1.
Independent voters claim to have ___________ party affiliation.
Correct Answer
C. No specific
Explanation
According to Stanley Fish's article, some independent voters claim that they are "voting the person, not the party."
2.
A monarchy is:
Correct Answer
C. Rule by a king
Explanation
Until the twentieth century, most countries were monarchies.
3.
Democracy means rule by:
Correct Answer
B. The people
Explanation
"Demos" means "people" in Greek.
4.
A republic is ruled by:
Correct Answer
C. A president
Explanation
The United States is a republic.
5.
Absolute government is ____________, while constitutional government is _____________.
Correct Answer
A. Virtually unlimited; very limited
Explanation
Remember King Henry VIII, who had very few restrictions on what he could do to his people. Henry VIII was much closer to being the leader of an absolute government than a constitutional government.
6.
Three sources of political legitimacy are:
Correct Answer(s)
B. Will of the people
C. God
E. Excellence
Explanation
Theocracy, democracy and aristocracy.
7.
A majority candidate or party receives more than half of all votes cast.
Correct Answer
A. True
Explanation
Plurality rule means that the candidate with the most votes wins, even if it is not more than half.
8.
Theocracy means rule by:
Correct Answer
A. God
Explanation
"Theos" in Greek means "god."
9.
About ___% of national governments in the world are unitary.
Correct Answer
D. 90%
Explanation
Britain is a unitary government.
10.
Aristocracy means rule by:
Correct Answer
C. The best
Explanation
"Aristos" means "the best" in Greek.
11.
What values does government allocate?
Correct Answer(s)
B. Status
C. Wealth
D. Opportunity
Explanation
The government allocates values such as status, wealth, and opportunity. This means that the government plays a role in distributing or determining the social standing, financial resources, and chances for advancement within society. The government's policies and actions can impact the distribution of these values among individuals and groups, influencing their social and economic positions.
12.
You, as a U.S. citizen, can violate the the U.S. Constitution
Correct Answer
B. False
Explanation
The U.S. Constitution governs the government.
13.
U.S. central government is ____, whereas Britain's central government is ______.
Correct Answer
A. Weak; strong
Explanation
The United States has a lot of separation of power amongst the legislative, judicial and executive branches, where Britain does not.
14.
Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
Correct Answer
E. All of the above
Explanation
The Articles of Confederation failed for multiple reasons. The U.S. was unable to pay its bills, leading to financial instability. The central government was weak, lacking the authority and resources to effectively govern the country. There was no separation of powers, resulting in a lack of checks and balances. Additionally, there was little cooperation between the states, hindering the ability to make collective decisions. All of these factors contributed to the failure of the Articles of Confederation.
15.
Amendments to the structure of the U.S. require approval from ______ of the states.
Correct Answer
A. 3/4
Explanation
Amendments to the structure of the U.S. require approval from 3/4 of the states. This means that in order for an amendment to be passed, it must receive support from at least 75% of the states. This high threshold ensures that any changes made to the structure of the U.S. have widespread support and are not easily implemented.
16.
A form of government that derives its power indirectly from the people, who elect representatives is called a(n) __________ democracy.
Correct Answer
D. Representative
Explanation
A form of government that derives its power indirectly from the people, who elect representatives is called a representative democracy. In this type of democracy, the people elect individuals to represent their interests and make decisions on their behalf. This system allows for a more efficient and practical way of governing a large population, as it is not feasible for every citizen to participate directly in every decision-making process. Instead, representatives are elected to act as the voice and decision-makers for the people they represent.
17.
Compromise made by states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators
Correct Answer
D. Connecticut Compromise
Explanation
The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise, was the agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. It proposed a bicameral legislature with a lower house (House of Representatives) in which representation would be based on population, satisfying the larger states, and an upper house (Senate) in which each state would have equal representation with two senators, satisfying the smaller states. This compromise resolved the conflict between the Virginia Plan, which favored representation based on population, and the New Jersey Plan, which favored equal representation for all states.
18.
Proposal made at the Constitutional Convention for a unicameral central government with single house legislature in which each state would be represented equally.
Correct Answer
E. None of the above
Explanation
This describes the New Jersey Plan.
19.
A convention held in September 1786 to consider problems of trade and navigation, attended by five states.
Correct Answer
D. Annapolis Convention
Explanation
Talks at this gathering resulted in the Constitutional Convention.
20.
Proposal at the Constitutional Convention made for a strong central government with a bicameral legislature.
Correct Answer
B. Virgina Plan
Explanation
The proposal stated that the lower house would be chosen by voters while the upper house would be chosen by the lower.
21.
This would require that all judges treat national laws and treaties with highest regard.
Correct Answer
B. Supremacy clause
Explanation
The supremacy clause is the correct answer because it states that the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties are the supreme law of the land. This means that if there is a conflict between a national law or treaty and a state law, the national law or treaty will prevail. Therefore, for all judges to treat national laws and treaties with the highest regard, they must recognize and uphold the supremacy clause.
22.
Authoritative government gives you an exit option.
Correct Answer
B. False
Explanation
Authoritative government is compulsory, so you must obey or you will be punished.
23.
Federal governments:
Correct Answer
B. Have small units of pre-existing government that create a central government
Explanation
Small units of government create central government. Think of the 13 states that created our federal government as we know it today.
24.
The United States is a _______ government.
Correct Answer
A. Federal
Explanation
The correct answer is federal. This means that the United States has a system of government where power is divided between a central government and individual states. This allows for a balance of power and autonomy for both levels of government.
25.
Unitary government:
Correct Answer
B. Have a pre-existing central government that creates and controls smaller, local units of government
Explanation
Unitary governments are created by a central government.