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POLS EXAM 1- pre-tests

Terms in this set (59)

Which of the following statements best describes the shift in America's age profile since 1900?
The percentage of adults over the age of 65 has increased dramatically.
The phrase "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" appears in
the Declaration of Independence
Americans' trust in their government
has declined since the early 1960s.
The principle of political equality can be best summed up as
"Equality of opportunity"
Political efficacy is the belief that
ordinary citizens can influence what government does
Limited government is a principle of socialism which limits who can participate in the governmental system.
False
Why are minority rights important for American democracy?
Protecting minority interests ensures that government does not become a "tyranny of the majority."
The percentage of foreign-born individuals living in the United States
has increased significantly since reaching its low point in 1970.
Political power refers to the influence over a government's leadership, organization, or polices
True
Popular sovereignty is a principle of democracy in which political authority rest ultimately with the most popular politicians who are repeatedly elected to public office.
False
What percentage of Americans live in urban areas today?
about 80 percent
A state that permits its citizens to vote directly on laws and policies is practicing a form of
direct democracy
Citizenship is informed and active membership in political community.
True
What is the difference between a totalitarian government and an authoritarian government?
Authoritarian governments are often kept in check by other institutions, while totalitarian governments are not.
How has the internet affected Americans' relationship with politics?
...
Which of the following statements best describes the history of income inequality in the United States?
Income inequality has increased considerably since the late 1970s.
In all constitutional governments
laws limit what governments can do and how they go about doing it.
An economic system that allows the government very little power to regulate commerce or restrict the use of private property is called
laissez-faire capitalism
Government is the term generally used to describe the formal institutions
through which a territory and its people are ruled.
During the ratification debates, who were the Antifederalists?
those who opposed the new constitution because they wanted a weaker national government
The issue of representation was addressed in the Great Compromise by giving each state
An equal number of senators and a number of representatives based on the state's population
During the debate over ratification, the Federalists were
those who supported the new Constitution because it created a stronger national government than existed under the articles of Confederation
Which proposal argue that states should be represented in the national legislature according to their size and wealth?
the Virginia plan
Which event led directly to the Constitutional Convention by providing evidence that the government created under the Articles of Confederation was unable to act decisively in time of national crisis?
Shays's Rebellion
The framers hoped to create a presidency that would be
capable of timely and decisive action
What is the significance of the Bill of Rights?
It ensured certain rights and liberties to the people.
The agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention that determined how enslaved people would be counted for the purposes of taxation and congressional representation was called the
Three-Fifths Compromise
The New Jersey Plan offered a framework for the Constitution, introduced by William Paterson, that called for equal state representation in the national legislature regardless of population.
True
There are 18 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
False
Which of the following best describes the Supreme Court as understood by the Founders?
the highest court of both the national government and the states
Who was responsible for carrying out laws passed by the national Congress under the Articles of Confederation?
the States
A unicameral legislature is an assembly composed of two chambers or houses.
False
Which of the following best describes the process of amending the Constitution?
It is difficult and has rarely been used successfully to address specific public problems.
Which features of the Constitution did Anti-federalists fear would lead to the emergence of tyranny?
...
The Federalist Papers were written by
John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison.
The first governing document in the United States was
The Articles of Confederation
The British attempted to raise revenue in the North American colonies by
imposing taxes on commerce
In their fight against British taxes, such as the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act of 1764, New England merchants and southern planters allied with which of the following groups
shopkeepers, small farmers, laborers, and artisans
What are expressed powers?
powers specifically expressed in the text of the Constitution
Which constitutional clause requires that states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions of other states?
full faith and credit clause
The constitutional idea of states' rights was strongest during which historical period?
the years immediately preceding the Civil War
To what does the term New Federalism refer?
efforts to return more policy-making discretion to the states through the use of block grants
In which case did the Supreme Court crate the potential for increased national power by ruling that Congress could, based on the necessary and proper clause, exercise powers "implied" by its delegated powers?
McCulloch v. Maryland
Under which system of federalism have states done most of the fundamental governing?
dual federalism
Which clause is the source of implied powers under the U.S. Constitution?
necessary and proper
The principle that allows the federal government to take over areas of regulation from states or local governments is called
preemption
Which amendment to the Constitution states that the powers the Constitution does not delegate to the national government or prohibit to the states are "reserved to the states"?
Tenth Amendment
Which of the following is the best example of a unitary system of government?
...
Over time, the value of categorical grants has
increasing from $54.8 billion in 1960 to approx $598.2 billion in 2021.
From the perspective of democratic participation, the multiple layers of government in a federal system
can make it difficult for individuals to figure out which government is responsible for the problem that concerns them.
Which term describes the division of powers and functions between the national government and lower levels of government?
You Answered
federalism
One of the downsides of state control over policy is that
citizens may benefit or suffer unevenly from government action or inaction depending on where they live.
A state government's authority to regulate the health, safety, welfare, and morals of its citizens is frequently referred to as
the police power.
The process of transferring responsibility for policy from the national level to the state level is known as
devolution
The privileges and immunities clause of Article IV is also referred to as the ________ clause.
comity
When state and local governments conform to requirements imposed by the national government but do not receive funding for the expenditure required to fulfill them, they are complying with
unfunded mandates.
In 1937 the Supreme Court laid the groundwork for a stronger federal government by issuing a number of decisions that
dramatically expanded the definition of the commerce clause.
Which of the following is the best example of a concurrent power under the U.S. Constitution?
the power to regulate commercial activity
Most states have amended their constitutions to guarantee that their larger cities will have the authority to manage local affairs without interference from state government.
home rule.
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