BYU Government Final Exam John Locke is cited for influencing our founding fathers with the phrase "life, liberty, and property," a phrase which was modified slightly by Thomas Jefferson when he wrote "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." In which document are these words written by Thomas Jefferson? - Answer -the Declaration of Independence Which leading political thinker is given credit for his influence on the separation of powers? - Answer -Charles -Louis Montesquieu How did Alexis de Tocqueville describe the 1830s in America? - Answer -It was a time when Americans worked together for the common good of others. According to the author of this course, why is Tocqueville still relevant today? - Answer -Citizens should beware of being too self -absorbed and not participating in the political process. After studying and reading examples about liberty and order consider the following: After the terrorist attack on September 11, President Bush and Congress passed the PATRIOT Act, which expanded the power of law enforcement to secretly investigate potential terrorists. What does this suggest? - Answer -The president believed Americans had too much liberty and too little security. What is a statement that Hobbes and Locke would both agree on? - Answer -Government is necessary to protect life and property. To keep our elected officials in check with the citizens they represent, frequent elections are held. According to the lesson, how long is the term for a member in the House of Representative before they face re -election? - Answer -2 years In Federalist 10, James Madison describes our form of government where political ideas or current issues are enlarged or refined "by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country." What term is best used to describe our government? - Answer -representative republic For the separation of powers or Three Branches of Government to work in practice, what item(s) are needed? - Answer -The use of checks and balances. What are two examples of the checks and balances the Executive Branch has on Congress and the Judicial Branch? - Answer -Veto power, nominating judges Which of the following is true of the Bill of Rights? - Answer -It was included in the Constitution as a concession to the Anti -federalists who opposed ratification of the Constitution. If a country has a political system where some decisions are made in local legislatures and others are made in the national legislature. Whose government would this most likely be compared to? - Answer -the U.S. system of government created in Philadelphia Which of the following documents outlines the purpose of government to protect the social rights of its citizens, chiefly among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? - Answer -
Declaration of Independence Which of the following would Tocqueville most likely endorse? - Answer -encouraging civic groups to help the poor According to Tocqueville, civic virtue means simply that individuals have interests and desires that are not solely focused on themselves. Rather, they are willing to give up some of the things they want in order to promote the common good. What did he mean by this? - Answer -People should help one another because the welfare of others affects individual welfare. Which of the following is not one of the three types of government outlined by Montesquieu? - Answer -Democracy Which political thinker wrote The Prince, where he justified popular sovereignty, revolution, and a separation of religious and secular government? - Answer -Machiavelli How can the principle of federalism promote the protection of civil rights in the American federal system? - Answer -It provides both state and national governments with the ability to protect citizens from abuses of power by the other. Classical republicanism is principally concerned with ____________ while classical liberalism is concerned with _______________. - Answer -liberty; order As discussed in the chapter, what term is used to describe each branch of government's separate and distinct sphere of power? - Answer -separation of powers How does the Constitution divide power between the three branches? - Answer -Power is not completely separated, allowing each branch to limit the other branches' exercise of power. Which of the following IS NOT an example of checks and balances in the United States Constitution? - Answer -The president can veto a Supreme Court decision, but only with the support of a two -thirds majority vote in Congress. Which of the following best describes separation of powers? - Answer -executive, legislative, and judicial branches Who was considered to be the inventor of philosophy? - Answer -Plato According to Hobbes, what would life be like without limits on an individual's behavior or if living in a state of nature? - Answer -Perilous What does unit 1 say is perhaps the most complex form of human interaction? - Answer -politics If you were to read about a country whose government allows their president to declare war on another country, and individually coin money to fight the war without the consent of any other government official. Which of the following would best describe this system as compared with the government in the United States? - Answer -In the United States the president can neither declare nor fund a war without the vote of Congress. You are writing a speech for school about the need for citizens to participate in their political system. Who would you quote as the earliest proponent of this notion? - Answer -Aristotle A prominent political scientist famously described American government as separate institutions sharing powers; Which two constitutional principles are embodied in this statement? - Answer -
separation of powers and checks and balances What does civilian control of the military mean? - Answer -Military leaders do not have any independent authority, but are the servants of the elected representatives of the people. The Founders established a republican form of government. Why did they do this? - Answer -They believed elected officials could represent citizens and could be kept in check through elections.
Declaration of Independence Which of the following would Tocqueville most likely endorse? - Answer -encouraging civic groups to help the poor According to Tocqueville, civic virtue means simply that individuals have interests and desires that are not solely focused on themselves. Rather, they are willing to give up some of the things they want in order to promote the common good. What did he mean by this? - Answer -People should help one another because the welfare of others affects individual welfare. Which of the following is not one of the three types of government outlined by Montesquieu? - Answer -Democracy Which political thinker wrote The Prince, where he justified popular sovereignty, revolution, and a separation of religious and secular government? - Answer -Machiavelli How can the principle of federalism promote the protection of civil rights in the American federal system? - Answer -It provides both state and national governments with the ability to protect citizens from abuses of power by the other. Classical republicanism is principally concerned with ____________ while classical liberalism is concerned with _______________. - Answer -liberty; order As discussed in the chapter, what term is used to describe each branch of government's separate and distinct sphere of power? - Answer -separation of powers How does the Constitution divide power between the three branches? - Answer -Power is not completely separated, allowing each branch to limit the other branches' exercise of power. Which of the following IS NOT an example of checks and balances in the United States Constitution? - Answer -The president can veto a Supreme Court decision, but only with the support of a two -thirds majority vote in Congress. Which of the following best describes separation of powers? - Answer -executive, legislative, and judicial branches Who was considered to be the inventor of philosophy? - Answer -Plato According to Hobbes, what would life be like without limits on an individual's behavior or if living in a state of nature? - Answer -Perilous What does unit 1 say is perhaps the most complex form of human interaction? - Answer -politics If you were to read about a country whose government allows their president to declare war on another country, and individually coin money to fight the war without the consent of any other government official. Which of the following would best describe this system as compared with the government in the United States? - Answer -In the United States the president can neither declare nor fund a war without the vote of Congress. You are writing a speech for school about the need for citizens to participate in their political system. Who would you quote as the earliest proponent of this notion? - Answer -Aristotle A prominent political scientist famously described American government as separate institutions sharing powers; Which two constitutional principles are embodied in this statement? - Answer -
separation of powers and checks and balances What does civilian control of the military mean? - Answer -Military leaders do not have any independent authority, but are the servants of the elected representatives of the people. The Founders established a republican form of government. Why did they do this? - Answer -They believed elected officials could represent citizens and could be kept in check through elections.
