CHAPTER 1: Understanding American Politics
TRUE/FALSE
1. The political controversy involving the debt ceiling in the summer of 2011 illustrates how a
divided government prevents bipartisan compromises from being reached.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Pages 3–4
TOP: Overview of American Government MSC: Applied
2. Debt-ceiling negotiations in the summer of 2011 were difficult because there were partisan
differences in Congress that reflected real policy divisions among American citizens.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Pages 3–4
TOP: Overview of American Government MSC: Applied
3. The debate over the debt ceiling was ultimately one about the size of the federal budget and
illustrates how partisan differences can be easily overcome when Congress is simply willing to
split the differences between the Republicans’ and the Democrats’ ideal positions.
ANS: F DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 3–4
TOP: Overview of American Government MSC: Applied
4. The main reasons we have government are to provide order and to ensure a relatively high level
of economic equality.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Pages 6–8
TOP: Purpose of Government: Provide order MSC: Factual
5. Federalism divides power and allocates different responsibilities to local, state, and national
governments.
, ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 8
TOP: Purpose of Government: Provide order MSC: Factual
6. James Madison was concerned about the possibility of tyranny by a faction imposing its will on
the rest of the nation.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Page 8
TOP: Purpose of Government: Provide order MSC: Factual
7. The free rider problem occurs because people can share in the benefits of a public good whether
or not they helped provide it. This is one reason we need government to take action in some
policy areas.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: Page 9
TOP: Purpose of Government: Promote the general welfare MSC: Conceptual
8. Politics occurs only in the context of government decision making.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 10 TOP: Understanding Politics
MSC: Factual
9. Politics is conflictual because politicians rarely listen to the common-sense voices of the
American public.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: Page 12
TOP: Understanding Politics: Conflict MSC: Conceptual
10. The issue of abortion, in which there is no national consensus on when to allow abortions, is a
good example of why conflict is inevitable in politics.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: Page 13
TOP: Understanding Politics: Conflict MSC: Applied
, 11. When the authors say that political process matters, they mean that we should pay attention to
both the rules that decision makers must follow and the political actors who participate.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 14–15
TOP: Understanding Politics: The process matters MSC: Applied
12. The way that people make decisions about politics is similar to how they make decisions in other
areas of their lives. An example of this is that many voters form judgments about candidates by
focusing on the candidates’ appearance, including ethnic background, gender, or age.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Page 18
TOP: Understanding Politics: Politics is everywhere MSC: Applied
13. Compared to most European democracies, the United States has been relatively free of class-
based politics. This means that economics is NOT an important source of political conflict.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: Page 19
TOP: Conflict in American Politics: Economic MSC: Applied
14. Cultural issues have become the dominant source of conflict in American politics and had a major
effect on the outcome of the 2008 presidential election.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: Page 21
TOP: Conflict in American Politics: Culture MSC: Factual
15. Race and gender are significant in American elections because they remain important sources of
political disagreements and identity politics, which can influence individual voting behavior.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 21–22
TOP: Conflict in American Politics: Identity MSC: Conceptual
MULTIPLE CHOICE
, 1. The Treasury Department issues bonds to:
a. print and coin money
b. offset the U.S. trade deficit
c. regulate the banking industry
d. protect the integrity of the stock market
e. fund the federal government when its expenditures exceed its revenues
ANS: E DIF: Easy REF: Page 3
TOP: Overview of American Government MSC: Factual
2. The debate over raising the debt ceiling was difficult to resolve because:
a. the agency, Standard & Poor’s, lowered its ratings on U.S. federal bonds
b. it involved compromise on not only government spending but also policy
c. a bipartisan committee’s recommendations failed to receive congressional approval
d. most Americans were not following the issue, making it difficult for members of Congress
to know what position to take
e. President Barack Obama and Speaker John Boehner dislike one another
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Pages 3–4
TOP: Overview of American Government MSC: Conceptual
3. All nations have some form of government because:
a. government provides for national defense and protects against tyranny by the majority
b. government provides order and helps to promote the general welfare
c. government ensures there is justice and freedom from want
d. government ensures economic prosperity for the nation as a whole and protects civil
liberties for individuals
TRUE/FALSE
1. The political controversy involving the debt ceiling in the summer of 2011 illustrates how a
divided government prevents bipartisan compromises from being reached.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Pages 3–4
TOP: Overview of American Government MSC: Applied
2. Debt-ceiling negotiations in the summer of 2011 were difficult because there were partisan
differences in Congress that reflected real policy divisions among American citizens.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Pages 3–4
TOP: Overview of American Government MSC: Applied
3. The debate over the debt ceiling was ultimately one about the size of the federal budget and
illustrates how partisan differences can be easily overcome when Congress is simply willing to
split the differences between the Republicans’ and the Democrats’ ideal positions.
ANS: F DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 3–4
TOP: Overview of American Government MSC: Applied
4. The main reasons we have government are to provide order and to ensure a relatively high level
of economic equality.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Pages 6–8
TOP: Purpose of Government: Provide order MSC: Factual
5. Federalism divides power and allocates different responsibilities to local, state, and national
governments.
, ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 8
TOP: Purpose of Government: Provide order MSC: Factual
6. James Madison was concerned about the possibility of tyranny by a faction imposing its will on
the rest of the nation.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Page 8
TOP: Purpose of Government: Provide order MSC: Factual
7. The free rider problem occurs because people can share in the benefits of a public good whether
or not they helped provide it. This is one reason we need government to take action in some
policy areas.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: Page 9
TOP: Purpose of Government: Promote the general welfare MSC: Conceptual
8. Politics occurs only in the context of government decision making.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 10 TOP: Understanding Politics
MSC: Factual
9. Politics is conflictual because politicians rarely listen to the common-sense voices of the
American public.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: Page 12
TOP: Understanding Politics: Conflict MSC: Conceptual
10. The issue of abortion, in which there is no national consensus on when to allow abortions, is a
good example of why conflict is inevitable in politics.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: Page 13
TOP: Understanding Politics: Conflict MSC: Applied
, 11. When the authors say that political process matters, they mean that we should pay attention to
both the rules that decision makers must follow and the political actors who participate.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 14–15
TOP: Understanding Politics: The process matters MSC: Applied
12. The way that people make decisions about politics is similar to how they make decisions in other
areas of their lives. An example of this is that many voters form judgments about candidates by
focusing on the candidates’ appearance, including ethnic background, gender, or age.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Page 18
TOP: Understanding Politics: Politics is everywhere MSC: Applied
13. Compared to most European democracies, the United States has been relatively free of class-
based politics. This means that economics is NOT an important source of political conflict.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: Page 19
TOP: Conflict in American Politics: Economic MSC: Applied
14. Cultural issues have become the dominant source of conflict in American politics and had a major
effect on the outcome of the 2008 presidential election.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: Page 21
TOP: Conflict in American Politics: Culture MSC: Factual
15. Race and gender are significant in American elections because they remain important sources of
political disagreements and identity politics, which can influence individual voting behavior.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 21–22
TOP: Conflict in American Politics: Identity MSC: Conceptual
MULTIPLE CHOICE
, 1. The Treasury Department issues bonds to:
a. print and coin money
b. offset the U.S. trade deficit
c. regulate the banking industry
d. protect the integrity of the stock market
e. fund the federal government when its expenditures exceed its revenues
ANS: E DIF: Easy REF: Page 3
TOP: Overview of American Government MSC: Factual
2. The debate over raising the debt ceiling was difficult to resolve because:
a. the agency, Standard & Poor’s, lowered its ratings on U.S. federal bonds
b. it involved compromise on not only government spending but also policy
c. a bipartisan committee’s recommendations failed to receive congressional approval
d. most Americans were not following the issue, making it difficult for members of Congress
to know what position to take
e. President Barack Obama and Speaker John Boehner dislike one another
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Pages 3–4
TOP: Overview of American Government MSC: Conceptual
3. All nations have some form of government because:
a. government provides for national defense and protects against tyranny by the majority
b. government provides order and helps to promote the general welfare
c. government ensures there is justice and freedom from want
d. government ensures economic prosperity for the nation as a whole and protects civil
liberties for individuals
