(American Government_ Political Development and Institutional Change (12th Edition) – Cal Jillson Test Bank A+: 2026).
Test Bank – Chapter 1
American Government: Political Development and Institutional Change (12th Edition)
– Cal Jillson Test Bank
Single-Select Multiple Choice
1. A custom, practice, or organization, often embedded in rules and law, is called a
______.
A. Policy
B. Institution
C. Legal procedure
D. Rule
2. Which term refers to the rule of an elite few for their own interests?
A. Monarchy
B. Polis
C. Democracy
D. Oligarchy
3. According to Plato, who should rule a properly constituted polis?
A. A philosopher-king
B. A political science king
C. The few wisest citizens
D. None of these
4. According to Aristotle’s typology, which statement correctly defines a government
type?
A. Democracy serves the broad public interest
B. Tyranny is any oppressive government
C. Oligarchy serves the many
D. Oligarchy is rule by a few serving narrow private interests
5. Which pair of cities were the centers of the two greatest ancient European societies?
A. Paris and London
B. Berlin and Madrid
C. Athens and Rome
D. Oslo and Copenhagen
6. Before it became an empire, ancient Rome was a:
A. Democracy
B. Polity
C. Republic
D. Empire
7. Which theorists explained how mixed governments work in practice?
A. Polybius and Cicero
Page 1 of 212 3/23/2026, 4:16:49 PM
, (American Government_ Political Development and Institutional Change (12th Edition) – Cal Jillson Test Bank A+: 2026).
B. Plato and Aristotle
C. Augustine and Aquinas
D. Hobbes and Locke
8. Which was NOT a feature of Athenian democracy?
A. Citizens met in an assembly
B. Respect for rights of all residents
C. Slaves and aliens excluded
D. Equal voting for citizens
9. What is the temporal world?
A. Sacred world
B. Political elite world
C. Human history and worldly affairs
D. Spiritual realm
10. Who argued life without strong government is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and
short”?
A. Machiavelli
B. Calvin
C. Thomas Hobbes
D. Locke
11. Founder of the Protestant Reformation:
A. Martin Luther King Jr.
B. Thomas Hobbes
C. Martin Luther
D. John Winthrop
12. Besides social contract theory, what influenced the Founders from classical
liberalism?
A. Nothing else
B. Only social contract theory
C. Separation of powers and free markets
D. Unlimited government
13. Who were the Pilgrims?
A. Wealthy southern Puritans
B. Middling Puritans in New England escaping persecution
C. Wealthy Anglicans
D. Mid-Atlantic Anglicans
14. Largest ethnic group in 1765 colonies:
A. English
B. Irish
C. Germans
D. Dutch
15. What enabled “space for dissent” in America?
A. No need to destroy dissenters
B. Banishment practices
C. Vast land availability
D. All of these
16. Early colonial political participation was:
A. Very democratic in nature
B. Oligarchic but somewhat democratic
Page 2 of 212 3/23/2026, 4:16:49 PM
, (American Government_ Political Development and Institutional Change (12th Edition) – Cal Jillson Test Bank A+: 2026).
C. Not democratic
D. Aristocratic
17. Adam Smith applied classical liberalism mainly to:
A. Law
B. Politics
C. Economy
D. Culture
18. Enlightenment thinker who promoted science for society’s benefit:
A. Hobbes
B. Machiavelli
C. Montesquieu
D. Francis Bacon
19. How did Augustine and Aquinas differ from ancients?
A. Emphasized sacred over secular (negative example)
B. Emphasized secular
C. Focused on national power
D. Focused on local power
20. When did individualism peak?
A. Constitutional Convention
B. Magna Carta
C. American Revolution (freedom with structure)
D. English Revolution
21. Lesson from Polybius and Cicero:
A. Avoid mixed constitutions
B. Use mixed systems to balance interests
C. Favor middle class only
D. Favor monarchy
22. Who rules in aristocracies and oligarchies?
A. Poor
B. Rich
C. Middle class
D. None
23. American Political Development (APD) is:
A. Study of political change over time
B. Comparison with other democracies
C. Decline of government effectiveness
D. None
24. Ancient meaning of democracy:
A. Public good rule
B. Mob rule
C. Self-interest rule
D. Free government
25. Classical republicanism emphasizes:
A. Mixed government
B. Representation
C. Common good over self-interest
D. Limited government
Page 3 of 212 3/23/2026, 4:16:49 PM
, (American Government_ Political Development and Institutional Change (12th Edition) – Cal Jillson Test Bank A+: 2026).
True / False
1. Political change is constant. → TRUE
2. Republic combines monarchy, aristocracy, democracy. → TRUE
3. Secularism means religious division. → FALSE
4. Puritans shared medieval ideas. → TRUE
5. Montesquieu emphasized context in government. → TRUE
6. Smith and Locke influenced America. → TRUE
7. Equality/tolerance came from religion. → FALSE
8. Individual rights are central to liberalism. → TRUE
9. Aggregate rights are central to liberalism. → FALSE
10. Democracy always seen as good. → FALSE
Short Answer / Essay (Rewritten Cleanly)
1. Is American exceptionalism valid? Why or why not?
2. Compare ancient vs modern purposes of government.
3. Why was Athenian democracy unstable?
4. What Greek and Roman ideas influenced America?
5. How does natural law support stability and liberty?
6. Which comes first: natural law or natural rights? Explain.
7. How did individualism and secularism shape U.S. government?
8. How did diversity affect colonial development?
9. Is the social contract real or theoretical? Provide examples.
10. Would Montesquieu support global democracy? Why?
11. Compare Aristotle’s six types of government and his preferred system.
12. What does “social and economic openness” in America mean?
13. Summarize classical liberalism.
14. Were Founders more influenced by ancient or medieval thinkers?
15. What role did religion play in colonial America?
●
Page 4 of 212 3/23/2026, 4:16:49 PM
Test Bank – Chapter 1
American Government: Political Development and Institutional Change (12th Edition)
– Cal Jillson Test Bank
Single-Select Multiple Choice
1. A custom, practice, or organization, often embedded in rules and law, is called a
______.
A. Policy
B. Institution
C. Legal procedure
D. Rule
2. Which term refers to the rule of an elite few for their own interests?
A. Monarchy
B. Polis
C. Democracy
D. Oligarchy
3. According to Plato, who should rule a properly constituted polis?
A. A philosopher-king
B. A political science king
C. The few wisest citizens
D. None of these
4. According to Aristotle’s typology, which statement correctly defines a government
type?
A. Democracy serves the broad public interest
B. Tyranny is any oppressive government
C. Oligarchy serves the many
D. Oligarchy is rule by a few serving narrow private interests
5. Which pair of cities were the centers of the two greatest ancient European societies?
A. Paris and London
B. Berlin and Madrid
C. Athens and Rome
D. Oslo and Copenhagen
6. Before it became an empire, ancient Rome was a:
A. Democracy
B. Polity
C. Republic
D. Empire
7. Which theorists explained how mixed governments work in practice?
A. Polybius and Cicero
Page 1 of 212 3/23/2026, 4:16:49 PM
, (American Government_ Political Development and Institutional Change (12th Edition) – Cal Jillson Test Bank A+: 2026).
B. Plato and Aristotle
C. Augustine and Aquinas
D. Hobbes and Locke
8. Which was NOT a feature of Athenian democracy?
A. Citizens met in an assembly
B. Respect for rights of all residents
C. Slaves and aliens excluded
D. Equal voting for citizens
9. What is the temporal world?
A. Sacred world
B. Political elite world
C. Human history and worldly affairs
D. Spiritual realm
10. Who argued life without strong government is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and
short”?
A. Machiavelli
B. Calvin
C. Thomas Hobbes
D. Locke
11. Founder of the Protestant Reformation:
A. Martin Luther King Jr.
B. Thomas Hobbes
C. Martin Luther
D. John Winthrop
12. Besides social contract theory, what influenced the Founders from classical
liberalism?
A. Nothing else
B. Only social contract theory
C. Separation of powers and free markets
D. Unlimited government
13. Who were the Pilgrims?
A. Wealthy southern Puritans
B. Middling Puritans in New England escaping persecution
C. Wealthy Anglicans
D. Mid-Atlantic Anglicans
14. Largest ethnic group in 1765 colonies:
A. English
B. Irish
C. Germans
D. Dutch
15. What enabled “space for dissent” in America?
A. No need to destroy dissenters
B. Banishment practices
C. Vast land availability
D. All of these
16. Early colonial political participation was:
A. Very democratic in nature
B. Oligarchic but somewhat democratic
Page 2 of 212 3/23/2026, 4:16:49 PM
, (American Government_ Political Development and Institutional Change (12th Edition) – Cal Jillson Test Bank A+: 2026).
C. Not democratic
D. Aristocratic
17. Adam Smith applied classical liberalism mainly to:
A. Law
B. Politics
C. Economy
D. Culture
18. Enlightenment thinker who promoted science for society’s benefit:
A. Hobbes
B. Machiavelli
C. Montesquieu
D. Francis Bacon
19. How did Augustine and Aquinas differ from ancients?
A. Emphasized sacred over secular (negative example)
B. Emphasized secular
C. Focused on national power
D. Focused on local power
20. When did individualism peak?
A. Constitutional Convention
B. Magna Carta
C. American Revolution (freedom with structure)
D. English Revolution
21. Lesson from Polybius and Cicero:
A. Avoid mixed constitutions
B. Use mixed systems to balance interests
C. Favor middle class only
D. Favor monarchy
22. Who rules in aristocracies and oligarchies?
A. Poor
B. Rich
C. Middle class
D. None
23. American Political Development (APD) is:
A. Study of political change over time
B. Comparison with other democracies
C. Decline of government effectiveness
D. None
24. Ancient meaning of democracy:
A. Public good rule
B. Mob rule
C. Self-interest rule
D. Free government
25. Classical republicanism emphasizes:
A. Mixed government
B. Representation
C. Common good over self-interest
D. Limited government
Page 3 of 212 3/23/2026, 4:16:49 PM
, (American Government_ Political Development and Institutional Change (12th Edition) – Cal Jillson Test Bank A+: 2026).
True / False
1. Political change is constant. → TRUE
2. Republic combines monarchy, aristocracy, democracy. → TRUE
3. Secularism means religious division. → FALSE
4. Puritans shared medieval ideas. → TRUE
5. Montesquieu emphasized context in government. → TRUE
6. Smith and Locke influenced America. → TRUE
7. Equality/tolerance came from religion. → FALSE
8. Individual rights are central to liberalism. → TRUE
9. Aggregate rights are central to liberalism. → FALSE
10. Democracy always seen as good. → FALSE
Short Answer / Essay (Rewritten Cleanly)
1. Is American exceptionalism valid? Why or why not?
2. Compare ancient vs modern purposes of government.
3. Why was Athenian democracy unstable?
4. What Greek and Roman ideas influenced America?
5. How does natural law support stability and liberty?
6. Which comes first: natural law or natural rights? Explain.
7. How did individualism and secularism shape U.S. government?
8. How did diversity affect colonial development?
9. Is the social contract real or theoretical? Provide examples.
10. Would Montesquieu support global democracy? Why?
11. Compare Aristotle’s six types of government and his preferred system.
12. What does “social and economic openness” in America mean?
13. Summarize classical liberalism.
14. Were Founders more influenced by ancient or medieval thinkers?
15. What role did religion play in colonial America?
●
Page 4 of 212 3/23/2026, 4:16:49 PM
