AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam: Ch 1-11 100q 2014 PRACTICE FINAL EXAM 1. Which statement about party platforms is false? Party platforms are binding on their respective members of Congress. Presidents rarely attempt to implement all of them. They provide rival candidates with a test of their convention strength. Presidential politicians take them seriously. They often contain an element that is vigorously debated. 2. Cuban Americans tend to vote for... Democrats. Fidel Castro Independents. persons of their own race or ethnicity. Republicans. 3. Critically affecting the electoral college vote, bringing new issues to the public agenda, and venting popular discontent are important roles played by. third parties in two-party system. the two-party system in thwarting extreme or unconventional views. political parties in a single party system. intra-party factions. 4. All of the following are reasons incumbents in the House of Representatives enjoy an electoral advantage over challengers EXCEPT that incumbents... get most of their financial support from their party's national committee are better known to voters than are challengers. find it much easier to raise campaign funds than do challengers. can use staff members to do constituent service. often serve on committees that enable them to help their constituency.
5. The coattails effect is an example of a pattern of... sectional voting. regional voting. voting the same party for different offices. voting over time. socioeconomic voting 6. Which of the following techniques would a corporate lobbyist be MOST likely to use to influence political outcomes in Congress? I. Organizing a demonstration in Washington just before a key House vote II. Ensuring that the corporation's political action committee PAC makes donations to the campaigns of members of. key committees III. Meeting informally with Senate aides over lunch or cocktails IV. Bringing influential constituents to Washington to discuss important policy matters with their representatives. II only I and II only III and IV only I, III, and IV only II, III, and IV only 7. Which two vital techniques of influence do PACs link together? bringing lawsuits and backing candidates proposing rules and making propaganda presenting amicus curiae briefs and advertising giving money and persuading officials to act setting agendas and organizing the electorate
"Voting is partly a matter of habit: the more frequently a person has voted in the past, the more likely she or he is to vote in the current election. 8. All of the following support the observation above EXCEPT: Immediately after the Twenty-Sixth Amend government in 1971 gave 18-to-21 year olds the vote, the proportion of eligible voters who actually voted declined. Immediately after the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 gave women the vote, the proportion of eligible voters who actually voted declined. Immediately after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the participation rate of Black voters in the South was lower than that of White voters in the South. Unmarried persons over the age of 65 are less likely to vote than are married persons in that age group. Newly naturalized citizens may need special inducements to vote. 9. A first-term member of the House of Representatives from North Dakota who wished to maximize opportunities for constituent service would be most likely to seek placement on which of the following committees? Judiciary Agriculture Rules Foreign Affairs Science and Technology 10. Franklin Roosevelt's election to the presidency, after repeated Republican administrations, can be seen as an example of a... maintaining election deviating election dealigning election realigning election deactivating election
11. The election of 1994 resulted in a Congress that was... controlled by a Republican majority in both houses. controlled by a Democratic majority in both houses. controlled by a Democratic majority in the House and a Republican majority in the Senate. controlled by a Republican majority in the House and a Democratic majority in the Senate. none of the above 12. In the last thirty years, the single most important variable in determining the outcome of an election for a member of the House of Representatives has been... incumbency personal wealth previous political offices held in the district membership in the political party of the President dent positions on key social issues 13. Why was Shays' rebellion significant? It revealed discontent with the new nation's ability to handle domestic problems. The uprising foreshadowed problems over the South's commitment to slavery. Weakness in defenses against the British, French, and Spanish settlements were exposed. The conflict undermined the Philadelphia convention. It made a compromise on the right to bear arms more difficult to achieve. 14. Which of the following was the Great Compromise at the Philadelphia convention? the method of electing the president. Electoral College the counting of slaves for purposes of taxation & representation. creation of treaties with the Indian Tribes. representation of large and small states in Congress. the method of electing senators.
15. All of the following are true about incumbents EXCEPT they usually win elections. they usually have more money than their challengers. they usually have higher name recognition and visibility than their opponents. they usually have more PAC contributions than their opponents. they usually face very tough challengers, especially in race for the House. 16. Congressional is the process of monitoring the bureaucracy and its administration of policy. apportionment congruency supremacy overview oversight 17. The framers of the Constitution all believed that one of the primary functions of government is... educating citizens protecting individual property rights protecting new immigrants from persecution expanding the borders of the nation ensuring that anyone accused of a crime has the right to legal representation 18. In the Constitution as originally ratified in 1788, the provisions regarding which of the following most closely approximate popular, majoritarian democracy? Election of members of the House of Representatives Election of members of the Senate Election of the President Ratification of treaties Confirmation of presidential appointments
19. The legislative process at the national level reflects the intent of the framers of the Constitution to create a legislature that would... be less powerful than the executive be cautious and deliberate involve as many citizens as possible ensure that all factions be equally represented allow majorities virtually unlimited control over policy. easy to block leg. 20. Which of the following accurately characterizes the main difference between elite theories and pluralist theories of politics in the United States? Elite theories concentrate on the role of interest groups; pluralist theories emphasize the role of individuals. Elite theories argue that a single minority dominates politics in all policy areas; pluralist theories argue that many minorities compete for power in different policy areas. Elite theories argue that social status is the major source of political power; pluralist theories argue that wealth is the major source. Elite theories emphasize the multiple access points that interest groups have to public officials; pluralist theories stress the limits in the number and effectiveness of such access points. Elite theories view government as efficient; pluralist theories view it as slow and wasteful. 21. Powers maintained by the legislative branch over the executive branch include... the ability to declare laws unconstitutional. the right to pardon people convicted of federal crimes. Executive proposal of legislation. judicial supremacy confirmation of senior federal appointment.
Questions 19 and 20 refer to the following excerpt from a United States Supreme Court decision: "We are unanimously of opinion, that the law passed by the legislature of Maryland, imposing a tax on the Bank of the United States, is unconstitutional and void... This is a tax on the operation of an instrument employed by the government of the Union to carry its powers into execution. Such a tax must be unconstitutional..." 22. This decision of the Supreme Court upheld the principle that... the federal government and the state govern governments are equal. Congress has only those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution. Strict construction Congress has power to make laws to carry out its constitutional duties. the federal government alone may levy taxes taxation without representation is unconstitutional 23. Which of the following resulted from this Supreme Court decision? The power of the national government was strengthened. The power of the Supreme Court was weakened. The power of state governments to tax individual citizens was clearly limited. Congress was given the power to coin money. Congress alone was given the power to charter banks. Concurrent 24. Which of the following best defines the constitutional interpretation of federalism? The federal government and the states each have separate and mutually exclusive roles and responsibilities; neither controls the other. The states have some powers reserved to them which they may exercise if the Supreme Court permits. The federal government may exercise only those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution. The states may only exercise those powers delegated to them by Congress. The federal government and the states have separate but overlapping powers; where these powers conflict the federal government prevails. 25. The commerce clause... formed the basis for McCulloch v Maryland has been used to justify legislation in a wide variety of areas. was designed to protect the states from interference by Congress. represented the triumph of Jeffersonian over Hamiltonian principles.
formed the basis for Marbury v Madison. 26. The most clearly delegated powers found in the Constitution are termed... express powers. implied powers. inherent powers. judicial powers concurrent powers 27. When an interest group spends large but undisclosed amounts of money in a campaign, on its own and not through a party, and does not identify a specific candidate, it is termed... issue advertising. a PAC contribution. hard money. illegal. soft money 28. The provision which ensures that state courts enforce civil judgments of the courts of other states and accept their public records as valid is found in the... commerce clause. full faith and credit clause. privileges and immunities clause. due process clause. the concurrent clause 29. When individuals charged with crimes have fled from one state to another, the state to which they have fled is to deliver them to the proper officials upon the demand of the executive authority of the state from which they fled. This process is called... detention. arrest. habeas corpus posse comitatus. extradition.
30. The proportion of senators who are up for election ever two years is... 20 percent. one third. one half. two thirds. 100%, because the entire Senate is up for re-election every six years. 31. American political culture is characterized by strong popular support for all of the following EXCEPT... the rule of law limited government individual liberty equality of opportunity economic equality 32. Which of the following is not a characteristic of the American political tradition? idealism nationalism pragmatism pessimism liberty 33. Leftist critics of the American dream argue that... majority rule has gone too far. there are desirable limits to political democracy. a more equitable distribution of basic resources is needed the values Americans support are too vague and superficial. the Electoral College should be abolished. 34. Central to the American dream is the notion of... opportunity for the enterprising. help for the unfortunate. security for the underprivileged. hope for the stricken. equality of outcome
35. Conservatives place substantial faith in... progress the private sector government human nature equality of outcome 36. The most important group for children learning American political culture is the... family. school. peer group. mass media. popular culture 37. The major criticism of liberals is that they... are naïve. are misinformed. are too suspicious of beg government. will destroy individual initiative and thereby economic growth. place excessive trust in the marketplace to correct societal ills. 38. Liberals are more concerned than conservatives about rights of... accused persons. business owners. stock brokers. victims. defense. 39. Our ideas about the proper role of government are part of our... ideology. education. class status. information. political culture
40. The idea that the ultimate power resides in the people is called... democracy. human rights. vox populi. popular sovereignty. none of the above 41. Most people in the United States support an economic system which is... pure free market capitalism. semi-regulated or a mixed free enterprise system. democratic socialist. highly regulated by the government. based on monetarism and Keynesian principles. 42. The process by which parents and others teach children about the values, beliefs and attitudes of a political culture is termed... political indoctrination. political socialization. value inculcation. patriotic indoctrination. political enculturation 43. African Americans tend to vote for... Democrats. Republicans. Independents. candidates of their own race. 44. In The Federalist, No. 10 James Madison wrote that the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of... political power. education. property.
inheritance. none of the above 45. All of the following statements accurately characterize religion in America EXCEPT for... There has been an increase in political activity by fundamentalist Christians. In past elections, a majority of Protestants voted Republican while majorities of Catholics and Jews voted Democratic. Religion is important in American politics in part because of the concentration of people of particular religions in a few states. Americans take their religion less seriously than people of other industrial democracies. Evangelical Christians are a core element in the Republican Party. 46. With a few exceptions women, compared to men, have been more likely to vote for presidential candidates from the... Democratic party. Republican party. Libertarian party. Green party. there has been no statistically significant difference in the voting patterns of women and men. 47. Socioeconomic status is based on... occupation. income. education. (all of the above) ( (answers A and B only). 48. The demise of the solid South refers to... the resurgence of the Republican party in the South. the immigration of Northerners and Mexicans into what was previously a society that was resistant to outsiders. the end of segregation the end of a Southern economy based almost exclusively upon agriculture.
the movement of seniors to the Sunbelt. 49. Let s say that you have a patterned set of beliefs about what kind of policies the government should pursue, and that this set of beliefs is politically conservative. Conservatism is your political ideology. political culture. political party identification. political ethic. political motto. 50. Which would be LEAST likely to maintain a national lobbying organization in Washington, D.C.? Environmentalists Public housing tenants Nurses Automobile manufacturers Automobile assembly-line workers 51. The vast majority of PAC funds are distributed to political... unknowns incumbents challengers hacks consultants 52. The term used to refer to competition among open, responsive, and diverse groups which helps preserve democratic values and limits the concentration of power in any single group is... unionization. interest group pluralism. diversity of interest groups. displacement of factions. a republican form of government
53. A stipulation under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which holds that no person may be discriminated against in the use of federal funds because of race, color, or national origin, is an example of... direct orders. cross-cutting requirements. cross-over sanctions. total pre-emption. partial pre-emption 54. Which of the following constitutional clauses did John Marshall interpret in MCCULLOCH v. MARYLAND? necessary and proper. privileges and immunities. full faith and credit. regulation of commerce. executive preeminence 55. Which of the following statements about political action committees (PAC's) is true? PAC's may give unlimited contributions to the election campaigns of individual candidates. PAC spending has not kept pace with inflation. PAC activity is limited to direct contributions to candidates. Social issue groups are the source of most PAC dollars. PAC spending makes up a higher percentage of congressional campaign funds than of presidential campaign funds. 56. The primary reason for the current existence of only two major political parties in the United States is that... the Constitution puts severe restrictions on other parties third parties are usually far to the right or left, and Americans are moderates a winner-take-all electoral system makes it difficult for new parties to emerge and survive voters naturally think of themselves as either liberals or conservatives presidential electors can vote for only two candidates
57. More than any other single factor judicial appointments are based upon... political party membership and allegiance. generally non-partisan debate. considerations of liberal and conservative positions. considerations of strict and liberal interpretations of the Constitution. none of the above 58. The functions of political parties include all of the following EXCEPT... determining the nature of foreign policy. organizing the competition. unifying the electorate. translating preference into policy developing the means to win elections 59. Which of the following statements most accurately compares elections in the United States with those in most other Western democracies? United States citizens have fewer opportunities to vote in elections. Political parties exert a stronger influence over voting in the United States. There are fewer obstacles to voting in the United States. There are more political parties in the United States. The voter turnout rate in the United States is usually lower. 60. The percentage of whites voting... is less than blacks but more than Hispanics. is higher than either blacks or Hispanics. is equal to the percentage of blacks but lower than that of Hispanics. is equal to the percentage of Hispanics but lower than that of blacks. is equal to both Hispanics and blacks.
61. When a large portion of each side in a divided public feels intensely about an issue, public opinion may be described as... fluid latent consensual polarized salient 62. Is it really possible to GENERALIZE about the opinions of 300 million people on the basis of a few thousand interviews in a carefully chosen true random sample based on modern statistical methods? occasionally often rarely never always 63. The most basic unit of political socialization is... the family. peer groups. religious associations. schools. none of the above, as they all have similar impact on political socialization. 64. Today, in comparison to a century ago, which party a person belongs to... is usually a regional matter. is considered part of a person's way of life. evokes fiercely partisan loyalties. does not matter as much. matters a great deal more.
65. Which of the following best describes the relationship between socioeconomic status and participation in politics? The lower one's socioeconomic status, the more likely it is that one will run for public office. There is no relationship between socioeconomic status and political participation. Adults who are unemployed have a greater personal interest in policy and tend to participate more actively in politics than do employed adults. People in the lower middle class are the most likely to participate in politics. The higher one's socioeconomic status, the greater the probability of active involvement in the political process. STUDENT PARTY IDENTIFICATION BY PARENT S PARTY IDENTIFICATION Student Party Parent Party Identification Identification Democrat Independent Republican Democrat 66% 29% 13% Independent 27% 53% 36% Republican 7% 18% 51% Total 100% 100% 100% 66. According to the information in the table above, which of the following statements is correct? Students who identify themselves as independents are most likely to have parents who are Republicans. Of the three groups of parents, the Democrats are the most likely to pass on their party identification to their children. Students who identify with the Democratic party are more likely to have parents who are Republicans than parents who are independents. The children of Republicans are less likely to identify as independents than are the children of Democrats. Parents who are independents are the least likely to have children who share their party identification. 67. All of the following issues were decided at the Constitutional Convention EXCEPT... representation in the legislature voting qualifications of the electorate method of electing the President Congressional power to override a presidential veto qualifications for members of the House and Senate
68. Judicial review gives judges the power to... try cases and render decisions. declare legislative acts null and void. hold office for life subject to review by Congress. determine whether or not new federal judicial posts are necessary. hold the executive in contempt of court. 69. The 1976 Supreme Court decision that overturned FECA (1971), declaring that the First Amendment protects people's right to spend as much as they want on their own elections, but that Congress can limit how much people contribute to other's elections, was... Valeo vs. Ford Helms vs. Valeo Buckley vs. Valeo Bradley vs. Hernandez Suppose that in 2004 "strong" Democrats who share President Bush's views on taxation, and Republican women who oppose their party's pro-life plank, both turn out to vote at unexpectedly low rates. 70. These findings would provide evidence for which of the following hypotheses? Anything that produces cross-pressure reduces turnout. Strong party identification promotes participation. "Rational" voters need a sense of civic duty to motivate them to vote. Those who express satisfaction with candidate choices are less likely to vote. Those who are party activists are not likely to vote. 71. Between 1970 and 1990, reforms of the presidential nomination process have had which of the following effects? The nomination process in both parties has become less democratic and open. The number of Black delegates at Republican national conventions has grown dramatically. The number of candidates willing and able to seek the nomination has decreased dramatically. The number of female delegates and minority-group delegates at Democratic national conventions has grown substantially. State and local party organizations have increased their control over the process.
72. The use of direct primaries instead of the convention system in selecting presidential candidates results in which of the following? I. A weakening of party control over nominations. II. A reduction in the costs of election campaigns. III. An increase in the number of people involved in the choice of candidates. IV. An increase in voter turnout in midterm elections. I and III only II and IV only III and IV only I, II, and III only I, II, Ill, and IV (F) 73. Between 1970 and 1990, reforms of the presidential nomination process have had which of the following effects? The nomination process in both parties has become less democratic and open. The number of Black delegates at Republican national conventions has grown dramatically. The number of candidates willing and able to seek the nomination has decreased dramatically. The number of female delegates and minority-group delegates at Democratic national conventions has grown substantially. State and local party organizations have increased their control over the process. 74. In The Federalist papers, James Madison expressed the view that political factions... should be nurtured by a free nation should play a minor role in any free nation are central to the creation of a free nation are undesirable but inevitable in a free nation are necessary to control the masses in a free nation 75. The Antifederalists' strongest criticism of the Constitution was that it... delegated powers. contained checks and balances. relied on separation of powers. gave excessive power to the state governments. National supremacy clause; Supreme Court lacked a bill of rights
76. Which of the following best characterizes the influence of the news media on public opinion in the United States? They alter the public's views on issues. They affect which issues the public thinks are important. They determine how citizens will vote. They are most able to influence people with the highest level of education. They are most able to influence the urban sectors of society. 77. All of the following are true about issue ads EXCEPT... they call for the election or defeat of political candidates by name. there are no limits to the amount of such ads interest groups may buy. they are designed to influence voters' choices on election day. they are commercial advertising advocating a particular position on an issue. they are often funded by interest groups 78. A key criticism of the media, especially television, is that it often treats campaigns as if they were... debates soap operas family picnics public forums horse races 79. Which of the following is NOT true of national elections? Television has served to personalize presidential elections. Today s TV new spends much more time covering issues than in the past. The weight of attitudes toward parties is no longer the only predictor of votes. Party identification has become less of a factor in elections. Television has tended to de-emphasize issues as the defining element in elections. 80. 30. The media affect voters choices in that... newspapers and TV are more important in the primary than in the general election. small town voters are more readily influenced than urban voters negative advertising has no discernible affect on choice or turnout. horse race journalism promotes coverage of issues. people with smart phones are more likely to be exposed to Republican spots.
81. Major differences between procedures in the House of Representatives and the Senate would include: I. In the House, time for debate is limited, while in the Senate it is usually unlimited. II. In the House, the rules committee is very powerful, while in the Senate there is no comparable committee with such power. III. In the House, debate must be germane, while in the Senate it need not be. I only II only III only I and II only I, II and III 82. Which of the following is NOT considered a development that modified the way checks and balances actually works? the rise of national political parties. the development of regulatory agencies with legislative, executive and judicial powers. the emergence of the U.S. as a world power. increases in the size of population of the nation. the development of the internet. 83. As originally ratified, the United States Constitution included provisions designed to... limit the importation of foreign manufacture goods increase the economic importance of the agrarian sector relative to that of the manufacturing sector increase the economic powers of the central government expand the states' powers to regulate their own commerce with foreign countries guarantee the states a greater role in economic policymaking 84. The power of the Rules Committee in the House of Representatives rests on its authority to choose the chairs of other standing committees and issue rules for the selection of subcommittee chairs. initiate all spending legislation and hold budget hearings. place a bill on the legislative calendar, limit time for debate, and determine the type of amendments allowed. determine the procedures by which nominations by the President will be approved by the House. choose the President if no candidate wins a majority in the electoral college.
85. Which of the following committees irons out differences between Senate and House versions of a bill? steering committees conference committees the Committee for Adjustment and Reassignment standing committees policy committees 86. The details of legislation are usually worked out in which of the following settings? A party caucus The majority leader's office The floor of the House Legislative hearings A subcommittee 87. "Pork barrel" legislation helps the re-election chances of a member of Congress because such legislation... gives the member of Congress national standing and coverage on national television news helps earn the member of Congress a reputation for service to his or her district. attracts campaign contributions from ideological political action committees (PAC's). prevents other candidates from claiming that the member of Congress is too liberal for his or her district. requires the member of Congress to travel extensive. 88. Which of the following has decreased in Congress over the past twenty years? The chances of members' re-election The influence of committee chairs. The power of subcommittees. The total number of laws passed each year. The cost of congressional elections. 89. When a member of the House of Representatives helps a citizen from his or her district receive some federal aid to which that citizen is already entitled, the Representative s action is referred to as... casework pork barrel legislation. lobbying log rolling filibustering
90. The Framers preferred to use the word "republic" because they equated the term "democracy" with... mob rule. town meetings. government of the few. indirect authority. limited government. 91. The framers of the Constitution were most concerned to create a government that... was responsive to the mass of the people. allowed direct participation by the people. encouraged an arousing, mobilizing leadership. provided a viable, balanced, limited government. checked the tyranny of the minority. 92. The attempt to return many functions to the state level has been called... a return to state control. anti-federalism. devolution revolution. separation of powers. federalism 93. In contrast to block grants, categorical grants-in-aid provide state and local governments with... substantial discretion in deciding how to use the grants to solve their problems aid that reflects tax base and population the power to impose regressive taxes funds sufficient to support a high level of local service funds to administer programs clearly specified by the federal government 94. Of the following, which type of PAC spent the most money? public interest PACs. labor union PACs. environmental PACs. single-issue PACs corporate PACs.
95. Unlike movements, interest groups... feel alienated work within the governmental system refuse to bargain take more moral stands are likely to depend more heavily on charismatic leadership 96. When one party is in charge of the executive branch and the other is in charge of one or both houses of the legislative branch, the United States is said to have... divided government. executive rule. split power. gridlock. none of the above 97. On a party pyramid, the grass roots is located... on the top. at the base. in the middle. throughout. outside the principle arenas of concern 98. All of the following are commonly used by interest groups to influence the political process EXCEPT... lobbying contributing money to candidates nominating candidates filing lawsuits appealing to public opinion 99. Lobbyists are often called the "third house" of Congress because where the Senate and House are set up on a geographical basis, lobbyists represent people on the basis of... political party. occupation. religion. interest. none of the above