Section
1 Multiple Choice Questions – type in the letter (a – d) of the answer you choose
(if you think that more than one choice is correct, choose the one that you
believe is most correct)
1. The writers of the Constitution used
the term___________to describe the form of government
in which power resides in the people but is exercised through representative institutions.
a.
democracy
b.
republic
c.
federalism
d.
constitutionalism
Your answer___
2. A fear about majority rule in a
democracy is that it could lead to
a.
public apathy.
b.
the election of incompetent leaders.
c.
tyranny by suppressing the minority.
d.
elite rule.
Your answer___
3. The removal of a president from office
through impeachment and conviction requires action
by
a. the House of Representatives only.
b. the Senate with the approval of the U.S.
Supreme Court.
c. the House and Senate in a joint session.
d. the House and Senate in separate
proceedings.
Your answer___
4. Which
of the following describes third parties in the American political system?
a.
They
bring new groups into the electorate.
b.
They
weaken or disappear entirely as one or both of the major parties adopt their
ideas
c.
They
form around a strong leader and/or have a specific issue focus.
d.
All
of the above are true.
Your answer___
5. Which of the following statements is
true?
a.
Political parties already existed in the United States when the
Constitution was written in 1787.
b.
Political parties emerged during the presidency of Andrew Jackson.
c.
Article I of the U.S. Constitution specifically provides for the
creation of political parties
d.
The first political parties grew out of a rivalry between Alexander
Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson after the Constitution was written.
Your answer___
6. The president’s constitutional roles,
such as chief executive and commander-in-chief,
a. have expanded in practice to be more
powerful than was intended by the Framers of the Constitution.
b. are limited to very precise constitutional
grants of power.
c. are found under Article 1 of the
Constitution
d. are not subject to checks and restrictions
by the Congress.
Your answer___
7. Which of the following statements doesnot fit the pluralist theory of interest
groups in the U.S.?
a.
Interest
groups often become more dominant in the political system than Congress or the
president.
b.
Interest
groups play an important role in representing people in the policy making
process.
c.
Interest
groups often counter-balance each other to prevent dominance by particular
groups.
d.
Interest
group competition is a healthy component of American democracy.
Your answer___
8. The major source of a committee’s power
is
a.
the size of the committee’s membership.
b.
its jurisdiction and expertise over a particular policy area.
c.
the relationship between the chairperson and the Speaker or Majority
Leader.
d.
the amount of support it gets from political action committees (PACs).
Your answer___
9. A bill has been approved by the House
of Representatives and the Senate, but in different
versions. The bill now goes to
a.
the
president for his veto or signature.
b.
the
committee in the House or Senate where the bill originated.
c.
the
House Rules Committee.
d.
a
conference committee.
Your answer___
10. Which of the following statements doesnot accurately describe the U.S. Supreme
Court?
a.
The
Supreme Court has expanded the power of the federal government to regulate the
economy.
b.
In
recent years, the Supreme Court has made it harder for individuals,
corporations, and unions to contribute to political candidates and parties of
their choice.
c.
In
recent years, the justices of the Supreme Court have increasingly voted along
the party lines and ideologies of the presidents who appointed them.
d.
The
Warren Court led the way in desegregation of public schools.
Your answer___
11. In the Electoral College system
a.
politicians attend college in order to learn
strategies for getting elected.
b.
electoral votes in each state are based on the candidates’ percentage of
the popular vote.
c.
candidates can only receive electoral votes if they get an absolute
majority of popular votes.
d.
in all but two states, all of the electoral votes go to the candidate
with the most popular votes
Your answer___
12. From 1789 to 1865, the most significant
issue of federalism was
a.
the
application of the Bill of Rights to action by the state governments.
b.
whether
the states would accept the constitutional authority of the national
government.
c.
whether
business trusts would be regulated primarily by the states or by the national
government.
d.
whether
the states or the federal government would be responsible for public education.
Your answer___
13. Low voter turnout in U.S. elections
compared to other democracies is explained by all of the followingexcept:
a.
frequency of elections
b.
absence of the secret ballot
c. more
difficult registration requirements
d.
fewer political party choices
Your answer___
14. Which theory places the most emphasis on
the role of interest groups in explaining who influences public policy in
Washington, D.C.?
a.
majoritarianism
b.
pluralism
c.
elitism
d.
none of the above
Your answer___
15. The political opinions of men and women
differ most significantly on issues of:
a.
crime
and criminal justice
b.
abortion
and women’s right to choose
c.
national
defense and the use of military force
d.
the
environment and climate change
Your answer___
16. Which of the following isnot an important factor in the success
of presidents in getting their policy proposals passed by Congress?
a.
The
force of events such as war or economic volatility.
b.
Stage
of the president’s term
c.
Ability
to raise campaign funds
d.
Level
of public support for the president’s leadership
Your answer___
Continue to Section 2 on the next page.
Section
2 Essays – You will write
about two of these topics. Choose from either Topic 1 or 2 and from either
Topic 3 or 4. For example, you may choose Topic 2 and Topic 3, but you cannot
write about Topics 1 and 2 or 3 and 4. Your essays should be complete enough to
cover, and demonstrate an understanding of, the topics. Be sure to cover each
part of the topic. Essays should be approximately 400 to 500 words. Number each
essay according to its topic number.
1. Discuss the presidential nomination process
and the general election process. What resources and strategies must a
candidate use to be successful in securing the nomination of his/her political
party? In this part of your essay, explain the role of state primary elections.
How do the political party nominees’ strategies differ in the general election
campaign? In this part of the essay, include discussion of how the Electoral
College affects campaign strategy.
or
2. Why have the Democratic and Republican
parties been so stable and able to maintain their existence from the Civil War
period to the present? What factors have
maintained the two party
system
in theU.S.
and make it difficult for minor parties to succeed? Be specific in your
response and include an explanation of how the nature of the electoral system
(winner take all) has contributed to the durability of the two party system.
and
3. Discuss the relationship between the
president and Congress. Why does the president need congressional support and
how does he get it? What impact do political parties have in determining how
effective the president is in getting his policies enacted. What obstacles are
there in the way of presidents getting their agenda passed? In your essay, give
some examples of how presidents have or have not been successful in dealing
with Congress.
or
4. Members of Congress
have dual responsibilities. First, they must serve the people in their states
and districts. Second, they must deal with issues and legislation of interest
to the whole nation. How do legislators balance these responsibilities? When
there is a conflict between representing local interests and national
interests, how do you think representatives and senators should decide which is
more important – should they consider the preferences of their constituents or
the public-at-large? What are the consequences of deciding one way or the
other?
