Introduction to Political Science
Exam Answer Key
Course Introduction
Introduction to Political Science provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental concepts, theories, and institutions that shape political systems worldwide. Students will explore the origins and development of political ideas, examine the structures and functions of government, and analyze the processes of policy-making and political participation. The course introduces key areas such as comparative politics, international relations, political philosophy, and public administration, while encouraging critical thinking about contemporary political issues. Through readings, discussions, and case studies, students will gain a deeper understanding of how power, authority, and governance impact societies globally.
Recommended Textbook
Essentials of American Government Roots and Reform 2011 10th Edition by Karen J. OConnor
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2954 Verified Questions
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Chapter 1: The Political Landscape
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Sample Questions
Q1) What were some of the primary reasons that colonists settled in America?
Answer: Some of the primary reasons that colonists settled in America were economic opportunities, religious freedom, political autonomy, and the chance to start a new life in a new land. Many colonists were seeking better economic prospects, such as the chance to own land and build a prosperous future for themselves and their families. Others were seeking religious freedom, wanting to escape persecution and practice their faith without interference. Some were also drawn to the idea of political autonomy and the chance to govern themselves in a new society. Overall, the promise of a fresh start and the opportunity for a better life motivated many colonists to make the journey to America.
Q2) Majority rule is a core American political value.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) Libertarians would likely advocate for the USA PATRIOT Act.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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3
Chapter 2: The Constitution
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Sample Questions
Q1) The series of 85 political papers written by John Jay,Alexander Hamilton,and James Madison in support of ratification of the new constitution are called the A)Pennsylvania Packet.
B)Federalist Papers.
C)Anti-Federalist Papers.
D)Crisis.
E)Common Sense.
Answer: B
Q2) Some delegates to the Constitutional Convention believed that the new nation was in such dire straits that they were willing to
A)take up arms against Indians on the western front.
B)develop a looser league of friendship among the states.
C)risk potential charges of treason.
D)muzzle Benjamin Franklin.
E)establish an American "monarchy."
Answer: C
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Chapter 3: Federalism
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Sample Questions
Q1) The Supreme Court generally was supportive of President Franklin D.Roosevelt's early attempts to deal with the Great Depression.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q2) The clause of the Constitution that ensures that judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be binding and enforceable in another is called the ________ clause.
A)privileges and immunities
B)full faith and credit
C)equal protection
D)supremacy
E)elastic
Answer: B
Q3) The national government's implied powers are derived from its enumerated powers.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Chapter 4: Civil Liberties
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Sample
Questions
Q1) The interest group that organized and sponsored Furman v.Georgia was the
A)National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Legal Defense Fund.
B)American Civil Liberties Union.
C)National Organization of Women.
D)Southern Christian Leadership Council.
E)National Rifle Association.
Q2) The United States has more restrictive policies on handgun ownership than Great Britain.
A)True
B)False
Q3) In 1976,the Supreme Court ruled that a death penalty statute was constitutional because new laws had been passed to ensure that sentencing was not arbitrary.This was the case of
A)Gideon v. Wainwright.
B)Bowers v. Hardwick.
C)Mapp v. Ohio.
D)Furman v. Georgia.
E)Gregg v. Georgia.
Q4) Should the United States use the death penalty as criminal punishment? Why or why not?
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Chapter 5: Civil Rights
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Sample Questions
Q1) Discuss the history of affirmative action law in the United States.Make sure to reference major cases.
Q2) "The little woman who started the big war"
A)refers to Frederick Douglass's characterization of Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
B)refers to Jefferson Davis's description of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
C)refers to Abraham Lincoln's characterization of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
D)describes Susan B. Anthony, the author of the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments.
E)refers to Lincoln's wife, who was an advocate of war.
Q3) In 1905,W.E.B.Du Bois met with other African Americans in Niagara Falls,Ontario,Canada,to
A)found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
B)advance the cause of African Americans through the Niagara Movement.
C)meet in the only place that would allow whites and blacks to meet.
D)create a lobbying strategy for the woman suffrage amendment.
E)propose a new anti-discrimination constitutional amendment.
Q4) The George W.Bush administration ended the "Don't Ask,Don't Tell" Policy.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 6: Congress
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Sample Questions
Q1) Gerrymandering is a form of redistricting.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Congressional leaders whose major task is to keep party members in line and track votes are called
A)party whips.
B)majority leaders.
C)minority leaders.
D)sergeants at arms.
E)president pro tempores.
Q3) Congressional party caucuses have similar organizational structures.
A)True
B)False
Q4) A bicameral legislature means that Congress is run primarily by two parties.
A)True
B)False
Q5) How does the consideration and approval of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act typify the activities of the modern Congress?
Q6) What is impeachment?What roles do the House and Senate play in the process?
Q7) What are the major components of the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921?
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Chapter 7: The Presidency
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Sample Questions
Q1) Franklin D.Roosevelt served as president for three four-year terms.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The Executive Office of the President was established in 1939 to
A)formalize the informal structure of the Cabinet.
B)act as a liaison with the legislative branch.
C)aid in the war effort.
D)help the president direct the activities of the executive branch.
E)improve the accuracy of military intelligence to the president.
Q3) A signing statement is a constitutional provision that allows the president to have the last word on legislation he or she signs into law.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Although governors have the power to pardon,the president does not.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Franklin D.Roosevelt is generally regarded as the best president.
A)True
B)False
Q6) What is the difference between an executive order and a law?
Page 9
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Chapter 8: The Executive Branch and Federal Bureaucracy
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Sample Questions
Q1) "To the victors belong the spoils" is a term MOST frequently attributed to President
A)Abraham Lincoln.
B)Theodore Roosevelt.
C)Andrew Jackson.
D)Franklin D. Roosevelt.
E)James Monroe.
Q2) _________ is an example of a government corporation.
A)Federal Express
B)The Better Business Bureau
C)The Environmental Protection Agency
D)Amtrak
E)The Securities and Exchange Commission
Q3) What are independent regulatory commissions,and why were they created?
Q4) The majority of employees in the federal civil service are male.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Should the government fund higher education?Outline both sides of the issue,formulating and defending what you think is the most compelling argument.
Q6) What is a government corporation?How does Amtrak exemplify this concept?
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Chapter 9: The Judiciary
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Sample Questions
Q1) Less than one-third of the American public can name a single justice of the Supreme Court.
A)True
B)False
Q2) During conference,Supreme Court justices speak in order by A)age.
B)interest.
C)ideology.
D)choice.
E)seniority.
Q3) Compare and contrast the demographic characteristics of the federal judicial appointees of Presidents George W.Bush and Barack Obama.
Q4) Should stare decisis affect Supreme Court decision making?What are the advantages and disadvantages of this process?
Q5) The Constitution sets the number of justices on the Supreme Court at nine. A)True
B)False
Q6) What is senatorial courtesy?Should presidents continue to adopt this practice?Why or why not?
Page 11
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Chapter 10: Public Opinion and the News Media
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Sample Questions
Q1) What role does the Federal Communications Commission play in regulating American media? What laws give it this power?
Q2) Democrats are more likely than Republicans to listen to National Public Radio.
A)True
B)False
Q3) How do some analysts explain media inattention to racial and ethnic minorities,the poor,and those who are critical of government and business?
I.The typical journalist is white,male,and affluent.
II.The government puts pressure on the media to cover only the "mainstream."
III.The media are consciously racist and/or classist.
IV.There is a pervasive bias toward getting a good story in journalism.
A)I and III
B)I and II
C)I and IV
D)II and IV
E)I, II, and IV
Q4) Why are traditional telephone polls becoming increasingly difficult to conduct reliably?
Q5) What is media bias,and how does it affect the content of the news?
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Chapter 11: Political Parties and Interest Groups
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Sample Questions
Q1) The _______ Party arose in opposition to the popularity of President Andrew Jackson.
A)Democratic
B)Democratic-Republican
C)Federalist
D)Whig
E)Free-Soil
Q2) Which of the following are likely effects of celebrities testifying before Congress?
I.Increasing the visibility of an issue
II.Inspiring fans to become involved with an issue
III.Providing expert testimony to bolster a cause
IV.Opening the door for celebrities to run for office
A)III only
B)I and II
C)II and IV
D)I, II, and IV
E)I, II, III, and IV
Q3) How does geographic region affect a person's party identification?
Q4) Why was the National Association of Manufacturers founded?
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Chapter 12: Campaigns, elections, and Voting
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Sample Questions
Q1) Corporations can now take part in electioneering communications despite BCRA's prohibition on doing so.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The District of Columbia has as many Electoral College electors as Wyoming.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Before the election of Barack Obama,Virginia had not elected a Democrat for president since 1948.
A)True
B)False
Q4) There are approximately ________ PACs registered with the Federal Election Commission.
A)500
B)1,000
C)4,000
D)7,000
E)10,000
Q5) What is a political action committee?
Q6) What types of media are available to candidates,and what effect do they have?
Page 14
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Chapter 13: Social and Economic Policy
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Sample Questions
Q1) How have the states responded to the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010?
Q2) When President Franklin D.Roosevelt gave his fireside chats,he was engaging in which step of the policy-making process?
A)Policy adoption
B)Budgeting
C)Policy implementation
D)Policy evaluation
E)Agenda setting
Q3) Over half of Americans believe that the recent health care reforms will improve the state of health care in the United States.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Problem recognition
A)is the first stage of the policy-making process.
B)is the last stage of the policy-making process.
C)requires governmental intervention.
D)is not necessarily critical to the policy-making process.
E)can occur at any time during the policy-making process.
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Chapter 14: Foreign and Defense Policy
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Sample Questions
Q1) President ________ led the U.S.into World War
i. i.
A)Franklin D. Roosevelt
B)Woodrow Wilson
C)Warren G. Harding
D)Calvin Coolidge
E)Herbert Hoover
Q2) U.S.sanctions against suppliers of nuclear technology to North Korea would be an example of détente.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Did President George W.Bush continue the foreign policies set forth by his predecessor,President Bill Clinton?Explain your answer.
Q4) The Cold War ended when communist regimes in Eastern Europe collapsed in A)1969. B)1976.
C)1982.
D)1989. E)1996.
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Chapter 15: The Context for Texas Politics and Government
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is NOT an element of the Texan Creed?
A)Individualism
B)Liberty
C)Constitutionalism
D)Democracy
E)Endurance
Q2) For much of the twentieth century,the basis for the Texas economy was
A)agriculture.
B)cattle.
C)cotton.
D)petroleum.
E)shipping.
Q3) Reflecting a governing preference for individual responsibility and the maintenance of social values,Texas's political culture is best described as a blend of A)individualistic, traditionalistic, and moralistic subcultures.
B)the traditionalistic and moralistic subcultures.
C)the pragmatic and moralistic subcultures.
D)the individualistic and traditionalistic subcultures.
E)the individualistic and socialistic subcultures.
Q4) Describe the distribution of wealth and poverty in Texas.
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Chapter 16: The Texas Constitution
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Sample Questions
Q1) Under the 1836 Texas Constitution,Texas was separated from Coahuila and each became states under Mexican control.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The Constitutional Convention of 1974 was an example of a piecemeal revision effort.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The Texas Constitution is older and has been amended more frequently than the U.S.Constitution.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Voter turnout in Texas elections is highest in A)presidential elections.
B)gubernatorial elections.
C)special elections.
D)partisan elections.
E)judicial elections.
Q5) What were the political and economic forces at play in the Texas Constitutional Convention of 1875?
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Chapter 17: Local Government and Politics in Texas
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Sample Questions
Q1) One significant reason for the use of a single-purpose special district government rather than multipurpose government entities is that some policy concerns must be addressed on a regional basis rather than by individual counties and cities.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The idea behind home-rule is that city leaders need tools to address their local problems,which gives them greater flexibility than cities operating under the general laws of Texas.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The Texas Local Government Code details the creation and operation of general law cities in Texas.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Home-rule municipalities sometimes face state laws passed to restrict their authority to govern themselves.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Under what conditions can a city annex adjacent territory?
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Chapter 18: The Texas Legislature
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is NOT a job of the legislative staff?
A)Provide constituent services
B)Provide administrative support
C)Assist in drafting legislation
D)Negotiate with lobbyists
E)Formally introduce bills in the House in the absence of a representative
Q2) Which of the following is NOT one of the ways in which the governor wields power in the legislature?
A)Exerts leverage for or against an agenda
B)Emergency declaration for bills
C)Adding bills to a call for a special session
D)Signing bills into law or vetoing bills
E)Acting as president of the Senate
Q3) What is the budget execution authority and how does it help overcome a budgetary challenge arising from a biennial legislature?
Q4) There are currently more Republicans than Democrats in the Texas legislature.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Detail two of the unique responsibilities each chamber of the Texas legislature possesses.
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Chapter 19: The Governor and Bureaucracy in Texas
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Sample Questions
Q1) Suppose you wish to be the "governor-in-waiting" in Texas.What office should you be holding right now and why?
Q2) The annual salary for the Texas governor is currently set at $115,345.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Who was the first governor to win back-to-back four year terms?
A)Ann Richards
B)George Bush
C)Rick Perry
D)Bill Clements
E)Coke Stevenson
Q4) Assume that you are a long-time member of the Sunset Advisory Commission.What do you do and why?
Q5) The governor's power to influence the legislature through the threat and use of the veto power is magnified by the fact that the constitution provides the legislature with no means to override a veto by the governor.
A)True
B)False
Q6) What functions does the Texas comptroller of public accounts perform?
Page 21
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Chapter 20: The Texas Judiciary
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Sample Questions
Q1) Other than municipal court judges,most Texas judges are
A)appointed by the governor and approved by the Senate.
B)appointed by the governor and approved by the legislature.
C)elected in partisan elections.
D)elected in nonpartisan elections.
E)appointed by an independent commission established by the State Bar of Texas.
Q2) All of the following can be issued by a municipal court EXCEPT A)verdicts.
B)warrants.
C)fines over $500.
D)fines under $500.
E)jail time.
Q3) Assume you want to be a judge in Texas,but you are not a lawyer,nor do you have a law degree.Of the following,which office may you hold?
A)County court at law judge
B)Constitutional county judge
C)District judge
D)Intermediate court of appeals judge
E)Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge
Q4) Briefly describe the top level of the Texas court system.
Page 22
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Chapter 21: Political Parties, interest Groups, elections, and Campaigns in Texas
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Sample Questions
Q1) You are the treasurer for a candidate running for state office in Texas.Where must you submit regular contribution and expenditure reports for the candidate?
A)U)S. Secretary of State's office
B)Comptroller of Public Accounts
C)Texas Bar Association
D)Ethics Commission
E)Legislative Redistricting Board
Q2) Primary elections are
A)government elections.
B)interest group elections.
C)social movement elections.
D)party elections.
E)held after the general election.
Q3) If you are the mayor of your city,you may seek approval of new local bond proposals through a special election.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Compare Democratic party unity with Republican party unity.
Q5) What is early voting?What effect has it had on voter turnout?
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