Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
238 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
A series of moves by Parliament to channel money from the American colonies back to the commercial class in Great Britain during the mid-1700's.
|
Acts for Trade
|
|
|
A Scottish political and economical philosopher whose views on free trade and capitalism were admired in colonial America.
|
Adam Smith (1723-1790)
|
|
|
A French scholar who traveled throughout the United States in the early 1830's. Significance: His published notes, Democracy in America, offers a telling account of our nation's formative years--a book that is still widely read.
|
Alexis de Tocqueville
|
|
|
Opponents of ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1787 and 1788.
|
Anti-Federalists
|
|
|
A system of government in which leaders face few formal or legal restrictions but are checked by no institutional forces such as political parties, religious groups, and business leaders.
|
Authoritarian Regime
|
|
|
The recognized right of a particular individual, group, or institution to make binding decisions for society.
|
Authority
|
|
|
The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1791, protecting civil liberties.
|
Bill of Rights
|
|
|
A coordinated action by many people who agree not to buy a specific product, use a specific service, or shop at a specific store until a policy is changed.
|
Boycott
|
|
|
An economic system where business and industry are privately owned and there is little governmental interference.
|
Capitalism
|
|
|
A precise count of the population.
|
Census
|
|
|
A system in our government where each branch (legislative, executive, judicial) has the power to limit the actions of others.
|
Checks and Balances
|
|
|
A body of law that applies to private rights, such as the ownership of property or the ability to enter into contracts.
|
Civil Law
|
|
|
A series of laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 in response to growing unrest in the American colonies. Enforcement of these laws played a major role in precipitating the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. The colonist called them the:
|
Coercive Acts/Intolerable Acts
|
|
|
An agreement at the Constitutional Convention that the new national government would have a House of Representatives, in which the number of members would be based on each state's population, and a Senate, in which each state would have the same number of delegates.
|
Connecticut Compromise
|
|
|
The chief record-keeping officer of a county.
|
County Clerk
|
|
|
Proposed reform for government agencies intended to increase efficiency in administration and create closer contacts with the local public; permits regional and local offices to manage their own performances without close supervision headquarters.
|
Decentralization
|
|
|
Population characteristics of a state.
|
Demographics
|
|
|
A member of Great Britain's House of Commons during the American Revolution, of which he was a strong supporter.
|
Edmond Burke (1729-1797)
|
|
|
A regulation made by the president that has the effect of law.
|
Executive Order
|
|
|
The powers explicitly granted to the national government in the U.S. Constitution.
|
Expressed Powers
|
|
|
An approach to interpreting the U.S. Constitution that permits the meaning of the document to change with evolving values, social conditions, and problems.
|
Flexible interpretation
|
|
|
The case in which the U.S. Supreme Court applied the First Amendment right of free speech against the states. It was the first case to incorporate a personal right from the Bill of Rights into the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
|
Gitlow v. New York (1925)
|
|
|
Organization formed in the late nineteenth century to improve the lot of farmers. The Grange influenced provisions in the Texas constitution 1876 limiting taxes and government spending and restricting big business, including banks and railroads.
|
Grange
|
|
|
Written statement issued by a grand jury charging a person with a punishable offense.
|
Indictment
|
|
|
Legal system in most of Europe in which a judge takes an active role in questioning witnesses and seeking to discover the truth.
|
Inquisitorial System
|
|
|
One of the founders of the American political system. He served as vice president under George Washington and as president from 1797 to 1801.
|
John Adams (1735-1826)
|
|
|
An association of workers formed to promote collective interests, such as fair pay and working conditions.
|
Labor Union
|
|
|
Constitutional principle restricting governmental authority and spelling out personal rights.
|
Limited Government
|
|
|
The tax rate you pay on the last dollar that you earn in a given year.
|
Marginal Tax Bracket
|
|
|
The leading spokesperson and legislative strategist for the minority party in either the House or the Senate
|
Minority Leader
|
|
|
A system of hereditary rule in which one person, a king or queen, has absolute authority over the government.
|
Monarchy
|
|
|
Civil rights advocacy group founded by African Americans and their white supporters in 1909; used the court pathway to fight racial discrimination in the 1930's through the 1950s and later emphasized the election and lobbying pathways.
|
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
|
|
|
People who believe that the United States has a special role to play in world politics; they advocate the unilateral use of force and the pursuit of a values-based foreign policy.
|
Neoconservatives
|
|
|
Single news firms that control all the media in a given market.
|
News Monopolies
|
|
|
The Cold War alliance of the United States, Canada, and Western European states against the Soviet Union. It continues to exist but no longer has a clear-cut role in world politics.
|
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
|
|
|
Local laws enacted by a city council
|
Ordinances
|
|
|
A court's authority to hear a case in the first instance; authority typically possessed by trial courts but also to a limited extent by the U.S. Supreme Court in certain cases, primarily lawsuits filed by one state against another.
|
Original Jurisdiction
|
|
|
An organization or individual that contributes money to political leaders or political groups.
|
Patron
|
|
|
Cheap newspapers containing sensationalized stories sold to members of the working class in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
|
Penny Press
|
|
|
The ability to exercise control over others and to get individuals, groups, and institutions to comply.
|
Power
|
|
|
A tax structured such that higher-income individuals pay a larger percentage of their income in taxes.
|
Progressive Tax
|
|
|
A political philosophy based on the belief that government is the best actor to solve social, economic, and political problems.
|
Progressivism
|
|
|
Supporting a legislator's bill in exchange for support of one's own bill.
|
Logrolling/Reciprocity
|
|
|
Legislative votes that are permanently recorded for each member.
|
Record Votes
|
|
|
Legal rules created by government agencies based on authority delegated by the legislature.
|
Regulations
|
|
|
The asserted right of news reporters to promise confidentiality to their sources and to keep information obtained from sources, including evidence of criminal activity, secret.
|
Reporters Privilege
|
|
|
A representative must be a qualified voter, at least 21 years old, a Texas resident for 2 years, and a resident of the district for 1 year. A representative serves 2-year terms. There is no limit on the number of terms an individual can serve.
|
Representative
|
|
|
Election in which local voters in Texas can nullify a property tax increase that exceeds 8 percent--or 4 percent for a school district--in a given year.
|
Rollback Election
|
|
|
Groups that are interested primarily in one area of public policy.
|
Single-Issue Interest Groups
|
|
|
A committee that is created to consider legislation or perform a procedural role in the lawmaking process.
|
Standing Committee
|
|
|
A system of government in which the ruling elite holds all power and controls all aspects of society.
|
Totalitarian Regime
|
|
|
A plan made by delegates to the Constitutional Convention from several of the larger states, calling for a strong national government with a bicameral legislature, a national executive, a national judiciary, and legislative representation based on population.
|
Virginia Plan
|
|
|
There are a total of nine types of government, what are they?
|
Monarchy, Constitutional Monarchy, Dictatorship, Oligarchy, Pluralist, Democracy. Totalitarian, Authoritarian, and Constitutional.
|
|
|
Almost all kings and queens today head constitutional monarchies in which they perform ceremonial duties but play little or no role in actually governing their country.
|
Constitutional Monarchy
|
|
|
A system in which a dictator, who is also a sole ruler, arrives at their position of power through a violent overthrow of the previous government.
|
Dictatorship
|
|
|
A small group, such as military leaders or the economic elite, hold the reins of power. This is also termed as elitism.
|
Oligarchy
|
|
|
Pluralism occurs when a number of groups in a system struggle for power. In a pluralist system, there are multiple centers of power.
|
Pluralist
|
|
|
A political system in which all citizens have the right to play a role in shaping governmental action--a mechanism often referred to as popular sovereignty.
|
Democracy
|
|
|
When there are both informal and legal limits, the system is a constitutional government. In the U.S., government action is controlled by strong social and political forces and by what the laws, the courts, and the Constitution allow.
|
Constitutional Government
|
|
|
A political theory that holds individuals give up certain rights in return for securing certain freedoms.
|
Social Contract Theory
|
|
|
Basic rights that no government can deny.
|
Natural Rights
|
|
|
An English charter and the first document forced onto an English King by a group of his subjects (the barons) in an attempt to limit his powers by law and protect their privileges
|
Magna Carta
|
|
|
Pilgrims and non pilgrims alike, signed this document legalizing their position as a "civil body politic" under the sovereignty of King James I. highlighted the mixed system of colonial governance that recognized British sovereignty over the colonies while simultaneously maintaining significant autonomy for the colonists.
|
Mayflower Compact
|
|
|
A document that gave colonies the legal rights to exist. A charter is a document bestowing certain rights on a town, city, university or institution
|
Colonial Charter
|
|
|
September 1974, every colony except Georgia sent delegates to the First Constitutional Congress in Philadelphia. This document, mainly written by Jefferson, broke ties with Great Britain and protected the rights of Americans. The Constitution is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.
|
Declaration of Independence
|
|
|
The Constitution creates the three branches of the national government: a legislature, the bicameral Congress; an executive branch led by the President; and a judicial branch headed by the Supreme Court. The Constitution specifies the powers and duties of each branch. The Constitution reserves all enumerated powers to the respective states and the people, thereby establishing the federal system of government.
|
U.S. Constitution
|
|
|
The first constitution of the United States and specified how the Federal government was to operate, including adoption of an official name for the new nation, United States of America. The Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft the Articles in June 1776 and sent the draft to the states for ratification in November 1777.[1] In practice, the Articles were in use beginning in 1777. The ratification process was completed in March 1781. Under the Articles, the states retained sovereignty over all governmental functions not specifically relinquished to the national government.
|
Articles of Confederation
|
|
|
The financial situation leading to the rebellion included the problem that European war investors (among others) demanded payment in gold and silver; there was not enough specie in the states, including Massachusetts, to pay the debts; and through the state, wealthy urban businessmen were trying to squeeze whatever assets they could get out of rural smallholders. Since the smallholders did not have the gold that the creditors demanded, everything they had was confiscated, including their houses.
|
Shay's Rebellion
|
|
|
took place from May 25 to September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to address problems in governing the United States of America, which had been operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from Great Britain. Although the Convention was purportedly intended only to revise the Articles of Confederation, the intention from the outset of many of its proponents, chief among them James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, was to create a new government rather than fix the existing one. The delegates elected George Washington to preside over the convention. The result of the Convention was the United States Constitution, placing the Convention among the most significant events in the history of the United States.
|
Constitutional Convention
|
|
|
James Madison. A plan made by delegates to the Constitutional Convention from several of the larger states, calling for a strong national government with a bicameral legislature, a national executive, a national judiciary, and legislative representatives based on population
|
Virginia Plan
|
|
|
William Patterson. A scheme for government advanced at the Constitutional Convention that was supported by delegates from smaller states. It called for equal representation of states in a unicameral legislature.
|
New Jersey Plan
|
|
|
An agreement at the Constitutional Convention that the new national government would have a House of Representatives, in which the number of members would be based on each state's population, and a Senate, in which each state would have the same number of representatives.
|
Connecticut (or Great) Compromise
|
|
|
The powers explicitly granted to the national government in the U.S Constitution
|
Enumerated Powers (actually granted)
|
|
|
Powers authorized by a legal document (from the Constitution) which, while not stated, are seemed to be implied by powers expressly stated.implied powers are the powers exercised by Congress which are not explicitly given by the constitution itself but necessary and proper to execute the powers which are. (inferred from the general welfare clause or the necessary and proper clause for Congress, or the Commander In Chief roll of the president)
|
Implied Powers
|
|
|
Supporters of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution
|
Federalists
|
|
|
State ratifying conventions are one of the two methods established by Article V of the United States Constitution for ratifying constitutional amendments. Ratifying conventions have only been used for the ratification of the 21st Amendment. All others have been proposed for ratification by the state legislatures.
|
Ratification conventions in the states
|
|
|
A series of 85 essays in support of ratification of the constitution that were written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay.
|
The Federalist Papers
|
|
|
The activities and interactions in society that seek to affect the composition, power, and actions of government
|
Politics
|
|
|
The rules of society and the priorities for government resources and actions
|
Public Policy
|
|
|
Court, Elections, Lobbying, Cultural Change, and Grassroots Mobilization
|
Pathway of Actions
|
|
|
Pathway that involves attempting to influence the activities, actors, and institutions of government by supplying information, persuasion. or political pressure.
|
Lobbying
|
|
|
Pathway: In the United States, we can use our rights to file lawsuits against the government.
Organizations like the NAACP may also sue, such as in the case of Brown v. Board of Education (1954). |
Courts
|
|
|
Pathways: Highly motivated individuals can seek to attract the attention of government officials and influence the direction of law and policy by mobilizing others to join them in strategic actions. (i.e., MLK organizing a boycott of public transit systems)
|
Grassroots Mobilization
|
|
|
Pathway:
Individuals and organized groups attempt to change the hearts and minds of fellow citizens. By educating the public about issues and publicizing important events, dominant values of society may change over time (i.e., abortion) |
Cultural Change
|
|
|
Change and stability in American Government is a result of what three elements?
|
A stable, powerful political culture, a broadly accepted political/economical framework, and a variety of ways for citizens to seek and achieve policy changes.
|
|
|
In regards to change and stability in American Government, what are the three sources of stability in the U.S?
|
1. Reverence for the Constitution and capitalism.
2. The "American Creed" 3. Avenues of change |
|
|
A system in our government where each branch (legislative, executive, judicial) has the power to limit the actions of others. (i.e., Pres. Bush vetoed Congress' measure to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq)
|
Checks & Balances
|
|
|
An economic system where business and industry are privately owned and there is little governmental interference.
|
Capitalism
|
|
|
An economic system in which the government owns and controls most factories and much or all of the nation's land.
|
Socialism
|
|
|
10. When the boundaries of an electoral district are drawn to secure a partisan advantage, the
process of redrawing the boundaries of legislative districts is known as A) redistricting. B) gerrymandering. C) cracking. D) packing. E) electoral division. |
B) gerrymandering.
|
|
|
1. The model of representation most widely used today is the
A) trustee model. B) conscience model. C) politico model. D) delegate model. E) investiture model. |
D) delegate model.
|
|
|
2. During the impeachment trial of President Clinton, Senator Paul Wellstone argued that
“In the case of presidential impeachment, it’s especially important to consult public opinion, because one’s being asked, in effect, to overturn a popular election.” Wellstone’s claim is an argument in favor of the A) trustee model of representation. B) conscience model of representation. C) politico model of representation. D) delegate model of representation. E) investiture model of representation. |
D) delegate model of representation.
|
|
|
3. A constitutional amendment that required the Congress roughly mirror the population of
the United States in terms of racial, ethnic, and gender composition would be supported by proponents of A) symbolic representation. B) sectional representation. C) politico representation. D) delegative style. E) representational style. |
A) symbolic representation.
|
|
|
4. The founders expected the _____ to be the heart of the new government.
A) executive branch B) judicial branch C) legislative branch D) public branch. E) people |
C) legislative branch
|
|
|
5. The U.S. Supreme Court’s 1995 decision in Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton
A) supported the implied powers of Congress. B) found the legislative veto to be unconstitutional. C) upheld 75 as the maximum age for U.S. senators. D) overturned state laws that attempted to limit the number of terms that members of Congress could serve. E) declared that states had the right to impose term limits on their Congressional delegations. |
D) overturned state laws that attempted to limit the number of terms that members of
Congress could serve. |
|
|
6. Senators in the United States have been directly elected since the passage of the
Seventeenth Amendment in A) 1896. B) 1913. C) 1919. D) 1924. E) 1960. |
B) 1913.
|
|
|
7. The Help America Vote Act (2002)
A) requires states provide bilingual ballots to voters. B) guarantee no citizen live more than 25 miles from a polling station. C) prohibits discrimination in the voter registration process. D) permits states to limit the right of ex-felons to vote. E) mandates the updating of voting machines. |
E) mandates the updating of voting machines.
|
|
|
8. If a president vetoes a bill, what is the congressional action necessary for override of
the veto? A) Both chambers must approve the override by a minimum two-thirds margin. B) A majority vote of both chambers is required to override the veto. C) A two-thirds vote of one chamber is sufficient to override the veto. D) A majority vote of one chamber is sufficient to override the veto. E) The President’s veto cannot be overridden. |
A) Both chambers must approve the override by a minimum two-thirds margin.
|
|
|
The process of redrawing the boundaries of legislative districts is known as
A) redistricting. B) gerrymandering. C) cracking. D) packing. E) electoral division. |
A) redistricting.
|
|
|
11. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the standing committee system used in
Congress? A) It allows members of that committee to become experts in a given policy area. B) It expands the number of issue areas that can be considered simultaneously. C) It enhances the representation function of Congress by allowing legislators to sit on committees dealing with issues of concern to their constituents. D) If offers citizens many points of access into the legislative process. E) It encourages greater transparency and efficiency in the legislative process. |
E) It encourages greater transparency and efficiency in the legislative process.
|
|
|
12. In any given session, the U.S. Congress handles roughly _____ bills and nearly _____
nominations. A) 10 bills; 100 nominations B) 100 bills; 1,000 nominations C) 1,000 bills; 10,000 nominations D) 10,000 bills; 100,000 nominations E) 100,000 bills; 1,000,000 nominations |
D) 10,000 bills; 100,000 nominations
|
|
|
13. Because it sets the rules under which proposed legislation is considered by the House of
Representatives, the House _____ Committee is considered one of the most powerful committees in Congress. A) Standards of Official Conduct B) Rules C) Ways and Means D) Resources E) Government Reform |
B) Rules
|
|
|
14. The 1946 Legislative Authorization Act required that proposed bills
A) be referred to committee before being considered by the body as whole. B) receive the support of at least 2/3 of the House and Senate to pass. C) have at least four sponsors. D) have at least one sponsor from each party. E) receive an up or down committee vote. |
A) be referred to committee before being considered by the body as whole.
|
|
|
15. Despite being a relatively powerful Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich was forced to
resign in 1988 after A) He was found guilty of ethical violations. B) He was found to have accepted illegal campaign contributions. C) His party lost the seats in the election and came to resent his heavy-handed leadership style. D) Both A and B. E) Both B and C. |
C) His party lost the seats in the election and came to resent his heavy-handed
leadership style. |
|
|
16. As Chair of the Senate _____ Committee, Senator Ted Stephens was the head of the
committee charged with overseeing all federal spending. A) Appropriations B) Budget C) Revenue D) Spending E) Economic |
A) Appropriations
|
|
|
17. How many votes does it currently take to end a filibuster in the U.S. Senate?
A) 51 B) 60 C) 67 D) 85 E) 100 |
B) 60
|
|
|
18. The establishment of a bicameral legislature in the United States was the result of
A) The Pendleton Act. B) an executive order of the president. C) The Three-Fifths Compromise. D) The Sectional Compromise. E) The Great Compromise. |
E) The Great Compromise.
|
|
|
19. Congress passes approximately 400 bills into law every year. How many bills are
introduced in Congress? A) 1,000 B) 2,000 C) 5,000 D) 7,500 E) 10,000 |
E) 10,000
|
|
|
20. How many women served in the U.S. Senate during the 111th Congress?
A) 0 B) 2 C) 16 D) 33 E) 124 |
C) 16
|
|
|
1. One of the main criticisms leveled against the state legislatures under the Articles of
Confederation was that they were too sensitive to the will of the people. True/False |
True
|
|
|
2. The minimum age for service in the U.S. House of Representatives is thirty.
True/False |
False
|
|
|
3. In its 1995 decision in Shaw v. Reno, the U.S. Supreme Court supported race as the
principal criterion for drawing legislative districts. True/False |
False
|
|
|
4. In general, states in the northeast have seen an increase in the number of Representatives
in the House while the south and west have seen sharp declines. True/False |
False
|
|
|
5. Before a bill can be sent to the president for approval, differences between competing
House and Senate bills on the same topic must be ironed out in a conference committee. True/False |
True
|
|
|
6.Generally speaking, U.S. House committees consist of about 20 members.
True/False |
False
|
|
|
7. Debate in the House is organized exclusively by the party whips, which are the real
power sources in the House of Representatives. True/False |
False
|
|
|
8. In the absence of the Vice President of the United States, the presiding officer in the
Senate is the minority leader. True/False |
False
|
|
|
9. The delegate model of representation argues that the representatives should “enlarge and
refine the public’s will.” True/False |
True
|
|
|
10. A presidential veto can be overridden by a simple majority vote in both chambers of
Congress. True/False |
False
|
|
|
1. The role of the legislature includes all of the following EXCEPT
A) adjudicating. B) drafting a state budget. C) enacting law. D) education. E) representation. |
A) adjudicating.
|
|
|
2. The Texas legislature meets every two years for how many days?
A) 120 B) 140 C) 160 D) 180 E) 200 |
B) 140
|
|
|
3. Special sessions in Texas have historically
A) come in waves. B) been rare. C) been common. D) been used only by Republicans. E) been used only by Democrats. |
A) come in waves.
|
|
|
4. The pay level for Texas legislators is __________ that of most other states’ legislators.
A) equivalent to B) much higher than C) higher than D) lower than E) much lower |
E) much lower
|
|
|
5. The number of African American legislators in the Texas house grew from two in 1971 to
how many in 2007? A) 4 B) 8 C) 14 D) 20 E) 32 |
C) 14
|
|
|
6. Nearly a third of Texas legislators come from what sector?
A) business B) trade C) oil and gas D) law E) manufacturing |
D) law
|
|
|
7. Considering the relatively low turnover in the Texas legislature, the goal of granting
legislators low pay can be said to have proved A) irrelevant. B) a mixed success. C) highly successful. D) successful. E) a failure. |
E) a failure.
|
|
|
8. At-large districts in Texas were found to be
A) more egalitarian. B) prejudicial to Anglos. C) prejudicial to women voters. D) biased in favor of Hispanics. E) biased against minorities. |
E) biased against minorities.
|
|
|
9. The major battle over redistricting in Texas in recent decades occurred in
A) 2001. B) 2003. C) 2005 D) 2006. E) 2008. |
B) 2003.
|
|
|
10. In the Texas house of representatives, the presiding officer is the speaker, while in the senate,
that position is held by the A) attorney general. B) chief justice. C) lieutenant governor. D) house majority leader. E) rules committee chair. |
C) lieutenant governor.
|
|
|
11. In 1979, the “Killer Bees”—a group of democratic senators—used what tactic to thwart the
goals of Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby? A) hiding B) resigning C) playing tag D) filibustering E) name-calling |
A) hiding
|
|
|
12. The lieutenant governor of recent decades who can be said to have lost the tradition of
bipartisan compromise is A) Bob Bullock. B) David Dewhurst. C) Rick Perry. D) John Sharp. E) Bill Hobby. |
B) David Dewhurst.
|
|
|
13. A group of legislators that reviews and holds public hearings on bills or issues that they have
been assigned is a A) quorum. B) working party. C) majority. D) minority. E) committee. |
E) committee.
|
|
|
14. In dealing with legislation, the lieutenant governor has the prerogative of assigning
legislation to committees, allowing the bill to be A) exempt from committee action. B) passed without a quorum. C) killed in a hostile committee. D) lost. E) censured. |
D) lost.
|
|
|
15. The other name for the state budget is the
A) ways and means bill. B) appropriations bill. C) comptroller’s bill. D) finance bill. E) money bill. |
B) appropriations bill.
|
|
|
16. Gib Lewis was typical of house speakers in
A) being especially far right. B) being supported by the Religious Right. C) surviving for decades. D) working across party lines. E) being very reactionary. |
D) working across party lines.
|
|
|
17. Republicans in the Texas legislature bitterly opposed stronger state laws against hate crimes
because such laws A) ran contrary to their principles. B) also covered crimes involving religion. C) also covered crimes against homosexuals. D) were introduced by the Democrats. E) were supported by Governor Bush. |
C) also covered crimes against homosexuals.
|
|
|
18. Evaluating the influence of any one group or person on legislative decisions is difficult for all
of the following reasons EXCEPT A) decision-making is highly complex. B) floor debates are closed to the public. C) influences often compete with one another. D) such influence varies between legislators. E) influence varies between bills. |
B) floor debates are closed to the public.
|
|
|
19. The enactment of a legislative ethics bill in 1991 was marred by all of the following
EXCEPT A) bipartisan support. B) being concluded in secret. C) being enacted at the eleventh hour. D) its weak provisions. E) most legislators’ being ignorant of the bill’s existence. |
A) bipartisan support.
|
|
|
20. The scandal involving the ties of Speaker Gib Lewis with the law firm of Heard Goggan was
centered on a lucrative business in A) collecting penalties for delinquent taxes. B) farm subsidies. C) oil exports D) veterans’ benefits. E) prison building. |
A) collecting penalties for delinquent taxes.
|
|
|
1. The Texas legislature is responsible for oversight of state agencies.
True/False |
True
|
|
|
2. Single-member legislative districts have always been the norm in the United States and
Texas. True/False |
True
|
|
|
3. The 2003 redistricting battle was a Republican victory.
True/False |
True
|
|
|
4. Ultimately the 2003 redistricting battle was decided by one Democratic senator.
True/False |
True
|
|
|
5. The lieutenant governor of Texas has a great deal of power deriving from control of the
senate’s agenda. True/False |
True
|
|
|
6. In 2007, the Texas legislature had more than 59 standing committees in the house and
senate combined. True/False |
True
|
|
|
7. Substantive committees deal with bills pertaining to an area of expertise, such as public
health. True/False |
True
|
|
|
8. The presiding officers of the Texas legislature can kill bills by simply assigning them to
hostile committees. True/False |
True
|
|
|
9. The caucus system in the Texas legislature is rudimentary compared to that of the U.S.
Congress. True/False |
True
|
|
|
10. Newsletters are an important way for legislators to learn more about their constituents.
True/False |
True
|
|
|
1. At the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention in 1787, the New Jersey plan
A) called for a strong presidency with extensive powers to limit the danger of the tyranny of the majority presented by Congress. B) called for a weak executive that would not present too much of threat to the other branches of government. C) called for the establishment of a rotating executive council comprised of the governors of every state. D) was unclear about the basic structure and function of the presidency. E) was the first attempt to outline a system of separation of powers and checks and balances. |
B) called for a weak executive that would not present too much of threat to the other
branches of government. |
|
|
2. Which of the following is NOT an example of the concerns of the founders over granting
the presidency too much power? A) the requirement that the Senate confirm presidential treaties and appointments B) the granting of Congress the power to declare war C) the selection of the president through an electoral college D) the provision that Congress could override a presidential veto E) the ability of Congress to impeach and remove the president |
C) the selection of the president through an electoral college
|
|
|
3. Which of the following statements most accurately describes changes in presidential
power in the United States? A) The Constitutional limits imposed on the president’s powers by the founders remain an effective check on presidential ambition. B) The power of the presidency has greatly decreased over time. C) The power of the presidency has greatly increased over time. D) The power of the presidency has increased relative to Congress but decreased relative to the Courts since the 1940s. E) The power of the presidency has increased relative to the Courts but decreased relative to Congress since the 1940s. |
C) The power of the presidency has greatly increased over time.
|
|
|
4. Which president tried unsuccessfully to have the United States john the League of
Nations? A) William Taft B) Warren Harding C) Harry S. Truman D) Herbert Hoover E) Woodrow Wilson |
E) Woodrow Wilson
|
|
|
5. Which of the following statements about the president’s cabinet is NOT true?
A) Members of the cabinet are appointed by the president. B) Presidential appointments to the cabinet must be confirmed by the Senate. C) The cabinet provides expertise and advice to the president. D) Members of the cabinet must simultaneously serve as members of Congress. E) The cabinet may be expanded or reduced at the discretion of the president. |
D) Members of the cabinet must simultaneously serve as members of Congress.
|
|
|
6. The Department of Homeland Security was established in
A) 1991. B) 1996. C) 2002. D) 2006. E) 2008. |
C) 2002.
|
|
|
7. In recent years, observers have been concerned that
A) presidents seldom consider the national interest in their decision making. B) the role of informal political advisors is increasing at the expense of the role of policy experts. C) the presidency has been weakened through ineffective leadership. D) the effectiveness of the presidency has been undermined through cumbersome congressional restrictions. E) the presidency has lost the prestige once associated with the office. |
B) the role of informal political advisors is increasing at the expense of the role of
policy experts. |
|
|
8. The term _____ is used to describe the burgeoning responsibilities and scope of
presidential powers. A) institutional presidency B) presidential authority C) congressional deference D) court mandate E) executive authority |
A) institutional presidency
|
|
|
9. The phrase “bully pulpit” refers to
A) the use of the powers of the presidency to intimidate Congress into a specific course of action. B) the ability of the president to intimate foreign countries through the use of the U.S. military. C) the use of the president’s position in the spotlight to draw public attention to issues and to support certain causes. D) the use of the police powers of the executive to arrest members of the opposition. E) none of the above. |
C) the use of the president’s position in the spotlight to draw public attention to
issues and to support certain causes. |
|
|
10. Which of the following first ladies was NOT generally recognized as exercising
considerable informal influence over their husband’s administrations? A) Abigail Adams B) Hannah Hoes Van Buren C) Edith Bolling Galt Wilson D) Eleanor Roosevelt E) Hillary Clinton |
B) Hannah Hoes Van Buren
|
|
|
11. When the president throws out the first pitch at the World Series, the President is
performing the role of A) Chief of State B) Chief Legislator C) Chief Executive D) Chief Diplomat E) Commander in Chief |
A) Chief of State
|
|
|
12. Due to his lack of experience in and familiarity with the national Congress, President
_____’s legislative agenda largely failed, despite his own party controlling both chambers of Congress. A) Lyndon Johnson B) Jimmy Carter C) Ronald Reagan D) George H.W. Bush E) Bill Clinton F) George W. Bush |
B) Jimmy Carter
|
|
|
13. In the twentieth century, use of the veto
A) increased. B) remained steady throughout. C) decreased. D) peaked in the period around World War II. E) peaked in the 1980s. |
D) peaked in the period around World War II.
|
|
|
14. The president is required to inform Congress within 60 days of singing an executive
agreement under the terms of the A) War Powers Act. B) Case Act. C) Foreign Policy Transparency Act. D) Wagner Act. E) Congressional oversight rule. |
B) Case Act.
|
|
|
15. The use of the phrase “police action” was first used to justify the use of the U.S. military
abroad without Congressional approval by A) Thomas Jefferson in his war against the Barbary Pirates. B) Abraham Lincoln in the Civil War. C) Harry Truman in the Korean War. D) Lyndon Johnson in the Vietnam War. E) George H.W. Bush in the First Gulf War. |
C) Harry Truman in the Korean War.
|
|
|
16. The ability of the Congress to affect foreign policy was demonstrated in 1974, when
Congress A) impeached the president. B) passed a bill forcing the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam. C) removed the commanding officer overseeing U.S. military operation in Vietnam. D) concluded a unilateral peace treaty with North Vietnam. E) cut off funding for the Vietnam War. |
E) cut off funding for the Vietnam War.
|
|
|
17. Which of the following was NOT issued by a president as an executive order?
A) the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation B) the 1948 directive to end segregation in the armed forces C) the 1966 order making affirmative action a federal policy D) the 1977 creation of the Department of Energy E) the 2001 creation of the Office of Faith-based Initiatives |
D) the 1977 creation of the Department of Energy
|
|
|
18. A written proclamation of how the executive will interpret a given measure passed by
Congress issued by the President is referred to as a(n) A) executive agreements. B) executive orders. C) presidential decrees. D) presidential prerogative. E) signing statements. |
E) signing statements.
|
|
|
19. The Iran-Contra scandal involved
A) embezzlement from the national treasury by the president. B) an attempt to burglarize the Democratic National Committee’s campaign office. C) the secret violation of campaign finance laws imposed by Congress. D) the secret sale of weapons in contravention of Congressional orders. E) the misallocation of contracts to campaign donors. |
D) the secret sale of weapons in contravention of Congressional orders.
|
|
|
20. Excluding the military, the size of the federal bureaucracy has increased from
approximately 1,000 during the administration of President Thomas Jefferson, to approximately _____ today. A) 26 thousand B) 260 thousand C) 2.6 million D) 26 million E) 260 million |
C) 2.6 million
|
|
|
If government is thought of as the rules of the game, politics might be thought of as the:
|
Process of the game.
|
|
|
The recognized right for a particular individual, person, group, or institution to make binding decisions is usually referred to as:
|
Authority.
|
|
|
The term "totalitarian" was first used to describe:
|
Italy under Benito Mussolini.
|
|
|
The phrase "a more perfect union" in the Declaration of Independence signals the founders belief that:
|
Democratic government was an ideal which should always be strived for but likely never reached.
|
|
|
The Mayflower Compact was important because it:
|
Was an effort to establish a "body politic" based on a system of laws rather than the rule of an individual.
|
|
|
The group organized out of opposition to the imposition of the Tax Act in 1765 was known as the:
|
Sons of Liberty.
|
|
|
Which supporter of free markets and the invisible hand argued that free markets can help ensure the success of the nation, concluding that, "Every man, as long as he does not violate the laws of justice, is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest his own way, and to bring both his industry and capital into competition with those of any other man or order of men"?
|
Adam Smith.
|
|
|
Under the Articles of Confederation, political power and authority ultimately rested with the:
|
Individual state governments.
|
|
|
_____ led 2500 farmers against Massachusetts militia forces
|
Daniel Shays
|
|
|
In an effort to deal with the economic crisis of the 1780s, many state governments passed _____ laws that permitted farmers to pay bills in agricultural produce rather than cash.
|
Tender
|
|
|
The Great Compromise was also known as the:
|
Connecticut Compromise.
|
|
|
The Sectional Compromise dealt with the question of the:
|
commerce and the status of slavery in the United States
|
|
|
Give an example of a power possessed by the President which acts as a check on the Congress?
|
Veto bills passed by Congress
|
|
|
The Federalist Papers were written by:
|
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.
|
|
|
T/F Government is defined as the formal structures and institutions through which binding decisions are made for citizens of a particular area.
|
True
|
|
|
T/F The acceptance of Congress' authority to made laws, impose taxes, or institute the draft, even if we dislike the decisions made, is a reflection of the authority exercised by government.
|
True
|
|
|
T/F The Mayflower Compact highlighted the mixed system of colonial governance that recognized British sovereignty over the colonies while simultaneously maintaining significant autonomy for the colonists.
|
True
|
|
|
T/F The Mayflower Compact highlighted the mixed system of colonial governance that recognized British sovereignty over the colonies while simultaneously maintaining significant autonomy for the colonists.
|
False
|
|
|
T/F The Articles of Confederation granted the national government the power to collect a national income tax and levy fees on the states.
|
False
|
|
|
T/F The Virginia plan was more state-centered than the New Jersey plan, keeping a confederation model that underlay the Articles of Confederation.
|
False
|
|
|
T/F The Bill of Rights refers to the first 20 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
|
False
|
|
|
T/F The framers did not submit the new Constitution for the approval of state legislatures because they feared the states would not approve a document that transferred sovereignty to the national government.
|
True
|
|
|
T/F Thomas Jefferson's party, the Democratic Republicans, was the initial precursor to the modern day Republican Party.
|
False
|
|
|
T/F Voter turnout during the period of Jacksonian Democracy was higher than voter turnout today.
|
True
|
|
|
T/F
The period of salutary neglect took place after the Americans issued the Declaration of Independence, and was intended to punish the colonies for their decision. |
False
|
|
|
T/F The requirement for a census was written into the Constitution because representation and taxation required an accurate accounting of the people.
|
True
|
|
|
T/F The new Constitution was approved by an overwhelming majority in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Virginia.
|
False
|
|
|
T/F After winning more popular votes than any other candidate, John Quincy Adams lost the Electoral College vote in 1824.
|
False
|
|
|
Shays' Rebellion took place in:
a) Rhode Island b) Georgia c) Pennsylvania d) Massachusetts e) South Carolina |
d) Massachusetts
|
|
|
To the political elite of the country, Shays' Rebellion demonstrated the:
a) spirit of cooperation in the new United States b) dangers of weak private property rights c) strength of the national state governments d) power of the individual state governments e) dangers of liberty and freedom |
e) dangers of liberty and freedom
|
|
|
The presiding officer at the Constitutional Convention was:
a) Thomas Jefferson. b) John Jay. c) George Washington. d) Alexander Hamilton. e) James Madison. |
c) George Washington.
|
|
|
The Virginia Plan:
provided for equal representation of all states regardless of population in the legislature. a) provided for representation in the national legislature based on population. b) proposed to outlaw slavery in the colonies. c) prohibited a national income tax. d) established a national income tax. |
a) provided for representation in the national legislature based on population.
|
|
|
The process by which the U.S. Constitution may be amended is spelled out in:
a) Article IV. b) Article V. c) Article II. d) Article III. e) Article I. |
b) Article V.
|
|
|
Under the original Constitution, Senators were:
a) elected by the House of Representatives. b) appointed by state governors. c) directly elected by the people. d) chosen by state legislatures. e) chosen through the Electoral College. |
d) chosen by state legislatures.
|
|
|
Since 1794, the U.S. Constitution has been amended seventeen times. The plurality of those amendments (eight), have:
a) Expanded individual rights. b) Corrected flaws in governmental structures. c) Dealt with public policy decisions. d) Overturned previous Constitutional amendments. e) Overruled Supreme Court decisions. |
a) Expanded individual rights.
|
|
|
In Federalist Paper No. 10, it is argued that "Liberty is to faction what air is to fire." What political concept does this statement deal with?
a) judicial review b) hate speech c) balance of power d) social inequality e) interest groups |
e) interest groups
|
|
|
As an Anti-Federalist, Brutus felt that the national government:
a) needed the power of the purse to be effective. b) was the natural progression from the Articles. c) would be too distant from the people to represent their interests. d) was necessary to expand commerce and equality in the United States. e) would be effective if representatives could operate independently of their constituencies. |
c) would be too distant from the people to represent their interests.
|
|
|
T/F Duties on imports are the most common way to collect revenue to make the government run.
|
False
|
|
|
The body of law that applies to private rights, such as the ownership of property or the ability to enter into contracts, is usually referred to as:
civil law. a) contract law. b) property law. c) criminal law. d) tort law. |
civil law.
|
|
|
Which of the following terms does NOT apply to the United States today?
a) constitutional system b) pluralism c) republicanism d) pure democracy e) capitalist |
d) pure democracy
|
|
|
The notion that individuals should be free from government interference in private actions is generally referred to as:
a) legitimacy b) pragmatism c) democracy d) republic e) liberty |
e) liberty
|
|
|
A system of government in which a small group, such as military leaders or the economic elite, controls the reins of power is most accurately described as:
a socialist state. a) a fascist state. b) a democracy. c) communism. d) an oligarchy. |
d) an oligarchy
|
|
|
In the early eighteenth century, ___________ of the English colonies in America had a colonial assembly.
a) two-thirds b) one-quarter c) none d) half e) all |
e) all
|
|
|
The period known as the Great Squeeze, during which British Parliament imposed a number of taxes upon the colonists in rapid succession, was intended to raise revenue for the:
a) French and Indian War. b) slave trade. c) Use of British ships to transport colonists to the Americas. d) Revolutionary War. e) British East India Company. |
a) French and Indian War.
|
|
|
In the aftermath of Lexington and Concord:
a) both the British and the Americans were devastated by the large loss of life and property b) neither the Americans nor the British gave much thought to the skirmishes. c) Britain hastily attempted to reconcile with its rebellious colonies. d) the wheels of war were set in motion. e) fifteen years of peace between Britain and the colonies were secured. |
d) the wheels of war were set in motion.
|
|
|
The Second Colonial Congress was concerned primarily with:
a) securing a peaceful resolution of the dispute with Britain. b) convincing the British Parliament to end taxes on the colonies. c) writing a new Constitution for the United States. d) electing the first President of the United States. e) gaining the support of the American people for the Revolutionary War. |
e) gaining the support of the American people for the Revolutionary War.
|
|
|
The first sentence of the Declaration of Independence reads "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." Which of the following concepts is illustrated by this passage?
a) social contract theory b) natural rights c) just law theory d) oligarchy e) the state of nature |
b) natural rights
|
|
|
Which of the following powers was NOT extended to the Congress under the articles of Confederation?
a) regulate interstate commerce b) coordinate relations with the Native Americans c) appoint military officers d) conduct foreign affairs e) borrow money |
a) regulate interstate commerce
|
|
|
_____ is defined as the rules of society and the priorities for government resources and action.
a) Public policy b) Republicanism c) Democracy d) Legitimacy e) Politics |
a) Public policy
|
|
|
Which of the following countries is classified as "not free" according to the Freedom House index?
a) India b) Jamaica c) France d) South Africa e) Afghanistan |
e) Afghanistan
|
|
|
The federal legislature is usually referred to as the:
a) Presidency. b) Senate. c) House. d) Congress. e) Judiciary. |
d) Congress.
|
|
|
The group most well-known for its campaign to strengthen civil liberties in the United States is the:
a) WTO. b) ILO. c) NRA. d) ACLU. e) NAACP. |
d) ACLU.
|
|
|
The franchise was extended to women by the passage of the ____ Amendment in 1920.
a) 19th b) 18th c) 21st d) 12th e) 17th |
a) 19th
|
|
|
The Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade was made on the basis of:
a) the principle of political equality. b) Tenth Amendment provisions protecting the power of the States. c) First Amendment rights of free assembly and speech. d) the implied right to privacy. e) Fifth Amendment due process protections. |
d) the implied right to privacy.
|
|
|
The presidential veto is an example of:
a) an unfunded mandate. b) checks and balances. c) an executive order. d) executive privilege. e) an executive agreement. |
b) checks and balances.
|
|
|
Two necessary conditions for political stability in a country are a:
a) popular and charismatic leader and a strong economy. b) capitalist economic system and a clearly defined political culture. c) strong sense of national identity and a popular leader. d) popular acceptance of the government and a well defined political culture. e) powerful central government and a strong military. |
d) popular acceptance of the government and a well defined political culture.
|
|
|
The American political culture is generally defined by:
a) instability and rapid change. b) an emphasis on the collective. c) rugged individualism. d) conservatism. e) all of the above. |
c) rugged individualism.
|
|
|
The idea of the "American Creed" was developed by:
a) Robert Dahl b) Gunnar Myrdal c) Jean Jacques Rousseau d) John Locke e) Alexis de Tocqueville |
b) Gunnar Myrdal
|
|
|
The two most important conditions for political stability are popular acceptance of a country's political and economic system and a:
a) free and independent court system. b) effective and efficient bureaucracy. c) written Constitution. d) clearly defined political culture. e) popular elected leader. |
d) clearly defined political culture.
|
|
|
T/F Government provides benefits and services, but it also places limits on our individual choices and options.
|
True
|
|
|
T/F Switzerland has the lowest level of average voter turnout of any western democracy.
|
True
|
|
|
T/F Abortion and birth control first entered the country's attention as a political issue following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade.
|
False
|
|
|
T/F The Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson is credited with helping to spread slavery westward.
|
False
|
|
|
T/F The "American Creed" is an example of political culture, as it incorporates both citizens' personal values and their shared ideas about how to be governed.
|
True
|
|
|
Among the many philosophers of the
Enlightenment period were names such as: |
1. Thomas Jefferson: American
2. John Locke, Adam Smith: English 3. Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau: French |
|
|
Who argued that even where no
government exists, as in a “state of nature,” individuals possess inalienable rights to: 1. Life 2. Liberty 3. Property |
John Locke.
Locke said natural law, as a moral principle, guarantees all people rights of life, liberty, and property. Because no government gives such rights, no government can take them away. |
|
|
Implicit in Locke’s social contract and
the liberal idea of freedom are the beliefs that: |
1. Government activity will be limited.
2. Restrictions on individuals’ rights will be kept to a minimum. |
|
|
What theory holds that
decisions reflect the interests of a relatively small number of individuals and groups known as the elite. |
Elite Theory: only holds that an elite makes key decisions, particularly those affecting the economic and other important interests of an institutionalized elite. The masses typically pay little attention to the decisions made by government and are often easily influenced by what they see on television – a medium
controlled by elites. |
|
|
What theory holds that key decisions reflect the compromises
resulting from the clash of diverse interests, such as government bureaucracies, large corporations, television media, labor unions, public interest groups, among others? |
Pluralist Perspective: holds that diverse interests in American politics
constitute countervailing powers which keep any one interest from dominating. |
