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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement ................................................................................................................ 3
Chapter 2: The Constitution and Its Origins ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Chapter 3: American Federalism ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Chapter 5: Civil Rights..................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Chapter 6: The Politics of Public Opinion ...................................................................................................................................... 28
Chapter 7: Voting and Elections ...................................................................................................................................................... 33
Chapter 8: The Media ..................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Chapter 9: Political Parties .............................................................................................................................................................. 42
Chapter 10: Interest Groups and Lobbying ..................................................................................................................................... 46
Chapter 11: Congress ...................................................................................................................................................................... 52
Chapter 12: The Presidency ............................................................................................................................................................ 56
Chapter 13: The Courts .................................................................................................................................................................. 61
Chapter 14: State and Local Government ....................................................................................................................................... 67
Chapter 15: The Bureaucracy ......................................................................................................................................................... 72
Chapter 16: Domestic Policy ........................................................................................................................................................... 76
Chapter 17: Foreign Policy .............................................................................................................................................................. 81
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Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement
Review Questions
1. What goods are available to all without direct payment?
a. private goods
b. public goods
c. common goods
d. toll goods
Answer
B
2. In which form of government does a small group of elite people hold political power?
a. direct democracy
b. monarchy
c. oligarchy
d. totalitarian
Answer
C
3. What is the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy?
Answer
In a representative democracy, people elect representatives to make political decisions and pass laws for them. In a direct
democracy, people make all political decisions and pass laws themselves.
4. What does government do for people?
Answer
Government does many things for people. It maintains stability within the nation. It provides important services for all without
direct payment. Finally, it provides a structure through which laws can be created and people can make their opinions known.
5. The elite theory of government maintains that ________.
a. special interest groups make government policy
b. politicians who have held office for a long time are favored by voters
c. poor people and people of color should not be allowed to vote
d. wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary
people
Answer
D
6. According to the pluralist theory of government, ________.
a. government does what the majority of voters want it to do
b. government policy is formed as a result of the competition between groups with different goals and interests
c. ordinary people acting on their own have a significant influence on government
d. wealthy people decide what government policy will be, and politicians have no interest in pleasing anyone else
Answer
B
Last Updated: February 15, 2026 3
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7. Which of the following is a good example of a tradeoff?
a. The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing them to
rent public lands for grazing purposes.
b. The government pleases environmental activists by reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park but angers
ranchers by placing their cattle in danger.
c. The government pleases oil companies by allowing them to drill on lands set aside for conservation but allows
environmental activist groups to protest the drilling operations.
d. Groups that represent a variety of conflicting interests are all allowed to protest outside Congress and the White House.
Answer
A
8. Supporting the actions of the Democratic Party simply because one identifies oneself as a member of that party is an example of
________.
a. partisanship
b. ideology
c. latent preference
d. social capital
Answer
A
9. When a person is asked a question about a political issue that he or she has little interest in and has not thought much about, that
person’s answer will likely reflect ________.
a. ideology
b. partisanship
c. intense preferences
d. latent preferences
Answer
D
10. What kinds of people are most likely to become active in politics or community service?
Answer
Political and civic engagement is most common among older people, especially those with higher education and financial resources.
Younger people are interested in volunteering to help others, but they tend to dislike politics.
11. What political activities can people engage in other than running for office?
Answer
People can pay attention to the news in order to be aware of the most important issues of the day. They can contribute money to a
campaign or attend a rally in support of a political candidate whose views they favor. They can write letters to members of Congress
and to state and local politicians. They can vote.
4 Last Updated: February 15, 2026
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement ................................................................................................................ 3
Chapter 2: The Constitution and Its Origins ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Chapter 3: American Federalism ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Chapter 5: Civil Rights..................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Chapter 6: The Politics of Public Opinion ...................................................................................................................................... 28
Chapter 7: Voting and Elections ...................................................................................................................................................... 33
Chapter 8: The Media ..................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Chapter 9: Political Parties .............................................................................................................................................................. 42
Chapter 10: Interest Groups and Lobbying ..................................................................................................................................... 46
Chapter 11: Congress ...................................................................................................................................................................... 52
Chapter 12: The Presidency ............................................................................................................................................................ 56
Chapter 13: The Courts .................................................................................................................................................................. 61
Chapter 14: State and Local Government ....................................................................................................................................... 67
Chapter 15: The Bureaucracy ......................................................................................................................................................... 72
Chapter 16: Domestic Policy ........................................................................................................................................................... 76
Chapter 17: Foreign Policy .............................................................................................................................................................. 81
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Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement
Review Questions
1. What goods are available to all without direct payment?
a. private goods
b. public goods
c. common goods
d. toll goods
Answer
B
2. In which form of government does a small group of elite people hold political power?
a. direct democracy
b. monarchy
c. oligarchy
d. totalitarian
Answer
C
3. What is the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy?
Answer
In a representative democracy, people elect representatives to make political decisions and pass laws for them. In a direct
democracy, people make all political decisions and pass laws themselves.
4. What does government do for people?
Answer
Government does many things for people. It maintains stability within the nation. It provides important services for all without
direct payment. Finally, it provides a structure through which laws can be created and people can make their opinions known.
5. The elite theory of government maintains that ________.
a. special interest groups make government policy
b. politicians who have held office for a long time are favored by voters
c. poor people and people of color should not be allowed to vote
d. wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary
people
Answer
D
6. According to the pluralist theory of government, ________.
a. government does what the majority of voters want it to do
b. government policy is formed as a result of the competition between groups with different goals and interests
c. ordinary people acting on their own have a significant influence on government
d. wealthy people decide what government policy will be, and politicians have no interest in pleasing anyone else
Answer
B
Last Updated: February 15, 2026 3
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7. Which of the following is a good example of a tradeoff?
a. The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing them to
rent public lands for grazing purposes.
b. The government pleases environmental activists by reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park but angers
ranchers by placing their cattle in danger.
c. The government pleases oil companies by allowing them to drill on lands set aside for conservation but allows
environmental activist groups to protest the drilling operations.
d. Groups that represent a variety of conflicting interests are all allowed to protest outside Congress and the White House.
Answer
A
8. Supporting the actions of the Democratic Party simply because one identifies oneself as a member of that party is an example of
________.
a. partisanship
b. ideology
c. latent preference
d. social capital
Answer
A
9. When a person is asked a question about a political issue that he or she has little interest in and has not thought much about, that
person’s answer will likely reflect ________.
a. ideology
b. partisanship
c. intense preferences
d. latent preferences
Answer
D
10. What kinds of people are most likely to become active in politics or community service?
Answer
Political and civic engagement is most common among older people, especially those with higher education and financial resources.
Younger people are interested in volunteering to help others, but they tend to dislike politics.
11. What political activities can people engage in other than running for office?
Answer
People can pay attention to the news in order to be aware of the most important issues of the day. They can contribute money to a
campaign or attend a rally in support of a political candidate whose views they favor. They can write letters to members of Congress
and to state and local politicians. They can vote.
4 Last Updated: February 15, 2026
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