TEST BANK

American Politics
Today
SECOND EDITION

Peter Francia
EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

Lori Cox Han

CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

W W NORTON & COMPANY NEW YORK LONDON

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CONTENTS

Preface

vii

PART I: FOUNDATIONS
Chapter 1 |

Understanding American Politics

1
Chapter 2 |

The Constitution and the Founding

19
Chapter 3 |

Federalism

43
Chapter 4 |

Civil Liberties

67

PART II: POLITICS

Chapter 5 |

Public Opinion

88
Chapter 6 |

The Media

112
Chapter 7 |

Political Parties

134
Chapter 8 |

Elections

158
Chapter 9 |

Interest Groups

180

PART III: INSTITUTIONS

Chapter 10| Congress

203

Chapter 11| The Presidency

224

Chapter 12| The Bureaucracy

247

Chapter 13| The Courts

270

PART IV: CIVIL RIGHTS

Chapter 14| Civil Rights

294

Chapter 15| Economic Policy

317

Chapter 16| Social Policy

340

Chapter 17| Foreign Policy

361

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION TEST BANK

WHY A NEW APPROACH?

In December 2007, W. W. Norton conducted a focus group with the
brightest minds in educational testing to create a new model for
assessment. The groups members stipulated that a good assessment
tool needs to:
(a) Define what students need to know and the level of knowledge
and skills expected of them to be competent in the concepts they
are learning about
(b) Include test items that provide valid and reliable evidence by
assessing the material to be learned at the appropriate level
(c) Enable instructors to accurately judge what students know and
what they dont know and to what degree, allowing instructors to
focus on areas where students need the most help
In evaluating the test banks that accompany introductory texts, we
found four main problem areas:
(a) Test questions were misclassified in terms of type and difficulty.
(b) There was a prevalence of low-level and factual questions that
misrepresented the goals of the course.
(c) Trivial topics were tested via multiple items, while important
concepts were not tested at all.
(d) Links to the topic were too general, preventing diagnostic use of
the item information.
Norton has collaborated with Valerie Shute (Florida State University)
and Diego Zapata-Rivera (Electronic Testing Services) to develop a
methodology for delivering high-quality, valid, and reliable assessment
through our test bank and extensive suite of support materials.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Before writing the test bank questions, the authors listed, in terms of
importance, the concepts from each chapter in the book that are the
most important for students to learnthe top six to eight big ideas in
each chapter as well as three to five ancillary concepts per big idea.
The authors then created a concept map for each chapter that shows
the relationships among these ideas. After creating the concept maps,
the authors developed three types of questions designed to test
students knowledge of a particular concept.
The question types are designed to help students (1) understand the
facts, (2) learn how to apply them, and (3) learn why those facts are
true. By asking students questions that vary in both type and level of
difficulty, instructors can gather different types of evidence, which will
allow them to more effectively assess how well students understand
specific concepts.

THREE QUESTION TYPES

1. Factual questions (ask What?) test declarative knowledge,
including textbook definitions and relationships between two or
more pieces of information.
2. Applied questions (ask How?) pose problems in a context
different from the one in which the material was learned, requiring
students

to

draw

from

their

declarative

understanding of important concepts.

and/or

procedural

3. Conceptual questions (ask Why?) ask students to draw from their

prior experience and use critical-thinking skills to take part in
qualitative reasoning about the real world.

THREE DIFFICULTY LEVELS

1. Easy questions require a basic understanding of the concepts,
definitions, and examples presented in American Politics Today.
2. Moderate questions direct students to use critical-thinking skills,
to demonstrate an understanding of core concepts independent of
specific textbook examples, and to connect concepts across
chapters.
3. Difficult questions ask students to synthesize textbook concepts
with their own experience, making analytical inferences about
political topics and more.

FIVE GENERAL RULES FOR NORTON ASSESSMENT

1. Each question measures and explicitly links to a specific
competency.
2. Questions are written with clear, concise, and grammatically
correct language that suits the difficulty level of the specific
competency being assessed. To ensure validity, questions contain
no

extraneous,

ambiguous,

or

confusing

material

or

slang

expressions.
3. There are generally three or more questions per competency to
ensure the reliability of a test.
4. In developing the questions, every effort has been made to
eliminate bias (for example, bias related to race, gender, culture,
ethnicity, region, disability, or age) to help with issues of
accessibility and validity.

5. Questions require specific knowledge of material studied, not

general knowledge or experience.

A FINAL NOTE
We hope that these ideas and methods will produce new ways of
thinking about assessment. Norton has a strong commitment to
supporting instructors with high-quality material.

CHAPTER 1
UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN POLITICS

CONCEPT MAP
I. Overview of American Government
II. Purpose of Government
A. Provide order
B. Promote the general welfare
III. Understanding Politics
A. Politics is everywhere
B. The process matters
C. Conflict
IV. Conflict in the Political Arena
A. Economic
B. Culture
C. Identity
D. Ideology

TRUE/FALSE
1. The main reasons we have government are to provide order and to
ensure a relatively high level of economic equality.
ANS: F NOT: Applied KEY: Purpose of Government DIF: Moderate
REF: Pages 79
2. Federalism refers to the separation of powers within the federal
government.
ANS: F NOT: Factual KEY: Purpose of Government: Provide order
DIF: Easy REF: Page 8

3. James Madison was concerned about the possibility that a majority

faction would capture the power of government and use it for its
own interests. This strongly influenced him as he drafted the
Constitution.
ANS: T NOT: Factual KEY: Purpose of Government: Provide order
DIF: Moderate REF: Pages 78
4. The free rider problem occurs because people can share in the
benefits of a public good whether or not they helped provide it. This
is one reason we need government to take action in some policy
areas.
ANS: T NOT: Conceptual KEY: Purpose of Government: Promote the
general welfare DIF: Difficult REF: Page 9
5. Politics occurs only in the context of government decision making.
ANS: F NOT: Factual KEY: Understanding Politics DIF: Easy REF:
Page 12
6. Politics is conflictual because politicians do nothing about those
issues on which everyone agreesyou cannot win elections by
agreeing with opponents.
ANS: F NOT: Conceptual KEY: Understanding Politics: Conflict DIF:
Easy REF: Pages 1214
7. Although conflict is an essential part of politics in the United States,
there is often agreement even on the most conflictual of issues,
such as public attitudes on late-term abortion.
ANS: T NOT: Factual KEY: Understanding Politics: Conflict DIF:
Difficult REF: Page 14
8. When the authors say that political process matters, they mean
that we should pay attention to both the rules that decision makers
must follow and the political actors who participate.
ANS: T NOT: Applied KEY: Understanding Politics: The process

matters DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 1415

9. The way that people make decisions about politics is similar to how
they make decisions in other areas of their lives.
ANS: T NOT: Applied KEY: Understanding Politics: Politics is
everywhere DIF: Moderate REF: Page 16
10. Although federal bureaucrats are not elected, they still wield
influence over the implementation of government policy.
ANS: T NOT: Factual KEY: Understanding Politics: Politics is
everywhere DIF: Easy REF: Page 17
11. There are more than 2 million civil servants in the United States.
ANS: T NOT: Factual KEY: Understanding Politics: Politics is
everywhere DIF: Moderate REF: Page 18
12. The main source of political conflict in the United States is
economic interests, reflecting the long history of class differences
among U.S. citizens.
ANS: F NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Economic
DIF: Moderate REF: Page 19
13. Compared to most European democracies, the United States has
been relatively free of class-based politics. This means that
economics is not an important source of political conflict.
ANS: F NOT: Applied KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Economic
DIF: Moderate REF: Page 19
14. Political analysts are concerned that the culture wara term that
refers to arguments over economic issueswill lead to a gridlock in
American politics.
ANS: F NOT: Applied KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Culture
DIF: Moderate REF: Page 20

15. Personal political ideologies are not always consistent.

ANS: T NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Ideology
DIF: Easy REF: Pages 2223

MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. An earmark:
a. describes any project that is a waste of money
b. is a specific local project singled out for money in national
legislation
c. is a broad appropriation for multi-state projects
d. describes the standard against which we judge the success of
policies
e. was illegal until the Supreme Court made a ruling about it in the
early 1900s
ANS: B NOT: Factual KEY: Overview of American Government DIF:
Moderate REF: Page 4
2. Which of the following explains earmarks such as the bridge to
nowhere?
a. Legislators support such projects to ensure that they do not leave
any tax money unspent in the fiscal year.
b. Legislators support such projects because they can often make
money on them for their own personal gain.
c. Legislators support such projects to gain support for projects of
their own.
d. Legislators do not see them as local projects, but rather as
national accomplishments that benefit everyone throughout the
United States.
e. The federal government has a propensity for wasting money in
order to keep voters happy.
ANS: C NOT: Applied KEY: Overview of American Government DIF:

Moderate REF: Pages 46

3. Pork-barrel spending refers to:
a. spending that is in excess of revenue
b. broad appropriations bills that capture large policy areas
c. wasteful federal dollars spent on local projects
d. agricultural appropriations bills
e. money spent on items that the public dislikes, such as negative
campaign advertisements
ANS: C NOT: Factual KEY: Overview of American Government DIF:
Easy REF: Page 5
4. Earmarks for projects such as the bridge to nowhere:
a. are seen as a boon for the economy for politicians and the public
alike
b. are seen as a waste of money by almost all politicians
c. can be seen as a waste of money by some or as an improvement
to a local community by others
d. are ultimately the best way to obtain money for a political project
e. are considered by most scholars to be undemocratic and at odds
with the U.S. Constitution
ANS: C NOT: Applied KEY: Overview of American Government DIF:
Easy REF: Pages 56

5. Which of the following was used to defend the bridge to nowhere

project?
a. It would help Alaska, which needs assistance from the federal
government because it is a very poor state.
b. It would help promote efficient transportation of oil reserves from
Alaska.
c. It would help improve trade between Alaska and Canada.
d. It would allow for economic development in Ketchikan, which is
isolated.
e. It was a project supported by the U.S. military as a way to ease
movement of nuclear weapons in the event of an attack by
Russia.
ANS: D NOT: Factual KEY: Overview of American Government DIF:
Moderate REF: Page 5
6. A functioning democracy requires citizens to:
a. participate actively in most governing decisions
b. hold elected politicians accountable for the decisions they make
c. hold town-hall meetings
d. know the platforms and issue positions of the major parties
competing to win public office
e. be born in the country in which they will vote
ANS: B NOT: Applied KEY: Overview of American Government DIF:
Difficult REF: Page 7

7. What did British philosopher Thomas Hobbes mean by the term

state of nature?
a. Hobbes was referring to his belief that all people were basically
good.
b. Hobbes was referring to his belief that the laws of nature gave
kings the right to rule by divine right.
c. Hobbes was referring to the lack of organization among people
who have no government.
d. Hobbes was referring to a world in which people lived in harmony
with other living creatures, conserved natural resources, and
respected the environment.
e. Hobbes was referring to his belief that a society without
government was the best society because it was how the state
of nature intended things to be.
ANS: C NOT: Factual KEY: Purpose of Government: Provide order
DIF: Moderate REF: Page 7
8. What are the two goals for American government explicitly outlined
in the Constitution?
a. a national defense against foreign interests and enforcement of
laws within the nation
b. a national defense against foreign interests and support for
economic development
c. support for economic development and enforcement of laws
within the nation
d. enforcement of laws within the nation and support for foreign
interest development
e. civil rights and economic equality for all
ANS: A NOT: Factual KEY: Purpose of Government: Provide order
DIF: Moderate REF: Page 7

9. For James Madison, the notion that government is necessary

depended strongly on:
a. his belief that people are self-interested
b. his own interest in being a politician
c. his desire to protect himself from his political opponents
d. his view that people were willing to sacrifice freedoms to make
democracy work
e. his belief that aristocracy, despite its flaws, was still the best
form of government
ANS: A NOT: Applied KEY: Purpose of Government: Provide order
DIF: Moderate REF: Pages 78
10. Although James Madison believed in the necessity of ________, he
feared a government that would ________.
a. a strong government; not represent majority interests
b. a weak national government; not stand up against the states
c. a strong government; abuse its power against minority groups
d. state governments; abuse the interests of those state
governments
e. direct democracy; become dominated by the nations wealthy
elite
ANS: C NOT: Factual KEY: Purpose of Government: Provide order
DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 78
11. Which of the following is a reason that we have a government?
a. to secure liberty
b. to guarantee a basic standard of living for all citizens
c. to protect people from things outside of their control
d. to ensure that individuals conform to the prevailing social norms
and values of the larger society
e. to conquer territory, build empires, and expand power around the
world
ANS: A NOT: Conceptual KEY: Purpose of Government DIF:

Difficult REF: Pages 79

12. Which of the following is considered a responsibility of the
government?
a. protecting people from making decisions that may cause them
harm
b. protecting individual civil liberties
c. providing low-cost prescription drugs
d. providing a college education for its citizens
e. redistributing wealth to minimize the gap between the rich and
the poor
ANS: B NOT: Applied KEY: Purpose of Government DIF: Moderate
REF: Pages 79
13. The separation of powers refers to:
a. a division of authority within Congress, so that not all legislators
do the same things
b. the division of authority between the national and state
governments
c. providing each part of government with some power over the
others
d. dividing a government into different branches with distinct areas
of authority
e. the governments dual responsibility of protecting the rights and
freedoms of individuals while also providing for the safety and
security of the larger society
ANS: D NOT: Factual KEY: Purpose of Government: Provide order
DIF: Easy REF: Page 8

14. In the United States, factions are controlled by:

a. laws that prohibit certain people from serving in government
b. laws that allow the government to prohibit some groups and
associations
c. laws that abridge certain freedoms
d. the many powers given to the president by the Constitution
e. a large and diverse republic in which there is a separation of
powers
ANS: E NOT: Applied KEY: Purpose of Government: Provide order
DIF: Easy REF: Page 8
15. The division of power between the national government and the
state and local governments is called:
a. civil liberties
b. federalism
c. the separation of powers
d. checks and balances
e. pluralism
ANS: B NOT: Factual KEY: Purpose of Government: Provide order
DIF: Moderate REF: Page 8
16. A system of checks and balances:
a. gives each branch of the national government some power over
the others
b. ensures that majority rule prevails in all instances against a vocal
minority or faction
c. provides limits on what government can do to individual citizens
d. divides the national government into separate branches, each
with different responsibilities
e. creates a faster and more efficient policy-making process
ANS: A NOT: Factual KEY: Purpose of Government: Provide order
DIF: Easy REF: Page 8

17. If people decide there is a problem worth solving that involves a

public good, government action is necessary because:
a. majority factions will try to ensure that the good works only for
themselves
b. it is difficult for individuals to provide common resources through
their own good will
c. of positive externalities that make the good otherwise
undesirable
d. the free market cannot provide the public good
e. the Constitutions general welfare clause stipulates that the
government must act
ANS: B NOT: Conceptual KEY: Purpose of Government: Promote the
general welfare DIF: Moderate REF: Page 9
18. Which philosopher described the idea of a collective action
problem?
a. David Hume
b. Adam Smith
c. Thomas Hobbes
d. James Madison
e. John Locke
ANS: A NOT: Factual KEY: Purpose of Government: Promote the
general welfare DIF: Easy REF: Page 9

19. A free rider problem occurs when:

a. a large group tries to capture control of government
b. a public good is provided by government
c. everyone fails to work toward a common goal because they are
each willing to let someone else do the work
d. the market provides a good by making it free of charge
e. the government offers bailouts to failing corporations without
making systematic changes to prevent future bailouts that come
at the expense of taxpayers
ANS: C NOT: Factual KEY: Purpose of Government: Promote the
general welfare DIF: Easy REF: Page 9
20. Sometimes the free market will not provide some types of public
goods, even when it can, because of:
a. negative externalities
b. collective action problems
c. positive externalities
d. free rider problems
e. poor leadership from the chief executive officer of a corporation
ANS: C NOT: Conceptual KEY: Purpose of Government: Promote the
general welfare DIF: Difficult REF: Page 9
21. Which of the following is an example of a public good?
a. a city or town park
b. a doctors visit
c. a movie theater
d. an automobile
e. a single-family home
ANS: A NOT: Applied KEY: Purpose of Government: Promote the
general welfare DIF: Moderate REF: Page 9

22. Politics is defined as:

a. anything that happens involving the government
b. the process that determines the decisions made by government
c. the behavior of public officials acting in self-interest
d. bickering and conflicts over government policies
e. the totality of all government activities
ANS: B NOT: Factual KEY: Understanding Politics: Politics is
everywhere DIF: Easy REF: Page 10
23. Aristotle distinguished three pure types of government. They were:
a. rule by none; rule by one; and rule by all of the people
b. rule by one; rule by the few; and rule by the many
c. rule by all of the people; rule by elected representatives; and rule
by law
d. rule by divine right; rule by force; rule by merit
e. anarchy; oligarchy; and direct democracy
ANS: B NOT: Factual KEY: Purpose of Government DIF: Moderate
REF: Page 10
24. Which of the following is a reason that there is conflict in politics?
a. Politicians are naturally argumentative and generally have
disagreeable personalities.
b. Governing decisions can make some groups winners and others
losers.
c. Polls indicate that the American public wants conflict in politics,
so elected officials oblige.
d. Americans who do not follow politics frustrate Americans who do
follow politics.
e. Political parties have recently adopted formal rules that prohibit
their members from socializing with members of opposing
parties.
ANS: B NOT: Conceptual KEY: Understanding Politics: Conflict DIF:
Moderate REF: Pages 1214

25. Despite pressure to find political compromises, such compromises

do not always occur because:
a. politicians fail to listen to the public
b. legislators are more interested in partisan bickering
c. the need to make trade-offs can mean no policy option satisfies a
majority
d. some elected officials simply cannot compromise on some things
because they believe that their position is right and just
e. the president of the United States often intervenes to prevent
compromise
ANS: C NOT: Conceptual KEY: Understanding Politics: Conflict DIF:
Difficult REF: Pages 1214
26. ________ are likely to disappear quickly from the political agenda,
while ________ often take a long time to resolve.
a. Conflictual issues; pork-barrel issues
b. Conflictual issues; consensus issues
c. Consensus issues; conflictual issues
d. Social issues such as abortion; fiscal issues such as taxes
e. Fiscal issues such as taxes; defense issues such as military
intervention or war
ANS: C NOT: Applied KEY: Understanding Politics: Conflict DIF:
Easy REF: Pages 1214
27. Politicians who make bargains to resolve political conflict:
a. are typically the ones with the least political power
b. are usually trying to enact at least some policy change
c. usually fail to achieve any of their goals
d. are betraying their principles
e. rarely have long or successful careers in Congress
ANS: B NOT: Applied KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Economic
DIF: Moderate REF: Pages 1214

28. The abortion issue is conflictual because:

a. citizens like to fight
b. politicians are inherently unwilling to compromise
c. the differences are rooted in self-interest, ideology, and personal
beliefs
d. talk-radio hosts and others in the media manufacture conflict
where none would otherwise exist on the issue
e. most Americans hold only the most extreme positions on the
issue
ANS: C NOT: Applied KEY: Understanding Politics: Conflict DIF:
Moderate REF: Pages 1314
29. Elections:
a. are democratic only if citizens who vote know the details of each
candidates issue positions
b. usually provide clear policy mandates
c. determine which fellow citizens have the power to enact laws
d. provide a check on the power of special interests
e. are no longer considered by most scholars to be free and fair,
given the huge costs now associated with running for public
office
ANS: C NOT: Factual KEY: Understanding Politics: The process
matters DIF: Difficult REF: Page 14

30. In 2009, Democrats and Republicans in Congress disagreed on how

to revive the economy. A key difference was:
a. Democrats supported tax increases for the wealthy to help assist
the poor, whereas Republicans argued for tax cuts for all
b. Democrats supported tax cuts for the poor and the middle class,
whereas Republicans argued for increased taxes and reductions
in spending to balance the federal budget
c. Democrats supported an equal mix of spending increases and tax
cuts, whereas Republicans focused on tax cuts only
d. Democrats supported sending each American a stimulus check
from the government, whereas Republicans opposed such
payouts on the grounds that they would lead to inflation
e. Democrats supported expanding trade with foreign nations to
end the trade deficit, whereas Republicans argued that free-trade
agreements were more harmful than helpful to American workers
ANS: C NOT: Factual KEY: Understanding Politics: The process
matters DIF: Moderate REF: Page 14
31. The fact that political process matters means that:
a. elections have very little impact on legislation and public policy
b. the actions taken by the government are inevitable
c. policies passed by government are often influenced by its rules
and institutions
d. most politicians are easily corrupted
e. lobbying the government has little impact on the laws that
Congress passes
ANS: C NOT: Applied KEY: Understanding Politics: The process
matters DIF: Moderate REF: Pages 1415

32. Rules and procedures are important to the political process because
they:
a. influence who has the power to make choices at different points
in time
b. create different interests between the branches of government
c. provide a level playing field for everyone interested in politics
d. allow the average citizen to become involved in governmental
politics
e. mandate that the federal government spend only what it receives
in tax revenue
ANS: A NOT: Conceptual KEY: Understanding Politics: The process
matters DIF: Moderate REF: Page 15
33. Which of the following is an example of a rule that affects politics?
a. ordinary citizens donating time and money to candidates
b. a constitutional provision that only natural citizens can run for
president
c. the requirement of sixty votes to invoke cloture in the Senate
d. the Senates power to try all impeachments
e. any of Roberts Rules of Order
ANS: B NOT: Applied KEY: Understanding Politics: The process
matters DIF: Difficult REF: Page 15
34. The size of the federal governments most recent annual budget
was:
a. just over $100 billion
b. nearly a half a trillion dollars, or just less than $500 billion
c. almost $1 trillion
d. roughly $3.5 trillion
e. more than $13 trillion and rising
ANS: D NOT: Factual KEY: Understanding Politics: Politics is
everywhere DIF: Easy REF: Page 16

35. Roughly how much of the American economy is accounted for by

government spending?
a. 12 percent
b. 24 percent
c. 36 percent
d. 45 percent
e. more than 50 percent
ANS: B NOT: Factual KEY: Understanding Politics: Politics is
everywhere DIF: Difficult REF: Page 16
36. In the most recent annual budget, the total amount of money that
the federal government received in taxes and revenues was:
a. roughly $100 billion
b. $556 billion
c. $1.1 trillion
d. $2.175 trillion
e. roughly $3.5 trillion
ANS: D NOT: Factual KEY: Understanding Politics: Politics is
everywhere DIF: Easy REF: Page 18
37. The federal workforce consists of:
a. 2.1 million civil servants, 1.4 million military personnel, and
800,000 postal service employees
b. 1.4 million civil servants, 2.1 million military personnel, and
800,000 postal service employees
c. 800,000 civil servants, 2.1 million military personnel, and 1.4
million postal service employees
d. 1.4 million civil servants, 800,000 military personnel, and 2.1
million postal service employees
e. 2.1 million civil servants, 1.4 million postal service employees,
and 800,000 million military personnel
ANS: A NOT: Factual KEY: Understanding Politics: Politics is
everywhere DIF: Moderate REF: Page 18

38. People who do not pay attention to government:

a. are free from government influence
b. have less influence over what government does
c. are most likely to be those with demanding white-collar,
professional jobs
d. would not be considered legal citizens by most democratic
theorists
e. are usually people who are unpatriotic and dislike living in the
United States
ANS: B NOT: Applied KEY: Understanding Politics: Politics is
everywhere DIF: Moderate REF: Page 18
39. Which of the following is part of the economic values of the United
States?
a. workplace democracy
b. economic individualism
c. economic equality
d. the greatest good for the greatest number
e. from each according to his ability, to each according to his need
ANS: B NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Economic
DIF: Moderate REF: Page 19
40. Over time, American politics has been classified by:
a. an increase in stratification by class
b. a decrease in voter turnout in every election since 1960
c. an increase in the number of political parties and the viability of
minor-party candidates
d. the reemergence of party machines in local politics
e. increases in radical and sometimes violent political movements
ANS: A NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Economic
DIF: Easy REF: Page 19

41. An important realm of economic conflict in the United States is:

a. redistributive tax policy
b. economic inequality
c. the culture wars
d. commitment to the free market
e. campaign finance reform
ANS: A NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Economic
DIF: Easy REF: Page 19
42. The melting pot approach to racial and ethnic relations holds that:
a. racial and ethnic groups should leave their customs behind when
they immigrate to the United States
b. cultural identities do not hold much political relevance in
contemporary American politics
c. the United States has a unique history of supporting the customs
of ethnic and racial groups that immigrate to the United States
d. the United States cannot really assimilate new ethnic and racial
groups into its already complicated cultural mix
e. affirmative action programs are needed to melt away the
legacy of racism and bigotry
ANS: A NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Culture
DIF: Moderate REF: Page 20
43. Which of these groups tends to vote for Republicans more often
than for Democrats?
a. Asian Americans
b. Cuban Americans
c. Mexican Americans
d. African American men
e. Union members
ANS: B NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Culture
DIF: Moderate REF: Page 20

44. The focus on differences between red-state Americans and bluestate Americans refers to conflict based on:
a. identity politics
b. the melting pot
c. the culture war
d. ideology
e. socialism and free-market capitalism
ANS: C NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Culture
DIF: Difficult REF: Page 20
45. Which of the following is an important issue to values voters?
a. the growing gap between the rich and the poor
b. teaching of evolution in schools
c. combating poverty throughout the world with the help of the
United Nations
d. the increasing number of women running for and holding public
office
e. the fact that Catholics now constitute a majority on the U.S.
Supreme Court
ANS: B NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Culture
DIF: Easy REF: Page 20
46. Identity politics refers to the impact of ________ on political
interests.
a. gender, ethnicity, or race
b. a candidates charisma and public-speaking skills
c. public opinion polls
d. the media
e. political parties and party identification
ANS: A NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Identity
DIF: Moderate REF: Pages 2022

47. A cohesive set of ideas and beliefs used for organizing the political
world is a(n):
a. partisan identity
b. ideology
c. conservative viewpoint
d. cultural identity
e. progressive worldview
ANS: B NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Ideology
DIF: Easy REF: Page 22
48. Someone who supports both the legalization of abortion and
significantly lower taxes is best described as:
a. a libertarian
b. a liberal
c. a conservative
d. a social conservative and economic liberal
e. a social and economic moderate
ANS: A NOT: Factual KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Ideology
DIF: Difficult REF: Page 22
49. Someone who favors lower taxes, less government regulation of the
market, and limited government power is best described as a:
a. socialist
b. progressive
c. conservative
d. liberal
e. moderate
ANS: C NOT: Applied KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Ideology
DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 2224

50. Liberals tend to support which of the following views?

a. Government involvement in social welfare should be limited.
b. There should be greater government regulation of economic
markets.
c. The taxing power of the national government should be limited.
d. Government should spend more resources promoting free trade.
e. There should be no government involvement in health care.
ANS: B NOT: Applied KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Ideology
DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 2224
ESSAY
1. The bridge to nowhere is considered a symbol of pork-barrel
spending. Explain what this project involved, why it is heavily
criticized, and why its supporters still saw merit in building that
bridge.
ANS: Answers will vary. KEY: Overview of American Government
DIF: Moderate REF: Pages 46
2. Americans have a long tradition of being suspicious of governing
power. First, explain what society would be like if government were
eliminated. Second, explain what the U.S. government is supposed
to accomplish. In short, why do we have a government?
ANS: Answers will vary. KEY: Purpose of Government DIF: Difficult
REF: Pages 79
3. James Madison wrote, If men were angels, no government would
be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor
internal controls on government would be necessary. Explain what
this quote means and what kind of institutional controls Madison
put into the Constitution as a consequence of his beliefs.
ANS: Answers will vary. KEY: Purpose of Government DIF: Moderate
REF: Pages 79

4. What is a public good? What are the two reasons that the free
market cannot provide a public good? What does this imply about
the need for government?
ANS: Answers will vary. KEY: Purpose of Government DIF: Moderate
REF: Page 9
5. What does a political scientist do? Specifically, explain the research
process. How does a political scientist begin research, and what are
some common research methods?
ANS: Answers will vary. KEY: Purpose of Government DIF: Difficult
REF: Page 10
6. The authors argue that conflict is an inevitable part of American
politics. Explain why this is the case.
ANS: Answers will vary. KEY: Understanding Politics: Conflict DIF:
Difficult REF: Pages 1214
7. The authors suggest that the rules and procedures of politics
matter more than the strategies that politicians use. Explain their
argument. Do you agree or disagree? Build your case by pointing to
at least one example from current political events.
ANS: Answers will vary. KEY: Understanding Politics DIF: Difficult
REF: Pages 1415
8. The authors suggest that government and politics touch your life on
a daily basis. What do they mean by this? Do you think that it is
good or bad? Explain.
ANS: Answers will vary. KEY: Understanding Politics DIF: Moderate
REF: Pages 1619

9. According to the authors, a key component of politics is racial,

ethnic, and gender identity. How do these factors contribute to your
own political views? Do you think your political beliefs have been
shaped by your race, ethnicity, and/or gender? Why or why not?
ANS: Answers will vary. KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Identity
DIF: Easy REF: Pages 2022
10. There is a debate over whether the United States should be a
melting pot or whether we should embrace our cultural differences.
Explain the two sides of this debate. Which side are you on? Why?
ANS: Answers will vary. KEY: Conflict in the Political Arena: Identity
DIF: Moderate REF: Pages 2022