PLS 101 Sample Test

PLS 101 American Democracy and Citizenship

Sample Test

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The theory of federalism that asserts the equal power of the national and state governments is known as:
dual federalism
creative federalism
cooperative federalism
strict construction
The major premise of the Declaration of Independence is that:
there should be checks and balances and separation of power to prevent majority tyranny
people have a right to revolt if the government is denying them their legitimate rights
ambition must be made to counteract ambition
the states created the national government and therefore can act independently of federal law
The Great or Connecticut Compromise provided for a:
two-chamber legislature with equal representation for all states
one-chamber legislature with representation based on population
two-chamber legislation with representation based on population
two-chamber legislature with equal representaiton equal for all states in one chamber and according to population in the other
The Supreme Court decision which declared unconstitutional a Texas law making it a crime to obtain an abortion except for the purpose of saving the mother's life was:
Roe v. Wade
Hyde v. Weddington
Key v. Roach
Plessy v. Ferguson
What is the general relationship between education and voter turnout?
educated people vote less than non-educated people because they are more cynical about government
educated people vote more often than non-educated people
educated people vote more because they are better able to pass voter literacy tests
educated and non-educated people vote at about the same rate
How does Congress override a presidential veto?
a two-thirds vote of the membership in the House and in the Senate
majority vote of those present and voting in both houses
a two-thirds vote in the Senate
through a legislative veto
Which of the following is NOT a function or power of Congress?
investigation
lawmaking
impeachment
negotiating treaties
Under the "spoils system" the selection of government employees was based on:
political affiliation
the occupation of the applicant
the ability to take a standardized test
none of the above
Executive privilege is the president's right to:
nominate judges and other major officials of the government
make nontreaty agreements with foreign countries
withhold information from Congress
use the executive washroom
The U.S. Supreme Court's power to declare a law, policy or presidential action unconstitutional is called:
amicus curiae
judicial review
judicial activism
writ of certiorari
After Supreme Court justices vote on a case and the Chief Justic is in the majority, what happens next?
the Chief Justice will always write the opinion of the Court himself
the Chief Justice will assign the writing of the opinion to a member of the majority
the most senior justice in the majority will write the opinion of the Court
the most senior justice in the majority will assignt he opinion of the Court
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the international environment in the aftermath of the Cold War?
economic integration in Europe
the emergence of the Pacific Rim countries as important
civil unrest in the former republics of the Soviet Union
growing European colonization of the Third World
Interdependence refers to:
the various states of America depending on one another
a term that characterizes the relationship between the Soviet Union and the U.S. during the Cold War
mutual dependence among nations
an economic pact among European nations
All amendments to the Missouri Constitution must be ratified by:
the state legislature
the voters
the county governments of Missouri
the city councils of Missouri
Which of the following has increased in recent years?
split ticket voting
straight ticket voting
voter turnout
party identification
A form of government in which power resides in the people and is exercised by their elected representatives (government based on consent of the governed) is called:
republican or indirect democracy
pluralism
direct democracy
federalism
The decision written by Chief Justice John Marshall in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland established which of the following?
the doctrine of delegated (enumerated) powers
the doctrine of inherent powers
the doctrine of implied power
the doctrine of concurrent powers
The state government learned that a radical paper was going to publish an article that maliciously attacked the governor's record. A court order was obtained forbidding publication of the article. This order was a violation of the constitutional principle of:
probable cause
absolute free press
actual malice
no prior restraint
The Bill of Rights, as originally interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court, protected individual liberties from violation by:
the state governments only
the national government
national and state governments
national, state and local governments
Joe says he is a Republican because his parents are Republican. This is an example of:
internal efficacy
political socialization
peer pressure
ideology
Which part of the Federal Election Campaign Act (1974) did the U.S. Supreme Court find to be in violation of the First Amendment?
limits on campaign spending
limits on campaign contributions
public disclosure of contributions
creation of the Federal Election Commission
Interest groups can distort the democratic process because they:
make it difficult for politicians to understand the facts of an issue
discourage communication between the people and government officials
are biased toward those who are already advantaged
give too much power to racial minority interests
The most powerful officer in the House of Representatives is that of:
Speaker of the House
President pro tempore
Majority leader
Majority whip
The president has all of the following powers except:
to grant pardons
to convene Congress
to declare war
to veto legislation
Justice Scalia disagrees with the decision of the Supreme Court. He will write a:
majority opinion
opposition opinion
dissenting opinion
concurring opinion
In the United States, foreign policy is constructed through:
input from both Congress and the President
Congress
the President
the Supreme Court
The media, in its role as gatekeeper,
keeps a record of politicians' activities
conducts investigative reporting
allows only certain politicians to be interviewed
determines what stories get national attention