TEST BANK
We the People
An Introduction to
American Politics
EIGHTH EDITION
Including Texas Edition chapters
TEST BANK
We the People
An Introduction to
American Politics
EIGHTH EDITION
Douglas C. Dow
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS
Jeremy Duff
MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY
Kevin Wallsten
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
B
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
CONTENTS
Preface to the Eighth Edition Test Bank
Chapter 1 | American Political Culture
vii
1
Chapter 2 | The Founding and the Constitution
24
Chapter 3 | Federalism
48
Chapter 4 | Civil Liberties
73
Chapter 5 | Civil Rights
98
Chapter 6 | Public Opinion
123
Chapter 7 | The Media
147
Chapter 8 | Political Participation and Voting
170
Chapter 9 | Political Parties
193
Chapter 10 | Campaigns and Elections
215
Chapter 11 | Groups and Interests
238
Chapter 12 | Congress
261
Chapter 13 | The Presidency
285
Chapter 14 | Bureaucracy in a Democracy
307
Chapter 15 | The Federal Courts
330
Chapter 16 | Government and the Economy
353
Chapter 17 | Social Policy
377
Chapter 18 | Foreign Policy and Democracy
399
v
vi | Contents
TEXAS EDITION
Chapter 19 | The Political Culture, People, and Economy of Texas
418
Chapter 20 | The Texas Constitution
431
Chapter 21 | Parties and Elections in Texas
447
Chapter 22 | Interest Groups, Lobbying, and Lobbyists
460
Chapter 23 | The Texas Legislature
472
Chapter 24 | The Texas Executive Branch
486
Chapter 25 | The Texas Judiciary
499
Chapter 26 | Local Government in Texas
513
Chapter 27 | Public Policy in Texas
527
PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH EDITION TEST BANK
WHY A NEW APPROACH?
In December 2007, W. W. Norton conducted a focus group with the brightest minds
in educational testing to create a new model for assessment. A good assessment
tool needs to:
(a) define what students need to know and the level of knowledge and skills
expected of them to be competent in the concepts they are learning about;
(b) include test items that provide valid and reliable evidence by assessing the
material to be learned at the appropriate level;
(c) enable instructors to accurately judge what students know and what they
don’t know and to what degree, allowing instructors to focus on areas
where students need the most help.
In evaluating the test banks that accompany introductory texts, we found four
main problem areas:
(a) test questions were misclassified in terms of type and difficulty;
(b) there was a prevalence of low-level and factual questions that misrepresented the goals of the course;
(c) trivial topics were tested via multiple items, while important concepts were
not tested at all;
(d) links to the topic were too general, preventing diagnostic use of the item
information.
Norton has collaborated with Valerie Shute (Florida State University) and
Diego Zapata-Rivera (Electronic Testing Services) to develop a methodology for
delivering high-quality, valid, and reliable assessment through our test bank and
extensive suite of support materials.
vii
viii | Preface to the Eighth Edition Test Bank
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The test bank authors list, in terms of importance, the concepts from each chapter
that they believe are the most important for students to learn—basically the top
six to eight big ideas in the chapter as well as three to five ancillary concepts per
big idea.
The authors then create a concept map for each chapter that shows the relationships among these ideas. Once the concept maps are created, the authors
develop three types of questions designed to test students’ knowledge of a particular concept.
The question types are designed to help students (1) understand the facts, (2)
learn how to apply them, and (3) learn why they are true. By asking students questions that vary in both type and level of difficulty, instructors can gather different
types of evidence, which will allow them to more effectively assess how well
students understand specific concepts.
THREE QUESTION TYPES
1. Factual questions (ask What?)—Test declarative knowledge, including textbook definitions and relationships between two or more pieces of information.
2. Applied questions (ask How?)—Pose problems in a context different from
the one in which the material was learned, requiring students to draw from
their declarative and/or procedural understanding of important concepts.
3. Conceptual questions (ask Why?)—Ask students to draw from their prior
experience and use critical-thinking skills to take part in qualitative reasoning about the real world.
THREE DIFFICULTY LEVELS
1. Easy questions—Require a basic understanding of the concepts, definitions,
and examples presented in We The People.
2. Moderate questions—Direct students to use critical thinking skills, to demonstrate an understanding of core concepts independent of specific textbook
examples, and to connect concepts across chapters.
3. Difficult questions—Ask students to synthesize textbook concepts with their
own experience, making analytical inferences about political science and
more.
Preface to the Eighth Edition Test Bank | ix
FIVE GENERAL RULES FOR NORTON ASSESSMENT
1. Each question measures and explicitly links to a specific competency.
2. Questions are written with clear, concise, and grammatically correct language that suits the difficulty level of the specific competency being assessed.
To ensure the validity of the questions, no extraneous, ambiguous, or confusing material is included, and no slang expressions are used.
3. There are generally three or more questions per competency to ensure the
reliability of your test.
4. In developing the questions, every effort has been made to eliminate bias
(e.g., race, gender, cultural, ethnic, regional, handicap, age) to help with issues
of accessibility and validity.
5. Questions require specific knowledge of material studied, not general knowledge or experience.
A FINAL NOTE
We hope that these ideas and methods have produced new ways of thinking about
assessment. Norton has a strong commitment to supporting instructors with high
quality support material.
CHAPTER 1
American Political Culture
CONCEPT MAP
I. What Americans Think about Government
A. Trust in Government
B. Political Efficacy
II. Citizenship: Knowledge and Participation
A. Political Knowledge
B. Citizenship
III. Government
A. Is Government Needed?
i. Public goods
B. Forms of Government
i. Who governs?
1. Autocracy
2. Oligarchy
3. Democracy
ii. How much government control?
1. Constitutional government
a. Substantive limits
b. Procedural limits
2. Authoritarian government
3. Totalitarian government
C. Participation
i. Politics
ii. Representative democracy
iii. Direct democracy
1
2 | Chapter 1
IV. Who Are Americans?
A. Race
B. Immigration
V. Thinking Critically about American Political Culture
A. Political Values
B. Political Culture
i. Liberty
1. Limited government
2. Laissez-faire capitalism
ii. Equality
1. Equality of opportunity
2. Political equality
3. Popular sovereignty
iii. Democracy
1. Majority rule, minority rights
Keywords: authoritarian government, autocracy, citizenship, constitutional
government, democracy, direct democracy, equality of opportunity, government,
laissez-faire capitalism, liberty, limited government, majority rule, minority
rights, oligarchy, pluralism, political culture, political efficacy, political equality,
politics, popular sovereignty, power, representative democracy, republic,
totalitarian government
MULTIPLE-CHOICE
1. The newest federal cabinet department is
A. Veterans Affairs.
B. Homeland Security.
C. Education.
D. Health and Human Services.
E. Treasury.
ANS: B REF: p. 4 TOP: Factual KEY: public goods DIF: Easy
2. Since the 1960s, Americans’ trust in their government has generally
A. remained stable.
B. risen slightly.
C. risen sharply.
D. fallen slightly.
E. fallen sharply.
ANS:E
REF: p. 5
TOP: Factual
KEY: trust
DIF: Easy
American Political Culture | 3
3. Which of the following is not an accurate statement about the consequences
of declining trust in government?
A. Distrust threatens the government’s ability to attract good workers to the
public sector.
B. Distrust makes people less willing to pay the taxes necessary for public
activities.
C. Distrust motivates people to participate in politics through voting, volunteering for political campaigns, and running for office.
D. Distrust weakens the government’s ability to help people in times of
crisis.
E. Distrust weakens the government’s ability to defend our national interest
in the world economy.
ANS: C REF: p. 8 TOP: Conceptual
KEY: trust DIF: Difficult
4. The belief that you can influence how your government acts is called
A. political efficacy.
B. saliency.
C. popular sovereignty.
D. autocracy.
E. oligarchy.
ANS: A REF: p. 8
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – Definition
KEY: political efficacy
5. Which of the following is not a reason given to explain American citizens’
increased political apathy?
A. citizens’ lack of understanding politics
B. the increasing belief that people cannot make a difference in politics
C. an increase in the knowledge of how government operates
D. the perception that government is out of touch with public opinion
E. a decrease in the perception that government can be trusted to do the
right thing
ANS: C REF: pp. 8–9 TOP: Conceptual
DIF: Difficult
KEY: political efficacy
6. The first prerequisite to increasing political efficacy is
A. increasing political knowledge.
B. decreasing political knowledge.
C. reducing political participation.
D. reducing trust in government.
E. reducing popular sovereignty.
ANS: A REF: p. 9
DIF: Difficult
TOP: Applied
KEY: political efficacy
4 | Chapter 1
7. Political apathy among Americans hurts which core political value the most?
A. democracy
B. freedom of religion
C. economic liberty
D. equality of opportunity
E. equality of outcome
ANS: A
REF: p. 9
TOP: Applied
KEY: political efficacy
DIF: Easy
8. According to recent surveys, only ______ percent of the U.S. population
could identify Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, while approximately ______ percent could identify Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
A. 5; 50
B. 15; 60
C. 25; 75
D. 45; 85
E. 65; 95
ANS: D REF: p. 10
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual KEY: political knowledge
9. Survey data shows that the level of Americans’ political knowledge is
A. uniformly high.
B. low and spotty.
C. high regarding history but low regarding governmental processes.
D. high concerning current events but low concerning history.
E. high regarding governmental processes but low concerning national
political figures.
ANS: D REF: p. 10
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual KEY: political knowledge
10. What aspect of citizenship was most important for the ancient Greeks?
A. voting
B. holding office
C. military service
D. paying taxes
E. talking and debating
ANS: E REF: p. 10
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – History
KEY: citizenship
American Political Culture | 5
11. In order to be a good citizen, it is most critical to possess
A. powerful friends.
B. money.
C. knowledge.
D. strongly held convictions.
E. a college degree.
ANS: C REF: pp. 10–11
DIF: Easy
TOP: Conceptual
KEY: citizenship
12. According to the text, which of the following is the most important act of a
citizen?
A. participating in public debates
B. voting for the candidate of one’s choice
C. holding office in the government
D. being born in the nation of which you are a citizen
E. contributing money to a candidate or political party
ANS: A REF: pp. 10–11
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual
KEY: citizenship
13. According to the text, which of the following is not a necessary part of the
knowledge a citizen must possess?
A. the candidates running for office and their policy proposals
B. the structures of government
C. the political process
D. democratic principles
E. the economic interests of other citizens
ANS: E REF: pp. 11–13
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Applied
KEY: political knowledge
14. It is important for Americans to have knowledge of democratic principles so
that they
A. will be able to determine who is or is not un-American.
B. understand what forms of political conduct are consistent with
democracy.
C. are better able to assess their own interests when making political
choices.
D. will be better able to judge the legitimacy of other nations.
E. will feel a stronger sense of patriotism.
ANS: B REF: pp. 11, 13
DIF: Difficult
TOP: Conceptual
KEY: political knowledge
6 | Chapter 1
15. According to a 2007 poll, compared to readers of major newspaper websites,
the audience of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Colbert Report had
______ political knowledge.
A. dramatically more
B. dramatically less
C. slightly more
D. slightly less
E. equal
ANS: E REF: p. 12
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual KEY: political knowledge
16. Studies show that an increasing number of young Americans receive their
political knowledge from
A. newspapers.
B. video games.
C. late-night comedy shows.
D. their friends and family.
E. talk radio programs.
ANS: C REF: p. 13
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual KEY: political knowledge
17. Government can best be defined as
A. the institutions and procedures by which a territory and its people are
ruled.
B. the set of political principles and values that guide political life.
C. the legalized theft of others’ property.
D. the invisible hand that turns private interests into public goods.
E. the shared set of values, beliefs, and attitudes that people have about
politics.
ANS: A REF: p. 13 TOP: Factual – Definition
KEY: forms of government DIF: Easy
18. What is the principle difference between an autocracy and an oligarchy?
A. the responsiveness to popular opinion
B. the number of people in charge
C. the level of wealth of the rulers
D. international diplomatic recognition
E. the strength of the military
ANS: B REF: p. 13
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual KEY: forms of government
American Political Culture | 7
19. A government that accepts no legal limits on its power but may accept the
restraint of other social institutions, such as churches, is known as
A. oligarchic.
B. authoritarian.
C. totalitarian.
D. democratic.
E. republican.
ANS: B REF: p. 13 TOP: Factual – Definition
KEY: forms of government DIF: Easy
20. If the government were controlled by a small group of wealthy landowners
and corporate leaders, this would be best described as
A. an oligarchy.
B. an autocracy.
C. an authoritarian regime.
D. a totalitarian state.
E. a monarchy.
ANS: A REF: p. 13 TOP: Factual – Definition
KEY: forms of government DIF: Easy
21. An autocracy exists when
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.
ANS: A REF: p. 13 TOP: Factual – Definition
KEY: forms of government DIF: Easy
22. A service that a person needs but is usually unable to provide for him- or
herself individually is called
A. a public good.
B. a cultural commodity.
C. an oligarchy.
D. an entitlement.
E. a selective benefit.
ANS: A REF: p. 13
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: public goods
8 | Chapter 1
23. Which of the following is not an example of a public good?
A. a military defense force
B. a police force
C. a job
D. the administration of courts
E. social justice
ANS: C REF: p. 13
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: public goods
24. Who said that the best government was the one that “governed least”?
A. John Locke
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. Adam Smith
D. Abraham Lincoln
E. Franklin D. Roosevelt
ANS: B REF: p. 13
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – History KEY: public goods
25. The willingness to be restrained by the power of social institutions, but not
political or legal institutions, is a hallmark of a(n) ______ regime.
A. totalitarian
B. authoritarian
C. democratic
D. oligarchic
E. monarchic
ANS: B REF: p. 13 TOP: Factual – Definition
KEY: forms of government DIF: Easy
26. According to the text, what is the main benefit of a constitutional government?
A. The government is limited by the rule of law.
B. The government must obey democracy.
C. The government will distribute social goods equally.
D. The government is stable.
E. The government will produce high levels of economic growth.
ANS: A REF: p. 13
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual KEY: forms of government
American Political Culture | 9
27. A government that is formally limited by laws and rules is called
A. democratic.
B. constitutional.
C. oligarchic.
D. authoritarian.
E. totalitarian.
ANS: B REF: p. 13 TOP: Factual – Definition
KEY: forms of government DIF: Easy
28. Which of the following is not an example of a totalitarian regime?
A. pre–World War II Italy
B. pre–World War II Japan
C. Nazi Germany
D. the Soviet Union under Stalin
E. the United Kingdom
ANS: E REF: pp. 13–14
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual
KEY: forms of government
29. Before the eighteenth century
A. governments were primarily democratic.
B. totalitarian rule was common.
C. governments rarely sought the support of their people.
D. most governments were based on respect for the rule of law.
E. autocracies were extremely rare.
ANS: C REF: p. 14
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual KEY: forms of government
30. Of the nearly 200 governments in the world, what is the estimate of the number of actual constitutional democracies?
A. 20
B. 75
C. 89
D. 110
E. 150
ANS: C REF: p. 14
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual KEY: forms of government
10 | Chapter 1
31. The demand that there be no taxation without representation is a good
example of what political reform of the eighteenth century?
A. the decline of popular influence on government
B. more popular influence on government
C. the decline in citizenship
D. the spread of autocracy
E. greater attention to the economic effects of politics
ANS: B REF: p. 14 TOP: Factual – History
KEY: forms of government DIF: Moderate
32. The key group in Europe that pushed for limited government was
A. the bourgeoisie.
B. the idiotes.
C. the citizens.
D. the poor.
E. the peasantry.
ANS: A REF: p. 14 TOP: Factual – History
KEY: forms of government DIF: Easy
33. Historically, what were the most effective intermediaries for increasing political participation?
A. elected monarchies
B. universities
C. independent judiciaries
D. newspapers
E. parliaments
ANS: E REF: p. 14 TOP: Factual – History
KEY: forms of government DIF: Moderate
34. What major changes in Western government led to the establishment of constitutional government?
A. legal limits on government and the right of more people to vote
B. the right of revolution and the spread of socialism
C. debt relief for the poor and the right of citizens to hold office
D. the colonialism of the New World and the right of revolution
E. the growth in ethnic and religious diversity
ANS: A REF: pp. 14–15
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual
KEY: forms of government
American Political Culture | 11
35. John Locke and John Stuart Mill are important philosophers for which of the
following ideologies?
A. popular participation
B. liberty and political rights
C. tradition and religion in government
D. revolutionary action
E. socialism and communism
ANS: B REF: pp. 14–15 TOP: Factual – History
KEY: forms of government DIF: Moderate
36. Why did the Progressives support women’s suffrage in the early twentieth
century?
A. The Progressives were a group dominated by women.
B. The Progressives wanted to make the United States as democratic as
possible.
C. The Progressives believed women would support their reform
movement.
D. The Progressives needed to develop a voting bloc to check and limit
upper-class northerners.
E. The Progressives needed to develop a voting bloc to check and limit
lower-class southerners.
ANS: C REF: p. 15
DIF: Difficult
TOP: Factual – History KEY: participation
37. Who described politics as “who gets what, when, and how”?
A. James Madison
B. Abraham Lincoln
C. Harold Lasswell
D. Franklin Roosevelt
E. John Locke
ANS: C REF: p. 15
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – History KEY: participation
38. According to the text, what is the goal of politics?
A. to have a say in a government’s leadership, organization, and policies
B. to get as much power as possible in order to serve one’s own interests
C. to construct a perfect constitutional order
D. to construct a political system that is conducive to economic growth
E. to construct a political system that provides as many people as possible
with the chance to participate
ANS: A
REF: p. 15
TOP: Factual
KEY: participation
DIF: Moderate
12 | Chapter 1
39. Direct democracy is best defined as
A. a state of continual revolution.
B. the system that allows people to vote by telephone or over the Internet.
C. a system that allows citizens to vote directly for laws and policies.
D. the competition between interest groups for governmental power.
E. a system that allows citizens to elect representatives who play a significant role in governmental decision making
ANS: C REF: p. 15
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: participation
40. Having some share or say in the composition of a government’s leadership,
how it is organized, or what its policies are going to be is called
A. government.
B. power.
C. autocracy.
D. federalism.
E. constitutionalism.
ANS: B REF: p. 15
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: participation
41. Politics can be defined as
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.
ANS: A REF: p. 15
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: participation
42. A representative democracy is a system of government that
A. allows citizens to vote directly on laws and policies.
B. allows citizens to make, veto, or judge statutes personally.
C. gives citizens a regular opportunity to elect top government officials.
D. gives citizens the ability to make important military decisions directly.
E. legally requires government officials to vote for policies that a majority
of their constituents prefer.
ANS: C REF: p. 15
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: participation
American Political Culture | 13
43. Which of the following is an instrument of direct democracy?
A. the electoral college
B. litigation
C. initiatives
D. the House of Representatives
E. the Senate
ANS: C REF: pp. 15–16
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: participation
44. The struggle of competing interest groups for governmental influence is called
A. pluralism.
B. direct action politics.
C. direct democracy.
D. oligarchy.
E. grassroots mobilization.
ANS: A REF: p. 16
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: participation
45. The is the most important concept for the theory of pluralism.
A. individual
B. state
C. group
D. vote
E. nation
ANS: C
REF: p. 16
TOP: Factual
KEY: participation
DIF: Moderate
46. At the time of the Founding, approximately ______ percent of non–Native
American inhabitants of the thirteen states were of European ancestry.
A. 25
B. 50
C. 65
D. 80
E. 98
ANS: D REF: pp. 16–18
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – History
KEY: immigration
14 | Chapter 1
47. Which of the following statements about the changes in American society
between 1900 and 2000 is not true?
a. There has been a decline in the percentage of Americans who identify
themselves as Protestants.
b. The average age of Americans has risen.
c. There has been an increase in the percentage of Americans who live in
urban areas.
d. The percentage of whites has decreased.
e. The percentage of blacks has decreased.
ANS: A REF: pp. 18–24
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – History
KEY: race
48. The National Origins Quota System
a. allowed a large quota of new immigrants from northern European countries but only a small quota of new immigrants from eastern and southern European countries.
b. allowed only a small quota of new immigrants from northern European
countries but a large quota of immigrants from eastern and southern
European countries.
c. allowed the same quota of new immigrants from every country around
the world.
d. abolished the quota system for immigrants from certain countries.
e. outlawed all immigration from European countries.
ANS: A REF: pp. 19–20
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – History
KEY: immigration
49. Which of the following statements best describes naturalization laws in the
United States prior to 1870?
a. All free people could become naturalized citizens after living in the
country for at least five years.
b. All free people could become naturalized citizens after living in the
country for at least ten years.
c. Only free whites could become naturalized citizens.
d. Only freed black slaves could become naturalized citizens.
e. Only Native Americans could become naturalized citizens.
ANS: A REF: p. 20
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – History
KEY: race
American Political Culture | 15
50. Political culture refers to
A. the way that artists, musicians, filmmakers, and cultural critics use their
message to influence political decision making.
B. the factors that influence the way informal social organizations make
decisions.
C. the shared values, beliefs, and attitudes that serve to hold a nation and its
people together.
D. the system of organizing politically, which is defined in the Articles of
Confederation.
E. the formal rules that govern the interaction between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
ANS: C REF: p. 24
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: political culture
51. Throughout American history, the concept of liberty has been linked to
A. the idea of privacy.
B. the idea of limited government.
C. the idea of unlimited government.
D. the idea of economic equality.
E. the Articles of Confederation.
ANS: B REF: pp. 24–25 TOP: Factual – History
KEY: political culture DIF: Moderate
52. According to the text, what were the essential documents of the American
Founding?
A. the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
B. the Declaration of Independence and the Magna Carta
C. the Constitution and the Magna Carta
D. the Constitution and the Mayflower Compact
E. the Mayflower Compact and the Magna Carta
ANS: A REF: pp. 24–25 TOP: Factual – History
KEY: political culture DIF: Moderate
53. What are the three core values in American politics?
A. liberty, equality, and democracy
B. democracy, patriotism, and the rule of law
C. equality, oligarchy, and free enterprise
D. anarchy, equality, and patriotism
E. socialism, oligarchy, and liberty
ANS: A REF: pp. 24–26 TOP: Conceptual
DIF: Moderate
KEY: political culture
16 | Chapter 1
54. The Bill of Rights was designed to protect
A. equality.
B. liberty.
C. democracy.
D. capitalism.
E. socialism.
ANS: B REF: p. 25
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Applied
KEY: political culture
55. The Bill of Rights is
A. the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
B. the first constitution the Founders wrote.
C. the charter of freedom established by the English lords against the king.
D. the Fourteenth Amendment.
E. the first governing document of Plymouth Colony.
ANS: A REF: p. 25
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: political culture
56. In American political culture, economic freedom means
A. low inflation.
B. job security.
C. laissez-faire capitalism.
D. low taxes.
E. a government-controlled stock market.
ANS: C REF: p. 25 TOP: Conceptual KEY: political culture DIF: Easy
57. The term laissez-faire means
A. fair trade.
B. laziness is folly.
C. hard work.
D. leave alone.
E. equal treatment.
ANS: D REF: p. 25
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: political culture
58. The right of each citizen to vote is an example of
A. equality of opportunity.
B. equality of result.
C. political equality.
D. educational opportunity.
E. laissez-faire capitalism.
ANS: C REF: pp. 25–26 TOP: Factual – Definition
KEY: political culture DIF: Easy
American Political Culture | 17
59. “One person, one vote” reflects the principle of
A. political equality.
B. equality of opportunity.
C. majority rule.
D. economic liberty.
E. popular sovereignty.
ANS: A REF: p. 26
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: political culture
60. The Constitution’s Preamble, beginning with the words “We the People,” is
an illustration of what principle?
A. majority rule
B. political equality
C. popular sovereignty
D. minority rights
E. political rights
ANS: C
REF: p. 26
TOP: Applied
KEY: political culture
DIF: Easy
61. Political rights are a protection against
A. pluralism.
B. the tyranny of the majority.
C. the tyranny of the minority.
D. the equality of result.
E. socialism.
ANS: B REF: p. 26
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Applied
KEY: political culture
62. What is the most important check on majority rule in the United States?
A. popular sovereignty
B. pluralism
C. minority rights
D. laissez-faire
E. “one person, one vote”
ANS: C REF: p. 26
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Applied
KEY: political culture
18 | Chapter 1
63. The existence of slavery in the United States is a good example of how
A. American values are not always reflected in practice.
B. Americans do not value liberty.
C. European ideals have influenced American political culture.
D. political needs are often placed above economic needs.
E. liberty requires popular sovereignty.
ANS: A REF: pp. 26–27
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Conceptual
KEY: political culture
64. Which of the following statements concerning political values in the United
States is true?
A. American values often conflict with each other in practice.
B. Because of their diversity, Americans do not share a similar set of core
political values.
C. The origins of American political values are found in the 1960s.
D. American politics relies on its value neutrality.
E. A belief in economic equality is the oldest and most strongly held American value.
ANS: A REF: pp. 26–33
DIF: Difficult
TOP: Conceptual
KEY: political culture
65. The belief that political authority should rest with the people themselves is
called
A. equality of opportunity.
B. political equality.
C. pluralism.
D. popular sovereignty.
E. federalism.
ANS: D REF: p. 28
DIF: Easy
TOP: Factual – Definition KEY: political culture
66. The separate but equal doctrine was introduced in what Supreme Court case?
A. Plessy v. Ferguson
B. the civil rights cases
C. Brown v. Board of Education
D. Roe v. Wade
E. Marbury v. Madison
ANS: A REF: p. 28 TOP: Factual – History KEY: political culture
DIF: Moderate
American Political Culture | 19
67. Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education reveal two very different visions of what political value?
A. liberty
B. democracy
C. equality
D. fairness
E. popular sovereignty
ANS: C REF: p. 28
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Applied
KEY: political culture
68. Disputes over affirmative action demonstrate that
A. Americans disagree over the public’s legitimate role in ensuring the
equality of opportunity.
B. Americans are generally supportive of equality of results.
C. economic liberties are more important than democracy.
D. Americans have stopped valuing democracy.
E. Americans strongly support laissez-faire capitalism.
ANS: A REF: p. 28 TOP: Conceptual
DIF: Difficult
KEY: political culture
69. Affirmative action is very controversial because
A. Americans argue about whether it promotes or restrains equality.
B. it is inherently an undemocratic way of achieving liberty.
C. some argue that it limits political equality in order to promote
cost-effectiveness.
D. it is a legacy of the Jim Crow years.
E. some argue that it undermines popular sovereignty.
ANS: A REF: pp. 28, 30 TOP: Conceptual
DIF: Difficult
KEY: political culture
70. What observation did philosopher Immanuel Kant make in his 1795 essay
“Toward Perpetual Peace”?
A. The only way to achieve peace is by promoting more religion.
B. Perpetual peace is an impossible dream because people are blinded by
narrow self-interest.
C. The best route to peace is through strategic balance of power between
the United States and major European nations.
D. Democratic regimes seldom make war on each other.
E. Autocratic regimes seldom make war on each other.
ANS: D REF: p. 29
DIF: Difficult
TOP: Factual – History KEY: political culture
20 | Chapter 1
71. Which of the following is a common explanation for why the United States
should pursue a policy of democratization?
A. Democratization is less expensive than diplomacy.
B. Democratization leads to more political participation within the United
States.
C. Democratization leads to political stability.
D. Democratization leads to more economic equality among nations.
E. Democratization leads to a healthy environment.
ANS: C REF: p. 29
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Conceptual
KEY: political culture
72. Which of the following statements is true?
A. The United States has a greater gap in income between the poorest and
richest than any other developed nation.
B. The gap between the rich and the poor can be explained by American
support of oligarchy.
C. American politics is structured by centuries-long class antagonism.
D. Income gaps between Americans are small compared with those in
other developed nations.
E. The United States has a smaller gap in income between the poorest and
richest than any other developed nation.
ANS: A REF: p. 30
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Applied
KEY: political culture
73. According to the text, the United States did not become a fully democratic
nation until
A. 1790, when all thirteen states ratified the Constitution.
B. the 1860s, after the Civil War.
C. the 1820s, when property requirements for voting were dropped.
D. the early twentieth century, when women were granted suffrage.
E. the 1960s, when the right of African Americans to vote was enforced by
federal laws.
ANS: E REF: p. 32
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – History KEY: political culture
American Political Culture | 21
74. Which of the following statements about property restrictions on the right to
vote in the United States is true?
A. Property restrictions on the right to vote are explicitly forbidden in the
Constitution and have never been instituted.
B. Property restrictions on the right to vote were in effect early in the country’s history but were eliminated by 1828.
C. Property restrictions on the right to vote were instituted in 1828 and are
still in effect in many states.
D. Property restrictions on the right to vote are spelled out in the Constitution and have been in effect since 1788.
E. Property restrictions on the right to vote were in effect early in the country’s history but were eliminated with the passage of the Nineteenth
Amendment in 1920.
ANS: B REF: p. 32
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – History KEY: political culture
75. In ______ women were granted the constitutional right to vote.
A. 1863
B. 1870
C. 1900
D. 1920
E. 1965
ANS: D REF: p. 32
DIF: Moderate
TOP: Factual – History KEY: political culture
76. Low voter turnout and political apathy endanger
A. equality.
B. economic liberty.
C. democracy.
D. constitutionalism.
E. laissez-faire capitalism.
ANS: C REF: p. 32
DIF: Easy
TOP: Conceptual
KEY: political culture
22 | Chapter 1
TRUE/FALSE
1. Over the past several decades, the public’s belief that the government is
responsive to the people has declined.
ANS: T
REF: p. 8
2. Recent polls reveal that more than three-fourths of Americans know the
name of the current speaker of the House.
ANS: F
REF: p. 10
3. The most important thing for a citizen to possess is political knowledge.
ANS: T
REF: pp. 11, 13
4. Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union are both examples of autocracies.
ANS: F
REF: p. 13
5. When a single ruler controls all government power, it is called an oligarchy.
ANS: F
REF: p. 13
6. Constitutional democracies were often found throughout ancient Greece.
ANS: F
REF: pp. 13–14
7. Parliaments began in Europe as institutions for aristocrats.
ANS: T
REF: p. 14
8. The proletariat was the key social force leading to limited government during the eighteenth century.
ANS: F
REF: p. 14
9. The referendum is a form of direct democracy.
ANS: T
REF: p. 15
10. Because of the United States’ diversity of races, ethnicities, and religions,
Americans do not share a common political culture.
ANS: F
REF: p. 24
11. The principle of “one person, one vote” summarizes the idea of liberty.
ANS: F
REF: pp. 25–26
12. The United States has never accepted the principle of popular sovereignty.
ANS: F
REF: p. 26
American Political Culture | 23
13. Many of the most critical dilemmas of American politics involve conflicts
over the way commonly held values are put into practice.
ANS: T
REF: p. 26
14. Plessy v. Feguson and Brown v. Board of Education are both Supreme
Court cases dealing with the meaning of equality.
ANS: T
REF: p. 28
15. Property restrictions on the right to vote were eliminated in 1920.
ANS: F
REF: p. 32
ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Political analysts have identified a decline in the trust citizens put in their
government. Why is trust such an important trait for politics? In what ways
is it helpful for levels of trust to be high? What are some of the causes of the
decline in trust? How might trust be regained?
ANS: Answers will vary.
2. What does it mean to be a citizen? How have American ideals of citizenship
been influenced by the ancient Greeks? Why is political knowledge so vital
for citizenship and what are the different types of political knowledge?
ANS: Answers will vary.
3. Write an essay describing some of the different types of government. How
would you define and distinguish them? What are the specific characteristics of representative democracy?
ANS: Answers will vary.
4. What is political culture? What is the makeup of the political culture in the
United States? Give two examples of how the political culture of the United
States helps to unite Americans, even in disagreement.
ANS: Answers will vary.
5. While most Americans share similar political values, how they interpret
those values in practice often differs radically. Describe some of the conflicts that arise in politics when broadly defined values are implemented in
governmental policies. What are some of the controversies that have arisen
over the meaning of equality? Over the meaning of liberty?
ANS: Answers will vary.