United States Local Government – Political Science
This quiz covers United States Local Government – Political Science.
Judicial review
| | A. | The power of courts to declare actions of the government unconstitutional – correct |
| | B. | The act of appealing a decision made by a lower court |
| | C. | The power of courts to review the acts of ordinary citizens |
| | D. | Reviewing court decisions |
Which constitutional amendment guarantees the freedom of the press?
| | A. | The first – correct |
| | B. | The second |
| | C. | The third |
| | D. | The tenth |
Who created the local governments in the United States (home rule)?
| | A. | The state leglislatures – correct |
| | B. | The US Constitution |
| | C. | The US Congress |
| | D. | The Articles of Confederation |
How many times has the US Constitution been amended?
| | A. | 100 |
| | B. | 50 |
| | C. | 27 – correct |
| | D. | 10 |
Checks and balances
| | A. | The power of the government to ensure that everyone follows the law |
| | B. | Each branch of the government participates and influences the activities of the other branches |
| | C. | The states check and balance each other |
| | D. | The people have the power to check the influence of the government |
A Political Action Committee does:
| | A. | Raises and distributes campaign funds – correct |
| | B. | Counts votes |
| | C. | Tries to get its members elected into office |
| | D. | Writes policy proposals |
Supremacy Clause
| | A. | The president of the United States is the supreme ruler of the United States |
| | B. | The northern states are superior to the southern ones |
| | C. | Laws passed by the national government are superior to laws passed by the states – correct |
| | D. | It has to do with the doctrine of racial superiority |
Free riding
| | A. | Getting a ride from a friend |
| | B. | Enjoying the benefits while others bear the costs – correct |
| | C. | Helping others |
| | D. | The government helps people |
Going public
| | A. | Appearing on public TV |
| | B. | Walking in public |
| | C. | Talking to public officials |
| | D. | A media campaign to mobilize public support – correct |
Bicameralism
| | A. | The president needs the support of both houses of Congress to pass laws |
| | B. | A house with two rooms |
| | C. | The division of Congress into two chambers – correct |
| | D. | The form of congress under the Articles of Confederation |
What were the Federalist Papers?
| | A. | Articles written in opposition to federalism |
| | B. | Articles written to support the 1787 Constitution – correct |
| | C. | Articles that argued against slavery |
| | D. | Articles that listed the complaints of the colonists |
Expressed powers
| | A. | Freedom of expression |
| | B. | Powers that belong exclusively to the states |
| | C. | The powers of the federal government that are listed in the Constitution – correct |
| | D. | Executive powers |
Conservatives support:
| | A. | The separation of church and state |
| | B. | Market solutions to social problems – correct |
| | C. | Gay rights |
| | D. | Environmental regulations |
The insider strategy of influencing policy includes:
| | A. | Launching public information campaigns |
| | B. | Gaining access to key decision makers – correct |
| | C. | Going public |
| | D. | Using electoral tactics |
Public goods are:
| | A. | Things that the government provides |
| | B. | All of these choices – correct |
| | C. | Things that cannot be denied to anyone once they have been provided |
| | D. | Things that can be used by all once they exist |
Oligarchy
| | A. | Rule by a small group of people – correct |
| | B. | The form of government in the United States |
| | C. | A form of monarchy |
| | D. | A form of democracy |
By what process does a political party attempt to identify strong candidates and interest them in entering the campaign for public office?
| | A. | Candidate nomination |
| | B. | Candidate enlisting |
| | C. | Candidate assessment |
| | D. | Candidate recruitment – correct |
Which of the following is a source of identity politics?
| | A. | Race – correct |
| | B. | Fashion |
| | C. | All of these choices |
| | D. | Music preferences |
The outsider strategy of influencing policy includes:
| | A. | Gaining direct access to key decision makers |
| | B. | Talking to the president |
| | C. | Talking to members of Congress |
| | D. | Going public – correct |
Who is more supportive of the United States getting involved in foreign military interventions?
| | A. | Women |
| | B. | Both genders are equally supportive |
| | C. | Men – correct |
| | D. | It cannot be determined |
One of the main functions of the government is:
| | A. | Support rich people |
| | B. | Promote racial harmony |
| | C. | Provide health care |
| | D. | Maintain order – correct |
| | A. | Priming |
| | B. | Drama |
| | C. | Agenda setting |
| | D. | Framing – correct |
Authoritarian government
| | A. | A government that has total control over society |
| | B. | A government that has authority |
| | C. | A government that does not recognize any limits to its power but certain actors within society may limit its power – correct |
| | D. | None of these choices |
Three-fifths Compromise
| | A. | In order to be elected president you need three-fifths of the vote |
| | B. | The Unites States received three-fifths of the colonies in exchange for its independence |
| | C. | Three small states has the same voting power as five large ones |
| | D. | Five slaves were counted as three free persons for representational purposes – correct |
Which of the following is a source of public opinion?
| | A. | All of these choices – correct |
| | B. | Self-interest |
| | C. | Socialization |
| | D. | Values |
Framing
| | A. | The power of the media to shape how events are perceived – correct |
| | B. | The process of investigating politicians |
| | C. | None of these choices |
| | D. | The power of the media to frame politicians |
Which groups are better represented by interest groups?
| | A. | Minority organizations |
| | B. | Business associations – correct |
| | C. | Unions |
| | D. | Professional associations |
Form where do most people get the news?
| | A. | Internet – correct |
| | B. | Newspapers |
| | C. | Radio |
| | D. | TV |
What are some of the factors that shape the public opinion?
| | A. | The media |
| | B. | The government |
| | C. | All of these choices – correct |
| | D. | Private groups |
What are state powers called?
| | A. | Executive privilege |
| | B. | Expressed powers |
| | C. | Reserved powers – correct |
| | D. | Implied powers |
Constitutional government
| | A. | A government similar to that of Russia |
| | B. | A government whose powers are limited (especially by laws) – correct |
| | C. | A government whose power has no limit |
| | D. | A government constituted by the people |
A totalitarian government is:
| | A. | A form of government where people have total power |
| | B. | A government that recognizes no formal limits to its power – correct |
| | C. | A form of anarchy |
| | D. | A form of democracy |
Which are some of the strategies that interest groups use to influence the government?
| | A. | Litigation |
| | B. | All of these choices |
| | C. | Lobbying – correct |
| | D. | Going public |
The Great Compromise
| | A. | The compromise that ended the Mexican war |
| | B. | A compromise that gave each state equal representation only in the Senate – correct |
| | C. | The compromise that gave to the United States the Louisiana Territory |
| | D. | The compromise that led to the end of the Revolutionary War |
An interest group does:
| | A. | Policy-related appeals to the government – correct |
| | B. | Help poor people |
| | C. | Elect its members into offce |
| | D. | Bribe politicians |
Democracy is:
| | A. | Rule by the wealthy |
| | B. | A system of government where people play a significant role – correct |
| | C. | Rule by a few people |
| | D. | Rule by the educated people |
Can the United States government censor news?
| | A. | Only under extraordinary circumstances |
| | B. | Never – correct |
| | C. | Always |
| | D. | Every time it wants to |
Electoral politics in influencing policy makers include:
| | A. | All of these choices – correct |
| | B. | Public Action Committees |
| | C. | The initiative |
| | D. | Campaign activism |
What is the name of the process by which a party selects a single candidate to run for each elective office?
| | A. | Nomination – correct |
| | B. | Recruitment |
| | C. | Winnowing |
| | D. | Appointment |
The Bill of Rights
| | A. | Rights granted by the British king to the Americans |
| | B. | Universal human rights |
| | C. | The first ten amendments to the US Constitution – correct |
| | D. | Rights found in the Articles of Confederation |
Liberals support
| | A. | All of these choices |
| | B. | International organizations – correct |
| | C. | Abortion rights |
| | D. | Government intervention in the economy |
Federalists
| | A. | People who wanted only state governments |
| | B. | People who supported federalism |
| | C. | Early supporters of the 1787 Constitution – correct |
| | D. | People who supported the British King |
Autocratic government
| | A. | Rule by a few people |
| | B. | Rule by one person – correct |
| | C. | Anarchy |
| | D. | Rule of the people |
Concurrent powers
| | A. | State powers |
| | B. | Powers that can be exercised by both the federal and state governments – correct |
| | C. | Powers that are shared among the three branches of the government |
| | D. | Powers that no one can have |
Gender gap
| | A. | Emotional differences between men and women |
| | B. | Religious differences between men and women |
| | C. | All of these choices – correct |
| | D. | The difference in political views between men and women |
A political party is an organization seeking:
| | A. | To influence the government through lobbying |
| | B. | Influence over government by electing its members to office – correct |
| | C. | The greater good of the nation |
| | D. | To promote its ideology all over the world |
The Articles of Confederation
| | A. | America’s first written constitution – correct |
| | B. | None of these choices |
| | C. | The constitution of England |
| | D. | Another name for the current constitution |
Federalism
| | A. | Power is divided between the government sitting in Washington, DC and the 50 states – correct |
| | B. | Power is concentrated exclusively in the federal government |
| | C. | Power belongs only to the individual states |
| | D. | People who supported the 1787 Constitution |
Which of these groups are better represented by interest groups?
| | A. | The well-educated |
| | B. | All of them |
| | C. | Professionals – correct |
| | D. | The wealthy |
Is there a limit to how much money lobbyists can give in gifts to members of Congress?
| | A. | There are no limits for friends |
| | B. | There are no limits if the money is spend on entertainment |
| | C. | No |
| | D. | Yes – correct |
When recruiting candidates, parties typically look for candidates who have an unblemished record and
ability to raise money
The United States is referred to as having a two-party system because:
only two parties have a serious chance to win national elections
U.S. governmental institutions and electoral rules lead to a(n) ________ system.
two party system
During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt developed a program for economic recovery that would substantially increase the size and reach of America’s national government. He named this program the:
The new deal
Presidents are more likely to get their legislative proposals through Congress if:
they are supported by the president’s party and party leaders in Congress
Committee assignments in Congress are made by:
party groups
A local party organization that controls local politics through patronage and the nomination process is known as:
a party machine
When recruiting candidates, parties consider that at the very least, a serious candidate for a U.S. Senate seat must be able to raise several ________ dollars.
Million
The first Republican president was:
Abraham Lincoln
In American electoral politics, the differences between men and women in presidential voting is known as:
The gender gap
Committee assignments in Congress are made by:
Party groups
During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many cities and counties and even a few states had such well-organized political parties that they were called:
Party Machines
The first step in the process of getting out the vote involved
Voter registration
A primary election in which individuals declare their party affiliation on the actual day of the primary election is a(n) ________ primary.
Open
In addition to leading the executive branch, the president also has responsibilities to:
be the leader of his party
The type of primary election most supportive of strong political parties is the ________ primary.
Closed
The process by which a party selects a single candidate to run for each elective office is known as:
Nomination
Among the Democratic Party’s most loyal constituent groups since the New Deal have been:
Jews
In American presidential elections, women are somewhat more likely to support the:
Democrats
The process by which a political party attempts to identify strong candidates and interest them in entering the campaign for public office is called candidate:
Recruitment
The primary purpose of national party conventions is to:
select the party’s presidential nominee
Among the youngest group of Americans today, the majority describe themselves as:
Independents
A primary election in which voters can participate in the nomination of candidates only for the party in which they have previously registered is called a(n) ________ primary.
Closed
America’s most rapidly growing electoral bloc, won overwhelmingly by Barack Obama in 2008, is:
Latinos
U.S. governmental institutions and electoral rules lead to a(n) ________ system.
Two party system
A local party organization that controls local politics through patronage and the nomination process is known as:
Party Machine
In the United States, third parties are usually influential for only a short time because their:
ideas are usually absorbed by one of the major parties
Party leaders seek ideas and programs that will expand their party’s base of support while eroding that of the opposition through their role as:
policy entrepreneurs
Presidents are more likely to get their legislative proposals through Congress if:
they are supported by the president’s party and party leaders in Congress
Typically, third parties in the United States have represented social and economic interests that:
were not given voice by the two major parties
Third parties rarely win elective office in the United States because:
they lack sufficient membership concentration in any one district to win a plurality of votes