Chapter Study Questions for Exam 1 (Ch. 1, 2, 3)
I. Chapter One: American Political Culture
1. What effect did 9-11 have on trust in government and was the impact sustainable? 6, 8
The trust in the government increased since we were in a national crisis, but the impact
wasn’t sustainable.
2. What events in 2008 and historically prompted Americans to look to the federal
government for help and thus marked the beginning of big government? What did
the government do after 9-11 and after the 2008 crisis? 5-8
In 2008 Americans looked to the federal government for help when the economy was
threatened to fall into a deep recession. Historically many Americans have looked for the
government help during 1933 in the great depression, and with the run of banks. Also in
1929 when the market crashed. With many events the national government it’s an
institution with many programs and policies that are able to help. After 9-11 we had gone
to war and the trust in government had fallenand in 2008 during the crisis the federal
government stepped in to help our financial system with billions of dollars in the
economy.
3. Give a few examples of the role of government in your life. Which of the specifics in
the Table 1.1 apply to you right now? 7
A few examples of the role of government in my life is when I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner
reason is because my food is inpected, processed and regulated. Another examples is the
water because it’s not dirty water. In specifics everything in Table1.1 applies to me right
now.
4. What is the trend in “Trust in Government”? Do Americans trust government more now
and which groups trust it the most--which the least? See Figure 1.1. 6
The trend in “Trust in Government” is that the public trust has declined and the
government has grown. Americans don’t trust the government more now they feel that
they can do little to influence the government’s actions. In fact African Americans and
Latinos trust more the government than whites who are the least to trust government.
5. What effect did the Iraq War have on citizens' trust in the federal government? 8
The effect that the Iraq war have on citizens ‘trust in the federal government is that
the
trust declined. It happened when faulty information led to war and misleading information
about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction.
6. Define political efficacy and it is high or low in the US? 8-9
Political efficacy is the belief that ordinary can affect what the government does, that they
can make the government listen to them. In the US political efficacy is low.
, 7. What is the first requirement to achieve political efficacy? 9
The first requirement to achieve political efficacy is
knowledge.
8. What is the state of political knowledge in the US? 9,11
The state of political knowledge in the US is spotty because most Americans know little
about current issues or debates.
9. Why do we need political knowledge in order to be a good citizen? 9,11
In order to be a good citizen we need political knowledge to asses our interest and know
when to act.
11. What is government and what form can it take in its simplest, as well as, most
complex forms? 13-14
Government refers to the formal institutions through which a land and its people are ruled.
The simplest form of a government maybe as a tribal council that meets occasionally to
advise the chief or as complex as the vast establishments with their procedures, laws, and
bureaucracies found in large countries.
12. What is the difference between an autocracy and an oligarchy? 14
The difference between autocracy and oligarchy is that in autocracy is when nations are
governed by one person a king or dictator. In oligarchy a small group such as land owners,
military officers or the wealthy merchants control most of the government decisions.
13. What is the difference between an authoritarian and totalitarian government? 14
An authoritarian government is a system of rule in which the government recognizes
no
formal limits but nevertheless be retrained by the power of other social institutions, while
the totalitarian government seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that may
want to challenge it.
14. What is a democracy? What percentage of the world and specifically how many nations
have constitutional democracies worldwide? 14-15
A democracy is a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the
governmental process and it is usually done through election of key public officials.
15. Who are the ‘bourgeoisie? 15
The bourgeoisie were the new social class involve in commerce or industry. They wanted
to gain control of government by joining or displacing the kings, aristocrats and gentry
who dominated the government for centuries they sought to change existing institutions..
I. Chapter One: American Political Culture
1. What effect did 9-11 have on trust in government and was the impact sustainable? 6, 8
The trust in the government increased since we were in a national crisis, but the impact
wasn’t sustainable.
2. What events in 2008 and historically prompted Americans to look to the federal
government for help and thus marked the beginning of big government? What did
the government do after 9-11 and after the 2008 crisis? 5-8
In 2008 Americans looked to the federal government for help when the economy was
threatened to fall into a deep recession. Historically many Americans have looked for the
government help during 1933 in the great depression, and with the run of banks. Also in
1929 when the market crashed. With many events the national government it’s an
institution with many programs and policies that are able to help. After 9-11 we had gone
to war and the trust in government had fallenand in 2008 during the crisis the federal
government stepped in to help our financial system with billions of dollars in the
economy.
3. Give a few examples of the role of government in your life. Which of the specifics in
the Table 1.1 apply to you right now? 7
A few examples of the role of government in my life is when I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner
reason is because my food is inpected, processed and regulated. Another examples is the
water because it’s not dirty water. In specifics everything in Table1.1 applies to me right
now.
4. What is the trend in “Trust in Government”? Do Americans trust government more now
and which groups trust it the most--which the least? See Figure 1.1. 6
The trend in “Trust in Government” is that the public trust has declined and the
government has grown. Americans don’t trust the government more now they feel that
they can do little to influence the government’s actions. In fact African Americans and
Latinos trust more the government than whites who are the least to trust government.
5. What effect did the Iraq War have on citizens' trust in the federal government? 8
The effect that the Iraq war have on citizens ‘trust in the federal government is that
the
trust declined. It happened when faulty information led to war and misleading information
about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction.
6. Define political efficacy and it is high or low in the US? 8-9
Political efficacy is the belief that ordinary can affect what the government does, that they
can make the government listen to them. In the US political efficacy is low.
, 7. What is the first requirement to achieve political efficacy? 9
The first requirement to achieve political efficacy is
knowledge.
8. What is the state of political knowledge in the US? 9,11
The state of political knowledge in the US is spotty because most Americans know little
about current issues or debates.
9. Why do we need political knowledge in order to be a good citizen? 9,11
In order to be a good citizen we need political knowledge to asses our interest and know
when to act.
11. What is government and what form can it take in its simplest, as well as, most
complex forms? 13-14
Government refers to the formal institutions through which a land and its people are ruled.
The simplest form of a government maybe as a tribal council that meets occasionally to
advise the chief or as complex as the vast establishments with their procedures, laws, and
bureaucracies found in large countries.
12. What is the difference between an autocracy and an oligarchy? 14
The difference between autocracy and oligarchy is that in autocracy is when nations are
governed by one person a king or dictator. In oligarchy a small group such as land owners,
military officers or the wealthy merchants control most of the government decisions.
13. What is the difference between an authoritarian and totalitarian government? 14
An authoritarian government is a system of rule in which the government recognizes
no
formal limits but nevertheless be retrained by the power of other social institutions, while
the totalitarian government seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that may
want to challenge it.
14. What is a democracy? What percentage of the world and specifically how many nations
have constitutional democracies worldwide? 14-15
A democracy is a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the
governmental process and it is usually done through election of key public officials.
15. Who are the ‘bourgeoisie? 15
The bourgeoisie were the new social class involve in commerce or industry. They wanted
to gain control of government by joining or displacing the kings, aristocrats and gentry
who dominated the government for centuries they sought to change existing institutions..
