Directions: Each of the questions or incomplete statements below is followed by four suggested answers or completions. Select the one that is best in each case and fill in the corresponding oval on the scan tron sheet. 1. What is the principle mechanism by which a political party exercises its influence on government? A) It buys advertising space in local, state, and national newspapers to promote its goals. B) It holds a national convention every four years. C) It elects candidates from its party to public office. D) It buys treasury bonds from the federal government. 2. Base your answer to the following question on the quotations below and on your knowledge of social studies. "The rule of law is more powerful than the rule of the tyrant." Simon Bolivar "Whoever has the... supreme power... is bound to govern by established standing laws." John Locke What is the main idea expressed in these quotations? A) Rulers should govern with unlimited power. B) All governments must be democratic. C) Rulers must be subject to the law. D) Governments should be based on the laws of God. 3. The Code of Hammurabi, the Ten Commandments, and the Twelve Tables were all significant to their societies because they established A) democratic governments B) a monotheistic state religion C) protected trade routes, which linked Asia and Europe D) systematized rules of behavior 4. Base your answer to the following question on "No freeman shall be... imprisoned... or in any way harmed... except by the lawful judgment of his peers..." Magna Carta, 1215 This statement is the basis for the democratic principle of the right to A) trial by jury B) freedom from cruel and unusual punishment C) freedom from double jeopardy D) protection against self-incrimination 5. Many of the reforms of the Populist and Progressive parties were not adopted until after these parties ceased to exist. Which is the best explanation for this fact? A) The reform ideas benefitted people who were not registered voters. B) These parties were minority parties and did not reflect the views of the majority at the time. C) Business and industry took strong measures to improve their practices without government regulation. D) Government lacked the funding to implement the reforms at the time. 6. "If a son has struck his father, they shall cut off his hand. If a nobleman has destroyed the eye of a member of the aristocracy, they shall destroy his eye..." The idea expressed in this quotation is found in the A) Ten Commandments B) Napoleonic Code C) Code of Hammurabi D) Twelve Tables 7. Which idea is illustrated by the Supreme Court cases Schenck v. United States (1919) and Korematsu v. United States (1944)? A) Freedom of the press has often been restricted by the judicial branch. B) During wartime, limitations on civil rights have been upheld by judicial action. C) The rights of criminals have been preserved even in times of national stress. D) Economic interests of foreign nations are frequently upheld in United States courts. 8. John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau would be most likely to support A) a return to feudalism in Europe B) a government ruled by a divine right monarchy C) a society ruled by the Catholic Church D) the right of citizens to decide the best form of government 9. A writ of habeas corpus would be most useful to a person who has been A) held in jail without a charge B) held in jail and cannot afford an attorney C) tried and convicted D) tried twice for the same crime 10. The major role of political parties in the United States is to A) propose constitutional amendments. B) nominate candidates for public office. C) conduct surveys to determine the popular opinion of public officials. D) break down the revenues and expenditures of the federal government. 11. Both the Democratic and Republican parties A) must be equally represented in the U.S. Senate at all times. B) are organized at the local, state, and national levels. C) receive their funding from the Federal Reserve. D) are classified as third parties.
Base your answers to questions 12 and 13 on the cartoon below and on your knowledge of social studies. 12. What is the main idea of this cartoon? A) Americans fail to adequately support the expenses of political candidates. B) Campaign advertising has no influence on voter turnout. C) Campaign costs are a major cause of the national debt. D) High campaign costs negatively affect the political process. 13. The situation being depicted in the cartoon explains why A) a true democracy is too costly in the modern era. B) minor parties have difficulty competing in presidential elections. C) the presidential election occurs every four years. D) the Electoral College is an unnecessary institution. 14. Which is the most accurate statement about third party movements in United States political history? A) They have frequently stemmed from and replaced one of the two major parties. B) They have been created to deal with issues ignored by major parties. C) They have usually had no effect on the United States political process. D) They have been started most often by organized religions. 15. The English Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man are similar in that each A) achieved its aims without resorting to the use of force B) represented a decline in the power of the legislature C) symbolized a desire for increased popular control of government D) was limited in influence to the time in which it was written 16. The primary reason for the development of political party organizations to handle many of the political processes in the United States was the A) outline for their structure in the United States Constitution B) need for some structure for groups with common political interests C) formation of political organizations by various state militia units after the Revolutionary War D) controversy over the selection of the person to succeed George Washington after he retired from the Presidency 17. Conflicts between Jeffersonians and Hamiltonians during President George Washington's first administration led directly to the A) end of the Era of Good Feelings. B) decision to replace the Articles of Confederation. C) addition of the elastic clause. D) formation of the first political parties. 18. Which of the following statements is true about the Republican party? A) Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican President. B) It emerged from the Democratic party. C) It has traditionally taken a pro-labor stance on economic issues. D) Its central philosophy derives from the ideas of Andrew Jackson. 19. The fact that lobbyists play an increasingly important role in U.S. politics indicates that A) presidential powers are becoming more limited. B) special-interest groups are organizing more effectively. C) there are more independent voters now than at any other time in American history. D) a multi-party system has replaced the traditional two-party system. 20. Creating websites, advertising on television and radio, and hosting a national convention are all means by which a political party's national committee A) impacts the lawmaking process in Congress. B) promotes its members to public office at the local level. C) generates support for its presidential nominee. D) reinforces the constitutional principle of rule of law. 21. One of the major goals of all interest groups is to do which of the following? A) prevent voter fraud by ensuring that citizens of voting age are registered B) elect a candidate who will represent the views of every citizen C) persuade public opinion to be in agreement with their respective views D) supervise Congress in order to prevent any wrongdoing
22. Books, magazines, newspapers, television, and websites are all A) different types of polls that news media and polling organizations use. B) forms of advertisements that elections boards use to encourage people to register to vote. C) different types of primary sources that historians use when researching the Great Depression. D) forms of mass media that political parties use to generate support for their candidates and stances. 23. Which of the following statements is true about the origin of political parties? A) They are required by the U.S. Constitution. B) New political parties need the unanimous approval of Congress. C) All new political parties must stem from either the Democratic or Republican party. D) The framers believed political parties to be dangerous. 24. A writ of habeas corpus A) brings a prisoner before a court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. B) is a right of American citizens stated in Article I of the Constitution. C) may be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony or to be prosecuted. D) gives accused people the opportunity for a trial by jury. 25. Lobbyists do all of the following EXCEPT A) provide representation to particular groups in the legislative process. B) attempt to persuade members of Congress to adopt their views on proposed legislation. C) distribute information favorable to their cause. D) make revisions to proposed bills before they are voted on in Congress. 26. Which of the following is a reason why third parties are commonly referred to as minor parties? A) Third parties only developed following the Civil Rights movement. B) Third parties cannot use newspaper, radio, or television campaigning. C) Third parties only exist on the local and state levels. D) No member of a third party has ever won the U.S. presidency. 27. One factor that led to the formation of the first two political parties in the United States in the 1790s was the conflict over the A) spread of slavery into the western territories. B) Supreme Court's power of judicial review. C) readmission of Confederate states back to the Union. D) distribution of power between the federal and state governments. 28. A major objection to many lobbying groups is that they A) are not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution. B) are not regulated by the federal government. C) have too much influence on individual politicians. D) are permitted to appear in front of congressional committees. 29. The Twelve Tables, Justinian's Code, and the English Bill of Rights are similar in that each addresses the issue of A) social mobility B) economic development C) the individual and the state D) the importance of polytheistic religion 30. Which of the following statements is true about political parties in American history? A) The two-party political system began during the New Deal era. B) The Democrats and Republicans have been the only political parties since the Revolutionary War. C) Geographic regions have always been used to distinguish political parties. D) There were third parties dating back to the first half of the 19th century. 31. English influence on colonial practices was most evident in A) law and court procedures B) written constitutions C) town meetings D) the public schools 32. By definition, an interest group must I. have an executive board and at least 100,000 members. II. promote causes that benefit all Americans. III. be comprised of people with similar views on certain issues. A) I and II only. B) I and III only. C) III only. D) I, II, and III. 33. Which feature of the United States' English heritage is reflected in the Bill of Rights? A) principles of justice contained in the Magna Carta B) system of the separation of powers C) principle of federalism D) pattern of a bicameral legislature 34. "No freeman shall be... imprisoned... or in any way harmed... except by the lawful judgment of his peers..." Magna Carta, 1215 This statement is the basis for the democratic principle of the right to A) trial by jury. B) freedom from cruel and unusual punishment. C) freedom from double jeopardy. D) protection against self-incrimination.
35. Base your answer to the following question on Magna Carta signed by King John Habeas Corpus Act passed during the rule of Charles II Bill of Rights agreed to by William and Mary These events in English history were similar in that they all A) promoted religious freedom B) limited the power of the monarch C) provided universal suffrage D) supported divine right theory 36. A study of the political history of the United States would reveal that, in general, political parties have been A) coalitions of different interest groups. B) opposed to progressive measures for the working class. C) in agreement on nearly all Supreme Court decisions. D) able to finance their activities without government supervision. 37. Political action committees (PACs) are most closely associated with the A) spoils system B) cabinet system C) lobbying system D) appeals system 38. An organization of citizens/voters who share common interests about how government should be run is referred to as a A) political unit B) political party C) political monopoly D) political confederation 39. Which best supports the contention that lobbyists perform a useful and needed function in the legislative process? A) Since they have backgrounds in specialized areas, they should exercise more control than other interested citizens. B) They are recognized in the U.S. Constitution and must operate within its requirements. C) They provide information that might not ordinarily be available. D) They usually reflect the majority opinion of registered voters. 40. Labor unions, the National Rifle Association, and Common Cause are all examples of A) charitable organizations. B) political parties. C) interest groups. D) congressional committees.
Answer Key Chp 4-Political Process 1. C 2. C 3. D 4. A 5. B 6. C 7. B 8. D 9. A 10. B 11. B 12. D 13. B 14. B 15. C 16. B 17. D 18. A 19. B 20. C 21. C 22. D 23. D 24. A 25. D 26. D 27. D 28. C 29. C 30. D 31. A 32. C 33. A 34. A 35. B 36. A 37. C 38. B 39. C 40. C Version 1