Deck 1: America in the Twenty First Century

Question 1

In the context of functions of government, which of the following is true of power?

A) Its exercise is always recognized as socially moral and is protected by law.
B) It involves getting someone to do something that he or she would not otherwise do .
C) It necessarily involves the use of force.
D) It implies legal action.
E) Its exercise is universally illegal.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The Constitution of the United States gives _____ exclusive power over relations with foreign nations.

A) the Republicans
B) individuals
C) the Democrats
D) the Supreme Court
E) the national government

Answer 2

E

Question 3

In the context of monarchy, challenging the _____ was not only regarded as treason against the government but also as a sin against God.

A) Athenian model of direct democracy
B) divine command theory
C) divine right theory
D) social-contract theory
E) theory of theological voluntarism

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true of public services?

A) P roviding a source of income to people whose ability to work is limited by a notable disability is a public service .
B) The enforcement of law by the government is not regarded as a public service.
C) Protection from economic recessions is excluded from the scope of public services.
D) Maintaining the defense network is not as expensive as maintaining the other public services.
E) An adjudication on a contentious issue by a court of law is a public service.

Question 5

_____ is a form of autocracy.

A) Dictatorship
B) Democracy
C) Anarchy
D) Communism
E) Marxism

Question 6

Gun control has been a controversial issue in the United States, and gun control advocates have traditionally opposed an individual ' s right to bear arms. In 2010, the United States Supreme Court affirmed that the Second Amendment to the Constitution grants individuals the right to bear arms, and this decision was met by little resistance from gun control advocates. In this case, the Court used its authority to _____.

A) manage foreign relations
B) resolve a conflict
C) provide a public service
D) defend the nation
E) protect the American culture

Question 7

A government is performing the function of _____ when it maintains city roads.

A) managing foreign relations
B) providing public services
C) resolving conflicts
D) defending the nation
E) maintaining law and order

Question 8

_____ is an example of a constitutional monarchy.

A) North Korea
B) Spain
C) India
D) The U.S.
E) China

Question 9

In a constitutional monarchy, _____.

A) the monarch's power is not supported by tradition
B) the monarch holds complete and unlimited power
C) the monarch's power is limited by government leaders
D) the monarch is elected by the citizens of a country through elections
E) the monarch has the authority to make changes in the constitution

Question 10

Gareth, a first-grade teacher, finds three of his students fighting over the few toys lying in the play area. Gareth intervenes and decides which student gets to play with which toy and in what order. In resolving the conflict among his students, Gareth essentially demonstrates a process similar to the one involved in _____.

A) centralization
B) electioneering
C) partisanship
D) appeasement
E) politics

Question 11

Which of the following is true of a monarchy?

A) The government is a form of democracy.
B) A monarch's power is not supported by tradition.
C) A monarch's power is acquired through inheritance.
D) The government is a form of dictatorship.
E) A monarch always has unlimited power over the subjects.

Question 12

Unlike constitutional monarchs, absolute monarchs:

A) share governmental power with elected lawmakers.
B) hold complete and unlimited power.
C) are elected by a country's citizens.
D) are limited by a constitution or a bill of rights.
E) serve merely as ceremonial leaders of their nations.

Question 13

In the country of Myrlington, people are ruled by Queen Sophie. Her ancestors have ruled the country for centuries. The Queen has the sole right to make all decisions concerning the lives of her people and her country's wellbeing. Myrlington is an example of a(n) _____.

A) absolute monarchy
B) dictatorship
C) constitutional monarchy
D) direct democracy
E) representative democracy

Question 14

Which of the following statements is true of an autocracy?

A) The government consists of elected representatives.
B) Authority lies in the hands of a single person.
C) Authority is gained solely by traditional means.
D) The people have ultimate political authority.
E) An individual has to acquire the consent of the people to assume power.

Question 15

Which of the following is one of the views held by James Madison?

A) People are ideally good.
B) People need some form of government.
C) Monarchy is the best form of government.
D) A society should be ruled by religious leaders.
E) Dictatorship is the best form of government.

Question 16

Defending the nation and its culture against future acts of aggression became more important for the U.S. government:

A) after the Vietnam War.
B) with the influx of multicultural immigrants.
C) after the attacks on the World Trade Center.
D) when President Nixon resigned.
E) after the conclusion of the Cold War.

Question 17

_____ is defined as disagreements among people in a society over what the society's priorities should be.

A) Activism
B) Progressivism
C) Social conflict
D) Contract dispute
E) Social security

Question 18

_____ is defined as an ongoing organization that performs certain functions for society.

A) A filibuster
B) Cloture
C) An institution
D) Politics
E) A quorum

Question 19

National defense and domestic law enforcement:

A) are available only for people in need.
B) are examples of services enjoyed exclusively by the rich.
C) are responsibilities of the state government and not the national government.
D) are examples of services provided equally to all citizens .
E) are based on the divine right theory.

Question 20

Which of the following is an example of a public service provided by the government?

A) Influencing the morality of individuals
B) Resolving religious conflicts
C) Imposing taxes on individuals
D) Preserving national parks
E) Choosing religious leaders

Question 21

Which of the following is true of the Magna Carta?

A) It served as the first draft of America's written Constitution.
B) It established the principle of representative government.
C) It gave unrestricted power to monarchs.
D) It served the private interests of the English monarch rather than public interests.
E) It forced the king to obtain the nobles' approval of any taxes he imposed on them .

Question 22

Which of the following is a basic principle that had evolved in England and was incorporated by the framers of the U.S. Constitution?

A) Ethnocratic government
B) Limited government
C) Theocratic government
D) Aristocratic government
E) Kratocratic government

Question 23

Why did the founders of the United States opt for representative democracy instead of the Athenian model of direct democracy?

A) They believed that citizen participation was unnecessary in governance.
B) They preferred a republic headed by a king or queen.
C) They were against a government based on the consent of the governed.
D) They thought that the rights of the minority would be ignored.
E) They opined that the masses would not be able to decide what would be right for themselves.

Question 24

Undemocratic systems that are not supported by tradition are called _____.

A) monarchies
B) kingships
C) theocracies
D) plutocracies
E) dictatorships

Question 25

The English Bill of Rights passed by the English Parliament in 1689 established that the king or queen:

A) had to conduct and monitor parliamentary elections.
B) had to have Parliament's approval to maintain an army.
C) could levy taxes without being answerable to anyone.
D) could refuse to take the Parliament's suggestions in matters of national concern.
E) could make changes to the Constitution without the Parliament's consent.

Question 26

Which of the following is a fundamental principle on which American democracy is based?

A) Equal protection of the law
B) Minority rule and majority rights
C) Presidential dictatorship
D) Unlimited freedom
E) Divine right

Question 27

In the island country of Semanto, quarterly meetings are held at its Civic Centre grounds to discuss and decide upon important issues of the island. Every Semanto citizen participates in the governing assembly and votes on all major issues. Semanto is an example of a(n) _____.

A) totalitarian dictatorship
B) direct democracy
C) autocracy
D) monarchy
E) aristocracy

Question 28

A(n) _____ is a government system in which a leader or group of leaders seeks to control almost all aspects of social and economic life.

A) libertarian system
B) republican system
C) constitutional democracy
D) totalitarian dictatorship
E) egalitarian system

Question 29

In the context of the English monarchy, the _____ prohibited the taking of a free man's life, liberty, or property except through due process of law.

A) Mayflower Compact
B) Declaration of Independence
C) Magna Carta
D) Articles of Confederation
E) Bill of Rights

Question 30

Which of the following is a difference between a presidential democracy and a parliamentary democracy?

A) Unlike a presidential democracy, there is no separate law-enforcing branch in a parliamentary democracy.
B) Unlike a presidential democracy, there is no separate lawmaking branch in a parliamentary democracy.
C) Unlike a presidential democracy, the lawmaking and law-enforcing branches of government are united in a parliamentary democracy.
D) Unlike a presidential democracy, the prime minister is separate from the legislative body in a parliamentary democracy.
E) Unlike a presidential democracy, the lawmaking branch is superior to the law-enforcing branch of the government in a parliamentary democracy.

Question 31

The Declaration of Independence:

A) included the political values of limited government.
B) is the speech presented by the first president of the United States.
C) is a treaty between the founding Americans and the British colonists.
D) outlined the value of partiality under the law.
E) established the principle of government without the consent of the governed.

Question 32

In Britain, the prime minister and the cabinet are members of the legislature that both enacts the laws and carries them out. Hence, Britain is an example of _____.

A) a parliamentary democracy
B) a presidential democracy
C) direct democracy
D) pure democracy
E) an absolute monarchy

Question 33

Zoya was arrested for staging a peaceful protest against animal cruelty in front of an animal-testing research institution. Zoya justified her actions by saying that the Constitution gives her the freedom to speak freely on any topic and issue. To which of the following concepts was Zoya referring?

A) The right to equality
B) The right to property
C) The right to liberty
D) Capitalism
E) Amorality

Question 34

Which of the following is true of a representative democracy?

A) The people themselves directly make political decisions.
B) A king or queen is considered the head of state.
C) The will of the majority is expressed by elected representatives.
D) A leader seeks to control almost all aspects of social and economic life.
E) The government rules according to religious precepts.

Question 35

Which of the following statements is true of direct democracy?

A) A high degree of citizen participation is required in government.
B) Direct democracy presently exists in most countries in the world.
C) The will of the majority is expressed through representatives elected by the people.
D) A direct democracy is always headed by a monarch.
E) The head of the state seeks to control almost all aspects of social and economic life.

Question 36

A republic is essentially a(n) _____.

A) representative democracy
B) direct democracy
C) autocracy
D) plutocracy
E) monarchy

Question 37

The Magna Carta:

A) abolished trial by jury.
B) forced the nobles to obtain the king's approval of any taxes they imposed.
C) formed the basis of the future constitutional government for England.
D) gave the English monarch virtually unrestricted powers.
E) rendered due process of law unnecessary for taking a free man's life.

Question 38

Which of the following would happen if a referendum were to take place in the United States?

A) The people would let their elected officials make decisions on their behalf.
B) A question would be placed on the ballot by gathering signatures.
C) The legislature would send a ballot proposal to the voters.
D) A question would be placed on the ballot by action of the legislature.
E) An elected official would be removed before his or her term of office comes to an end.

Question 39

Joseph Stalin's rule in the Soviet Union is an example of a(n) _____.

A) totalitarian dictatorship
B) monarchy
C) theocracy
D) representative democracy
E) oligarchy

Question 40

_____ is a voluntary agreement among individuals to create a government and to give that government adequate power to secure the mutual protection and welfare of all individuals.

A) A social contract
B) A political compromise
C) A charter
D) A liaison
E) A merger

Question 41

The government of Yartha recently passed a law preventing the consumption of alcohol as alcohol consumption conflicts with certain religious beliefs. Roger opposed this law as he is of the opinion that the government should avoid laws that endorse or impose traditional religious values. Roger's views are most closely aligned with the political ideology of _____.

A) conservatism
B) archaism
C) socialism
D) liberalism
E) communism

Question 42

One of the outgrowths of the civil rights movement of the 1960s was an emphasis on _____, the belief that the American society should maintain and protect its diversity by laws.

A) socialism
B) progressivism
C) capitalism
D) multiculturalism
E) abolitionism

Question 43

Which of the following statements is true of libertarians?

A) They oppose almost all government regulation of the economy.
B) They chiefly form political alliances with the socialists.
C) They support government involvement in issues of private morality.
D) They have tolerance for a strong government.
E) They support government-sponsored social welfare schemes.

Question 44

Which of the following best describes the term capitalism?

A) It is a set of political beliefs that include the advocacy of active government.
B) It is a concept that holds, at a minimum, that all people are entitled to equal protection under the law.
C) It is an economic system based on the private ownership of wealth-producing property.
D) It is a more popular term for the set of political beliefs known as liberalism.
E) It is an intrinsic property which measures the disregard for material possessions.

Question 45

Which of the following statements is true about liberalism?

A) Liberals advocate adherence to traditional family values.
B) Liberals strongly oppose the separation of church and state.
C) Liberals think that the government should support laws that impose traditional religious values.
D) Liberals commonly accuse conservatives of valuing "big government" for its own sake.
E) Liberals support the protection of minority rights of all kinds.

Question 46

Which of the following is a difference between liberals and socialists?

A) S ocialists have a stronger commitment to egalitarianism than liberals.
B) Unlike liberals, socialists advocate active government intervention to protect civil rights.
C) Unlike liberals, socialists oppose government redistribution of income.
D) Unlike liberals, socialists have zero tolerance for a strong central government.
E) Socialists have stronger adherence to traditional social and religious values than liberals.

Question 47

Dictators are accountable to elected lawmakers.

Question 48

Which of the following is a difference between libertarians and conservatives?

A) Unlike conservatives, libertarians support all government regulation of the economy.
B) Unlike conservatives, libertarians advocate active government intervention to protect civil rights.
C) Unlike conservatives, libertarians oppose government involvement in issues of private morality.
D) Unlike conservatives, libertarians support government redistribution of income.
E) Unlike conservatives, libertarians oppose the separation of church and state.

Question 49

Which of the following is likely to be a consequence of the increasing age of the American population?

A) The distribution of the national income among generations will become more difficult.
B) There will be fewer retired people collecting Social Security and private pensions.
C) The number of working adults will be much higher than retirees.
D) The number of individuals eligible for Medicare will decrease.
E) The contribution of older people toward the national income will increase.

Question 50

In the context of original American political ideology, conservatives:

A) wished to establish new policies and practices.
B) wanted to be free from traditional constraints.
C) believed that government interference in business enterprises is necessary.
D) wished to keep traditional social and political habits.
E) supported same-sex marriages.

Question 51

Monarchs usually obtain their power by popular votes .

Question 52

Which of the following was a consequence of the low voter turnout in the 2014 midterm election?

A) Congress had the largest number of Republicans since the 1920s.
B) The Republicans lost two seats in governors' races.
C) Public opinion polls were not conducted.
D) The Senate elections were declared invalid by the Supreme Court.
E) Many moderate voters became concerned that Democratic threats to popular social programs outweighed Republican fondness for " big government. "

Question 53

Britain is an example of a democratic republic where the people are sovereign.

Question 54

Which of the following is a similarity between liberals and libertarians?

A) Both believe that the government should have a limited role in economic affairs.
B) Both oppose government involvement in issues of private morality.
C) Both advocate active government intervention to improve the welfare of individuals.
D) Both support government redistribution of income.
E) Both believe that a big government is simply a necessary tool for promoting the common welfare.

Question 55

Politics is defined as the ability to influence the behavior of others, usually through the use of force, persuasion, or rewards.

Question 56

In the twenty-first century, differences among Americans in interpreting their collectively held values underlie the division between the _____ parties.

A) Federalist and Anti-Federalist
B) Socialist and Liberalist
C) Republican and Democratic
D) Conservative and Liberalist
E) Nationalist and Traditionalist

Question 57

Which of the following is true of American midterm elections?

A) Presidential candidates are not on the ballot in these elections.
B) Voter turnout is the most in these elections.
C) Public opinion polls are not conducted for these elections.
D) All seats of the Senate are contested in these elections.
E) The electoral college plays an important role in these elections.

Question 58

To the right of liberalism on the traditional ideological spectrum lies socialism.

Question 59

Miranda complained about the tight regulations being imposed on the gun store owned and run by her family. She feels that individuals and families should be responsible for establishing their own economic status instead of being limited by regulations or dependent on benefits from the government. According to her, the government should only intervene to ensure adherence to traditional religious and family values. Miranda's views are most closely aligned with the political ideology of _____.

A) socialism
B) communism
C) conservatism
D) liberalism
E) libertarianism

Question 60

Which of the following is a characteristic of conservatives?

A) They place a high value on the principle of order, on family values, and on patriotism.
B) They support the protection of minority rights of all kinds.
C) They strongly favor the separation of church and state.
D) They support government intervention to improve the welfare of individuals and to protect civil rights.
E) They have developed a negative opinion about American military initiatives abroad.

Question 61

A(n) _________ is a form of government based on the principle that the powers of government should be clearly restricted either through a written document or through wide public understanding.

A) limited government
B) totalitarian dictatorship
C) monarchy
D) autocracy

Question 62

In the context of American political culture, explain the significance of the Declaration of Independence.

Question 63

A totalitarian dictator _________.

A) attempts to satisfy the individual needs of a country's citizens
B) opposes government redistribution of income
C) seeks to control almost all aspects of social and economic life
D) acquires power through inheritance

Question 64

A key element in conservative thinking is the belief that the _________.

A) government should avoid laws that endorse or impose traditional religious values
B) distribution of economic benefits that exists in the absence of government involvement is optimum
C) government should not interfere in issues of private morality and behavior
D) distribution of social benefits is most effective when government schemes favor minorities

Question 65

The founders of the United States believed that _________ would deteriorate into mob rule.

A) representative democracy
B) dictatorship
C) monarchy
D) direct democracy

Question 66

One of the fundamental principles of American democracy is _________.

A) minority rule and majority rights
B) individual freedom
C) government by the wealthy
D) the divine right theory

Question 67

In the context of functions of governments, discuss the terms power and authority.

Question 68

Discuss the dynamics of the 2016 U.S. elections.

Question 69

Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, exemplifies a(n) _________.

A) totalitarian dictator
B) theocratic ruler
C) constitutional monarch
D) parliamentary monarch

Question 70

_________ is possible only in small communities in which citizens can meet in a chosen place and decide key issues and policies.

A) Representative democracy
B) Direct democracy
C) Monarchy
D) Dictatorship

Question 71

Differentiate between the modern American political ideologies of conservatism and liberalism.

Question 72

Explain the role of the U.S. government in defending the nation and its culture.

Question 73

Capitalism is based on the concept of _________.

A) Marx's classless society
B) social contract
C) public ownership of wealth-producing property
D) free markets

Question 74

Crime statistics since 2014 reveal that the overall crime rates appear to have decreased among minority youth and increased among _________.

A) teenage mothers
B) middle-age whites
C) elderly white women
D) elderly black men

Question 75

Before the 1950s and 1960s, _________ were individuals who feared that government activity might personally cost them wealth or power.

A) movement conservatives
B) liberalists
C) majoritarians
D) economic conservatives