Test Bank for American Politics Today (Essentials) 5e
William Bianco David Canon
Chapter 1: Understanding American Politics
TRUE/FALSE
1. America is an example of a direct democracy.
ANS: F DIF: Easy
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Applying
2. The main reasons we have government are to provide order and to promote the general welfare.
ANS: T DIF: Easy
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
3. Federalism refers to the division of power between Congress, the president, and the Supreme
Court.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
4. James Madison was concerned about the possibility that no faction would be able to gain a
majority, and thus the government would not function.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Understanding
5. The free rider problem occurs because people can share in the benefits of a public good whether or
not they helped provide it.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Understanding
6. Politics occurs only in the context of government decision making.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: CH01 – What Is Politics?
OBJ: Define politics and identify three key ideas that help explain politics
MSC: Remembering
7. Politics rarely involves overt conflict.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: CH01 – What Is Politics?
OBJ: Define politics and identify three key ideas that help explain politics
, MSC: Understanding
8. A stealth democracy would exist if government were run like a business.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: CH01 – What Is Politics?
OBJ: Define politics and identify three key ideas that help explain politics
MSC: Understanding
9. It is almost impossible for people to get everything they want from the political process.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: CH01 – What Is Politics?
OBJ: Define politics and identify three key ideas that help explain politics
MSC: Applying
10. Politics is fundamentally all about election outcomes.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: CH01 – What Is Politics?
OBJ: Define politics and identify three key ideas that help explain politics
MSC: Understanding
11. Compared to most European democracies, the United States has been relatively free of class-based
politics because economics is not an important source of political conflict in America.
ANS: F DIF: Difficult REF: CH01 – Sources of Conflict in American
Politics
OBJ: Identify major sources of conflict in American politics MSC: Understanding
12. Cultural issues include social spending on the poor and proper taxation levels.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: CH01 – Sources of Conflict in American
Politics
OBJ: Identify major sources of conflict in American politics MSC: Remembering
13. 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: CH01 – Sources of Conflict in American
Politics
OBJ: Identify major sources of conflict in American politics MSC: Understanding
14. Libertarians believe in a proactive federal government much like the liberals.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: CH01 – Sources of Conflict in American
Politics
OBJ: Identify major sources of conflict in American politics MSC: Understanding
15. To the framers of the Constitution, equality was the central principle of the new government.
ANS: F DIF: Difficult
REF: CH01 – Resolving Conflict: Democracy and American Political Values
OBJ: Explain how the American values of democracy, liberty, and equality work to resolve
political conflict MSC: Understanding
,MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ________ said that life in the “state of nature” would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
a. James Madison c. Thomas Hobbes
b. George Washington d. King George III
ANS: C DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
2. James Madison assumed that people
a. preferred anarchy over the creation of a government.
b. were basically self-interested.
c. were basically civic-oriented.
d. preferred a monarchy over a republican form of government.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Understanding
3. What did British philosopher Thomas Hobbes mean by the term “state of nature”?
a. a belief that all people were basically good
b. a belief that the laws of nature gave kings the right to rule by divine right
c. life without any existing government
d. a world in which people lived in harmony
ANS: C DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Understanding
4. Collective action problems
a. are very rare in modern society.
b. are very common in modern society.
c. are rare in the field of education.
d. only occur in modern dictatorships.
ANS: B DIF: Difficult
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Applying
5. For James Madison, the notion that government is necessary depended mainly 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 desire for the United States to serve as a functioning colony of Great Britain.
d. his view that people were willing to sacrifice freedoms to make democracy work.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Understanding
6. If one group took power and established an official state religion, James Madison would likely
describe the situation as
a. a stage in the evolution of government.
b. unfortunate but inevitable and outside the scope of government to prevent.
c. the best possible outcome given the desires of a majority of the people.
, d. an example of the tyranny of a faction imposing its will on the rest of the nation.
ANS: D DIF: Difficult
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Applying
7. The separation of powers refers to
a. a division of authority within Congress, so that not all legislators do the same things.
b. the division of authority between the national and state governments.
c. providing each part of government with some power over the others.
d. dividing a government into different branches with distinct areas of authority.
ANS: D DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
8. The division of power between the national government and the state and local governments is
called
a. constitutionalism. c. republicanism.
b. federalism. d. pluralism.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
9. Which one of the following is an example of checks and balances?
a. Federal judges can recuse themselves from participating in certain cases.
b. the power of impeachment
c. the president is the head of the entire federal bureaucracy
d. the ability of senators to filibuster a bill
ANS: B DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Applying
10. When federal officials attempt to address a problem, such as assisting the poor, the sick, or the
aged, they are acting
a. under their constitutional power to provide order.
b. under their constitutional power to promote the general welfare.
c. through powers specified in the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution.
d. through powers specified in the Bill of Rights.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Applying
11. Aristotle
a. was an eminent British political philosopher who predated Thomas Hobbes.
b. developed a classification scheme for governments more than 2,000 years ago that still has
utility.
c. was an early advocate of presidential systems of government with checks and balances.
d. believed in the necessity of overcoming the free rider problem.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
William Bianco David Canon
Chapter 1: Understanding American Politics
TRUE/FALSE
1. America is an example of a direct democracy.
ANS: F DIF: Easy
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Applying
2. The main reasons we have government are to provide order and to promote the general welfare.
ANS: T DIF: Easy
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
3. Federalism refers to the division of power between Congress, the president, and the Supreme
Court.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
4. James Madison was concerned about the possibility that no faction would be able to gain a
majority, and thus the government would not function.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Understanding
5. The free rider problem occurs because people can share in the benefits of a public good whether or
not they helped provide it.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Understanding
6. Politics occurs only in the context of government decision making.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: CH01 – What Is Politics?
OBJ: Define politics and identify three key ideas that help explain politics
MSC: Remembering
7. Politics rarely involves overt conflict.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: CH01 – What Is Politics?
OBJ: Define politics and identify three key ideas that help explain politics
, MSC: Understanding
8. A stealth democracy would exist if government were run like a business.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: CH01 – What Is Politics?
OBJ: Define politics and identify three key ideas that help explain politics
MSC: Understanding
9. It is almost impossible for people to get everything they want from the political process.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: CH01 – What Is Politics?
OBJ: Define politics and identify three key ideas that help explain politics
MSC: Applying
10. Politics is fundamentally all about election outcomes.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: CH01 – What Is Politics?
OBJ: Define politics and identify three key ideas that help explain politics
MSC: Understanding
11. Compared to most European democracies, the United States has been relatively free of class-based
politics because economics is not an important source of political conflict in America.
ANS: F DIF: Difficult REF: CH01 – Sources of Conflict in American
Politics
OBJ: Identify major sources of conflict in American politics MSC: Understanding
12. Cultural issues include social spending on the poor and proper taxation levels.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: CH01 – Sources of Conflict in American
Politics
OBJ: Identify major sources of conflict in American politics MSC: Remembering
13. 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: CH01 – Sources of Conflict in American
Politics
OBJ: Identify major sources of conflict in American politics MSC: Understanding
14. Libertarians believe in a proactive federal government much like the liberals.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: CH01 – Sources of Conflict in American
Politics
OBJ: Identify major sources of conflict in American politics MSC: Understanding
15. To the framers of the Constitution, equality was the central principle of the new government.
ANS: F DIF: Difficult
REF: CH01 – Resolving Conflict: Democracy and American Political Values
OBJ: Explain how the American values of democracy, liberty, and equality work to resolve
political conflict MSC: Understanding
,MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ________ said that life in the “state of nature” would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
a. James Madison c. Thomas Hobbes
b. George Washington d. King George III
ANS: C DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
2. James Madison assumed that people
a. preferred anarchy over the creation of a government.
b. were basically self-interested.
c. were basically civic-oriented.
d. preferred a monarchy over a republican form of government.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Understanding
3. What did British philosopher Thomas Hobbes mean by the term “state of nature”?
a. a belief that all people were basically good
b. a belief that the laws of nature gave kings the right to rule by divine right
c. life without any existing government
d. a world in which people lived in harmony
ANS: C DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Understanding
4. Collective action problems
a. are very rare in modern society.
b. are very common in modern society.
c. are rare in the field of education.
d. only occur in modern dictatorships.
ANS: B DIF: Difficult
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Applying
5. For James Madison, the notion that government is necessary depended mainly 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 desire for the United States to serve as a functioning colony of Great Britain.
d. his view that people were willing to sacrifice freedoms to make democracy work.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Understanding
6. If one group took power and established an official state religion, James Madison would likely
describe the situation as
a. a stage in the evolution of government.
b. unfortunate but inevitable and outside the scope of government to prevent.
c. the best possible outcome given the desires of a majority of the people.
, d. an example of the tyranny of a faction imposing its will on the rest of the nation.
ANS: D DIF: Difficult
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Applying
7. The separation of powers refers to
a. a division of authority within Congress, so that not all legislators do the same things.
b. the division of authority between the national and state governments.
c. providing each part of government with some power over the others.
d. dividing a government into different branches with distinct areas of authority.
ANS: D DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
8. The division of power between the national government and the state and local governments is
called
a. constitutionalism. c. republicanism.
b. federalism. d. pluralism.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
9. Which one of the following is an example of checks and balances?
a. Federal judges can recuse themselves from participating in certain cases.
b. the power of impeachment
c. the president is the head of the entire federal bureaucracy
d. the ability of senators to filibuster a bill
ANS: B DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Applying
10. When federal officials attempt to address a problem, such as assisting the poor, the sick, or the
aged, they are acting
a. under their constitutional power to provide order.
b. under their constitutional power to promote the general welfare.
c. through powers specified in the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution.
d. through powers specified in the Bill of Rights.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Applying
11. Aristotle
a. was an eminent British political philosopher who predated Thomas Hobbes.
b. developed a classification scheme for governments more than 2,000 years ago that still has
utility.
c. was an early advocate of presidential systems of government with checks and balances.
d. believed in the necessity of overcoming the free rider problem.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate
REF: CH01 – Making Sense of American Government and Politics
OBJ: Describe the basic functions of government MSC: Remembering
