POLS 1101 Final Exam Questions with Correct Answers Latest Update 2025/2026
A system of checks and balances:
A. gives each branch of the national government some power over the others
B. ensures that majority rule prevails in all instances against a vocal minority or faction
C. provides limits on what government can do to individual citizens
D. divides the national government into separate branches, each with different responsibilities
E. creates a faster and more efficient policy-making process - Answers A. gives each branch of
the national government some power over the others
For James Madison, the notion that government is necessary depended strongly on:
A. his belief that people are self-interested and could not be trusted to rule themselves
B. his belief that direct democracy was the only legitimate way to make collective decisions
C. his view that people were willing to sacrifice freedoms to make democracy work
D. his belief that factions could only be eliminated through force - Answers A. his belief that
people are self-interested and could not be trusted to rule themselves
America predominately uses which form of democracy?
A. representative
B. direct
C. totalitarian
D. libertarian
E. multicultural - Answers A. representative
When group interests conflict with an individual's interests, a(n) __________________________
occurs?
A. Collective Action Problem
,B. Institution
C. Dry Well Problem
D. Bureaucratic Problem - Answers A. Collective Action Problem
One of the most important public goods is:
A. federal jobs
B. license plates
C. welfare benefits
D. national defense - Answers D. national defense
Free riding tends to compromise:
A. political will
B. legal authority
C. collective action
D. policy acquiescence - Answers C. collective action
A cohesive set of ideas and beliefs used for organizing the political world is a(n):
A. partisan identity
B. cultural identity
C. conservative viewpoint
D. progressive worldview
E. ideology - Answers E. ideology
In November of 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the United States' first written
constitution known as:
A. Virginia plan
, B. Annapolis Convention
C. Declaration of Independence
D. United States Constitution
E. Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union - Answers E. Articles of Confederation and
Perpetual Union
Which part of the national government was formed under the Articles of Confederation?
A. the power to regulate commerce between states
B. the power of the people to elect their representatives directly
C. an independent executive branch
D. special panels of judges to resolve disputes between states
E. a bicameral congress - Answers D. special panels of judges to resolve disputes between
states
A faction is a group of _____________________ that seek to control government power to
__________________.
A. minority interests; protect themselves from everyone else
B. majority interests; promote the public good
C. minority interests; promote the public good
D. minority or majority interests; pursue their own interests
E. minority or majority interests; promote the public good - Answers D. minority or majority
interests; pursue their own interests
The Federalists generally:
A. supported making both national and state governments much stronger than they were under
the Articles of Confederation
B. supported increasing the authority of the national government
A system of checks and balances:
A. gives each branch of the national government some power over the others
B. ensures that majority rule prevails in all instances against a vocal minority or faction
C. provides limits on what government can do to individual citizens
D. divides the national government into separate branches, each with different responsibilities
E. creates a faster and more efficient policy-making process - Answers A. gives each branch of
the national government some power over the others
For James Madison, the notion that government is necessary depended strongly on:
A. his belief that people are self-interested and could not be trusted to rule themselves
B. his belief that direct democracy was the only legitimate way to make collective decisions
C. his view that people were willing to sacrifice freedoms to make democracy work
D. his belief that factions could only be eliminated through force - Answers A. his belief that
people are self-interested and could not be trusted to rule themselves
America predominately uses which form of democracy?
A. representative
B. direct
C. totalitarian
D. libertarian
E. multicultural - Answers A. representative
When group interests conflict with an individual's interests, a(n) __________________________
occurs?
A. Collective Action Problem
,B. Institution
C. Dry Well Problem
D. Bureaucratic Problem - Answers A. Collective Action Problem
One of the most important public goods is:
A. federal jobs
B. license plates
C. welfare benefits
D. national defense - Answers D. national defense
Free riding tends to compromise:
A. political will
B. legal authority
C. collective action
D. policy acquiescence - Answers C. collective action
A cohesive set of ideas and beliefs used for organizing the political world is a(n):
A. partisan identity
B. cultural identity
C. conservative viewpoint
D. progressive worldview
E. ideology - Answers E. ideology
In November of 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the United States' first written
constitution known as:
A. Virginia plan
, B. Annapolis Convention
C. Declaration of Independence
D. United States Constitution
E. Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union - Answers E. Articles of Confederation and
Perpetual Union
Which part of the national government was formed under the Articles of Confederation?
A. the power to regulate commerce between states
B. the power of the people to elect their representatives directly
C. an independent executive branch
D. special panels of judges to resolve disputes between states
E. a bicameral congress - Answers D. special panels of judges to resolve disputes between
states
A faction is a group of _____________________ that seek to control government power to
__________________.
A. minority interests; protect themselves from everyone else
B. majority interests; promote the public good
C. minority interests; promote the public good
D. minority or majority interests; pursue their own interests
E. minority or majority interests; promote the public good - Answers D. minority or majority
interests; pursue their own interests
The Federalists generally:
A. supported making both national and state governments much stronger than they were under
the Articles of Confederation
B. supported increasing the authority of the national government
