The case of Gideon v. Wainwright affirmed that states must

1. allow you to confront your accuser
2. provide you with legal counsel in all criminal felony cases
3. inform you of your constitutional rights before placing you under arrest
4. allow you to be tried by a jury of your peers

The right to privacy as it pertains to abortion applies to all the following cases except

1. Roe v. Wade
2. Griswold v. Connecticut
3. U.S. v. Lopez
4. Webster v. Reproductive Health Services

Each branch of the government has a way to exercise some control over the other branches according to the principle of

1. enumeration
2. implied powers
3. federalism
4. checks and balances

Recent Supreme Court decisions on abortion, though still upholding the basic right, have granted more regulatory discretion to

1. the executive branch
2. the states
3. the bureaucracy
4. Congress

The term “enumerated powers” mean

1. the powers reserved for local government
2. the powers expressly delegated to the government
3. the powers found in Article IV of the Constitution
4. powers denied to the state and the national government by the Constitution

According to the Supreme Court in the case Adarand Construction v. Pena, if any federal, state, or local government wants to implement affirmative action policies, such policies will be subjected to “strict scrutiny” which means that there must be a compelling interest shown and they must be narrowly tailored.

A.True

1. False

The exclusionary rule holds that

1. a court can order or constraint an action by an individual
2. “fighting words” can be excluded from constitutional protections
3. people that are biased against a defendant may be excluded from serving on a jury
4. evidence obtained from an illegal search and seizure can not be used in a trial

Incorporation theory

1. established the precedent for eminent domain
2. bans the establishment of an official language in the United States
3. states that the 14th Amendment protects the Bill of Rights against state government abuses
4. states that the Federal government has the power to impose unfunded mandates

Reserved Powers of state governments include the power to

1. regulate commerce within its borders
2. conduct foreign policy in matters of trade
3. prevent their citizens from traveling to other states
4. tax branches of the federal government

In 1992, the Supreme Court announced a decision concerning abortions in the case Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The Court’s ruling declared all of the following provisions unconstitutional EXCEPT

1. all women seeking abortions to receiving counseling prior to the abortion
2. judicial or parental permission for females under 18 seeking an abortion
3. a 24 hour waiting period
4. spousal notification with written consent, as it placed an “undue burden” on the woman

The question(s) before the Supreme Court in McCulloch v. Maryland

1. was whether the national government could create a bank
2. was wether a state could tax a national bank
3. was whether Congress could incur a debt on behalf of the state
4. both a and b

The Civil Rights Act of 1964

1. was relatively symbolic
2. was rarely enforced
3. easily passed the senate
4. forbade discrimination on the basis of race

One of the arguments against Federalism is

1. the rigidness of the national government in accepting change
2. that state and local interests can block progress and impede national plans
3. the creation of a strong party system
4. all of the above

In a unitary system, the flow of power is

1. from the bottom to the top
2. directly to the people bypassing the government
3. from the central government to the state or local governments
4. from the local and state governments to the central government

In the case McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court

1. ruled that Maryland could only taxt the value of the money at a rate that could not exceed 10 percent of the total assets of the Bank of the United States
2. established the doctrine of implied powers
3. ruled that McCulloch had violated a state law and must pay the tax with interest
4. determined that the issue was not a federal question and should be decided by state courts

Civil Rights

1. refers to the first ten amendments to the constitution
2. refers to the rights of all Americans to the equal treatment under the law
3. are limitations placed on the national government to protect citizens
4. are limitations placed on state governments to protect citizens

“implied powers” come from

1. state constitutions
2. the elastic clause
3. Article II, section 2 of the Constitution
4. the precedent established in the Articles of Confederation

The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution

1. allowed black males the opportunity to vote
2. forced states to allow residents the right to vote
3. allowed women the right to vote
4. forced states to abolish poll tax requirements

States may not

1. regulate the sale of liquor
2. license marriages
3. license occupations
4. make treaties with other nations

Barriers that prevented African Americans from voting included

1. the white primary
2. the poll tax
3. the grandfather clause
4. all of the above

The heart of the controversy that led to the Civil War was the issue of

1. national supremacy versus the rights of the separate states
2. voting rights for ethnic minorities
3. whether or not there should be anymore new states
4. extradition

The Bill of Rights as ratified in 1791, provided for

1. the protection of individual liberties from the states
2. equal rights for white women
3. equal protection for Native Americans
4. the protection of individual liberties from the national government

A person alleging that the local police force unlawfully and illegally seized personal property in their garage against their will is alleging a violation of search and seizure found in what amendment?

1. the first
2. the fourth
3. the sixth
4. the ninth

In the case Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court held that

1. public school segregation violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
2. the national government does not have the power to force any type of action on local school boards
3. separation of the races for a reason like education is not a violation of the Constitution
4. ethnic minorities have no rights to equal treatment by the government

Which of the following statements best describes the principle of separation of powers

1. Both Democrats and Republicans alternating in political power
2. power sharply divided between the states and the national government
3. each nation has the power to exercise political control within its borders
4. law making, law enforcing, and law interpreting powers are shared by separate and independent institutions

Of the following, which is a form of political participation

1. donating money to a charity for the homeless
2. working as a caseworker for a social service agency
3. compiling a statistical analysis on the demographic factors of students enrolled at a local community college
4. calling your representative to express your opinions about upcoming legislation

In Plessy V. Ferguson, the Supreme Court ruled that

1. the national government has the power to to force all people to treat each other as equals
2. schools may not practice any type of racial segregation
3. separation of the races is not a violation of the Constitution, thereby establishing the “separate but equal” doctrine
4. African Americans are not persons for purposes of the Constitution

As a result of the Bakke v. UC Regents case in 1978, which dealt with affirmative action policies

1. race can be considered but can’t be the sole/determinate factor in admission decisions
2. quotas were declared unconstitutional
3. quotas were determined to be constitutional
4. both a and b

In a representative democracy also known as indirect democracy

1. only a handful of wealthy individuals are allowed to vote
2. the people elect representatives who make laws
3. only a handful of American born males are permitted to hold public office
4. all citizens personally participate in the policymaking process

Advocacy of positive government action to improve the welfare of individuals is called

1. conservatism
2. republicanism
3. libertarianism
4. liberalism

The concept of checks and balances allows the

1. president to veto judicial decisions
2. Congress to select justices of the Supreme Court
3. president to unilaterally pass laws during a time of crisis
4. president to veto congressional acts

One of the major provisions of the Voting Rights Act 1965 was

1. aimed at ending the preponderance of male candidates holding public office
2. the elimination of discriminatory voter registration tests
3. to allow members of all races the opportunity to vote starting in 1972
4. to let the states make all decisions concerning voting requirements at all levels of government

The incorporation doctrine is based on which Amendment to the US Constitution

1. Fourth
2. Fifth
3. First
4. Fourteenth

The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll is called

1. happenstance result
2. statistical anomaly
3. sampling error
4. unhappy public

Shay’s Rebellion posed a threat to the economic elite at the time

1. True
2. False

Which of the following statements about the 1936 Literary Digest Magazine poll that predicted Roosevelt’s defeat is true?

1. The poll excluded owners of automobiles
2. The poll oversampled those with higher income
3. The poll oversampled groups heavily Democratic in orientation
4. The poll undersampled middle-class voters who owned telephones

Which of the following is an example of a public policy enacted through court decisions

1. raising the drinking age
2. declaring school segregation unconstitutional
3. cutting taxes
4. eliminating after school programs to save money

The mixing of cultures, ideas, and people that has changed the American nation is known as

1. potluck culture
2. the American stew
3. the melting pot
4. the mixing kettle

Which of the following viewpoints is more likely to be held by a political liberal than a political conservative?

1. The United States should stop letting criminals hide behind the law
2. Prayer belongs in school
3. Taxes and spending should be kept low
4. Government should regulate the economy in the public interest

Which rule states that the evidence collected using unconstitutional procedures can not be introduced at a trial?

1. the inclusionary rule
2. the exclusionary rule
3. the golden rule
4. the unconstitutional actions rule

Which of the following about political participation is true?

1. younger citizens participate more than older citizens
2. more educated citizens participate more than less educated citizens
3. minorities participate more than whites
4. citizens of lower socioeconomic status participate more

Opponents of the Constitution demanded inclusion of the Bill of Rights because they feared abuse of power by state legislatures.

1. True
2. False

A form of government in which people select representatives to govern and make laws is known as a

1. federation
2. confederation
3. union
4. republic

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 extended the authority of the state government as a way to try to implement notions of equality.

1. True
2. False

In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decided that the right of privacy was broad enough to encompass a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy, though subject to certain state regulations in which a trimester framework was established.

1. True
2. False

Today, most scientific polling is conducted using

1. random digital dialing telephone interviews
2. email
3. list of registered voters
4. questionnaires sent through the mail

The consistent pattern of women having more liberal attitudes that men is known as

1. sexual profiling
2. the phantom leap
3. gender gap
4. comparable attitudes

According to pluralist theory, the political actors who have the most influence over public policies are

1. students
2. interest groups
3. lawmakers
4. elites

As a percentage of the total population in the US, which demographic groups is predicted to show the biggest decline in the next 50 years?

1. Asian Americans
2. Hispanics
3. African Americans
4. Whites

Which of the following is not a form of political participation?

1. filing a lawsuit opposing the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools
2. watching CNN’s coverage of the Republican National Convention
3. voting in Congressional elections
4. demonstrating against President Trump’s immigration policies

Which of the following powers is granted by the Constitution to both the national and state governments?

1. to regulate commerce between states
2. to declare war
3. to tax
4. to ratify amendments to the constitution

Which of the following was the most powerful under the Articles of Confederation?

1. the states
2. the Congress
3. the President
4. the national government

Which of the following protections are contained in the Bill of Rights?

1. protection of social welfare policies
2. protection of criminal defendant’s rights
3. protection of African Americans
4. protection of agricultural subsidies

Which Amendment to the US Constitution protects state governments from being sued by private parties?

1. Twenty Eight
2. Twenty First
3. Eleventh
4. Seventh

The Constitutional provisions found in Article I, section 8 of the Constitution, giving Congress the means to execute its powers are examples of denied powers.

1. True
2. False

When all the power resides in the central government, the political system is a confederation

1. True
2. False

A couple who gets married in Nebraska and honeymoons in Honolulu is also considered married in Hawaii because of which clause in the Constitution?

1. Privileges and Immunities Clause
2. Full Faith and Credit Clause
3. Equal Protection Clause
4. Principles of extradition

Liberals tend to support

1. affirmative action
2. prayers in school
3. maintaining peace through strength
4. voting

The rights to peaceably assemble and petition the government are guaranteed in the

1. Third Amendment
2. Sixth Amendment
3. First Amendment
4. Fifth

Which of the following demographic groups is the most ideologically conservative.

1. African Americans
2. Jews
3. Born again Christians
4. Women

The provision of the 14th Amendment that prohibits any state from denying any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws is known as the

1. due process clause
2. free exercise clause
3. restoration of rights clause
4. none of the above

Which of the following is not true about public opinion polling?

1. accurate representation of the population is the most important feature of a public opinion survey
2. sample sizes have been getting smaller not larger
3. use of telephone books and motor vehicle records will bias a sample toward higher income groups
4. random samples must include millions of people to accurately reflect public opinion

The power of Judicial Review is found in Article III of the Constitution

1. True
2. False

If the poor participated at higher levels in the political process, what might happen?

1. government workers would likely unionize
2. government run services would likely be privatized
3. government programs to help individuals invest their Social Security income would likely be higher on the political agenda
4. government programs to alleviate economic inequality would likely be higher on the political agenda

Which of the following generally increases with age?

1. liberalism and political tolerance
2. political participation and strength of party attachment
3. political participation and suspicion of out-groups
4. candidate loyalty and authoritarianism

The most common type of participation among Americans is

1. giving money to candidates
2. voting
3. volunteering at a campaign
4. writing letters to government officials

Supporters of public opinion polling would argue that

1. polling allows policymakers to keep in touch with changing opinion on the issues
2. polls can be worded so that politicians get whatever responses they want
3. polling discourages bold leadership
4. polling allows leaders to avoid compromise

Which of the following is most likely to describe the partisanship of a daughter with two Democratic parents?

1. she’s an independent
2. she’s a republican
3. she’s a democrat
4. she’s a libertarian

Which of the following best describes the beliefs about democracy held by the writers of the Constitution?

1. they believed that the working class would make better decisions than the elite class
2. they had complete confidence in ordinary Americans to make sound decisions
3. they believed that democracy was only a temporary form of government
4. they were skeptical that ordinary Americans could make informed decisions

Which of the following is the primary source of political socialization for young children?

1. peer groups
2. schools
3. neighbors
4. the democratic and republican parties

In the 1857 Dred Scott v. Sanford decision, the Supreme Court held that

1. slavery was immoral but necessary
2. black men were citizens but women were not
3. the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional
4. only Congress could ban slavery

What displaces parents as a chief source of information as children grow older?

1. television
2. radio
3. newspapers
4. magazines

In the American system, which public policy domain is primarily the responsibility of state governments?

1. national defense issues
2. tariff issues
3. social issues
4. interstate commerce issues

What most closely exemplifies equality in voting?

1. inclusion
2. freedom to vote
3. one person, one vote
4. universal citizenship

Why is the American Revolution often characterized as being conservative?

1. because it was spearheaded by Pat Buchanan
2. Americans were in need of a complete social transformation
3. it only involved wealthy, property owning elites
4. Americans did not feel the need for great, social, economic, or political upheaval

If a police officer has a reasonable belief that someone is engaged in criminal activity, that officer can stop and frisk the suspect

1. only if that person gives consent
2. without getting a warrant
3. only if the officer plans to arrest that person
4. only if there are witnesses

Why is the question wording used in public opinion polls so important?

1. polllsters charge by the word, making longer questions more costly
2. words like “prefer”, “favorable”, and “approve” carry negative connotations that make Americans less satisfied with government
3. the public dislikes short questions and is unlikely to answer them
4. different question wording can result in big difference responses

Which of the following best describes America’s knowledge of politics?

1. most Americans know very little about politics
2. almost all Americans know who represents them in the House and the Senate
3. most Americans know who the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is
4. more Americans knew about George Bush’s tax policies than knew what his leasts favorite vegetable was.

Our Miranda rights come from procedural rules established to protect people subject to police interrogations, and to protect against self-incrimination.

1. True
2. False

Amendment V of the Constitution deals with the Amendment process, both proposal and ratification.

1. True
2. False

What are the two broad classifications on political participation?

1. elitist and pluralist
2. productive and unproductive
3. conventional and unconventional
4. casual and formal

Some Political Scientists have argued that Americans are ideologically conservatives but operation liberals. What does this mean?

1. Americans complain about tv shows like Jerry Springer, but continue to watch them anyway
2. Americans oppose the idea of big government, but favor big government in practice
3. Americans prefer conservative congressional candidates but vote for liberal presidential candidates
4. Americans prefer spending time with their families than learning about politics