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Q:
Which of the following is a true statement in regard to voter turnout in presidential elections?
A.In the age of instant information and multiple media outlets, voter turnout and interest has significantly increased.
B.Voter turnout has remained about the same over the past several decades.
C.Many voters are denied the right to vote.
D.Voter turnout has tended to decline overall in the past several decades.
E.Voter turnout records are no longer maintained due to privacy concerns.
Q:
In the 2000 presidential election,
A.George Bush received fewer votes nationwide than Al Gore yet won in the Electoral College and was named president.
B.Al Gore garnered less votes than did George Bush.
C.Al Gore lost in both the Electoral College and the popular vote.
D.there was no clear winner in the popular vote.
E.the U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene.
Q:
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment, ratified in 1971,
A.gave voting rights to all African Americans.
B.eliminated artificial barriers to voter participation.
C.lowered the voting age for U.S. citizens from 21 years old to 18 years old.
D.gave women the right to vote.
E.mandated automated voting machines in all states.
Q:
Since the 1990s the average turnout in a presidential election is _____ of registered voters.
A.less than 10 percent
B.about 30 percent
C.approximately 50 percent
D.about 80 percent
E.close to 100 percent
Q:
Voter turnout is
A.the number of potential voters in the United States.
B.the ratio of Republicans to Democrats who cast ballots in an election.
C.the illegal turning away of an otherwise legally registered voter.
D.the percentage of the general public who actually took the time to cast a ballot.
E.the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot.
Q:
The concept of individualism is a collective American value meaning that
A.citizens are primarily responsible for their lot in life.
B.court rulings are custom-made to suit the individual.
C.the rights of the individual outweigh the rights and powers of the government.
D.in essence, the individual is expected to look after his/her own interests and is not responsible for others.
E."my rights are more important than your rights."
Q:
History has shown that ethnic and racial diversity in our nation
A.has weakened our social fabric.
B.has eliminated racial tensions.
C.has actually enhanced the quality of our culture and helped to guarantee the fairness of the government.
D.has led to a society in which it is necessary to have multiple layers of government, each serving a different racial constituency.
E.has weakened religious purity.
Q:
Which of the following would serve as an example of limited government?
A.In administering Medicare benefits, the federal government imposes mandates upon the states.
B.The government refuses to intervene in a corporate merger that some argue would create a monopoly.
C.The president appoints a conservative Supreme Court justice.
D.Congress limits funding for the war in Iraq as a political counteraction to the president's powers as commander-in-chief.
E.State governments are not subordinate to the federal government.
Q:
Thomas Jefferson described the concept of limited government with which words?
A."The state government is limited in its ability to tax its citizens."
B."No federal government can circumvent the power of the states."
C."The government that governs least governs best."
D."The state government is subservient to the federal government."
E."There are limits to the powers that the state can exercise."
Q:
That "the will of people" ought to guide public policy is a concept that is defined as
A.liberty.
B.pluralism.
C.plurality.
D.majority rule.
E.politics.
Q:
The values and beliefs toward government and its operations and institutions, widely held among its citizens in a society, are often referred to as
A.political culture.
B.political leaning.
C.partisanship.
D.collective ideology.
E.politics.
Q:
Which of the following is an example of a plurality?
A.The winning candidate in an election receives exactly half of the votes but is allowed to take office.
B.A presidential candidate does not receive a majority of the electoral college votes but is declared the winner of the election.
C.A political candidate receives the most votes and takes office though he/she fails to win a majority of the votes.
D.Two candidates combine their votes to form a majority.
E.No candidate receives a majority so the top two candidates form a power-sharing arrangement.
Q:
Representative democracy is often referred to with which of the following synonymous terms?
A.Elective government
B.Capitalism
C.Federalism
D.Republic
E.Congress
Q:
How does representative democracy differ from direct democracy?
A.In a direct democracy the citizens are taxed directly, whereas in representative democracy taxes are less obvious.
B.In a direct democracy the individual citizens play an active and direct role in government, whereas in representative democracy they elect officials to act on their behalf.
C.Unlike direct democracy, representative democracy eliminates the power of the citizens to have any say in government.
D.The only difference between the two is the way in which representatives are elected.
E.Direct democracy is synonymous with a monarchy, whereas representative democracy allows more citizen involvement in government.
Q:
The concept of _____ advocates that the ultimate source of power rests with the people.
A.federalism
B.humanism
C.constitutionalism
D.popular sovereignty
E.politics
Q:
One of the most important reasons for the strength and endurance of the U.S. Constitution is
A.its flexibility.
B.its rigidity.
C.the ability of ordinary citizens to change it.
D.its declaration that the power of government is supreme.
E.that it is steadfast and cannot change.
Q:
Political philosopher Thomas Hobbes believed that the essence of government is
A.to make all people happy to the extent that this is possible.
B.to manage naturally occurring conflicts.
C.to repress any opposition to the legitimate government.
D.that it has no moral authority.
E.to produce wealth for every human being.
Q:
Thomas Jefferson, the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence, was a strong advocate of ____, and this belief is evident in the wording of the document.
A.natural law/rights
B.humanism
C.capitalism
D.socialism
E.Christianity
Q:
Which of the following is an example of how the concept of natural law could be applied?
A.The city government prevents a developer from destroying a wooded area.
B.A totalitarian ruler exercises power over citizens by eliminating private ownership of property.
C.Nearly all citizens realize that every child has a right to live free from abuse, and the governing body enacts a law to protect that right.
D.Laws are abolished and each person is free to determine his or her own moral compass and destiny.
E.Capitalism is abolished.
Q:
Political philosopher John Locke proposed that people are born with natural rights and that government cannot violate these rights. Locke argued that the basis for government, or human laws, is
A.that Congress has a moral obligation to protect green space.
B.that in Locke's view the government has full powers to control the people.
C.that religious thought is greater than human thought.
D.the right and privilege of the elected officials.
E.consent of the governed.
Q:
A government is viewed as legitimate when
A.there is no opposition to its policies.
B.all officials are elected with a majority of the popular vote.
C.the affected people recognize the government and allow it to exercise control over them.
D.it attempts to make all citizens happy.
E.it takes the form of a democracy.
Q:
Politics
A.denotes the nasty, ruthless side of political campaigns in which candidates launch personal attacks on other candidates.
B.refers to campaigns for elected office.
C.is always used with a negative connotation.
D.is the way in which the institutions of government are organized and influenced.
E.always corrupts.
Q:
Power
A.always has negative results.
B.is not conducive to democracy.
C.does not exist in a democracy.
D.is necessary in any government in order that it may enforce its rules.
E.is necessary in a democracy in order that anti-government forces may be kept quiet and under control.
Q:
Which of the following is an example of an authoritarian form of government?
A.The government does not provide for the physical needs of its citizens.
B.One person or one political party maintains complete control and suppresses all other political parties and interests.
C.Literacy is non-existent among the common citizens.
D.Diverse religions are normally tolerated and encouraged.
E.Alliances and interactions among other nations are commonplace.
Q:
A(n) ______ is a form of government in which a small exclusive class holds supreme power.
A.republic
B.monarchy
C.oligarchy
D.theocracy
E.civic union
Q:
Which of the following nations currently has a theocratic form of government?
A.United States
B.Israel
C.Japan
D.Iran
E.Mexico
Q:
Democracy is
A.government in which elected officials have control and remove any power or authority from the people.
B.a form of government in which a small exclusive class holds supreme power.
C.government in which religion must play a significant role.
D.government in which the people, either directly or through elected representatives, hold power and authority.
E.the only true and legitimate form of government.
Q:
In political theory a social contract is
A.an agreement people make with one another to form a government and abide by its rules and laws.
B.a civil agreement.
C.a peace accord.
D.an alliance of racial and ethnic groups within a society with the goal of keeping social order.
E.a mediated peace.
Q:
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, an eighteenth century French philosopher, posited
A.that American democracy would end in failure.
B.that in fact a social contract exists.
C.that capitalism was a failed policy.
D.that France would become a world superpower.
E.that democracy was antithetical to freedom.
Q:
A state of lawlessness and discord in the political system is
A.anomie.
B.alliance.
C.anarchy.
D.oligarchy.
E.non-compliance.
Q:
What is a collection of public institutions in a nation that set down and enforce the rules by which the members of that nation must live?
A.Congress
B.bureaucracy
C.courts
D.civic academy
E.government
Q:
Which of the following illustrates use of the global perspective in policymaking?
A.The president's press office authorizes a public opinion poll to gauge support.
B.Congressional hearings focus upon similar situations from the recent past.
C.The president's administration is concerned about the perception and impact of the decision among allied countries.
D.United States policymakers fear a terrorist attack by American citizens within our borders and launch a preemptive military attack on another country.
E.The president's Cabinet decides that the policy will not move forward unless public opinion polls indicate support of more than 50 percent.
Q:
In policy development the popular perspective is very much dependent upon
A.historical facts.
B.support from other countries.
C.funding.
D.public opinion.
E.belief in fairness.
Q:
When considering public policy the president and other elected officials utilize several perspectives. The ____ perspective considers prior decision as a precedent for the current situation.
A.historical
B.global
C.popular
D.common
E.anticipative
Q:
Americans responded to the first two years of the Obama presidency by ________.
A) consolidating support behind environmental policies to slow the rise of the oceans
B) increasing Democratic power in Congress in the "blue wave" election of 2010
C) demanding a dramatic increase in their income taxes to fund new government programs
D) handing Obama a crushing, historic rebuke in the 2010 mid-term elections
E) forming violent Tea Party militias that staged takeover attempts across the nation
Q:
Which of these was the worst domestic problem facing President Obama at the time of his election?
A) a series of urban riots
B) the disputed election
C) economic recession
D) drought throughout the Midwest
E) bank failures
Q:
How did Ralph Nader's candidacy in the 2000 presidential election affect the race?
A) Gore moved further to the left, leaving more room for Bush among independents.
B) Gore moved further to the right, alienating a large portion of his voter base.
C) Bush moved further to the right, leaving more room for Gore among independents.
D) Bush moved further to the left, taking a large portion of Gore's voter base.
E) Both Gore and Bush moved further to the right, attracting independent voters.
Q:
How did the end of the Cold War play into Saddam Hussein's decision to invade Kuwait?
A) He thought the world would be too busy controlling Eastern European countries to object.
B) The Soviet Union was no longer a superpower that could influence him.
C) He had captured weapons from Eastern European countries when the Soviet Union left.
D) The government of Kuwait no longer received aid from the Soviet Union.
E) He wanted to force the United States to take a stand against Russia.
Q:
Americans feel vulnerable because ________.
A) migration out of the U.S. has hit an all-time high
B) they feel the world is not listening to them
C) international and domestic problems continue to challenge them
D) the U.S. has the least troubled economy in the world
E) Americans are wildly optimistic about the future
Q:
The age of the American population relates to the economy because ________.
A) more older Americans need healthcare and receive social security
B) the increasing number of young workers in service jobs adds money to Social Security
C) children are volunteering to pay more taxes to support retired Americans
D) with fewer elderly people, funding for programs in healthcare can be reduced
E) older Americans are spending more on travel and consumer goods
Q:
Science education in the schools became controversial in the early twenty-first century, in part because of ________.
A) protests against university genetics programs that researched eugenics
B) protests against psychology classes teaching that homosexuality was a mental illness
C) demands to bring global warming into the science curriculum
D) demands for more federal funds to support and expand science education
E) demands to teach intelligent design instead of evolution
Q:
The issue that gays and lesbians have been pressing in the individual states is ________.
A) equal access to education
B) comparable medical insurance
C) equality in the military
D) equal marital rights
E) personal privacy
Q:
How did the dismal economy affect the 2008 presidential race?
A) It helped Obama gain ground during the campaign.
B) It decreased Obama's overall popularity.
C) It decreased both Obama and McCain's popularity.
D) It caused resentment against the Democratic Party.
E) It did not have any effect on the 2008 presidential election.
Q:
How is the 2004 presidential election best described?
A) unusual because no public debates were allowed due to security concerns
B) similar to other recent presidential elections
C) unique because repeated recounts had to be made
D) harmonious because everyone was united against terrorism
E) especially bitter and spiteful as each party blamed and criticized the other
Q:
Bush's 2003 decision to go to war in Iraq initially seemed ________.
A) unwise because the U.S. military was consistently defeated by Hussein's forces
B) necessary because Saddam Hussein was the mastermind of the September 11 terrorist attacks
C) wise because the military quickly succeeded in taking Baghdad
D) wise because he had intelligence that Saddam Hussein was planning a terrorist attack on the U.S.
E) unwise because UN inspectors found weapons of mass destruction in Baghdad
Q:
American foreign policy changed after the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States by ________.
A) returning to an isolationist foreign policy
B) returning to a containment foreign policy
C) taking on the role of global police officer
D) ending its alliances with Europe and Asia
E) continuing only humanitarian missions
Q:
What effect did the September 11, 2001, attacks have on the U.S. economy?
A) little effect
B) devastated the airline industry
C) destroyed the oil industry
D) created an economic boom
E) improved the international tourism industry
Q:
How was George W. Bush's economic policy different from Clinton's?
A) Clinton favored investing in education, while Bush favored investing in environmental reforms.
B) Clinton favored reducing government spending, while Bush favored increasing government spending.
C) Clinton favored tax reduction, while Bush favored eliminating the deficit.
D) Clinton favored eliminating the deficit, while Bush favored tax reduction.
E) Clinton favored tax reduction, while Bush favored cutting spending.
Q:
The division in America revealed the 2000 presidential election was between ________.
A) the urban coastal states that voted for Bush and rural southern states that voted for Gore
B) the poor who voted for Bush and the middle class who voted for Gore
C) the rich who voted for Gore and the poor who voted for Bush
D) the liberals who voted for Bush and the conservatives who voted for Gore
E) people in suburbia who voted for Bush and rural Americans who voted for Gore
Q:
Which of these led to unrest in the Balkans?
A) the breakup of Yugoslavia
B) the intervention of an aggressive Austria
C) a surprise Soviet invasion
D) the end of the Cold War
E) Turkey's continued intervention
Q:
When Kenneth Starr released his report outlining possible impeachment charges against Clinton, the American public ________.
A) became even angrier with Clinton for his indiscretions and deceits
B) ignored Starr's report
C) wanted all information about presidential affairs reported in the news
D) supported Starr for his thorough investigation and reporting of the President's indiscretions
E) condemned Starr for revealing on the news such graphic and intimate details of sexual practices
Q:
How did the Democratic Party change its tactics in the early 1990s and regain the White House?
A) It became more liberal in order to differentiate itself from the Independent Party.
B) It became more moderate and began tailoring programs to the middle class.
C) It stopped focusing on the middle class and instead sought upper class support.
D) It abandoned the traditional Democratic goals such as healthcare reform.
E) It strengthened its focus on the importance of big government.
Q:
In 1991, the ________ caused a riot in South Central Los Angeles in which 53 people were killed.
A) government's response to the failure of banks
B) court's acquittal of the police officers who beat Rodney King
C) government's failure to respond to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
D) American invasion of Iraq and capture of Saddam Hussein
E) end of the Cold War and fall of the Berlin Wall
Q:
How did life improve for African Americans over the last few decades of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty-first century?
A) The average income for African-American families increased to match that of white families.
B) The average educational level of African Americans increased.
C) The incarceration level of African Americans dropped below the national average.
D) The poverty rate among African Americans dropped below the national average.
E) Homicide was no longer the leading cause of death among young black males.
Q:
In 1986, Congress responded to concerns about the economic effects of undocumented workers when it ________.
A) tripled the size of the border patrol
B) built a wall across the Canadian border
C) doubled the funds for border enforcement
D) repealed privacy laws to find undocumented workers
E) penalized employers who hired undocumented workers
Q:
What did immigrants from the four major Hispanic groups have in common?
A) They tended to be relatively wealthy.
B) They tended to have few children.
C) They tended to be relatively young.
D) They tended to have very high college graduation rates.
E) They tended to live primarily in rural areas.
Q:
One positive for people living American urban centers is that they ________.
A) had more education than people in rural areas
B) made less money than people in rural areas
C) enjoyed a lower crime rate than people in rural areas
D) were just as likely to graduate from college as people in rural areas
E) had a lower cost of living than people in rural areas
Q:
George H. W. Bush responded to the 1989 repression of protestors in Tiananmen Square by ________.
A) threatening to send troops to protect the protestors
B) severing all diplomatic ties with the Chinese government
C) not reacting publicly, but secretly aiding Chinese resistance groups
D) denouncing the violence but secretly maintaining a working relationship with China
E) being personally outraged but doing nothing in response
Q:
Why was George H. W. Bush's plan to bring down the federal budget deficit unsuccessful?
A) His plan was never palatable to Congress.
B) His plan coincided with the beginning of a recession.
C) His plan included new taxes but no spending cuts.
D) His plan included spending cuts but no new taxes.
E) His plan did not include new taxes or spending cuts.
Q:
After Iraq invaded Kuwait, the George H. W. Bush administration felt pressured because ________.
A) Kuwait had been on the other side of the Cold War
B) Iraq used U.S. intelligence for its attack on Kuwait
C) they feared their actions had inadvertently caused the crisis
D) Saddam Hussein's regime was very repressive
E) The U.S. was the sole remaining superpower following the Cold War
Q:
What issue became especially controversial after Chief Justice William Rehnquist died and Associate Justice Sandra Day O"Connor retired?
A) medical insurance
B) immigration
C) abortion
D) government bailouts
E) loans made after disasters
Q:
Over the years, affirmative action policies were passed to ________.
A) secure the power of each branch of government
B) allow the president to reinstitute the military draft
C) limit the terms of those elected to governmental positions
D) ensure greater participation by minorities
E) give more decision-making power to the people
Q:
The central issue of the 2004 presidential election was ________.
A) the war in Iraq
B) the Cold War
C) the economy
D) family values
E) the war on drugs
Q:
In 2002, the Bush administration insisted Iraq was hiding ________.
A) terrorists
B) weapons of mass destruction
C) stolen U.S. documents
D) American diplomats
E) religious leaders
Q:
The George W. Bush administration initiated a new global strategy after the terrorist attacks on the United States, and its critics called this policy ________.
A) unilateralism
B) bipolarism
C) containment
D) dtente
E) isolationism
Q:
The countries which comprised President George W. Bush's "axis of evil" in 2002 were ________.
A) Afghanistan, Russia, and North Korea
B) China, Cuba, and Russia
C) Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan
D) Iraq, Afghanistan, and Russia
E) Iraq, Iran, and North Korea
Q:
The overthrow of the Taliban regime in ________ was the first move in the war on terror.
A) Iraq
B) Iran
C) Pakistan
D) Afghanistan
E) Saudi Arabia
Q:
"No Child Left Behind" required ________.
A) billions of dollars be sent to anti-poverty efforts around the world
B) state testing to evaluate student performance in reading and math
C) resources go to low-income families to increase graduation rates
D) mandatory preschool and kindergarten for all American children
E) a reformed foster care system that would prevent all child abuse
Q:
After George W. Bush was elected president, his first order of business was ________.
A) to expand the Americans with Disabilities Act
B) to strengthen environmental protections
C) to quell unrest in the Middle East
D) to create major healthcare reform
E) to institute a large tax cut
Q:
Which of these countries was given most-favored nation status in 2000, in spite of its poor human rights record?
A) Egypt
B) Turkey
C) China
D) Russia
E) Mexico
Q:
For which of the following was Bill Clinton impeached by the Senate?
A) perjury and obstruction of justice
B) making unwelcome sexual advances to Paula Jones
C) having an affair with Monica Lewinsky
D) selling missile technology to China for campaign contributions
E) being involved in a crooked real estate scheme in Arkansas
Q:
The Contract with America did NOT include ________.
A) universal health care coverage
B) a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution
C) term limits for members of Congress
D) a line-item veto for the president
E) a middle-class tax cut
Q:
NAFTA is ________.
A) the first lending institution to need a government bailout in 2008
B) the most common weapon of mass destruction found in Iraq
C) an arms treaty between the United States and Russia
D) a free trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada
E) an international organization helping nations move from communism to democracy
Q:
Where do the largest single group of Asian Americans come from?
A) Cambodia
B) China
C) Laos
D) Thailand
E) Vietnam
Q:
The event that revealed to the nation that poverty in America was not color-blind was ________.
A) the 2000 presidential election
B) the Oklahoma City bombing
C) Hurricane Katrina
D) the War on Terror
E) Operation Desert Storm
Q:
The nation's largest ethnic minority by 2002 was ________.
A) Asian Americans
B) African Americans
C) Hispanics
D) women
E) Chinese Americans
Q:
The area of the United States that experienced dramatic growth from the 1970s to the 1990s was the ________.
A) Pacific Northwest
B) Great Lakes region
C) Northeast coast
D) Midwest
E) Sunbelt
Q:
Operation ________ was the U.S. and allied military campaign against Iraq in 1991.
A) Against Terror
B) Desert Storm
C) Afghanistan
D) Defeat Saddam
E) Liberate Kuwait
Q:
The person most responsible for the liberation of Eastern Europe from repressive governments was ________.
A) Mikhail Gorbachev
B) George H. W. Bush
C) Saddam Hussein
D) Boris Yeltsin
E) Bill Clinton
Q:
In 1989, popular demonstrations calling for democratic reform were violently suppressed in _______.
A) China
B) Egypt
C) Czechoslovakia
D) Chile
E) Russia