Ch01
Student: ___________________________________________________________________________
1. In which of the following presidential elections was turnout by young voters the largest?
A. 1980
B. 1988
C. 1992
D. 2000
E. 2008
2. Millennials who are attending or about to attend college are
A. less ethnically and racially diverse than previous generations attending college.
B. less cynical than their immediate predecessors in Generation X.
C. less civic-minded than their immediate predecessors in Generation X.
D. less politically engaged than their immediate predecessors in Generation X.
E. None of these answers is correct.
3. Which of the following is true of citizenship for much of the past half century in the United States?
A. Citizenship overall has come to be in a precarious state.
B. Citizens' involvement in the life of their communities has dwindled.
C. Voter turnout is well below that of other advanced democracies.
D. The level of trust between citizens and elected national leaders has decreased.
E. All these answers are correct.
4. The bonds of trust and reciprocity between citizens that form the glue holding modern societies together
is referred to as
A. social capital.
B. sense of community.
C. political culture.
D. belief systems.
E. None of these answers is correct.
5. Democracy as practiced in the United States and most other Western nations is best described as
A. oligarchic.
B. absolutist.
C. direct.
D. representative.
E. restricted.
6. Political decision-making by the entire citizenry is called
A. direct democracy.
B. representative democracy.
C. majority rule.
D. minority rights.
E. authoritarianism.
7. ________ is a system in which citizens hold public officials accountable through periodic elections and
the rule of law.
A. Direct democracy
B. Representative democracy
C. Majority rule
D. Minority rights
E. Authoritarianism
,8. America's democracy is characterized by
A. majority rule and protections for minority rights.
B. greater than 90 percent participation by the citizenry in elections.
C. absolute power being exercised by a single person.
D. absolute equality amongst all citizens.
E. None of these answers is correct.
9. Which of the following institutions BEST exemplifies direct democracy?
A a New England town meeting in which all members of the community are allowed to introduce
. legislation and then vote for passage or rejection of legislation
B a national government in which all of the people have the right to express their opinion and cast their
. vote for the person whom they wish to elect to the presidency
C a presidential administration in which the ethnic make-up of the president's cabinet roughly coincides
. with the ethnic make-up of the country as a whole
Da bicameral national government in which seats in one house are divided equally among all the states,
. and seats in another house are divided among the states in proportion to their population
E. a local government in which all political positions including judgeships are elective, and none are
appointive
10. Which of the following statements about ruling-elite theory is LEAST accurate?
A. It argues that members of the elite wield political power disproportionate to their numerical size.
B. It argues that members of the elite are often able to influence public policy to their own advantage.
C Empirical findings have demonstrated that members of the elite are more likely to trample over civil
. liberties than Americans with less wealth or education.
D. It argues that members of the elite tend to be better informed about political affairs than other
Americans.
E. It argues that members of the elite generally have greater access to political officials and political
offices than other Americans.
11. Which of the following statements about democracy as currently practiced in the United States is most
accurate?
A. The United States is one of the few countries that practices direct democracy.
B. In the United States, the rule of the majority is absolute.
C. In the United States, the majority in government cannot pass laws without the active support of the
minority.
D. In the United States, the minority have veto power over the electoral and legislative choices of the
majority.
E. In the United States, public policy is determined by the people's representatives, not by the people
themselves.
12. The defining characteristic of pluralism is the belief that
A various groups and coalitions constantly vie for government favor and the ability to exercise political
. power, but none enjoy long-term dominance.
B. when too many interests exist within a single polity, the government cannot function effectively.
C. the commitment to majority rule inevitably results in the oppression of minorities.
D. an undue commitment to minority rights places undue restraints on majority rule.
E. despite its democratic rhetoric, the United States is effectively governed by a small elite whose
membership rarely changes.
13. An instance in which one segment of society manages to push through a law in one legislative session,
only to have another segment build enough support to overthrow the law in the next session, would best
be defined as an example of
A. direct democracy.
B. pluralism.
C. a ruling elite.
D. aristocracy.
E. minority rights.
,14. The 2011 referendum in Ohio that overturned legislative action opposing collective bargaining for public
employees seems to demonstrate which of the following?
A. direct democracy
B. ruling elite theory
C. pluralism
D. protection of minority rights
E. protection of civil liberties
15. American foreign policy is most likely to be shaped according to the principles of which type or model of
government?
A. majority rule
B. pluralism
C. ruling elite
D. aristocracy
E. minority rights
16. In American politics, pluralism is most evident in matters related to
A. personal choice.
B. national security.
C. foreign relations.
D. bureaucratic procedures.
E. jurisprudence.
17. Aristotle, Thomas Jefferson, and John Stuart Mill all agreed that
A. women were equal to men.
B. the citizenry must remain politically active.
C. complacent citizens were a sign of a healthy government.
D. a government, once established, could not be overturned.
E. the people should be excluded from politics as completely as possible.
18. Which of the following men called for periodic citizen uprisings to reinvigorate the spirit of democracy?
A. Aristotle
B. John Locke
C. John Stuart Mill
D. Thomas Jefferson
E. Robert Putnam
19. According to the study discussed in the text, in which one of the following countries do college-educated
adults aged 25-64 have the highest level of trust in government?
A. United States
B. Italy
C. China
D. France
E. Germany
20. A device permitted in 24 states that allows citizens to approve or repeal measures already acted upon by
legislative bodies is called a(n)
A. initiative.
B. popular referendum.
C. legislative referendum.
D. recall.
E. None of these answers is correct.
, 21. What is the term for an electorate's right to draft legislation?
A. initiative
B. popular referendum
C. legislative referendum
D. recall
E. social capital
22. What is the term for an electorate's right to vote directly for or against legislative measures?
A. initiative
B. popular referendum
C. legislative referendum
D. recall
E. social capital
23. What is the term for the requirement that certain types of measures, such as constitutional amendments,
must be approved by the electorate?
A. initiative
B. popular referendum
C. legislative referendum
D. recall
E. social capital
24. How many of the 50 states grant their citizens the powers of initiative and popular referendum?
A. 6
B. 18
C. 24
D. 37
E. 50
25. How many of the 50 states grant their citizens the power of legislative referendum?
A. 6
B. 18
C. 24
D. 37
E. 50
26. How many of the 50 states grant their citizens the power of recall?
A. 6
B. 18
C. 24
D. 37
E. 50
27. What is the term for an electorate's right to force unpopular elected officials out of office before the
expiration of their term?
A. initiative
B. popular referendum
C. legislative referendum
D. recall
E. social capital
28. AmeriCorps is an example of which of the following?
A. a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving voting participation
B. a national volunteering effort not affiliated with the federal government
C. indirect government support of volunteering efforts
D. direct government support of volunteering efforts
E. a manifestation of the ruling elite theory of government
Student: ___________________________________________________________________________
1. In which of the following presidential elections was turnout by young voters the largest?
A. 1980
B. 1988
C. 1992
D. 2000
E. 2008
2. Millennials who are attending or about to attend college are
A. less ethnically and racially diverse than previous generations attending college.
B. less cynical than their immediate predecessors in Generation X.
C. less civic-minded than their immediate predecessors in Generation X.
D. less politically engaged than their immediate predecessors in Generation X.
E. None of these answers is correct.
3. Which of the following is true of citizenship for much of the past half century in the United States?
A. Citizenship overall has come to be in a precarious state.
B. Citizens' involvement in the life of their communities has dwindled.
C. Voter turnout is well below that of other advanced democracies.
D. The level of trust between citizens and elected national leaders has decreased.
E. All these answers are correct.
4. The bonds of trust and reciprocity between citizens that form the glue holding modern societies together
is referred to as
A. social capital.
B. sense of community.
C. political culture.
D. belief systems.
E. None of these answers is correct.
5. Democracy as practiced in the United States and most other Western nations is best described as
A. oligarchic.
B. absolutist.
C. direct.
D. representative.
E. restricted.
6. Political decision-making by the entire citizenry is called
A. direct democracy.
B. representative democracy.
C. majority rule.
D. minority rights.
E. authoritarianism.
7. ________ is a system in which citizens hold public officials accountable through periodic elections and
the rule of law.
A. Direct democracy
B. Representative democracy
C. Majority rule
D. Minority rights
E. Authoritarianism
,8. America's democracy is characterized by
A. majority rule and protections for minority rights.
B. greater than 90 percent participation by the citizenry in elections.
C. absolute power being exercised by a single person.
D. absolute equality amongst all citizens.
E. None of these answers is correct.
9. Which of the following institutions BEST exemplifies direct democracy?
A a New England town meeting in which all members of the community are allowed to introduce
. legislation and then vote for passage or rejection of legislation
B a national government in which all of the people have the right to express their opinion and cast their
. vote for the person whom they wish to elect to the presidency
C a presidential administration in which the ethnic make-up of the president's cabinet roughly coincides
. with the ethnic make-up of the country as a whole
Da bicameral national government in which seats in one house are divided equally among all the states,
. and seats in another house are divided among the states in proportion to their population
E. a local government in which all political positions including judgeships are elective, and none are
appointive
10. Which of the following statements about ruling-elite theory is LEAST accurate?
A. It argues that members of the elite wield political power disproportionate to their numerical size.
B. It argues that members of the elite are often able to influence public policy to their own advantage.
C Empirical findings have demonstrated that members of the elite are more likely to trample over civil
. liberties than Americans with less wealth or education.
D. It argues that members of the elite tend to be better informed about political affairs than other
Americans.
E. It argues that members of the elite generally have greater access to political officials and political
offices than other Americans.
11. Which of the following statements about democracy as currently practiced in the United States is most
accurate?
A. The United States is one of the few countries that practices direct democracy.
B. In the United States, the rule of the majority is absolute.
C. In the United States, the majority in government cannot pass laws without the active support of the
minority.
D. In the United States, the minority have veto power over the electoral and legislative choices of the
majority.
E. In the United States, public policy is determined by the people's representatives, not by the people
themselves.
12. The defining characteristic of pluralism is the belief that
A various groups and coalitions constantly vie for government favor and the ability to exercise political
. power, but none enjoy long-term dominance.
B. when too many interests exist within a single polity, the government cannot function effectively.
C. the commitment to majority rule inevitably results in the oppression of minorities.
D. an undue commitment to minority rights places undue restraints on majority rule.
E. despite its democratic rhetoric, the United States is effectively governed by a small elite whose
membership rarely changes.
13. An instance in which one segment of society manages to push through a law in one legislative session,
only to have another segment build enough support to overthrow the law in the next session, would best
be defined as an example of
A. direct democracy.
B. pluralism.
C. a ruling elite.
D. aristocracy.
E. minority rights.
,14. The 2011 referendum in Ohio that overturned legislative action opposing collective bargaining for public
employees seems to demonstrate which of the following?
A. direct democracy
B. ruling elite theory
C. pluralism
D. protection of minority rights
E. protection of civil liberties
15. American foreign policy is most likely to be shaped according to the principles of which type or model of
government?
A. majority rule
B. pluralism
C. ruling elite
D. aristocracy
E. minority rights
16. In American politics, pluralism is most evident in matters related to
A. personal choice.
B. national security.
C. foreign relations.
D. bureaucratic procedures.
E. jurisprudence.
17. Aristotle, Thomas Jefferson, and John Stuart Mill all agreed that
A. women were equal to men.
B. the citizenry must remain politically active.
C. complacent citizens were a sign of a healthy government.
D. a government, once established, could not be overturned.
E. the people should be excluded from politics as completely as possible.
18. Which of the following men called for periodic citizen uprisings to reinvigorate the spirit of democracy?
A. Aristotle
B. John Locke
C. John Stuart Mill
D. Thomas Jefferson
E. Robert Putnam
19. According to the study discussed in the text, in which one of the following countries do college-educated
adults aged 25-64 have the highest level of trust in government?
A. United States
B. Italy
C. China
D. France
E. Germany
20. A device permitted in 24 states that allows citizens to approve or repeal measures already acted upon by
legislative bodies is called a(n)
A. initiative.
B. popular referendum.
C. legislative referendum.
D. recall.
E. None of these answers is correct.
, 21. What is the term for an electorate's right to draft legislation?
A. initiative
B. popular referendum
C. legislative referendum
D. recall
E. social capital
22. What is the term for an electorate's right to vote directly for or against legislative measures?
A. initiative
B. popular referendum
C. legislative referendum
D. recall
E. social capital
23. What is the term for the requirement that certain types of measures, such as constitutional amendments,
must be approved by the electorate?
A. initiative
B. popular referendum
C. legislative referendum
D. recall
E. social capital
24. How many of the 50 states grant their citizens the powers of initiative and popular referendum?
A. 6
B. 18
C. 24
D. 37
E. 50
25. How many of the 50 states grant their citizens the power of legislative referendum?
A. 6
B. 18
C. 24
D. 37
E. 50
26. How many of the 50 states grant their citizens the power of recall?
A. 6
B. 18
C. 24
D. 37
E. 50
27. What is the term for an electorate's right to force unpopular elected officials out of office before the
expiration of their term?
A. initiative
B. popular referendum
C. legislative referendum
D. recall
E. social capital
28. AmeriCorps is an example of which of the following?
A. a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving voting participation
B. a national volunteering effort not affiliated with the federal government
C. indirect government support of volunteering efforts
D. direct government support of volunteering efforts
E. a manifestation of the ruling elite theory of government
