Chapter 1 GOVERNMENT 2305 – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
            A direct democracy is a system in which
answer
        citizens are permitted to vote directly on laws and policies.
question
            American democracy rests on the principle of
answer
        majority rule, minority rights.
question
            Contemporary politics is best defined as
answer
        conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments.
question
            How does the text define citizenship, as derived from the ancient Greek meaning?
answer
        as the complete person; participation in public affairs
question
            In a democracy, popular sovereignty is vested in
answer
        the people.
question
            In a representative democracy, public policies are determined by
answer
        officials regularly chosen by the people.
question
            Some states allow ballot referenda or popular initiatives, which are forms of
answer
        direct democracy.
question
            The U.S. definition of liberty refers to
answer
        personal and economic freedom.
question
            The United States' government is best characterized as
answer
        a republic.
question
            The United States' key political values are
answer
        liberty, equality, and democracy
question
            The belief that citizens can affect government is called political
answer
        efficacy
question
            The bourgeoisie of western Europe wanted to
answer
        promote political participation for the middle classes.
question
            The principle that suggests "one person, one vote" refers to
answer
        political equality.
question
            Under a system of laissez-faire capitalism, the role of government is to
answer
        interfere with the market as little as possible.
question
            Which concept is increasingly important in politics and best describes the rising ability to participate in society online?
answer
        digital citizenship
question
            Which of the following caused a partial government shutdown in 2013 leading to historically low rates of trust in government?
answer
        differences in taxing and spending especially concerning the Affordable Care Act
question
            Which of the following is the term generally used to describe the institutions and procedures through which a territory and its people are ruled?
answer
        government
question
            Which of the following is true of changes in the income and wealth distribution of the American people?
answer
        Beginning in the 1930s, a large middle class began to take shape.
question
            Which of the following statements about the experience of the United States with religion is accurate?
answer
        By 2012 religious diversity was increasing, as approximately 20 percent of the population was not affiliated with an organized church, the largest statistic ever for this group
question
            Which of the following statements describes America's growing population since its founding?
answer
        The number of elderly Americans has grown, and the number of children aged 18 and under has declined.
question
            Which of the following statements is accurate?
answer
        By 2014 income inequality has become rigid once again, with the top 1 percent earning 20 percent of the national income.
question
            Why are knowledgeable citizens more engaged in politics?
answer
        They understand how politics affects their lives
question
            Balancing the desires of the majority of the population against the freedoms of the minority of the population is part of which trade-off?
answer
        democracy versus liberty
question
            The Bill of Rights includes things such as the right to bear arms and freedom of speech. These are examples of which American value?
answer
        liberty
question
            Which age group had the lowest level of active voters in 2012?
answer
        17-24
question
            Which age group donated the most money to a campaign in 2012?
answer
        65+
question
            Which age group had the lowest level of attendance at political events in 2012?
answer
        25-44
question
            According to polling data in 1960, roughly ______ percent of American adults said they trusted the government to "do the right thing" always or most of the time.
answer
        70
question
            By 1980, trust in government dropped to about ______ percent.
answer
        25
question
            Since 1980, the only time trust in government rose above 50 percent was after
answer
        the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001
question
            Which of the following statements is true regarding trust in government?
answer
        Trust in government today is at an all-time low
question
            According to the Gallup Poll, what percentage of people said they were very satisfied with income distribution in the United States?
answer
        7%
question
            According to the Gallup Poll, what percentage of people said they were very dissatisfied with income distribution in the United States?
answer
        39%
question
            Between 2009 and 2012, the top 1% of richest Americans accumulated ___% of the U.S. economic recovery's income gains.
answer
        95
question
            The 85 richest people in the world have as much wealth as ______ of poorest people in the world combined.
answer
        3.5 billion
question
            The population of the United States has grown approximately _____ times since 1790.
answer
        100
question
            According to the most recent census data, which geographic region is home to the largest portion of Americans?
answer
        South
question
            Identify the demographic group that has more than tripled, as a percentage, since 1790.
answer
        65+
question
            On average, which demographic group has made up the largest portion of the population in the United States?
answer
        20-44
question
            Which geographic region has experienced a consistent decline in percentage of population?
answer
        Northeast
question
            A belief in equality of results is
answer
        not a part of U.S. political culture.
question
            A government is made up of the
answer
        formal institutions that rule a people and territory
question
            A system that permits citizens to vote directly on laws and policies is often called a(n) ____ democracy.
answer
        direct
question
            American democracy rests on the principle of ___ rule with ____rights.
answer
        majority; minority
question
            Citizens need political knowledge because
answer
        it helps them understand how politics and the government affect their lives and what policies promote their interests
question
            Compared to Europeans, Americans are ____ supportive of government actions to ensure economic equality.
answer
        less
question
            Governments whose powers are limited through a system of rules and institutions are known as ____ governments.
answer
        constitutional
question
            Liberty, democracy, and ____ are the United States' core political values.
answer
        equality
question
            Personal and economic freedom are both definitions of
answer
        liberty
question
            Political efficacy is the
answer
        belief that citizens can affect government.
question
            Political equality means that each citizen
answer
        has one, and only one, vote.
question
            The conflicts and struggles over a government's leadership, organization, or policies is called
answer
        politics
question
            The idea that political authority ultimately rests in the hands of the people is known as
answer
        popular sovereignty.
question
            The term autocracy refers to
answer
        a form of government in which a single individual rules.
question
            Today, the average member of Congress represents
answer
        about 700,000 constituents.
question
            Totalitarianism entails government having unlimited political
answer
        power
question
            Which of the following can be said to have characterized American politics for much of the past half-century?
answer
        a pervasive sense of apathy and cynicism
question
            Which of the following statements about recent immigration trends and the foreign-born population in the United States is accurate?
answer
        People born in Asia constitute the second-largest group of foreign-born residents.
question
            Which of the following statements is true concerning race and ethnicity?
answer
        By 2014 the total Hispanic proportion of the population is 17.4 percent.
question
            Which of the following wanted to promote political participation for the middle classes?
answer
        bourgeoisie
question
            Which of the following was true of digital citizenship in 2015?
answer
        Sixty-five percent of Americans used the Internet to find data or information about the government
question
            Which of the followings statements about trust in government is accurate?
answer
        Public trust in government in the United States dipped to historically low levels during the fight over the Affordable Care Act.
question
            Who gets what, when, and how is a definition of
answer
        politics
question
            ____ refers to a system that allows very little room for the national government to regulate trade or restrict the use of private property, even in the public interest.
answer
        Laissez-faire capitalism
