question

Do we have a direct or indirect democracy?

answer

Indirect

question

We usually just say we live in a democracy, but what kind of government, specifically, do we really have?

answer

a representative democracy, or republic

question

Which of the following purposes of government is not mentioned in the Preamble to the constitution?

answer

Promote the Pursuit of Happiness

question

A form of government based on a theory of civics in which all citizens can directly participate in the decision-making process is called:

answer

a direct democracy

question

The US government could be classified as a/an ...

answer

Federation

question

In the United States, we select our representatives by ...

answer

voting for them in elections

question

During the Colonial Era of American history, New England's town meetings were examples of ...

answer

direct democracy

question

What does sovereignty mean?

answer

a nation-state's right to rule itself

question

What is the general form of government that we have?

answer

Democracy

question

How many amendments are there in the Constitution?

answer

27

question

What is NOT a basic purpose of government?

answer

to expand its territory

question

A government that provides unlimited authority to a single individual is called:

answer

an autocracy

question

A government where the political power rests with a small segment of society is called:

answer

an oligarchy

question

Sovereignty is most closely related to which basic purpose of government?

answer

resolving conflicts

question

The six reasons that government exists are to maintain order and law, protect citizens from foreign threats, provide public goods and services, regulate the economy, levy taxes, and socialize the youth of the nation to understand the government. True or False?

answer

False

question

What contributed heavily to the colonies' decision to go to war against England?

answer

The British view that the colonies were to be used and exploited

question

Whose writings are credited with influencing the writer of the Declaration of Independence?

answer

John Locke

question

John Locke wrote the Declaration of Independence. True or false?

answer

False

question

Benjamin Franklin was on the committee that was set up by the Continental Congress to write a Declaration of Independence. True or false?

answer

True

question

What was one of the parts of the Declaration of Independence?

answer

Colonists have a right to overthrow their government when it abuses their rights

question

Which of the following was the chief author of the Declaration of Independence?

answer

Thomas Jefferson

question

James Madison wrote the Declaration of Independence. True or false?

answer

False

question

"We the People" are the first three words of the Declaration of Independence. True or False?

answer

False

question

Colonies that were under the direct control of the monarch were called:

answer

Royal Colonies

question

From whom did the United States win independence? (i.e. who did we fight against in the Revolutionary War?)

answer

England

question

Thomas Jefferson worked alone on the Declaration of Independence. True or false?

answer

False

question

Finish the following phrase from the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created ...."

answer

Equal

question

"We the People" are the first three words of the Preamble to the Constitution. True or false?

answer

True

question

The concept of "checks and balances" assumes the government is divided into three branches:

answer

Judicial, Executive, and Legislative

question

The Constitution had to be ratified by the states. What does ratify mean?

answer

the states had to vote to formally approve the Constitution

question

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish...What is this passage?

answer

the Preamble to the Constitution

question

Which came first: The Declaration of Independence, or the Constitution?

answer

The Declaration of Independence, by a few years

question

Congress approves presidential nominations and controls the budget. The president can:

answer

veto congressional legislation

question

How many times can a President be elected?

answer

Twice

question

What is known as the Great Compromise?

answer

There will be a bicameral legislature. States will have equal representation in one house and representation based on population in the other house.

question

How long is a Presidential term in office?

answer

4 years

question

What is the Supreme Law of the Land?

answer

The Constitution

question

Who was NOT an author of the Federalist Papers, which were in favor of the new constitution?

answer

Thomas Jefferson

question

In what year was the Constitution written?

answer

1787

question

In which city was the Constitutional Convention held?

answer

Philadelphia

question

A major purpose of the Federalist Papers was:

answer

To gain popular support for the then-proposed Constitution

question

Which is NOT one of the three branches of our government?

answer

Bureaucracy

question

How many states needed to ratify the Constitution to make it the law of the land?

answer

a 2/3 majority - 9 states

question

The Constitution is called the _____________ law of the land.

answer

supreme

question

The six basic principles of the Constitution are: Popular Sovereignty, Limited Government, Separation of Powers, Federalism, Judicial Review, and:

answer

Checks and Balances

question

There are powers reserved just for the federal government. True or false?

answer

True

question

What is not an "enumerated power" of the federal government?

answer

to impose zoning laws

question

A political system that divides political power between the states and the national government is called

answer

federalism

question

No person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself. This protection is found in which amendment?

answer

5th

question

There are NO powers that both the states and the federal government share. True or false?

answer

False

question

Is our government a federated or confederated government?

answer

federated

question

"Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to the public acts, records and judicial proceedings of every other state." This means:

answer

A judgment in a lawsuit in one state shall be recognized in any other state.

question

Which of the following is protected in the 1st Amendment to the Constitution?

answer

Freedom of the press

question

There are always problems with a democratic form of government. True or false?

answer

True

question

What does the Full faith and Credit Clause require?

answer

that the states fulfill their responsibilities to each other

question

Federalism is power to govern and share powers between the national and state government. True or false?

answer

True

question

In order for the Constitution to be amended, it must be ratified by a minimum of how many of the states?

answer

three-fourths

question

An "informal amendment" to the Constitution happens when:

answer

The Supreme Court interprets a section of the Constitution differently.

question

What kinds of powers are shared by both the state and federal governments?

answer

concurrent powers

question

Which amendment is generally cited to insure states' rights?

answer

10th

question

The US Constitution requires the national government to: -Make sure each state has a republican form of government -Not interfere with the abilities of states to perform their responsibilities -Protect states against foreign attack or domestic insurrection

answer

All of these

question

According to the presentation at the HippoCampus website, federalism can be compared to what food?

answer

Cake with icing

question

Which of the following is NOT protected in the 1st Amendment to the Constitution?

answer

Freedom to bear arms

question

What following is not part of the Bill of Rights?

answer

freedom to vote

question

The last paragraph of Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution, giving Congress the power to "make all laws which shall be necessary and proper" for carrying out the powers and purposes of the Constitution, is often called the:

answer

elastic clause

question

There are powers reserved just to the states. True or false?

answer

True

question

There are powers reserved just for the federal government. true or false?

answer

True

question

"Supreme authority within a territory" is the definition of:

answer

Sovereignty

question

The six reasons that government exists are to maintain order and law, protect citizens from foreign threats, provide public goods and services, regulate the economy, levy taxes, and socialize the youth of the nation to understand the government. True or false?

answer

False

question

The six reasons that government exists are to maintain order and law, protect citizens from foreign threats, provide public goods and services, regulate the economy, levy taxes, and allow the youth of the nation to form their own opinions. True or false?

answer

False

question

A form of government in which the people are the ultimate authority is called a ...

answer

democracy

question

Which of the following would be considered a "Power Elite?"

answer

the president of the US

question

The United States is a true democracy. True or false?

answer

False

question

Of the original 13 colonies, some were owned by an individual proprietor or by a small group of proprietors under a charter from the monarch. These were known as:

answer

Proprietary colonies

question

James Madison wrote the Declaration of Independence. True or False?

answer

False

question

Name the American writer whose political writings helped influence the American revolutionaries.

answer

Thomas Paine

question

Which of the following documents is called the Cornerstone of Democracy?

answer

The Declaration of Independence

question

What does the executive branch of our government do?

answer

executes, carries out, or administers the laws

question

What does the judiciary branch of our government do?

answer

Interpret laws

question

A judgement in a lawsuit in one state shall be recognized in any other state. That is part of ...

answer

full faith and credit clause

question

A ______________ is an institution that rules a nation state.

answer

government

question

One of the basic tenets of a democratic government, as defined by Jefferson, is:

answer

consent of the governed

question

Which of the following contributed heavily to the colonies' decision to go to war against England? -The execution of Paul Revere -The imposition of the French crown as an ambassador to Great Britain and the desire to import goods from the new world -Imposition of a flat tax -The uprising of the Iroquois nation in response to the imposition of tariffs on water rights. -The British view that the colonies were to be used and exploited

answer

The British view that the colonies were to be used and exploited

question

The first constitution of the United States was called...

answer

the Articles of Confederation

question

Often the Constitutional Convention is called "The Miracle at Philadelphia," because it formed:

answer

an entirely new form of government structured by a two-branch legislature, a strong executive, and a supreme court to settle national issues

question

When delegates signed the Declaration of Independence, they had nothing to fear from England. True or false?

answer

false

question

George Washington did not help write the Declaration of Independence. True or false?

answer

True

question

What is Executive Privilege?

answer

the power claimed by the President and other members of the executive branch to resist search warrants and other interventions by the legislative and judicial branches of government.

question

In our current form of government, where delegates to the electoral college are being selected, if candidate A gets 50% of the vote; candidate B gets 30% of the vote, and candidate C gets 20% of the vote, which of the following is true?

answer

Candidate A gets all electoral college votes.

question

Since we elect both Representatives and Senators to national office, we are best described as a:

answer

Representative Democracy

question

Consider a proportional representation system. Party A receives 50% of the vote; Party B receives 30% of the vote; and Party C receives 20%. If ten congressional seats are being voted on, which of the following is true:

answer

Party A gets 5 seats, Party B gets 3 seats, Party C gets 2 seats.

question

One reason for establishing a political party is:

answer

Provide an institutional structure for the election process

question

Our current members of the House of Representatives are selected from districts that contain roughly equal numbers of voters. This is an example of:

answer

Single member districts

question

What are the names of the two major political parties in the US?

answer

republican, democrat

question

Several politicians are trying to get a specific piece of legislation passed. They involve other politicians, special interest groups, and individuals who have a similar interest. This process is called forming a:

answer

coalition

question

Most voters say they are independent. What does that mean?

answer

They vote for the person they view as the best candidate regardless of political party affiliation.

question

Which of the following indicates George Washington's views toward political parties?

answer

Political parties tend to polarize the people and should be avoided.

question

The purpose of a political party is for those who have similar views and opinions on political matters to get together and form an organization. True or false?

answer

True

question

What must you do in order to vote?

answer

register

question

What is "soft money?"

answer

money that is given to a political party but is not given specifically to support a particular candidate

question

In the United States, all people over 18 are required to vote. True or false?

answer

False

question

A person who is serving in a political office is called:

answer

An incumbent

question

The meeting of members of a political party, usually to decide policy or select members to fill positions, is called a:

answer

Caucus

question

What is a PAC?

answer

A Political Action Committee

question

What is an incumbent?

answer

the person currently holding an elected office

question

Which group oversees federal campaign finance laws?

answer

Federal Election Commission

question

What does suffrage mean?

answer

the legal right to vote in political elections, as guaranteed by the Constitution

question

When people take "polls" what does that mean? (What is a poll?)

answer

a survey or inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people

question

Which form of media is the most reliable?

answer

newspapers and books

question

A collective term for those people elligible to vote in an election is the:

answer

Electorate

question

When a contributor gives money to a political party and the party uses that money to help fund a candidate's election race, what is the term that is used to describe this kind of contribution?

answer

soft money

question

Which of the following are the Constitutional requirements to run for President?

answer

At least 35 years of age, resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years, natural born citizen of the U.S.

question

What is the most dominant form of the media?

answer

Television

question

A primary election does which of the following?

answer

Reduces the number of candidates to one per party.

question

Delegates to the national political conventions are typically chosen in one of two ways:

answer

In the state convention or through primary elections.

question

What age group votes the LEAST in elections?

answer

18-24

question

When political polls are taken, which of the following is generally true?

answer

a relatively small group of potential voters is contacted

question

When people band together to advocate for a specific cause, they are known as:

answer

special interest groups

question

A person who advocates a reduction in government size and the promotion of capitalistic policies would generally be classified as:

answer

a conservative

question

A person who advocates increased regulation of business and increased worker protection, would generally be classified as:

answer

a liberal

question

The forms of "mass media" include broadcast TV, discs or tapes, film, Internet and:

answer

publishing books, magazines, and newspapers

question

When we generalize the two major political parties, most people would say:

answer

Republicans are on the right and democrats on the left side of the political spectrum.

question

An individual who holds an intermediate position between those generally classified as being left-wing or right-wing, is called:

answer

Moderate

question

Opinion polls are used to sample:

answer

public opinion

question

Which amendment to the Constitution protects the freedom of the press?

answer

1st Amendment

question

A person who is paid to contact legislators and try to influence them to vote a certain way is known as:

answer

Lobbyist

question

What is the title of the person who is the leader of the House of Representatives?

answer

Speaker

question

What is the smallest number of Represenatives from any state in the U.S.?

answer

1

question

The Legislative Branch of government contains:

answer

The House of Representatives and the Senate

question

How old must you be to be a member of the House of Representatives?

answer

25

question

A term that describes the deliberate rearrangement of the boundaries of congressional districts to influence the outcome of elections, is called:

answer

Gerrymandering

question

For how long do we elect the representatives?

answer

two years

question

What three qualifications must a person meet to run for the House of Representatives?

answer

a minimum of 25 years of age, live for at least 7 years in the U.S., and a resident of the state they represent.

question

The number of Representatives from each state is determined by:

answer

Population

question

How many representatives are there in Congress?

answer

435

question

An informal term for a non-germane amendment to a bill or an amendment to an appropriation bill that changes the permanent law governing a program funded by the bill is...

answer

Rider

question

A person who is currently serving in political office is called:

answer

an incumbent

question

It is difficult for Congress to over-ride a Presidential veto of a law. True or false?

answer

True

question

Unlimited debate usually happens in which part of Congress?

answer

the senate

question

Senators and Representatives are able to send mail to their constituents without charge in order to keep the constituents informed. This is known as the:

answer

Franking privilege

question

It is easy for a bill to be passed in Congress and become a law. True or false?

answer

False

question

What are the three qualifications to be eligible to run for the Senate?

answer

At least 30 years of age, at least 9 years as a resident of the U.S., and a resident of the state in which they run.

question

A bill on the Senate floor that attracts many, often unrelated, floor amendments, is often called:

answer

A Christmas tree bill

question

How old do you have to be to be a Senator?

answer

30

question

Which Congressional committee is generally seen as the most important?

answer

Ways and Means

question

Where does Congress meet?

answer

the Capitol building in Washington DC

question

Who has the power to declare war?

answer

the Congress

question

What is the length of a Senator's term in office?

answer

6 years

question

Congress is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. True or false?

answer

true

question

Who is the President of the Senate?

answer

The Vice-President of the U.S.

question

How old do you have to be to be President?

answer

35

question

Where is the White House located?

answer

on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC

question

Who actually casts the votes that elect a President?

answer

The electoral college

question

Who is Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. military?

answer

the president

question

Who has the power to try a President for impeachment? That is, who conducts the trial?

answer

the senate

question

How many terms can the President serve?

answer

2

question

If the President vetoes a bill, Congress may override the veto by a:

answer

2/3 vote in both houses

question

What is a "rider" to a bill?

answer

an informal term for an amendment to a bill in Congress, often adding some smaller project to a major bill

question

What is a filibuster?

answer

an extended debate upon a bill in order to delay or completely prevent a vote on its passage.

question

How many times can a Senator or Representative be re-elected?

answer

As many times as his/her constituents will elect him or her; there is no limit

question

In what month is the new President inaugurated?

answer

January

question

Which members of the President's cabinet are mentioned in the Constitution? -Secretary of State only -Secretary of State, Secretary of Interior, Secretary of Defense only. - Secretary of State and Secretary of Commerce only.

answer

none of them

question

In what month do we vote for President?

answer

November

question

When a President rejects a bill passed by Congress, he has used his:

answer

veto power

question

Sovereignty 1. List and describe the four purposes of government from our Preamble.

answer

There are four purposes of the government; establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, and secure the blessing of liberty and our posterity. Establish justice means that our government has a system that makes fair decisions based on legal rights. Insure domestic tranquility is how the government keep the nation's rights being peaceful while they're enforcing laws also. They want citizens to have their free rights but they also want a safe environment so they enforce laws. Provide for the common defense is how the government keep America safe from threats to hurt our country. Threats can come from other foreign terrorist or even an American terrorist. Secure the blessing of liberty and our posterity is how the government maintain our freedom rights; America is a free country and we want citizens to enjoy their freedom. Without these purposes America would be unsafe and citizens would not have freedom rights.

question

Colonial 2. In what ways were the American colonies democratic? In what ways were they not democratic?

answer

America was democratic because there would be a smaller government in every colony. The citizens of each colony would have elections like we do today. If a colony had an issue that colony's government would focus on it, unless it was between two or more colonies. America was also not democratic because America was set up by colonies. These colonies was under Great Britain "wing". However, Great Britain did not control the colonies. When there were issues with the colonies they had to solve their own problem.

question

Framing the Constitution 3. How did the founding fathers hope to prevent any one branch of government from gaining too much power? Why was this such a big concern?

answer

The government is separated into three branches. The legislative branch is who makes the laws, the executive branch is the higher power who would either pass or veto the bill, and the judicial branch protect citizen's rights or violation of the constitution. The judicial branch can over ride the supreme court and the President of the bill becoming a law. The government is scared because the President can have executive orders. This is a concern because the executive branch has potential to become more powerful then the other two branches. The legislature and the judicial branch can still veto the executive law.

question

Federal vs. States 4. How does the overall power of the national government compare to that of the states? Give specific examples.

answer

The national government is more powerful than the states because the founding fathers made the constitution for the nation as a whole. The national government takes care of the nation as a whole. For an example they make the money, declare war, make foreign relations, and make interstate foreign trade. While, the states governments take care of their own individual state. Within each state they can educate, trade oversea just to their state, and control the state's pubic health and safety. Splitting the power between national and state power is called federalism. The national and state do share some powers. They can make laws, charge and collect tax, and get a loan for money.

question

Political Parties 5. How are parties organized on the national, state, and local levels?

answer

National parties are organized by political runs for candidates for congress and presidency position. The congress and presidency has their own parties, they both have leaders and chairs. For state parties they have an election like the national parties. Normally it's very rare to see voters elect a democrat governor and a republican lieutenant governor or the other way around. Most voters will choose either democrat or republican not both. Local parties happen in counties. Local parties has elections as well but for a mayors position. The candidates usually run through the election without a favor party, this is called an individual.

question

Elections 6. What are the basic elements of a presidential campaign? Evaluate which are most important.

answer

There are four major elements of a presidential campaign; advertising, finance, an attack, and management. I think management is most important because you need to organize the other elements. For instance, you need figure out how present yourself, find how and what you would change about the country, and how to finance that issue and your campaign. Advertising is also huge, you need to get your name out, stick out. For this, you will need a strong attack that grabs people's attention.

question

Political Ideology 7. How do political action committees influence elections? Give examples of when this has happened.

answer

They find a strong attack that would grab people's attention. They would find an issue on the nation and create a solution. When they present their solution to the nation, they grab people's attention, "this is for YOU." They advertise this solution with the politician through newspapers, television, and the media sources. They really influence the voters. You can fundraise so you can finance your campaign. "In the 2008 election, the top nine PACs spent a total of $25,794,807"

question

House of Representatives 8. Why is the rules committee one of the most powerful committees in the House?

answer

The rules committee is one of the most powerful committees in the house because they're in control of the bill. They can either pass it into a law, do not pass it and cancel it, or they can save it for later if it's not a good time for it to become a law at the moment. They are called the leaders because they are in control of whether or not a bill will be passed or not, or when it will be introduced.

question

Senate 9. Why does the Senate have fewer rules and a less formal atmosphere than the House?

answer

The senate has fewer members than the house of representative. In the senate there are one hundred chairs, two from each state. The house of representative has four hundred thirty five chairs. Since the senate is smaller they have fewer rules, and it is a lot easy to decide on the issue they're talking about. It is complicated to organize all of the chairs in the house together since it's so big. While the senate is simple to organize.

question

Executive Branch 10. What qualifications for the office of president do you think are the most necessary for carrying out the duties of the office? Why?

answer

I think one of the most important qualifications for the office of president is being an American citizen. It's important to have a leader that will have their main focus on our country. We do not want someone who would take advantage of our country for another country. I think the thirty five and older rule is important because we want our president to be mature and have had political experiences. I also think it is important to not have participated in any rebellion to America because we need a president who is responsible and respectful of our nation. We need a leader who wants the best for America and who would do anything and everything to make this country it's best and to protect us.

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