly engaged in public affairs. 
D)  both b and c 
E)  none of the above

Question 18

Throughout American history, the concept of liberty has been linked to the

Accepted Answer

A)  idea of privacy. 
B)  idea of limited government. 
C)  idea of unlimited government. 
D)  idea of economic equality. 
E)  Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. 
A)  idea of privacy. 
B)  idea of limited government. 
C)  idea of unlimited government. 
D)  idea of economic equality. 
E)  Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union.

Question 19

Which of the following is true regarding constitutional democracies in the world today?

Accepted Answer

A)  Over 80 percent of the global population lives in a constitutional democracy. 
B)  Most people in the world experience democracy on a daily basis. 
C)  Over 80 percent of the global population lives in a dictatorship. 
D)  About 40 percent of the global population lives in a constitutional democracy. 
E)  none of the above 
A)  Over 80 percent of the global population lives in a constitutional democracy. 
B)  Most people in the world experience democracy on a daily basis. 
C)  Over 80 percent of the global population lives in a dictatorship. 
D)  About 40 percent of the global population lives in a constitutional democracy. 
E)  none of the above

Question 20

Political culture refers to the

Accepted Answer

A)  way artists, musicians, filmmakers, and cultural critics use their messages to influence political decision making. 
B)  factors that influence the way informal social organizations make decisions. 
C)  shared values, beliefs, and attitudes that serve to hold a nation and its people together. 
D)  system of organizing politically, which is defined historically in the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. 
E)  formal rules that govern the interaction between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. 
A)  way artists, musicians, filmmakers, and cultural critics use their messages to influence political decision making. 
B)  factors that influence the way informal social organizations make decisions. 
C)  shared values, beliefs, and attitudes that serve to hold a nation and its people together. 
D)  system of organizing politically, which is defined historically in the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. 
E)  formal rules that govern the interaction between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

An autocracy exists when

How is a decline in political efficacy likely to matter for the health of the American democracy?

Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS, reveal two different visions of the political value of ________.

It is important for Americans to have political knowledge so that they will

Which of the following is an example of the process of direct democracy?

Survey data demonstrates that the level of Americans' political knowledge is ________.

Describe some of the different types of governments in the world today. How would you define and distinguish between them? What are the specific characteristics of a representative democracy?

The right of each citizen to vote is an example of ________.

A government that is NOT constrained by legal limits and also seeks to eliminate those organized social groups that might challenge or limit its authority is known as a(n) ________ government.

What is the most important check on majority rule in the United States?

Which of the following is NOT an example of a public good?

Those instrumental in the founding of the American republic

The belief that citizens can influence what government does is called ________.

Politics can be defined as

The bourgeoisie sought to change which of the following institutions into instruments of political participation?

Which of the following statements about the role of money in American politics is NOT accurate?

Which of the following statements is true?

Throughout American history, the concept of liberty has been linked to the

Which of the following is true regarding constitutional democracies in the world today?

Political culture refers to the

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

The Presidency

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The Federal Courts

Government and the Economy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy and Democracy

Filters

Exam 1: American Political Culture

An autocracy exists when

How is a decline in political efficacy likely to matter for the health of the American democracy?

Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS, reveal two different visions of the political value of ________.

It is important for Americans to have political knowledge so that they will

Which of the following is an example of the process of direct democracy?

Survey data demonstrates that the level of Americans' political knowledge is ________.

Describe some of the different types of governments in the world today. How would you define and distinguish between them? What are the specific characteristics of a representative democracy?

The right of each citizen to vote is an example of ________.

A government that is NOT constrained by legal limits and also seeks to eliminate those organized social groups that might challenge or limit its authority is known as a(n) ________ government.

What is the most important check on majority rule in the United States?

Which of the following is NOT an example of a public good?

Those instrumental in the founding of the American republic

The belief that citizens can influence what government does is called ________.

Politics can be defined as

The bourgeoisie sought to change which of the following institutions into instruments of political participation?

Which of the following statements about the role of money in American politics is NOT accurate?

Which of the following statements is true?

Throughout American history, the concept of liberty has been linked to the

Which of the following is true regarding constitutional democracies in the world today?

Political culture refers to the

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

The Presidency

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The Federal Courts

Government and the Economy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy and Democracy

Filters