Politics - Answer Key

1. The text defines ________ as the actions by which private citizens seek to influence or support government and politics. [A] conventional participation [B] direct action [C] political participation [D] unconventional participation 2. Unconventional political participation is [A] illegal. [B] stressful for participants and their opponents. [C] undemocratic. [D] ineffective. 3. Which of the following is a conventional form of political participation? [A] Writing letters to public officials [B] Participating in a protest march [C] Chanting slogans outside officials’ windows [D] Staging a sit-in 4. Unconventional political activities are most likely to be used by [A] electoral majorities seeking to increase their support. [B] wealthy and established interest groups. [C] groups that have been denied access to the normal channels of influence. [D] individuals seeking their party’s nomination for public office. 5. How do most Americans feel about unconventional political activity? [A] Unconventional political activity is never practiced in the United States. [B] They tend to disapprove of it. [C] They have no feelings about it. [D] They tend to approve of it. 6. Some studies show that direct political action appeals most to those who ________ the political system and have a ________ sense of political efficacy. [A] distrust; strong [B] trust; weak [C] distrust; weak [D] trust; strong 7. In the long term, the national government responded to unconventional participation by civil rights activists with [A] facilitation and support for future unconventional political action. [B] inaction. [C] violent repression of demonstrators. [D] reforms designed to give minorities greater access to conventional forms of participation. 8. Poor black Americans are more likely to engage in various forms of political participation than poor whites are because poor black Americans have [A] more trust in the political system. [B] developed a sense of group consciousness. [C] higher levels of education. [D] higher levels of patriotism. 9. To ensure stability, the objective of political institutions in democratic systems should be to [A] make unconventional participation impossible. [B] expand the opportunities for unconventional participation and encourage its use when necessary. [C] make conventional and unconventional modes of participation equally attractive. [D] channel participation into conventional activities. 10. Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is an example of ________ behavior. [A] unconventional [B] supportive [C] contacting [D] influencing 11. Contacting elected officials is a form of [A] supportive behavior. [B] protest. [C] unconventional participation. [D] influencing behavior. 12. A class-action suit is a method of [A] influencing public policy through the courts. [B] increasing political participation among students. [C] organizing mass political demonstrations. [D] using the courts for individual benefit. 13. Suffrage refers to [A] organizing mass political demonstrations. [B] the right to vote. [C] using the courts for individual benefit. [D] unconventional participation in the face of persecution. 14. Which of the following qualifications for voting was virtually eliminated in all states by the 1850s? [A] Gender [B] Age [C] Property [D] Race 15. In ________, the Supreme Court held that laws preventing black Americans from voting in primary elections were unconstitutional. [A] Gomillion v. Lightfoot [B] Smith v. Allwright [C] Brown v. Board of Education [D] Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections 16. The process of enfranchising black Americans had what impact on U.S. federalism? [A] It demonstrated that state and national governments could cooperate in the public interest. [B] It made the national government, rather than the states, the guarantor of voting rights. [C] It forced the states to band together to compel the national government to expand the franchise. [D] It allowed the states greater powers to promote equality. 17. Women’s suffrage in the United States was adopted first by [A] several states, primarily in the Northeast. [B] Congress, to apply to all national elections. [C] local governments in America’s largest cities. [D] several states, primarily in the West. 18. The last major expansion of suffrage in the United States involved the criterion of [A] sex. [B] race. [C] age. [D] wealth. 19. The philosophy of political reform that trusted the goodness of people and distrusted special interests and political institutions was [A] liberalism. [B] progressivism. [C] populism. [D] libertarianism. 20. A direct primary is a [A] direct vote on a proposed law. [B] procedure by which voters can propose a law to be considered by the legislature. [C] preliminary election to choose party candidates. [D] special election initiated by petition. 21. An evaluation of the initiative and referendum mechanisms indicates that [A] their use has declined in recent decades. [B] citizens can exercise significant influence over public policy through them. [C] citizens pay closer attention to them than to the election of candidates. [D] policies resulting from them are superior to policies produced by legislative bodies. 22. Although the United States has a much lower voter turnout rate than other democracies, Americans may actually work harder than other peoples at being good citizens because [A] the United States has far more elections than other countries. [B] people must pass a test of political knowledge to be eligible to vote in the United States. [C] political parties in the United States demand such a high level of activity. [D] many American states still impose a poll tax. 23. Characteristics frequently associated with nonvoters are [A] high education, low income, and being relatively old. [B] low education, high income, and middle age. [C] low education, low income, and middle age. [D] low education, low income, and being relatively young. 24. In 1992, Ross Perot’s presidential candidacy appeared to have had what effect on voter turnout? [A] It discouraged voters from participation. [B] His campaign had a low visibility, and most voters were not even aware of him. [C] It had no measurable effect. [D] It somewhat increased voter turnout. 25. How does education affect voter turnout? [A] Educated people vote more than uneducated people, who are often unable to pass voter literacy tests. [B] Well-educated people are more likely to vote than are their less-educated counterparts. [C] Educated people are less likely to vote than uneducated people because their education makes them more cynical about government. [D] Educated and uneducated people vote at about the same rates. 26. Of all the social and economic variables, the strongest single predictor of conventional participation is [A] job prestige. [B] education. [C] income. [D] race. 27. The effect of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which enfranchised eighteen- to twenty-year-olds, was to [A] boost turnout in the United States above voter turnout rates in most other democratic nations. [B] decrease the percentage of the population who distrusted the U.S. political system. [C] increase the national voter turnout rate. [D] reduce the overall national voter turnout rate. 28. On the whole, the voter registration laws in the United States serve to [A] depress voter turnout. [B] require little initiative. [C] promote high voter turnout. [D] place the burden of voter registration on the government. 29. Political parties are distinguished from interest groups in U.S. politics by the fact that interest groups do not [A] endorse candidates in campaigns. [B] financially support candidates for public office. [C] sponsor candidates for office under their name. [D] maintain organizations that assist candidates in campaigns. 30. If political parties suddenly disappeared in this country, the most likely result would be [A] candidates with weaker qualifications. [B] a greater variety of candidates. [C] more fragmented government policies. [D] All of these. 31. The federalist and antifederalist factions that arose during the debate over ratification of the U.S. Constitution were not political parties because they did not [A] take clearly different positions on important issues of the day. [B] hold conventions. [C] have a clearly identifiable group of supporters. [D] sponsor candidates for election at that time. 32. The U.S. Constitution specifically provided for ________ political parties. [A] no [B] an unlimited number of [C] two [D] three 33. Those who supported the new U.S. Constitution were called [A] Democrats. [B] Republicans. [C] Federalists. [D] Whigs. 34. Today’s Republican Party was founded in [A] 1796. [B] 1865. [C] 1936. [D] 1854. 35. A critical election is one in which [A] the incumbent administration comes under sharp attack by its critics. [B] a sharp change in existing patterns of party loyalties among groups of voters occurs. [C] the incumbent president is defeated. [D] a change in party control of both the presidency and Congress occurs. 36. The election of 1896 [A] was won by William Jennings Bryan. [B] eliminated the Republican Party from the political landscape. [C] established the Democratic Party as a majority party. [D] transformed the Republican Party into a majority party. 37. The critical election of 1932 resulted in the [A] election of Herbert Hoover. [B] decline of the Solid South. [C] end of the Progressive movement. [D] achievement of majority status for the Democratic Party. 38. Southerners, northern urban workers, Catholics, Jews, and white ethnic minorities made up the ________ coalition. [A] Eisenhower [B] Roosevelt [C] liberal [D] conservative 39. Since the present two-party system was established, how many minor-party candidates have been elected to the presidency? [A] Three [B] One [C] Two [D] None 40. A good example of a party of ideological protest is the ________ Party. [A] Anti-Masonic [B] Free Soil [C] Libertarian [D] Democratic 41. The ________ Party is a twentieth-century example of a single-issue party. [A] Libertarian [B] Prohibition [C] American Independent [D] Reform 42. The most important function of third parties in the United States seems to be [A] coalition building. [B] agenda setting. [C] policy advocacy. [D] acting as a safety valve to express discontent. 43. If the U.S. system of single-member districts with plurality voting were replaced with a system of proportional representation, one possible consequence would be [A] the disappearance of political parties. [B] a movement toward a multiparty system. [C] greater centralization of power in the hands of the president. [D] significant weakening of the U.S. federal system. 44. Which of the following is an advantage of a two-party system over a multiparty system? [A] Two-party systems allow many small parties or factions to run candidates. [B] Two-party systems provide voters with a wider range of choices. [C] Two-party systems facilitate the creation of new parties. [D] Two-party systems force a variety of interest groups and factions to cooperate to win elections. 45. U.S. voters who as a group have experienced the greatest change in party attachment since 1952 are [A] Hispanic/Latino women. [B] black southerners. [C] white southerners. [D] union members. 46. Geographically speaking, the highest concentration of Democrats is found in the [A] South. [B] North. [C] border states. [D] Midwest. 47. Which of the following groups are not identified more with the Democratic Party than with the Republican Party? [A] Men [B] African Americans [C] People with lower income and educational levels [D] Jews 48. On economic issues, Republicans [A] tend to support increased government activity, especially for social welfare. [B] are more liberal than Democrats. [C] take no consistent position. [D] tend to oppose increased government activity, except for defense. 49. In general, Democrats usually differ from Republicans in supporting [A] freedom over public good, and public good over equality. [B] equality over freedom, and freedom over order. [C] order over pluralism, and pluralism over freedom. [D] freedom over order, and order over equality. 50. Which of the following best describes the structure of the two major U.S. political parties? [A] They are alliances of national, state, and local organizations that are often divided into ideological factions. [B] They are centrally controlled hierarchical organizations. [C] They are without organization or structure. [D] They are alliances of national, state, and local organizations unified by agreement on ideology and policy. 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