Unit 3 American Government Q&A’s – Flashcards
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In 1962, which western hemisphere country was stockpiling Soviet made missiles calling for action by President Kennedy?
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Cuba
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What risk to people of the United States did the confrontation with the Soviet Union pose?
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nuclear war
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Which of the following may a president do without congressional action?
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issue an executive order
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A president who wants to establish rules and regulations for the operation of a federal agency may do so by taking what action?
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issuing an executive order
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An executive branch employee who serves "at the pleasure of the president" may be dismissed by the president ______.
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at any time and for any reason
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Which of the following is one of the executive powers of the president?
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appointing an ambassador to France
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Which of the following is a conflict that the United States entered after a congressional declaration of war?
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Spanish-American War
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What can a president do to bypass the Senate approval that is required for a treaty?
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make an executive agreement instead
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Under the War Powers Act of 1973, what is the maximum length of time a president can commit troops to military action without Congress's approval?
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90 days
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In pardoning former President Nixon, President Ford exercised which type of presidential power?
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clemency
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Which of the following is one of the president's judicial powers?
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granting clemency
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Which of the following is an important informal power of the president?
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using the media to persuade the public
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The presidential veto is _____.
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a significant check on Congress
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The ________ is the primary source of informal checks on the presidential power.
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media
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The power of the presidency has _____.
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increased significantly
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Town hall meetings are carefully scripted to avoid anything embarrassing or unexpected being asked of the president.
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True
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Presidents use _____ to convince voters to support their plans.
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the media
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The West Wing is symbolic of the ______.
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growth of the office of the president
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Which President added the West Wing to the White House?
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Theodore Roosevelt
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What organization forms the heart of the Executive Office of the President?
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White House Office
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What department was created during the 1930's to advise and assist the president in carrying out presidential duties?
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Executive Office of the President
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The Executive Office of the President was created during the administration of ______.
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Franklin Roosevelt
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Which of the following has a large staff of civil servants to help both the executive branch and Congress?
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Office of Management and Budget
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Who is the executive branch official in charge of opening and counting the electoral votes for president every four years?
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vice president
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Which of the following vice presidents did not run on the same ticket as the president with whom he served?
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John Adams
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What did early vice presidents often complain about?
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too little to do
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What is the title of a cabinet department head?
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secretary
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Which group does the president heavily rely on for advice?
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The Executive Office of the President
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The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
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435
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We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
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2
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What two factors have led to the growth of presidential power?
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growth of the nation as a world power and growth of government
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One out of every ______ workers in the United States are employed by the federal government.
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50
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Which title is not a part of the federal bureaucracy?
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synod
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What typically happens to the federal bureaucracy when a new president takes office?
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tops administrators are replaced but most employees keep their jobs
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A bureaucracy is any organization, either in government or the private sector, which has a clear, formal structure, a division of labor, and ______.
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operates under a set of rules and procedures
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Which of the following is true of the federal bureaucracy?
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top administrators are political appointees
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Under the spoils system, which of the following would be most likely to get a post office job?
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competitive selection emphasizing job skills
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Which of the following best describes the way members of the civil service are chosen?
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a major contributor to the president's campaign
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Under the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act, which of the following would deal with a civil service worker's complaint that she was being treated unfairly by her superiors?
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Federal Labor Relations Authority
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What proportion of federal jobs are currently protected by civil service regulations?
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90 percent
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The 12th Amendment provided that the electors in the electoral college were to vote
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for a President and for a Vice President
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Which federal agency licenses and monitors the content of TV and radio stations?
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Federal Communications Commission
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Which of the following was among the first three executive departments to be created?
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Department of State
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Which of the following statements about the executive departments is true?
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Executive departments often contain smaller agencies focused on specific tasks
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Which of the following is a goal of the Department of Agriculture?
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work to end hunger and improve health in the United States
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The Food and Drug Administration is a division of which executive department?
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Health and Human Services
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Which of the following is a key goal of government corporations?
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make a profit and add to the government's revenues
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Which of the following best describes the position of independent agencies?
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under the executive branch but not part of an executive department
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Which of the following is required for an independent regulatory commission?
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the board must be bipartisan
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The General Services Administration, or GSA, is an example of which of the following?
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independent executive
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Which of the following is a purpose of the Freedom of Information Act of 1966?
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restraining the powers of executive agencies
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Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
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all people of the state
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The "power of the purse" in the federal government belongs to ______.
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Congress
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Which is the best definition of a progressive tax?
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tax that applies at a higher rate to people with higher incomes
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The payroll tax for Social Security is a regressive tax because _____.
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it is collected on income only up to a certain level
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What happens when the government sells a bond?
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it borrows money from a buyer of the bond
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Read the selection and answer the question that follows. "One such challenge is putting the federal budget on a [path] that will be sustainable as our society ages. Under current law, federal spending for retirement and health programs will grow substantially in coming decades."—Benjamin Bernanke, speech, 2006 What is the reason for this anticipated growth in federal spending for retirement and health programs?
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aging baby boomer generation
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What is the main role of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in budget making?
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drafting a complete budget for the president to submit to Congress
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Unlike the Budget Committees, the Appropriations Committees _____.
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draw up detailed laws for revenue and spending
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Which of the following show the correct dates for a federal fiscal year (FY)?
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FY 2010=October 1, 2009, to September 30, 2010
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Which of the following determines the fiscal policy of the federal government?
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spending and taxing decisions of Congress and the president
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Federal monetary policy is controlled by ______.
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an independent regulatory commission
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What would be the goal of a Federal Reserve decision to raise the reserve requirement for banks?
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reducing the supply of money
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Predict what would happen if the Federal Reserve lowered the interest rate it charges the nation's banks.
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the monetary supply would increase, stimulating the economy
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The 13th Amendment
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abolished slavery in all of the United States
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Who can impeach a Supreme Court Justice?
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Congress
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Chase's acquittal was a victory for _____.
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judicial independence
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Supreme Court decisions can have a major impact on our country in good or bad ways. What are two times in American history where Supreme Court decisions affected our country?
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during the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement
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"Judicial review" means that the Supreme Court has the all of the following powers, EXCEPT
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the authority to execute (enforce) the laws
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Which of the following is true? The Supreme Court is the "supreme" ____.
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interpreter of the Constitution
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Which term refers to the sole right of a court to hear a case?
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exclusive jurisdiction
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Which courts hear the vast majority of cases in the United States?
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state courts
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Who makes a legal complaint in a court proceeding?
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plaintiff
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Which of the following would be handled in a civil trial?
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dispute over property
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Which type of jurisdiction is held by a court that reviews the proceedings of a lower court?
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appellate jurisdiction
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Which courts serve as the trial courts of the federal system?
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district courts
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How many justices does the Supreme Court have today?
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9
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The concept that a judge should interpret the Constitution according to the Framers' original intention is know as judicial ______.
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restraint
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Which term refers to previous court rulings?
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precedent
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The framers thought that making federal judgeships permanent would help ensure ______.
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judicial independence
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Congress and the states can check the federal judiciary by _____.
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amending the Constitution
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Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
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because of the state's population
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We elect a President for how many years?
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4
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Lower federal courts do NOT hear cases about _____.
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dissolution of marriage (divorce)
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Which former vice-president was tried in the lower federal court for treason?
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Aaron Burr
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What is the main job of a federal district court judge?
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presiding over trials
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Which term refers to the legal process by which people who cannot pay money they owe others can receive court protection and assistance in settling their debts?
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bankruptcy
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To say that a judge is an Article III judge means that he or she can serve _____.
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until death or retirement
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What is the U.S. attorney's job?
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representing the United States in court
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Which term refers to someone who files an appeal?
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appellant
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The written arguments of each side to an appeal are called _____.
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briefs
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If members of the military violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice, they are subject to prosecution in a _____.
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court-martial
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In which court do people bring claims against the United States?
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U.S. Court of Federal Claims
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Which of the following refers to the immunity a nation has against being sued?
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sovereign immunity
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The special military commissions created by President George W. Bush after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 were struck down by the ____.
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Supreme Court
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The purpose of the 14th Amendment was to _____.
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grant citizenship to former slaves
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The Supreme Court consists of ____ justices.
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9
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Who stated in his book Democracy in America that "a more imposing judicial power was never constituted by any people,"?
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Alexis de Tocqueville
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In which case did the Supreme Court assert its power of judicial review?
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Marbury v. Madison
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What was President Franklin Roosevelt's reason for wanting to "pack" the Supreme Court?
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so New Deal programs would survive legal challenge
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Read the selection and answer the question that follows. "Limitations [on the power of government] . . . can be preserved in practice in no other way than through . . . courts of justice, whose duty it must be to declare all acts contrary to the manifest tenor [obvious meaning] of the Constitution void. Without this, all the reservations of particular rights or privileges would amount to nothing." -- Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist No. 78 What significant power did Hamilton foresee for the federal courts?
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judicial review
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Which Supreme Court ruling held that schools could not prevent students from protesting the Vietnam War?
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Tinker v. Ohio
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The confirmation process of a nominee to the Supreme Court begins with hearings before the ____.
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Senate Judiciary Committee
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From which court is a case most likely to make its way to the Supreme Court?
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federal court of appeals
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A majority opinion is one that is signed by at least how many members of the Supreme Court?
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five
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What is a writ of certiorari?
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order seeking review of a lower court case
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In the process of hearing a case, what do Supreme Court justices do after reading the written briefs?
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listen to oral arguments
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In what month do we vote for President?
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November
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Government used the phrase _____ to convince the public that communism was a threat to democracy.
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domino theory
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Which medium changed the public's opinions of the Vietnam War?
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television
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Public opinion helps leaders shape ______, that is, the choices the government makes and the actions it takes in response to a particular issue or problem.
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public policy
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Public opinion is _____.
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the aggregation (the whole amount) of views shared by a segment of a population on issues of interest or concern
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Which of the following is most likely to be a result of political socialization?
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Joan becomes a Democrat like a her father
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A newspaper's investigative series exposing corruption in a public agency would be an example of how the mass media might _____.
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help determine the public agenda
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Read the selection and answer the question that follows. "At its best, the Internet can educate more people faster than any media tool...At its worst , it can make people dumber faster an any media tool...Because the Internet has an aura of 'technology' surrounding it, the uneducated believe information from it even more." --Thomas Friedman, the New York Times (2002) What does Thomas Friedman think is the main problem associated with using the Internet as a source of information?
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people may be unduly influenced by the information they find on the Internet
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Which of the following best reflects changes in the mass media since the 1990's?
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major newspapers publish online editions
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Which of the following best describes a desirable sample universe for a question about whom voters favor in a Democratic primary?
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all registered Democrats
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Which of the following polls is most likely to be based on a truly random sample of 18- to 21- year-old voters?
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poll of registered voters aged 18-21, contacting every tenth person on a list
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The purpose of exit polls is to
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predict election results before polls close
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The primary purpose of the 15th Amendment was to _____.
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ensure that a person's race, color, or prior history as a slave could not be used to bar that person from voting
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Which is a function of interest groups?
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supply information to policy makers
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Annie's List and TFRW are _____ interest groups.
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cause-based
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What is the relationship between interest groups and political action committees?
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many interest groups have political action committees to support candidates for office
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An interest group that wants to contribute to candidates for Congress would most likely _____.
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form a political action committee
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Which of the following is a type of group that promotes the interests of a group of businesses?
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trade association
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Which of the following would be most likely to support a law requiring new safety measures in an industry?
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label group
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The TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party of 2010 is an example of a(n) ______ movement.
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grassroots
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An interest group that endorses a candidate is _____.
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asking voters to elect the candidate
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Which of the following was a goal of Congress's 2007 legislation aimed at checking the influence of powerful interest groups?
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limiting some activities of lobbyists
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What is a goal common to all interest groups?
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influencing public policy
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If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
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the Vice President
